Page 17 of Selfless

The beautiful blond I just met hours ago on the beach moans as I roll her onto her back, and my hands tangle in her blond hair. “Hope you don’t mind. I like to be in charge,” I say roughly.

Her wet lips part, swollen from our kiss moments ago. Her eyes heavy from her recent orgasm. She arches a dark brow and gives me a weak smile. Her hands come up to my chest, and she tries to push me over onto my back, but she is unsuccessful. “Then take charge.” There’s a challenge in her beautiful blue eyes, and I like it.

She bites her bottom lip while scraping her nails down my chest, and my muscles tighten as I let out a moan of pain. I let go of her hair, grab her hands, and pin them down on the sides of her head. “Hope you’re not fragile.” My hard cock rests against her wet pussy. I can feel the heat as her legs wrap around my hips.

She smiles as her eyes light up. She lifts her chin while her hips meet mine ready for more than my mouth. I haven’t fucked her yet. Not with my cock anyway but her sweet taste is still on my tongue. “Try to break me. I dare you,” she taunts.

Challenge accepted.

My body jerks, and I snap my head up in surprise. A piece of paper falls from my face, and I look down at it to see the fax paper is wet. I shake my head as I reach up and wipe the drool from my chin.

I blink a few times and then rub my heavy eyes. My shoulders fall when I realize I’m sitting in my dark office and not lying in bed with Ashlyn. It was just a memory. One of our first memories together. Running a hand down my unshaven face, I sigh. She keeps playing in my mind. I’m unable to escape her, no matter what I do. She’s there. Like a ghost haunting me. It’s not only disturbing but also painful.

I catch sight of the Knicks tickets she got me for next season lying on the corner of my desk, and I toss them into my desk drawer. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I have a fucking suite. But I would have much rather gone with her and sat in these seats.

I place my elbows on my desk, and my head falls to my hands. A knock sounds on my door, and I ignore it. I just wanna be left alone. In silence and in darkness. I’ve officially become a hermit. Thankfully, I have a full bath in my office. Otherwise, I’d have to have Kelly hose me down out in the alley behind the building.

My unlucky streak continues as I hear the knob twist followed by the door opening. I should have locked it. “Ryder.”

I groan as I hear my father’s voice. “I’m busy, Dad,” I tell him, refusing to pull my hands from my face. Why won’t people just leave me alone?

I hear him flip the light switch, and I finally lift my head and squint at the harsh light as I try to look at him. He stands in my office, the door now shutting behind him. He unbuttons his black Armani suit jacket and pushes it back as he places his hands on his hips. His green eyes look over the place I’ve been calling home for the past week now. A black blanket lies wadded on my leather couch. Some of my most expensive suit jackets cover the floor, and my slacks are thrown over my chairs.

“You’re living here,” he states. I don’t respond, and his eyes finally land on mine. “Why are you living here?”

“There’s work that needs to be done,” I say, placing my hands out as if I’m actually getting shit done. Trying to convince him that I’m not throwing my life away because of a woman.

“In the dark?” he questions, eyeing me skeptically.

He huffs when I don’t respond and then walks past my desk to the thick black curtains behind me. He yanks them open, and I blink as the morning sun lights up my office. I’ve kept them closed because, as fate would have it, a Romeo and Juliet billboard for the play that is showcasing here in a week is right across the street from my office. It’s about the size of a semi-truck. I think the universe is trying to kill me. “Dad, I had those closed for a reason,” I growl.

He comes to walk around my desk and picks up my slacks hanging over my

chair. He tosses them on the floor beside my button up shirts before he sits down. “You have to go home.” I shake my head in refusal. “You’re avoiding her.” I slam my hand down on the desk. “Of course, I’m avoiding her.” My heart starts pounding in my chest. “How can I go back there when I could run into her?” I ask in defeat as I hang my head again. “I’ve gotta move.”

“Wow,” he says dryly.

I look up at him through my lashes and snap, “Wow what?”

“I thought I’d never see the day.” He shakes his head in disappointment.

“And which day would that be?” I growl. My jaw tightens. As if I really wanna hear what he has to say.

He leans forward in his seat, his elbows resting on his knees. “The day that Ryder O’Kane gave up on something.” “Don’t give me that shit. It’s too early, Dad.” I snort, trying to avoid this conversation.

He laughs as if he’s enjoying this while sitting back in his seat. I close my eyes and hang my head, trying to prepare myself for another day at work, another day of endless meetings and phone calls, but all I hear and see is Ashlyn. It’s really as pathetic as my father makes it sound.

My door opens, and Kelly walks in. Her usual red lipstick gone, she is wearing a pair of denim shorts and a black t-shirt with flip-flops. I go to ask her what the hell she is wearing when she speaks. “Good morning, Mr. O’Kane.” She looks over at my father who has turned around in his chair to look at her. “Mr. O’Kane.” She nods to him.

“Kelly,” I say, refusing to say good morning. Nothing about my days are good.

“What are you doing here, Kelly?” my father asks, and I frown at his question. Why wouldn’t she be here?

“I’m here to pick up Mr. O’Kane’s laundry,” she states before she bends down and grabs a pair of gray slacks. She then walks over to my couch and picks up a suit jacket. “I will drop these off at the dry cleaners for you, sir,” she assures me. “And then I will run by your apartment while I’m out and grab you clothes for …”

“No,” my father says, standing.

She comes to a quick stop, and her eyes shoot from my father to me. “Excuse me?” I ask.

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