Page 55 of The Southern Submission

Payton doesn’t look at me, a muscle ticking in his jaw as he keeps his eyes locked on Archer’s terrified face. “Bullies get the treatment they dish out. Remember that. You put your hands on my girl, payback is tenfold.” He squeezes Archer’s throat until he gurgles painfully and shakes him. “If I see you again, you’re not walking away.” He glances over at me. “Did he touch you anywhere else?” he asks, sounding murderous.

“No, just my arm and neck. Put him down. Seriously, he’s not worth it. He’s nothing.”

His jaw clenches, his stare returning to Archer, who visibly shrinks under the scary look. “You’re lucky I don’t end you now and do this world the favor it deserves.” He snarls, tossing Archer to the side so he stumbles to his knees.

Archer stands and collects himself as much as he can with wet pants, a disheveled shirt, and his hair a mess from being shoved against a wall and shaken like a ragdoll.

“You’re going to pay for this, Olsen.” He points a shaking finger at us as he walks backward toward his car. “You just signed away everything you’ve ever loved or wanted. You’re going to regret putting your hands on me.” He turns and walks quickly to an unfamiliar black BMW, slams the door, and peels out of the parking lot while we watch.

Once the car’s out of sight, Payton turns to me and gently cups my face in his hands, his expression now one of concern, though his features are harder than usual. “Are you okay? Where did he hurt you?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer, his hands softly running down my neck and shoulders to my arms and pushing up my sleeves to where Archer was gripping my arm. He hisses out a breath and scowls. “I should have knocked his teeth out for marking you.”

I look down and see the red mark from Archer’s tight grip on my arm already starting to bruise. “I don’t care about that now that he’s gone. Let me get my bag from inside and we can leave. We’ll put this behind us. I don’t want Archer to ruin another thing for me.”

“He put his fucking hands on you, Ainsley. He hurt you.” His voice breaks and he shakes his head, jaw clenching again. “He came here to intimidate you, right? To say more horrible things and get under your skin because of me. What did he say?”

“It doesn't matter what he said. Archer sucks and he’s gone now. You scared him so bad he pissed himself and that means he’s going to come back swinging the only way he knows how, which is at me. Just let it go. You’ve done enough and I don’t want to think about this.”

“I’ve done enough?” he repeats, his voice rising. “I’m trying to protect you and put that punk-ass kid in his place. I want him to know it’s not okay to touch what’s mine, and he has no business harassing you.”

I’m mad, confused, and scared, and this isn’t helping anything. I don’t want to fight with him after dealing with Archer’s bullshit. Payton has no right to claim me like that when all we’re doing is faking it in public and opening ourselves to sex because it’s fun, not because he thinks it’s real.He’s acting out of possessiveness, not because he’s in love with me, and he doesn't like seeing another man’s hands on me because he thinks of me as his property.

“Stop pretending I mean anything to you. I’m playing a role for a stupid favor and you’re getting something extra out of it now that I’ve let you have my body. That’s all I am, a fake plaything to enjoy for a short time to meet an end goal. You couldn’t possibly want me for real because I’m not your type. I’m so beneath you it’s stupid to even pretend that you’d want me, so it’s better if we don’t bring sex into the mix anymore. It’ll just hurt me more in the end,” I say, balling my fists and pressing my nails into my palms to anchor myself when my mind is spinning down dark paths Archer opened up.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Payton says, the words coming out in a low whisper laced with the rage I heard earlier directed at Archer.

I shrink inward and close my eyes, putting up the walls he so recently dismantled. I shouldn’t have let him in. This is it. This is when I see the other side of the happy-go-lucky guy he’s presented this whole time. This is when he shows me his true colors and I’ll know what I’m dealing with. I take a step back, letting his hands fall from my arms. My heart beats erratically in my chest and adrenaline surges through me, prepping me for fight, flight, or freeze. I have to leave before my instinct to freeze kicks in so I won’t be stuck with another abusive asshole. I’ll put myself first this time.

“Don’t put yourself down or say you’re not my type. You’re perfect for me and I want you. I’m not fucking you as a fake plaything. It’s because we have a connection and you’re someone I want to give my body to. I sure as fuck hope you feel the same because we’re good together. I’m drawn to you.” He snarls an exasperated sound and pauses, running a handthrough his hair in agitation as he looks up at the sky. “Fuck it. You need to hear everything I feel, no matter how crazy it sounds.” He levels me with that churning sea stare and I freeze. “This isn’t casual and it’s not a game. You’re the fucking moon controlling my tides. You mean…everything to me, Ainsley.” His words are hurried and passionate but not angry. He’s desperate for me to understand him, I realize.

I blink and look away from the unguarded emotion he’s showing me. This isn’t good for the attachment and obsession I’m already feeling. His words draw me in and make me hope for more when I know I shouldn’t. It doesn’t matter what nice things he says now. We have a three-month contract. When it’s over, there’s no reason for him to want to keep me around, connection or not. I have to remind my heart that, as good as it feels to be wanted by him, to have something special, and to hear his words now, there’s no guarantee I get to keep him at the end of this. I sigh in defeat.

“Fine. Let’s go to the lake.”

“Fine? That’s how you end a conversation after an encounter like that and me fucking pouring my heart out to you? You want to suppress your feelings and not deal with the emotions of seeing Archer again, let him get into your head, and pick a fight with me because I want to make sure you’re okay? We’re not doing this your way, Princess. We’re doing it mine.” He bends and tosses me over his shoulder, his arms banding around my thighs as I shout a protest. He ignores it and marches me inside the building. “Which one is your desk?”

My face is hot with embarrassment from being carried over the shoulder of my fake boyfriend in front of my coworkers, who are staring openly, some laughing. I point at my desk. He walks to it, picks up my overnight bag and purse, slings thestraps over his other shoulder, and turns around to leave. At the door, he pauses for a moment.

“Happy Independence Day. I’m taking my workaholic girlfriend to the lake a little early and this is the only way I can pry her away from work.” He turns back around after his explanation and exits as I wave sheepishly and see Reid smiling at me.

At his Range Rover, he places me in the passenger seat and hands me the seat belt before stowing my bags.

“You're a caveman,” I accuse once he’s settled and we’re pulling out of the parking lot.

“You bring out my more primal instincts, Princess. Now take off your panties and spread your legs for me.”

There’s no question. It’s a command and I’m compelled to obey without further argument. I huff in annoyance but a thrill goes through me as I shimmy out of my panties and hold them up for him. He takes them from me and runs them under his nose with a groan before they disappear into his pocket. Fuck, he’s sexy with his unabashed desires and willingness to act on every one.

“Put your right foot up on the dash. Good girl,” he praises when I follow his direction. His hand moves under my skirt to the apex of my thighs, fingers sliding through the slickness at my entrance from the anticipation of whatever he’s going to do to me. He drags the wetness to my clit and rubs it in circles, causing my hips to roll into his hand. He pinches my clit and I jump. “Now tell me why you think you’re not good enough for me while I make you come. We’ll see who gets their point across first.”

It’s a game he is unequivocally skilled in and gives him an advantage that has me coming faster than I can try to explain how my brain works and why I think he couldn’t possibly wantme. He makes me come four times on the drive to the lake and I forget that I'm supposed to be arguing my point with him. He has me seeing fireworks brighter than those that pop and burst over the lake the next night as we spend the evening around the pool at his beautiful lakehouse with his family and close friends. Through it all, Payton makes sure I know I’m wanted with every action and word, reassuring me at every turn that I’m enough for him. It feels good to be wanted, and it sinks me deeper into my obsession with him which will be even harder to climb out of should he decide to be done with me at the end of our contract.

Thirty

The Atlanta Haute List

Billionaire Brawls Over Blonde In Broad Daylight

Who could bring the mild-mannered middle Olsen brother to violence over his pretty paramour? That would be Archer Donovan, son of incarcerated business rival, Andreas Donovan. Sounds juicy, right? The details become even more sordid the more we dug. Archer was previously connected to Payton’s lady love, Ainsley Montgomery, while she attended New York University. We even received unconfirmed accounts saying Archer has anger issues and their relationship ended badly.

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