Page 24 of King of Lies
I hop out of my car and notice Rhys’s Mercedes parked in the spot next to mine and I can’t help but smile that he’s home and waiting for me. My heart beats a little faster in my chest and I feel butterflies in my belly still at the thought of him waiting for me.
I take the stairs two at a time, practically gliding up them to get to him. I fit my key in the lock and let myself in. But when I push open the door, all does not appear right in my world. Rhys is home waiting for me but he’s sitting on the sofa facing the door. His legs spread a little and his forearms rest on his thighs and he watches his hands as his left absently plays with the gold pinky ring on his right.
My heart stutters in my chest at the sight of him because this is not a man who is happy and in love, this is a man with a lot on his mind and a heavy weight on his shoulders. This is a man making a decision.
A big one at that.
I can’t help but wonder if this is the end of the road for us. If this is where the fairytale ends. I feel the weight of the small gold heart on the chain around my neck like a burden and I want to reach up and yank off the yoke that I happily wore while I thought everything was sunshine and rainbows.
I must flinch because he sees me and when he looks up, those blue eyes look so pained and raw that I feel the slice of the emotion swimming in them like a knife to my belly and I take a step back as if it was a physical blow and not merely a look.
“Come here, Hen,” he says softly and for the first time in a long time, I don’t want to. I should have listened to my gut when it told me this beautiful man would lead to nothing but heartbreak. Instead, I blindly followed him into a passionate affair and while I feel like I’m dying inside now at its conclusion, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll look back later and be glad for the experience.
Only not right this moment.
“I think I’d rather stay right here while you tell me what has that look on your face,” I tell him softly, and his eyes narrow on me. I’m not the leader in this relationship, I’ve been a housecat, a pet, that let him coddle and stroke me, but I’ve not been the one to make the rules and the groundwork. At this change within me, something flares in his eyes that I can’t read.
“And I’d rather you sit in my lap and let me hold you in my arms while I’ll tell you that I have to go,” he bites out.
“Don’t prolong this,” I whisper. “Don’t make it hurt more to ease your own conscience. I’ll be fine, I promise. You can go.”
“Excuse me,” he replies, his voice low and deadly. It sends shivers down my spine because I’ve never heard this tone from him before. This is the ruthless businessman, not the man who’s treated me tenderly.”
“You’re ending things,” I blurt out. “You’re leaving town and leaving me behind and that’s okay. What we had was good, but don’t take that good away by hurting me before you go just to make yourself feel better.”
“Have I given you any indication that I was ending things between us?” He leans forward but does not leave his seat on the sofa and I feel confused. Maybe things aren’t what they seem and that is not a good thing because now Rhys looks mad.
“Umm … no?”
“That’s right, Hen, I have no’,” he bites out and his accent thickens. “I have no’ because I am no’ bloody ending things.”
“Then why do you look so upset?” I blurt out. “You said you were leaving.”
“Because I have to go on a fucking business trip and am not bloody happy about leaving you after what you’ve become to me,” he snarls. “Now I’ll ask you again. Come here, Hen.”
“Maybe … at this juncture … that’s not a good idea,” I whisper. “Maybe you should cool down. I’m sorry I misread things and upset you but now, you’re kind of scaring me.
“At this juncture,” he repeats my words, throwing them back at me. “It’s no’ a good bloody idea to make me come to you because if I do, I’ll be tempted to spank that lush arse red.”
“Oh.” I feel a shiver roll down my spine and this time, not a bad one.
“Now, come bloody here.”
“Okay,” I whisper and move to stand in front of him.
“Now, I love my little Hen but the hellcat you just unleashed a moment ago has my cock so hard it could pound fucking nails, so you’re going to strip and then you’re going to get on your knees and suck it. Then, you’re going to climb on and ride it, and I think we’ll both find that rather gratifying,” he growls.
“Okay.”
“Strip.”
With shaking hands, I reach for the clasp on my necklace and he shakes his head, “No, Hen. Leave that on. I want to see my heart on you and nothing else when you suck me off.”
I nod again and let the chain drop before kicking off my sneakers and pulling my blouse over my head. I push my jeans and panties down my legs and then toss my bra aside. Standing before him completely bare except for the jewelry he’s given me, I meet his eyes and watch something move behind them.
“Come here,” he purrs. “You know what to do.”
And I do. I walk around the coffee table and drop to my knees in front of him, placing my palms on his thighs, and I tip my head to him for permission. He nods and I undo his belt and pull it from his slacks before popping the clasp and lowering the zipper.
