Claimed by the Billionaire: Lust #2 (4 page)

Winter leaned back
briefly so the waiter could place her tea in front of her and he dropped off my
coffee and muffin.

“I knew Bradley back in
high school. We were high school sweethearts. We were the couple of the school.
We were on homecoming court and prom king and queen,” She smiled at the memory,
“But we broke up when we headed out to college. We went to separate colleges
and the distance just wasn’t working out in our favor. I married a guy I met in
college, Bruce. Bruce was involved in electronics for smart phones and he ended
up crossing paths with Bradley through business. Bradley was just starting out,
you see. I met up with him through all the business dinners. Well,” Winter
exhaled, “One thing led to another and we were hooking up. Bradley was single
but I was still married to Bruce. We had affair for about a year. Finally,
Bruce caught us. He said he was going out of town for a trip and I faked an
illness. Bradley came down and he caught us in bed together.”

The thought of them in
bed together hurt more than I hoped I was leading on. I thought of Bradley
entangled in Winter’s body, her legs wrapped around his waist as she pumped her
hips against him. I tried to dispel the image, not wanting to think about it
anymore. I hoped I looked caring or understand and not slightly sick at the
thought of them sleeping together.

Winter went on, “Bruce
and I divorced. Bradley and I married six months later. We had an amazing
wedding in France. By this time, his business had taken off and he was
absolutely loaded. Money was not an object. It was an amazing wedding. Oh, I
think I still have some photos on my phone.”

Winter clicked a couple
of things on her phone and leaned over slightly. I got a whiff of her perfume
and a glimpse of her cleavage. She showed me a photo. Winter, in a long,
gorgeous white dress with beads along the bodice. The beading was ornate and
seemed to glow under the lights from the camera. It was a ball gown style of
dress and it was breath taking. Her hair wasn’t the platinum locks she had now
but a deep chestnut brown, which personally, I thought suited her better.

But even though Winter
looked beautiful, though I hated to admit it, my eye was drawn to Bradley. He
looked younger but still dashing, handsome in his tailored suit. I felt my
pulse quicken as I looked at him.

“You look gorgeous.” I
said honestly.

I could have stared at
that photo forever but Winter took her phone away and kept talking, “We were
together for three years. He’s trying to divorce me. He doesn’t want to, you
know that right? I mean, I don’t even have to tell you that — you walked in on
us kissing. He wants me back but won’t admit it. I’m the best thing he will
ever have.”

“Why is he trying to
divorce you then?” I attempted to keep my tone neutral but Winter’s eyes
narrowed for a moment.

Then she spoke, “I
don’t know. Well, you want to know what he is claiming - That he doesn’t have feelings
for me anymore. That I’m controlling and I try to manipulate him. That I spend
all of his money,” She shrugged, “It is just all lies. He wants to be with
me.  He has cold feet.”

“Cold feet about what?”
I said stupidly.

“About me wanting kids.
He doesn’t want kids. Or so he says. He wants kids. He wants my kids.”

I tried to follow what
Winter was telling me. That she sounded like a wife from hell and Bradley
wanted out. That she wanted his kids and he didn’t want hers. That he still
wanted her because he was kissing her in his office. But that still didn’t
answer why I was here with her, in this café, talking about this.

“Anyway, Janine and I
had a deal. She’d keep tabs on him for me, let me know what girls he was
seeing, all that stuff.”

“What?” I said,
probably sounding stupid again.

“Janine,” She said
impatiently, “She’d keep track for me. If he was seeing a girl, she’d let me
know who. Let me know where I could run into him. I think he’s seeing someone
again and with Janine gone, I need you to take her place.”

“You want me to spy on
Mr. Gable?” I asked in amazement.

“Spy seems like a harsh
word for what I’m asking.”

“Janine did this?”

“Yes,” She said slowly,
“I’ve told you about three times now. Listen, if your moral compass is telling
you that it is wrong, take a day to think about it. I’ll give you an extra five
grand every time you give me information I can use.”

Winter stood up
abruptly. She hadn’t touched her tea and I realized my coffee had gone cold.
She towered over the table in her large high heels.

“Think about it.” She
said and then strutted out of the café.

I stared at my cold
coffee. I was trying to digest what she had told me but it made my head hurt.
There was no way to get around the fact she was asking me to spy on Bradley.
Now I wasn’t so sure that what I saw was what I had thought it was. He might
have been telling me the truth, judging from Winter’s story.

But, a nagging voice
inside me went, what if she was the one telling the truth? What if everything
Winter had said was true? I didn’t want it to be but to push it out of my mind
would have been foolish.

I stared at my food,
realizing that Winter had left me to foot the bill. Lovely.

As I walked back to the
office, I tried to figure out what I should do. I had calmed down enough that I
didn’t feel like punching Bradley in the head. Winter had made me even more
confused. Who was correct here? Something about Winter’s words rang false to
me.

As I took the elevator
ride up, I decided that I wouldn’t be fixating on what was true and what
wasn’t. I had gotten Winter’s side of the story. Now it was time for Bradley’s.
I marched across the office and knocked on his door three times and then walked
in.

Bradley was looking out
the massive window behind his desk. He turned around and looked at me in
surprise.

“Serena!” He exclaimed,
turning to face me.

“Hard at work, I see.”
I said in return, knowing I was crossing a line but not caring enough in case I
was going to quit anyway.

Bradley seemed unsure
how to reply and settled on a “I’m busier than I look.”

“Listen, I just had
lunch with Winter.”

His eyes bulged and for
a second I feared that they were going to pop out of his head, “You did what?”

“She invited me out to
lunch.”

“She did what?”

I sat down in one of
the plush chairs across from his desk, “Can we talk or are you going to keep
repeating yourself?”

He stiffened for a
second and sat down across from me on his desk, which I hated, “Mind telling me
why you and Winter met up?”

“I told you. She
emailed me, asking me out to lunch.”

“Why?”

“Apparently, she wanted
to renew the agreement she had with Janine but with me instead.”

His brow furrowed,
“What agreement?”

“Janine would keep tabs
on you and then tell her. Any time you got close to another woman or mentioned
the divorce, she’d let Winter know and Winter would pay her for useful
information.”

There was a long lapse
of silence. I thought maybe when I told him he would be angry and lash out but
instead he sat there in stony silence. He wasn’t looking at me. Bradley was
looking through me. The silence was so long that I was debating leaving when he
finally spoke.

“And you said?”

“Honestly, I couldn’t
get a word in. She talked a lot,” He nodded as though he agreed which gave me
some courage to go on, “She told me to think about it and get back to her. She
also stuck me with the bill.” I added, still slightly annoyed over that aspect,
however minute.

His mouth quirked
upwards a little at that and then he spoke, “She said Janine did this?”

“Yeah, that’s what she
claimed.” I shrugged.

“What else did she
say?”

“She said that you
still want to be with her. The only reason you’re divorcing is that you just
don’t realize you’re ready for kids.”

Another long pause and
then, “Do you believe that?”

I shrugged, “Does it
matter?”

“Yes.”

“Why?” I shot back.

“I told you, Serena.
She was kissing me.”

I sighed, “Why don’t
you tell me your side of things?”

Bradley looked hurt as
though he couldn’t believe I just didn’t believe instantly what he was saying.
But I wasn’t born yesterday. I had just caught him kissing her and a couple
hours later, she was bribing me to spy on Bradley.

He let out a long sigh
and leaned forward in his chair. I suddenly felt irritated.

“We’re not talking
about business, Bradley,” I snapped, “Can’t you sit next to me?”

He looked taken aback
but stood up, “I’m sorry. You’re right.”

We walked over to his
small living room area where I had had my interview before. We both sat down
and he ran his fingers through his hair. I tried not to get distracted. I
wanted to talk to him about this and not think about how dreamy he looked.

“We were high school
sweethearts. But once we got to college, the distance didn’t work in our favor
so we ended it. We met up years later and she was married. We kept running into
each other at business meetings — her husband at the time was involved in tech
and ran in the same circles as me,” Bradley leaned back on the couch, lost in
the memories, “It shames me to say we started an affair, but we did.
Eventually, we got caught and Bruce divorced her. Does this follow with what
she told you?”

I nodded, “So far.”

“Winter is very
entrancing. She is gorgeous,” I tried not to let that hurt my feelings, “But
she is very manipulative. I actually starting bleeding money when I was with
her, for lack of a better term. She wanted everything. I mean everything. Over
time, that took away the feelings I had for her. It eroded them over three
years. Then she started talking about children,” He shook his head, “No, I
couldn’t, Serena.”

“Why does she think
you’re going to come back to her?”

Bradley sighed, “She’s
doing everything she can to drag out this divorce and make it as painful as
possible. Winter refuses to except that it is over. She thinks I will come back
to her and we will have kids.”

“Haven’t you made it
clear to her that isn’t the case?”

“Yes. She doesn’t believe
me. Or doesn’t want to. I don’t know. Winter wants everything if she can. All
the money she can get. Everything.”

“So what are you going
to do?”

He closed his eyes
briefly, “I don’t know.”

We fell into a silence
that was more thoughtful than depressing. Bradley seemed to be thinking
something over and I kept thinking about his divorce and what Winter said.

“Hey,” I said slowly,
“What if we lied?”

“What?”

I grabbed his arm,
“What if I agree to spy but we record her? You could use that in court, right?”

Bradley looked at me
and blinked a couple of times, “That’s a really good idea, Serena.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really,” He
looked at me deeply and I felt that electric charge go through me, “It really
is.”

Bradley then leaned
forward and kissed me. It took me by surprise but what surprised me more was
how easily I fell into it. I didn’t even want to think about if I should be
doing it or not and that I still didn’t know what was going to happen with us
in the future. I had missed his touch. Our lips met and he kissed me with
passion, making my body break out into goose bumps. His hands traveled through
my hair and slid down my arms. My self-control melted.

I kissed him
passionately, my hands moving over his back and then back to the front, undoing
his buttons as quickly as I could. My own button up shirt was quickly
unbuttoned and he slipped it off, tossing it to the ground. Bradley groaned at
the sight of my breasts in their bra.

“Bend over the couch.”
He commanded.

The tone thrilled me
and I did as he told, bending over the couch. He lifted my skirt around my
ankles and yanked down my panties. Bradley was forceful, different than he had
been before. I heard his pants unzip and I closed my eyes.

His hands traveled
along my thighs and soon a finger was in my wetness. I moaned, thrilled at the
fact that we were doing this in his office. I knew anyone could come in at any
time and it excited me even more. He moved his finger in me and I moaned,
moving my hips back against it. I wanted more. I rocked my hips back as much as
I could and Bradley slid another finger in me.

It felt amazing. His
other hand slid up to my clit and started rubbing it while he moved his fingers
in me. My eyes squeezed shut tightly as I panted with lust, rocking my hips
like a mad woman as he brought me closer and closer to climax. I couldn’t
imagine how I look — bent over the couch in my boss’s office, getting fingered
by him. It felt so wonderful that I couldn’t think of anything else but the
growing feeling…growing…

Suddenly he pulled his
fingers out and moved his hands. My eyes snapped opened and I whined. Bradley
leaned forward and I felt his hardness against my thigh, his words thick and
lusty in my ear.

“You want more,
Serena?”

“Yes,” I begged,
“Please, don’t stop.”

He pulled on my hair
and I moaned louder. I could feel him sliding in me, filling me up. Bradley was
so large that all I could do was wiggle against him, trying to get every inch
in me. Soon he was thrusting in me, one hand pulling my hair, the other
smacking my ass. I went wild, trying to thrust back, trying to ram every inch
of him in me. I was moaning loudly — probably too loudly. He was grunting as he
thrust in me. I loved how he pulled my hair. I loved how big he was and how he
felt in me.

He kept fucking me at a
steady pace until he started moaning my name in a whispered hush. My whole body
was shuddering. The orgasm that had been built up early was starting again and
it was all I could do not to collapse under it. I was panting, moaning loudly,
writhing, my body sweating, my breasts having fallen out of my bra and hanging
out now. Finally, I shuddered and yelled his name as he brought me to a climax.
At the same time, Bradley finished. I could feel him filling me up and could
hear him moaning my name as well. He pumped in me as he came. Bradley came for
a full minute before he stopped rocking in me and I collapsed on the couch,
managing to roll over to stare at the ceiling.

Bradley slumped on the
floor against the couch, panting. My chest was heaving, my breasts hanging out.
My skirt was bunched around my waist. I was sure I had a big red mark on my ass
from where he had been slapping me. But I didn’t care. I couldn’t remember the
last time I had felt that good.

That night after I got
home from work, I looked at my phone. I was supposed to call Winter, to tell
her that I wanted to meet for lunch tomorrow. By that time, Bradley and I would
have everything set up to record the conversation I had with her and we could
go from there.

I decided I’d text her
so I would have that on file. I sent her a quick text asking her to meet me for
lunch tomorrow. Not even a minute later, she replied back and agreed. I flopped
into bed. Greg had fallen asleep about thirty minutes ago, leaving the
apartment quiet. My TV made a quiet hum, barely muted, and the light glowed on
the walls. My body was sore but I relished it. It was a soreness for the right
reasons. I thought of how he had taken me in his office. Bradley had felt so
good. Sex with him was so dynamic and made me feel so complete. Sex with him
was unlike anyone else I had been with. I had always liked sleeping with my
husband but he always had gone towards the more vanilla than anything
interesting. After over ten years together, we had barely slept together except
once or twice a year.

Bradley took me in a
way that made me feel sexy and like a woman. Every time I thought I had gotten
out or had plans to get out, I was pulled back in and ended up back with him.
Once again, in the quietness of my room, I tried to tell myself that I was
making too many mistakes with this. I needed to slow down and think it over.
But any time he touched me, it was as though my brain melted and could no
longer think far ahead. I fell asleep, second guessing everything.

***

“Are you sure you’re
okay with this?” Bradley asked me the next morning.

I waved my hand, “I’m
fine.” I lied.

We were in his office
and he had made extra coffee. He claimed it was for me but he seemed to be
guzzling it. Bradley was clearly nervous. The last thing I wanted to do was
make him worry by admitting that I was nervous too. The last thing I wanted was
for Winter to know I was recording her. I hoped that I could play it smoothly
enough so she wouldn’t know. I felt slightly ridiculous, worrying about this as
though we were in a low budget spy movie. But if Bradley got evidence of her
saying she hired people to spy on him…it’d be enough to end the divorce for
good.

“Listen, just…try to
act casual.” Bradley said, running his hands through his hair.

“Will you calm down?” I
said, my nerves getting the best of me, “It’ll be okay.”

His phone went off and
he glanced down at it, “I have to take this,” He looked back up at me, “It’ll
be okay.” He sounded as though he was reassuring himself more than me.

Bradley walked by me
and stopped and kissed me. It was soft, not like the passionate kisses we had
before we would have sex, but the gentleness of it sent shivers through me. He
walked into his separate room in his office and I could hear him talking
business. I went back to my desk.

At around noon, I went
off to the café. Bradley gave me a nervous hug. It was more affection that I
had gotten from him so freely than ever. I wondered if it was just nerves or
something else. But I decided that now was not the time to worry about that. As
I stepped into the café, I saw Winter in the same spot she had been last time.
Her hair was up in a bun this time and she was wearing all black and white.
Between her hair and the white, it seemed to make her skin look pale and
somewhat pasty. I realized that she was trying to hide bags under her eyes from
not sleeping well but the makeup wasn’t working. Her hands were also stroking a
cigarette, as though she wanted one very badly.

As I walked over, I
made sure to have my phone in my hand, the recording device on in it. I slid
into the seat across from her. I wanted to act like I had yesterday, hopefully
not making her be suspicious of anything. The waiter came over and Winter
ordered coffee again. This time I ordered a coffee as well, deciding I’d just
eat at my desk after and it’d keep the tab low if she stuck me with it again.

“So,” Winter said,
without any preamble, “Have you decided?”

“On?” I replied,
playing dumb.

Winter rolled her eyes,
“On if you’re going to help me with Bradley.”

I had to get her on
tape saying it or she could mean anything, “I still don’t know if I feel
comfortable with spying on Mr. Gable.”

“Then is that your
answer? You don’t want to spy on him for me? Listen,” Winter leaned forward, “I
told you. Anything you get that helps me, I’ll give you five grand. I know you
aren’t getting that sort of money from him.”

“What gets me the five
grand?”

Her perfume slid over
me in a slow haze, clogging my nostrils and I tried not to cough as she
replied, “If he’s seeing someone. Where he’ll be so I can run into him. What he
says about me.”

I pretended to consider
it, “Okay.”

Winter leaned back, a
smile on her face, “That’s perfect. Listen, I gotta go,” She stood up now and
the waiter coming over looked alarmed, “I’ll text you later, okay?”

Winter walked out with
her high heels clacking loudly on the floor. I waved the waiter away and asked
for the check.

Back in the office,
Bradley was pacing by my desk, not even in his own office. 

“How did it go?” He
said, rushing up to me as soon as the elevator doors opened.

“Nice to see you too.”
I replied wryly.

“Sorry.  How did
it go?”

I sighed and pulled out
my phone from my purse, hitting play. Winter’s voice rang out, repeating what I
had heard earlier. Bradley’s face lit up.

“We have her!” He
exclaimed.

“Let me send the sound
file to you.” I said as Bradley was already running off to his computer in his
office to take care of things for good.