Rules of Her Sins (Their Sins #1) (8 page)

Chapter

fifteen

Jesse

I’m thankful Laney was getting out of the museum as I was calling her to pick me up. This afternoon was crazy. I’m so glad I could leave early. Maybe Aedan can be nice after all, but something isn’t adding up. I’ll let it go for the time being. Now I’m sitting at home with a glass of wine and a smutty romance novel on my iPad. Every once in a while, it’s nice to read about someone else’s crazy life. I’ve showered and I’m in a comfy pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt. I would live in these pants if I could.

I’m reading one of my favorites,
Sixty Shades of Red
. The novel is a spinoff of
Fifty Shades of Grey
and is all about the Red Room of Pain. I don’t care much for the color red, but on the human body, well…that’s a different story. Yes, I’ve dabbled in the BDSM scene a bit. I like certain aspects of it, like the complete satisfaction and control. Sex is the one thing I know I can control when it’s on my terms. There is no way I could live the BDSM life style full time.

I liked the club life the first few months I moved back, but it wasn’t what I needed. Drunk, sloppy sex sucks. I sure didn’t want to bring a guy back to my grandmother’s house, so I started signing up for dating sites.

With my father’s contract, I couldn’t date anyone employed by him. I mean, now I get it, but it’s too bad Aedan works for my father. If he didn’t, I’d be hitting that.

I can’t believe I keep thinking about him like this. I’m chalking it up to the wine and the stress being too much today.

At eight, I’m ready for bed. Laney has been on the phone since we’ve been home. I find her and let her know I’m going to bed. By the looks of her bags and room, she’s ready for her trip back to Indiana. She’s going tomorrow night and will be back Sunday.

I hope tomorrow is a lot better than this dreaded day. I can’t make it back to my bed quick enough.

***

Aedan

This email is a pain in my ass. I worked on finding the origin of it for hours before I turned it over to Adam Craig. He’s one of the best hackers out there. Hell, he is the reason I’m going out with Jesse next week. If he can’t figure it out, then I don’t know what I’ll do.

I’m at Jesse’s house now, making sure everything is secure and all the GPS devices are turned on in the house. I’m so glad we had all of the McCoy family’s security systems upgraded a few years ago so now I can login from my phone or computer and control the security system, thermostat, or the garage door in all of their homes. I could be big brother if I wanted to, but I’m not that desperate…yet.

I am so ready for a date with her. I wish it were tomorrow instead of next Tuesday because it’s been fun emailing her back and forth. I’m getting harder thinking about her amazing body since my workout session at the gym didn’t go as planned. If I didn’t have to do personal security detail on Jess, I could go home and take care of my problem, but I’ll probably end up doing it when I take a shower tonight.

With the lights out, it looks like the girls are in for the night, so I will take myself home. I don’t live far from here, but I won’t let Jesse know that. At least I am nearby in case something does happen. I don’t even want to think about something happening, though.

Chapter

Sixteen

Jesse

“Stop! That hurts. No! Please, stop! No, no, nooo!”

I feel a sharp pain through my stomach, like I’ve been kicked. The assault continues. I can tell I’m on my stomach, and I feel a hand roughly grabbing and entering me. “No!”

I wake up to Laney shaking me. She is looking at me like she used to when I moved in with her after Chet left me.

“You were having a nightmare about him, weren’t you?” Laney asked with concern.

“Yeah. And before you ask, it was the first one in a long time. I haven’t had one since I moved back here,” I say, trying to clear my head.

“Something must have triggered it. Any idea what it might have been?”

I haven’t told Laney about the email I received at work last week. I’m not going to tell her. She has plenty to worry about, what with living in two different states and working two different jobs. When she came back Sunday, the Indiana State Museum asked Laney to record training sessions for the person they hired to replace her. Luckily, it was an internal hire, so it should go smoothly. She has to go back to get her house situated over the weekend, so this Tuesday isn’t starting out like I wanted it to.

“Stress from Aedan maybe? Or everything all at once, you know.” I look at my clock, and it reads five in the morning. “I don’t think I’m going back to bed. I’m going to go for a run. Want to go with me?”

“You and your running. No way. I’m going back to sleep for a bit. Make sure you have your phone on you,” she says, yawning.

“Yes, Laney Lou, I’ll have my phone.”

She heads back to her bedroom. I put on running pants, a t-shirt, an amazing running jacket I picked up at REI that’s made completely of reflection material, and my trusty Nike shoes. I’m not taking my iPod. I’ll use the Spotify app on my phone.

I go downstairs and grab some water, my ID, and money and head out the front door. The weather is nice for almost five twenty in the morning. I don’t want to run too long, but I want to run this nightmare out of my head. I decide to run to the north. The pricier homes are that way.

I’ll run to the amazing house I’m in love with. The property was at least a half million when it was built, and it looks like a huge farmhouse, but it’s constructed with slate gray stone with white trim. The house is at least three times the size of my house. The yard is large and gated in and looks rather odd next to brick houses in the same area. I have never seen anyone coming or going. I figure a family with a bunch of children would live in a house this size, but it looks almost vacant.

I live about five miles from there, so I’ll run there and then run back. I should feel good after a ten-mile run. If I do it quickly enough, I can stop on the corner for coffee and scones. Laney loves scones. Well, Laney loves anything that is food.

Work It!
is my favorite playlist to run to, and Drake’s
All Me
starts playing. I start stretching, and then I get to running. I put my mind on tonight’s date. Normally, I’m not anxious before a date, but I’m anxious and almost giddy. I can’t wait to meet Levi. I need to think of what I want to wear. We are going for dinner at The Four Seasons and hopefully staying in. He told me he would text me when he gets there. I can’t wait.

I realize I ran almost five miles in thirty minutes. I keep running, and a few minutes later, I finally reach the house. I decide this is where I’m going to stretch before heading back.

I hear a noise, look up, and see a car coming out of the garage. That car looks like Aedan’s car…wait, that
is
Aedan’s car. I thought he lived on the other side of the city. I try to find a bush or something to hide behind because I don’t want him to notice me. Wow, I know my father pays well, but I didn’t realize this well.

Aedan’s gate opens and he pulls out onto the street and heads the way I’m getting ready to, so I wait a few minutes and head that way myself. Now I really wonder if he has a wife that he is hiding in that house. Checking my phone, I notice that I need to hurry up if I am going to stop and get breakfast goodness.

***

Aedan

Shit. This is not how I wanted to start my morning. According to the GPS on Jesse’s phone, she’s not home, but here? How could she possibly know where I live? I made sure the only people that know where I live are McCoy and my security team.

This house was a huge splurge. I invested my money well each time I got a bonus from McCoy. Soon I was sitting on a nice nest egg, and I scooped this house up since it was a foreclosure. I wanted a beautiful house for the family I hope to have one day, but if I don’t find Jesse, I’m not going to have to worry about it.

I decide I’m going to loop around the block and drive back through my neighborhood. Maybe I need to reset the GPS. I have no clue. I drive past my house, headed in the same direction I went the first time. My GPS is saying she is about a mile up the road. What the hell? I drive slowly and that is when I see her. She’s running. Why is she running like she has someone or something chasing her at six in the morning?

I am about to get out of the car and demand her to get in and let me take her home, but that would blow everything, and I can’t let that happen. I decide I’ll slowly follow her until she makes it back to her house. I don’t care if it takes all morning because I will make sure she gets home.

Twenty-three minutes later, she runs into Coffee-Bean Café. She is in there for five minutes and it looks like is she walking back to her house. She only lives a quarter mile down the road. I follow until I can park out-of-sight and watch her make it into her house.

I’m glad she made it back to her house. I can’t wait to surprise her tonight. I wonder if she will give in to what is obvious between us. I wonder what will happen if I’m able to break her and her father finds out.

Chapter

seventeen

Jesse

My morning run made me feel amazing, like I can conquer the world. I set the coffees and scones on the table and head upstairs to shower for work. I turn the shower on, get the bathroom all steamy, and make sure my razor is in the shower because I want to make sure I’m hairless in all the spots that count.

I peel the sweaty clothes off my body and put them in the hidden hamper in the closet. I take a look in the mirror at myself before I get in the shower. I am definitely not the same Jesse that returned here almost two years ago. Back then, I was broken and unsure of myself. Chet made sure to leave me when he knew I would hit the lowest point in my life, and when I thought I couldn’t get any lower, I did.

I’m finally realizing I am a lot stronger than I thought I was. I think opening my eyes to what I have here has really allowed me to regain control of my life. I don’t know what happened to that control all those years ago, but I am so glad it’s back. I’m glad I’m getting me back. I’m sure it would have happened a lot sooner if I would have gotten my head out of my ass and stopped feeling sorry for myself, but it didn’t happen that way.

My mom used to say, “Everything happens for a reason. We might not understand at the time, but it does happen.” I guess I’ll chalk it up to one of those times

After taking one more look at my thick, firm body, I get into the shower. I lather up and shave my underarms and legs. I make sure to pay extra close attention to my mound. I don’t want razor burn on the lady bits. I love leaving a little strip, but this morning, I’m shaving it all off. I want pleasure tonight and I’ll make sure I get it. I make sure to take extra time conditioning my hair because I’ll pull it up for my date later tonight.

I rinse off, then turn off the water so I can get out to dry off. I make sure that I put on deodorant and plenty of lotion. I decide to go heavy on the eye makeup and blowout my hair. I know I’ll have to touch up my makeup before my date, but I want to look in complete control today, even in the office. Normally, it takes forever for my hair to dry, but it’s completely working with me today. I put on charcoal eyeliner to give my eyes a deep smoky look, pinch my cheeks for some color, and add nude lip gloss.

Happy with my hair and makeup, I make my way to my walk-in closet. I want to wear my black three-piece skirt suit. I love how I feel in it. Under it, I’ll wear a red bustier with attached garter belts, a red thong that matches the bustier, and black fishnet stockings. I don’t need a dress shirt under my suit as the lace on the bustier covers my chest perfectly.

I go further into my closet to look for what I want to bring to work to change into for my date tonight. I think I’m going to wear my black scallop lace cocktail dress. The dress fits my body and the lace shows off the right amount of cleavage and leg without making me look slutty.

I grab another pair of thongs to put on with my dress. I will wear the same shoes to work I plan to wear on my date—red platform stilettos. I also grab a sweatshirt, yoga pants, and flip-flops for my walk of shame. I never spend the night. By the time I get home tonight, all I’ll want to do is take a shower and go to bed.

I lay out everything on my bed to make sure I am not forgetting anything. The clock reads a quarter after seven. I need to pick up my pace, so I put on my undergarments, then slowly roll on my stockings and attach them to the garters. I slide on my skirt and put on my heels. I put the vest on and look in the mirror to make sure my breasts aren’t hanging out.

I put on the jacket and, after I button one of the buttons, it finishes the look I am going for. I add a chunky black necklace and matching earrings. The redness of my hair stands out against the stark contrast of the blackness of the suit.

I grab my overnight bag and put my change of clothes in it. I keep extra toiletries and makeup in the bag so I don’t have to dig around in my bathroom. I grab my phone and I make my way downstairs.

Laney is waiting for me at the table. She is eating a scone and sipping on one of the coffees I picked up this morning. After nearly dropping her scone, she says, “Oh my God, you look fucking hot! Going for that ‘I’m in control, don’t fuck with me’ look today?”

“You know it. My whole attitude has changed since you’ve been here. I really think I needed someone who supports me to give me a little push, you know? I mean, I have one part of my life figured out, sex, but the rest was up in the air. You came and it’s like bam, I know what I want,” I explain in a rush.

“Damn girl, did you drink a pot of coffee before you got ready?” she asks, laughing.

“No, it’s like everything has clicked. I believe I really need tonight too. Speaking of which, you can have my car after you drop me off at work this morning. I will take a cab to my date and then one home.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind picking you up.” She looks at me with sadness in her eyes because she knows my normal dates are for sex and or dinner, but this one is different.

“I’m sure. It will give me time to change and get ready for my date.”

“Okay. I might go shopping to buy some things for downstairs. Is it okay to have the stuff I buy delivered while I’m at work?”

“Sure. I’ll make sure someone is here to let the deliverers in or I’ll come home to do it myself. They can take the stuff downstairs so we don’t have to move them.”

“Great, and thank you for the scones and coffee. They’re my favorite. I forgot how much I missed them. Moving so close to that coffee shop might not be a good idea.” She giggles.

“And now you know why I run, a lot.” I laugh with her.

I grab the keys, my purse, and my bag. We head out to the garage and get in my car. I hope the drive to work is as smooth as my morning has been. I pull out of the garage and look up and down the street. I swear that looks like Aedan’s car, but I saw him over an hour ago leaving his house. I don’t know about him…something still seems off about him.

We decide to jam to music on our way to work this morning. We crank the radio up when DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s
Turn Down For What
comes blaring through the speakers. This day is going to be awesome!

***

Aedan

What the fuck was I thinking staying at her house until this time of morning? I should have went to work after I saw she made it inside of her house, but I couldn't. I don't know why I am stressing myself out like this because nothing has happened yet. She doesn’t even know I will be the one meeting her tonight.

I need to think about tonight. How is she going to react when she discovers Levi is me? Rejection or acceptance? I’m hoping for the latter, but if that’s the case, I’m afraid that everything she has worked hard for will be all for nothing.

I will have to be honest and tell her everything, even that I know about the contract, to give her a fair chance, to let her make the choice of going against her father or holding up her end of the contract. At this point, I don’t plan on telling her dad about how I veered away from his plan and invented my own unless this situation gets out of control.

I want to be more than an arrogant asshole to her. I hope she doesn't run away from what may be a really good thing.

I need to think of what I am going to say, how I’m going to make her stay and work all this out, because I can tell she is attracted to me, at least a little. I study people for a living, I understand how they work, but with the contract looming over her head, she is afraid to act on her feelings.

I know I probably sound like a psycho or a stalker, but when you are ordered to watch one of the three of your boss’s most prized “possessions,” who happens to be a smoking hot, curvy redhead, you kind of get a thing for them. Not in an unhealthy way, but in an “I will soon have my chance and you’re damn right I'm going to act on it” way.

Shit, shit, shit. I need to call Jesse to throw her off or something so she doesn't realize I'm not in the office and that I’m behind her. I have her cell number, so I will call her and ask her to pick up some breakfast for the meeting I’m having at nine in the morning with corporate security. I have to discuss the security updates on the computer servers. She doesn't need to know that the meeting is also to deal with the email she received.

“Siri, call Jesse McCoy.”

“Calling Jesse McCoy, Aedan.”

“Um…hi?” Jesse answers in an unsure voice.

“Hi, Jesse, it's Aedan. I have a favor to ask of you. And I hate to spring this on you last minute, but is there any way you can stop by Panera and grab two dozen bagels with cream cheese and two boxes of regular coffee? I just arrived to the office and realized that we have a meeting and I’m in desperate need of refreshments.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll be a little late then. Give me about forty minutes, and I’ll be there,” she says pleasantly.

“Wonderful. Thank you so much, Jesse.”

I hang up, hoping that my plan throws her off of me trailing her. Now to haul ass to the office before she realizes I’m not there. I’m hoping traffic stays out of my way this morning.