Controlled: The Dollhouse, Part Two (8 page)

“
L
ook alive
.”

I
looked
up to see Trina running down the hallway between the line of cubicles, or at least as close to running as she could get in four-inch heels.

“
W
hat’s going on
?” Angie asked, popping up from her cubicle.

“
T
he meeting did not go well
. Pettigrew is on his way up and he is not alone.”

“
W
ho’s with him
?”

“
T
he entire board
, including the CEO.”

I
froze
in place as everyone scrambled into action around me. It was tempting to dive under the desk and hide there but I resisted the urge, if just for the sake of my pride.

T
rina grabbed
my arm and pulled me out of the chair. “Come stand here, out of the way.”

“
D
oes this happen often
?” I asked.

“
N
ever
.”

T
he dozen
or so people who worked in the department ended up in a line in front of the bay of cubicles and facing the elevator. From the look on everyone’s faces, you would have thought we were waiting on a firing squad.

W
hen the elevator dinged
, the woman standing next to me nearly jumped out of her skin. If I wasn’t so terrified of what would happen when I saw Julian again, the whole thing would have been comical.

T
he elevator doors
opened to reveal a group of men in expensive suits. I immediately dropped my eyes, ducking slightly behind the woman beside me.

“
M
r. Pettigrew
, gentlemen, I’ve gathered the staff like you asked.” Trina’s voice was slightly more high-pitched than normal. “We’re ready for your announcement.”

I
watched
from the corner of my eye as Pettigrew stepped forward. He was shorter than the rest with a slightly round body and a jolly face, but his voice was serious.

“
A
s most of
you may know, the ROI for our most recent advertising campaign has been more than underwhelming, even a complete disaster. Market share is down by more than 8% and our closest competitor is quickly closing the gap. We are losing both corporate and retail customers.”

“
I
don’t know
what the problem is.” Trina’s voice was nervous, but steady. “Those ads tested really well with focus groups.”

“
C
learly the focus
groups are wrong.” Julian spoke then and his voice rocked through me. “We need a new advertising campaign.”

“
O
f course
, sir,” Trina said, her voice barely a squeak.

J
ulian’s eyes
scanned the room and I ducked my head further down.
Don’t see me. Don’t see me!
But his gaze moved over me with no sign of recognition.

“
A
ll overtime is authorized
for the department until we have a new campaign,” Pettigrew said. “Everything else moves to the back burner until it is complete.”

“
I
want
a mockup on my desk by the time I arrive in the morning. It doesn’t matter how late you have to stay to make it happen,” Julian said, his voice clipped. I risked a glance and found that he was staring at me. “Have one of the interns bring it up.”

H
ours later
, Trina dropped a stack of papers on my desk with an apologetic smile. “Guess you’re on messenger duty.”

I
picked up the stack
, heart pounding. “You don’t think he’s still up there, do you?”

“
B
erkmore
? No, I tried to call his secretary and she’s already gone for the night, which means he is too. Just leave this on his desk and go home. He’ll get it in the morning.”

I
looked
around the room at the sea of exhausted faces and knew that I couldn’t refuse. While I’d been fetching coffee and taking dictation, the rest of them had been working furiously to create this campaign mockup. The least I could do was this one last task so we could all go home for the night.

A
ngie winked at me
. “Hell of a first day, right?”

T
rina yawned
. “I’m going to lock up the office and send everybody home. You leave too after you drop this off, okay.”

“
N
o problem
,” I said and hugged the papers to my chest.

I
picked
up my bag and slung it over my shoulder, still carrying the mockup. It only took a minute for the elevator to arrive after I called it and the doors slid smoothly open.

T
he executive suites
were on the penthouse floor. It took what felt like an eternity for the elevator to reach the top.

W
hen I stepped
off of the elevator it was into darkened waiting area with an empty desk and leather armchairs lining the wall on two sides. The lamp on the desk was still lit but that only served to highlight the creepy quality of being alone up here.

S
o Julian’s
secretary actually was gone for the night. That was a good sign. I walked softly across the executive lobby, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the quiet.

J
ust get it done
, I reminded myself. All I had to do was leave the mockup in Julian’s office and run for the hills.

I
stopped
at a set of frosted glass doors. They were nearly opaque but I couldn’t see any light or movement beyond. Word were etched in script on the glass:

J
ulian Berkmore-Hathaway
, Chief Executive Officer

S
haking
off the sudden feeling of unease, I pushed open the doors. They opened easily and soundlessly beneath my hands.

T
he office was
dark on the inside, lit only by the moonlight that streamed in through the wall of windows on the far side of the room. City lights twinkled beyond and I wasn’t quite frightened enough to not notice the beauty of the view.

“
O
f course
he would take the corner office,” I said out loud.

“
W
ouldn’t you
?”

I
shrieked in surprise
. The papers fell from my hands and scattered across the floor. “Jesus Christ!”

“
N
ot quite
.” A light clicked on to illuminate Julian where he sat at the desk.

“
Y
ou’re supposed
to be gone for the night,” I said testily and kneeled to gather up the papers that I had dropped. “We called your secretary.”

“
S
ent her home early
.” He spread his arms wide and his large hands rested on the surface of the desk. “Are you disappointed?”

“
I
’m not
anything but an employee, Mr. Berkmore-Hathaway.”

“
J
ulian
,” he corrected me.

“
M
r. Berkmore-Hathaway
.” I quickly moved forward to lay the mockup on the far edge of the desk before dancing back and turning away. “Good night.”

“
W
ait
.”

T
he command
in his voice was impossible to ignore and I froze in place. I heard him rise from the desk, his footsteps nearly silent on the carpeted floor. My heart beat hard enough that it felt like it would burst out of my chest.

H
e came up behind me
, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body, but not quite touching.

“
D
on’t do this
,” I practically begged him.

“
I
’m not holding you
,” he whispered against my ear. “I’m not even touching you. Leave if you want.”

“
W
hy do you do this
?” I said on a sobbing breath. “Why do you make me choose?”

“
Y
our choice is
the most important part.” His fingers were in my hair, gently twirling through the strands. “I’ve never forced you and I won’t. You’re here because you want to be.”

“
Y
ou’re wrong
!”

H
is hands fell away
, leaving me cold. “Then go — if you think that you can.”

B
ut I didn’t move
, just like we both knew that I wouldn’t. Because I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anything before, even though I knew that it would destroy me.

“
I
hate you
,” I said, as a hot tear slid down my cheek.

“
B
ut you don’t hate
this, do you?”

H
is hands gripped
my waist and he spun me around until I came up hard against the desk. Searching fingers moved under my skirt, sliding past my knees and up my thighs in a pace that was achingly slow.

“
P
lease
—“ I started to say, just as those fingers plunged inside of me. I screamed instead, my brain no longer capable of forming words.

“
S
o wet
,” he murmured against the skin of my neck. “It’s amazing, really. I’ve never met a woman who responds like you do.”

I
couldn’t speak
— couldn’t think — not with his wicked fingers pumping in and out of me. One thumb moved to my clit and made tiny circles on the tender bud. My hips rocked against him of their own accord as I desperately tried to increase the light pressure.

“
Y
ou make
me want to do things I’ve never done before,” he said mildly. Only the slight rasp to his voice betrayed the depth of the effort he was expending to control himself. “You make me feel things that I’ve never felt before.”

I
s that a declaration of love
, I wanted to ask but couldn’t — for fear of the answer. “Not even for your wife?”

H
e bit
me softly on the cheek, not quite hard enough to leave a mark. “Mention her again and I will gag you.”

I
gripped
the edge of the desk hard enough that my knuckles turned white. The feel of his hands on me was pleasure and agony rolled into one.

“
S
o you’ve never fucked
a girl on the desk at your office before?” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm from my voice.

“
I
’m not already fucking
you?” He turned and lifted my body until I sat on the edge of the desk facing him. With one hand, he yanked down my panties and tossed them aside before pushing himself against me. His still-clothed erection was pressed against my bare skin. “Thank you for reminding me.”

“
A
sshole
,” I bit out.

“
M
aybe next time
.” Two of his fingers slid inside of my slick channel and I saw stars. “I prefer your pussy, for now.”

I
groaned and swayed backwards
, only the hand he had at my back keeping me upright.

H
is forehead pressed
against mine and I could feel the force of his breath against my lips as he spoke. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

N
o
!
“Yes.”

“
T
hen beg
.”

W
ords spilled from my lips
. “Please kiss me. Please. Please.”

“
S
o sweet
,” he whispered and then his lips crashed into mine.

A
ll of the
feelings that I’d kept hidden from even myself — the wanting and the fear — swept over me in a tidal wave. The kiss was hard and consuming, like he wanted to crawl inside of me or claim me for his own.

H
is fingers worked
at my shirt, quickly undoing the buttons until the garment opened and fell down my shoulders, leaving me in only a bra.

I
moaned
into his mouth when his fingers scratched down my skin, pulling down the cups of my bra until my chest was exposed.

“
I
love your breasts
,” he said huskily, breaking the kiss. His mouth moved down and his lips closed on one of my nipples before he sucked hard on it.

S
hivers of sensation
rolled through me. My hips rocked against him and I heard a high-pitched keening sound. It took a moment for me to realize that it was coming from me.

“
L
ift your hips
.”

W
hen I did
, he pulled the skirt down and out from under me, leaving me completely bare. I looked down at the hands resting on my belly. The starched white sleeves of his dress shirt and the glittering silver of his cufflinks juxtaposed sharply against my bare skin made me shiver.

“
Y
ou are mine
.” He bit at the skin of my neck and then my shoulder, nipping hard enough to hurt. His hands moved to my thighs, spreading them further apart. “And you can’t run from me.”

“
I
don’t want
to run,” I said and meant it.

M
y hips fell
open as his hands worked at the fly of his pants. His erection sprung free, stiff and ready. He moved towards me and his hands gripped my thighs, pushing them further apart until my muscles screamed with the effort.

J
ulian paused at my entrance
. I clutched at his shoulders, pulling at them in desperation, but he remained immobile.

“
Y
ou are mine
.” His lips caught at mine in a kiss that was more teeth and biting than loving and gentle. “Tell me what you need.”

“
I
need you
.” I gasped the words.

“
Y
ou need me where
?” One of his fingers slid between the folds of my labia before stroking deeper. “Here?”

“
Y
es
,” I breathed. “Please—“

“
P
lease what
?” His voice was conversational as if he had no particular interest in my response. “Be specific.”

I
looked down between us
, where he held himself by the base, still teasing at my slick folds. “I need you inside of me.”

H
e pushed
inside of me by the barest inch, but halted again. I scratched at his shoulders, desperately trying to get him to move closer but he didn’t budge.

“
B
e more specific
.”

“
I
need
you to fuck me.” I gasped the words as my skin heated from embarrassment.

H
e pushed deeper
, but not all of the way — not as deep as I needed him. “You’re a filthy girl, you know that. You’ve got your legs spread for your boss’s boss’s boss — like the nasty whore you are. Say what you want. Let me hear it.”

I
knew
what he wanted even as my cheeks burned. “I want your cock in my pussy. Now, please!”

J
ulian pushed inside of me
, his penis thick and hard as it moved within my swollen flesh. My body squeezed tight around him and my legs rose to wrap around his back.

H
e groaned in response
, his hips moving faster. Each thrust sent stars shooting across my vision. His hands were at my waist, pulling me forward with each stroke so we crashed into each other.

S
ensation built
inside of me until it felt like I couldn’t take anymore. His hands roved over my body, moving up my back and then down to where my hips pressed into the unrelenting surface of the desk.

M
y fingers caught
in his hair as he fucked me. I knew I pulled too hard, desperate in my need, but he didn’t protest. I was a creature made only of raw feeling, needy and keening, as I waited to fall over the precipice and into oblivion.

T
he orgasm overtook me suddenly
. Shockwaves shuddered through me, starting at my center where we were joined and shooting out through every nerve of my body.

H
e groaned
and his head fell to my shoulder, signaling his own undoing. The thrusts of his hips became jagged and uneven and I felt the pulsing wet and heat of his release inside of me.

I
collapsed back
against the table and he followed me, his heavy head resting against my stomach. My fingers twined in his hair, stroking through the thick strands as he lay prostrate and unresisting.

“
T
hat was amazing
,” I murmured, unable to resist breaking the silence.

H
is smile moved
against my skin and he kissed the dip of my navel. “You are amazing.”