Saving Jax (16 page)

“Ooh, good point,” Court said.  “We’d better go with you.  Safety in numbers, right?  If he tries to kidnap you, Cal and I will distract him and give you time to escape.”

Mel burst into laughter and hugged both Cal and Court.  “Thanks, you guys.  Really.”

“That’s what big brothers are for,” Cal said.

* * *

“I’m going to miss you, Jade.”

“It’s only for a year, honey,” she said.

They were standing on the airport tarmac and he studied the small plane before smiling faintly at her.  “My own private jet, huh?”

“Only the best for the guy who helped bring Jimmy Golden down.”

“Ricky and Lucy?”  He asked.

She laughed.  “Don’t worry.  Your babies are safe and sound and waiting for you on the plane.”

“Good.”

“You know, you could have left them with me.  I don’t mind looking after them,” she said.

“No, I want them with me.  It’s a long time without them,” he said.

She smiled at him.  “You’ll be okay, Jax.”

“Will you?”

“Of course I will,” she said.

“Are you really going to prosecute him yourself?”

She shrugged.  “I’m going to try.  My superiors don’t think it’s a good idea and they think the judge assigned to the case won’t let me.  Too much of a conflict of interest.”

“It kind of is,” he said.

“It isn’t,” she insisted, “unless it’s a conflict of interest that I hate his guts and will do whatever it takes to see him in prison for the rest of his life?”

He hugged her hard with his good arm.  “I’m still worried.”

“Don’t be.”  She glanced at her watch and he arched his eyebrow at her.

“Do you have somewhere else to be?”

“As a matter of fact, I do,” she said.  “I have a date.”

“With who?”

“No one you know,” she said innocently.

“Jade…”

She grinned at him.  “Cal Thomas.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.  He’s mildly charming in an annoying kind of way,” she laughed.

She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.  “Go on, honey.  Start your new life.  Be happy, okay?”

“Okay.  I love you, Jade.”

“I love you too, Jax.”

She watched as he climbed the stairs of the plane and stopped at the top.  He turned and waved and she waved back before smiling to herself and walking to her car.  She hoped he liked the surprise waiting for him in the plane.

Jax nodded to the air attendant standing by the door as she said, “Good evening, sir.  Can I get you a drink?”

“No, thanks.”

He moved into the main cabin and his jaw dropped.  Mel was sitting in one of the leather chairs.  Ricky and Lucy’s crate was on the seat beside her and she had her fingers poked into the crate and was petting them gently.

“Hello, Jax.”  She smiled sweetly at him.

“Butterfly?  What – what are you doing here?”  He asked hoarsely.

“You invited me, remember?”  She said teasingly as she stood and moved toward him.

“I – you said you couldn’t go with me,” he said.

“I changed my mind.  And it’s a good thing I did because Cal dragged Court and Julie over to my place for an emergency love intervention.  Who knows how long it would have gone on if I hadn’t already been packed.”

“You changed your mind,” he repeated.

“I did,” she said.

“Why?”

“Does it matter?”

“No.  Wait – what’s a love intervention?”

She laughed loudly.  “I’ll explain later.”

“But what about your job?  Your family?”  He asked.

“I quit my job yesterday and I told mom and dad this morning.  They weren’t exactly pleased but Court and Cal helped smooth it over.  Besides, it’s only a year or two and Jade gave me a secret email that I could use to email them.  It’s all very ‘James Bond’ like.”

“Mel, are you – are you sure this is what you want to do?”  He asked.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, Jax Anderson,” she said quietly.  “I want to be with you.  Do you want to be with me?”

“Yes.  God yes,” he muttered before yanking her into his embrace and kissing her hard on the mouth.

“You won’t regret this, butterfly.  I promise you,” he whispered against her mouth.

She kissed him again before smiling at him.  “I know.”

END

Thank you for reading my book!  Please enjoy an excerpt from my latest novel, “The Assistant”. 

THE ASSISTANT

By Ramona Gray

Copyright 2015 Ramona Gray

* * *

“Ms. Jones!  My office, immediately.” 

His voice, harsh and demanding, spilled out of his office and I sighed before standing up from my desk.  Smoothing my skirt, I entered his office and smiled at my boss.

“Is there a problem, Mr. Wright?”

“Shut the door.”  He barked.

I shut the door and sat down in one of the leather chairs across from his desk.  I crossed my legs delicately and his eyes drifted to my short hemline before he glared at me.

“As a matter of fact, there is a problem.  A rather large one.”

I pasted my best ‘what can I do to help’ look on my face and folded my hands in my lap.

He raked his hand through his hair before his gaze dropped to my chest.  “Your outfit, Ms. Jones.”

My cheeks flamed immediately and I pulled self-consciously at my too-tight shirt.  “Wh-what do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean, Ms. Jones.”  He leaned forward and folded his own hands on the top of his desk.  “It isn’t work appropriate.  What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Laundry day.”  I whispered.

He frowned.  “What?”

“It was laundry day yesterday and I didn’t have any quarters for the washing machine.”  I cleared my throat nervously.  “I didn’t have anything else to wear.”

I was nearly sweating with embarrassment.  I had hemmed and hawed over my outfit this morning for half an hour but, left without much choice, had decided to just go for it.  I knew what I looked like.  The shirt was much too tight.  It hugged my large breasts and clung to my curves and the skirt, well let’s just say that bending over was not an option.

“How long have you worked for me, Ms. Jones?”

“Three years.”

“I would think that after three years you’d have a better understanding of the office dress policy.  Wouldn’t you?”

My temper flared and I scowled at him.  “I’m not breaking any rules.  My skirt is well within the regulation length.”

He scowled back.  “Is it?  Then explain why I got an eyeful of your garters when I walked by your desk.  And I’ll bet you a thousand dollars that the first deep breath you take, your buttons on that shirt pop open.  Showing your tits is a definite infraction, Ms. Jones.”

I gaped at him.  “Did you just talk about my tits?”

He sat back in his chair and I watched wide-eyed as his hands moved to the buckle of his belt.  “As I was saying, you’ve created a large problem and it’s up to you to solve it.”  As he was speaking, his hands were unbuckling, unbuttoning and unzipping. 

A small gasp escaped my throat when he tugged his cock through the opening in his pants.  It was long and thick and hard as a rock, and my mouth dried up as I watched him stroke it firmly.

“Come here and solve the problem, Ms. Jones.”  He commanded.

Like a woman in a dream, I rose to my feet and crossed around his desk.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of his cock and as moisture dampened my panties, I unconsciously rubbed my thighs together in an effort to quell the throbbing that was starting between my legs.

“On your knees, Ms. Jones.”  He rolled his chair back and I knelt obediently between his legs.

My mouth was in front of his cock now and I watched his hand slide up and down before he wound his other hand in my hair and pushed me toward the head of his cock.

“Open.”  He said firmly.

I opened my mouth and moaned in sheer delight when he guided his cock past my lips.  I closed my mouth around his throbbing length, my stomach tightening with pleasure when I heard his harsh moan.

“Good girl.”  He whispered.  He petted and stroked my hair as I sucked enthusiastically.  His hips were rising in his chair and he was thrusting more firmly into my mouth.  I made a soft humming noise and he groaned again before pulling on my hair.

“All of it.  I want you to take all of it.”  He pushed on the back of my head and I took a deep breath and –

“Lina!  Earth to Lina!”

I jerked and nearly fell off the stool I was sitting on.  My hand twitched and the salad tumbled off my fork and landed with a wet splat on my blouse.  I cursed loudly and mopped at the salad dressing with my napkin.

“What the hell were you thinking about, Lina?”  My co-worker, Amanda, bit into her sandwich and stared curiously at me.

I blushed and continued to dab at the stain on my blouse.  “Nothing.  Why?”

“You had a weird look on your face.”

I shrugged.  “I’m just tired.  I didn’t sleep well last night.  Rex still isn’t doing well and I was up half the night with him.”

Amanda gave me a look of sympathy.  “I’m sorry.  I know how much he means to you.”

“Thanks.”  I smiled at her and then glanced at the clock.  “Shit.  I’ve got to get back to my desk.  Mr. Wright left a ton of documents for me before he went to his meeting.  If I don’t have them finished by the time he gets back, he’ll have my head.”

Amanda rolled her eyes.  “I have no idea how or why you put up with him.  He’s an asshole.”

I shrugged.  “I need the money.  It’s not like there are a ton of jobs out there right now.”

“I’d rather work at McDonalds then be his assistant.”  Amanda replied.  “Do you know that before you, he went through seven assistants in just as many months?  It was a bloodbath.  I mean, we knew it would be difficult when Helen retired but seriously, we had no idea.  The one girl had a nervous breakdown at her desk and Fran had to drive her home.”

I laughed.  “He’s not that bad.”

Amanda raised her eyebrow and I nodded in defeat.  “Fine.  He’s that bad.”

“Handsome bastard, though.”  Amanda said thoughtfully.

A snippet of my daydream reared its ugly head and I closed my eyes briefly before clearing my throat.  “I hadn’t noticed.”

“Bullshit.”  Amanda scoffed.

“Fine.  I’ve noticed.  But honestly, he’s such a douchebag that he isn’t handsome to me anymore.”  There was no way in hell I would ever, even under the threat of hot needles being poked under my nails, admit to my crush on my asshole boss.

I slid off the stool and pulled nervously at my top and skirt.  “Hey, Amanda?  What do you uh, think of my outfit today?”

Amanda eyed me critically.  “You look good.  Different, but good.”  She hesitated.  “Your shirt might be a teensy too tight for the office.”

“Yeah.”  I sighed.  “It’s laundry day.”

Amanda laughed and popped a grape into her mouth.  “I overheard Gary and Marvin discussing your breasts by the photocopier machine.  Gary thinks you’re a D cup but Marvin is confident you’re a double D.”

“Fucking perverts.”  I muttered.

“They sure are.”  Amanda agreed cheerfully.  “So, which is it?  D or double D?”

I stuck my tongue out at her.  “None of your business, Pervey McPerve.”

She laughed again.  “You should have seen the looks on their faces when they turned around and saw Mr. Wright standing behind them.”

I groaned.  “Please tell me he didn’t overhear them.”

“Of course he did.  He gave them that look - you know the one - and told them if they had enough time to discuss their co-worker’s assets over the water cooler, then he obviously wasn’t giving them enough clients.  Next thing you know, they’re both buried in files.”

She snorted laughter as I tugged again at my top and left the lunch room.

* * *

I sighed wearily and rubbed my aching back before bending back over the filing cabinet in Mr. Wright’s office.  It was close to seven and I was tired and hungry.  The building was empty and I kicked off my shoes as I stuffed files back into the cabinet. 

Technically I didn’t have to work late, Mr. Wright hadn’t even returned to the office this afternoon, but my day tomorrow would be much smoother if I did.  Besides, I wanted to leave a little early tomorrow.  Rex had yet another vet appointment and it would be much easier to get Mr. Wright to agree if I was caught up on my work.

I glanced around his office as I grabbed another file folder.  I hated being in here.  It smelled like him, like the expensive cologne he always wore, and I swear to God some days I could smell it even at my apartment.  Not surprising.  Most days I spent more time in here than I did at my own desk.  Of course his cologne would linger on me.

I grabbed another folder and bent over the filing cabinet again.  I was just sliding it into its proper spot when his low voice spoke directly behind me.

“Working late, Ms. Jones?”

I yelped in surprise and straightened, my hands rushing to pull my skirt into a more appropriate position.  He was so close I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, and I twitched in surprise when I felt his erection brush against my ass.

“No, don’t.”  His hands pulled mine away from my skirt and I gasped when he let his fingers stroke my nylon-clad thigh.  “You didn’t strike me as a garters and thong kind of girl, Ms. Jones.”

“I – a girl has to have a few surprises, Mr. Wright.”  I squeaked out.

“Indeed.  Go on, finish your filing.”  He instructed.

Holding the folder between my suddenly sweaty fingers, I tried to move past him.  He made a noise of disapproval and his hands curled around my waist.  “I think you can reach it from here, Ms. Jones.”

I took a deep breath and bent over, stretching to put the folder away as his hands moved from my waist to my hips.  My skirt was riding up and he helped it along with a few firm tugs.  I moaned quietly when his hard hands stroked my ass and his finger tugged at the silk between my cheeks.

“Your skirt is much too short for the office, Ms. Jones.  You’re not setting a very good example for the other secretaries.”  He chided sternly as his hands continued to rub and caress.

“I’m sorry.”  I moaned.

“I don’t believe you.  I think you wore this skirt on purpose.  I think you want me to punish you.”  He said silkily.

“Mr. Wright, I – “

His hand came down, smacking my backside sharply and I let out a squeal of protest. 

“Quiet, Ms. Jones.  Take your punishment like a good girl.”  His hand was sliding into my hair and when he pulled my head up and licked my throat, I thrust my ass against him.  He spanked me again and I bit back my gasp of pain.

“Open your legs, Ms. Jones.”  His hand tightened in my hair and I parted my legs eagerly.  His hand cupped me through the silk and I moaned loudly.

“You’re not to enjoy this.  Do you understand?”  He said sternly.

“Yes.”  I whispered.

His fingers were working their way under my panties.  “If you come, your punishment will be even more severe.  Is that what you want?”

“No.”  I moaned.  His fingers were almost there, they were nearly touching me and knowing that he would feel how wet I was only excited me more.  I spread my legs wider and held my breath.  If he didn’t touch me, I would –

“Ms. Jones?”

I gave a startled shriek and straightened before whirling around.  The object of my sexual fantasies was standing in the doorway of his office and, blushing furiously, I yanked my skirt down.

Oh God.  I had just flashed my boss.  There was no way in hell he hadn’t seen my super-sized ass in my too-short skirt and while that might have been a-okay in my fantasies, it most certainly was not in real life.  The plain white cotton underwear I was wearing wasn’t turning anyone on any time soon.

“What are you doing in my office?”  He frowned at me as he strode toward his desk.  He was still wearing his suit but he had loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt.

“Filing.”

“Obviously.”  He snapped.  “I meant, why are you still here?  It’s late.”

I shrugged.  “I wanted to get it finished before I left.”

“Your dedication to your job is admirable.”  There was a tone of sarcasm in his voice and I scowled at him.

“You know, most bosses would be impressed by their assistant’s dedication.”

“Indeed.”  He sank into his chair and pulled a glass and a bottle of scotch from the bottom drawer.  “Or perhaps they would hope that their secretary was capable of getting her job done during regular working hours.”

I bit back my smart-ass retort.  I hated being called his secretary and the man knew it.  It was a dated and ridiculous term and he used it solely to get under my skin.  Normally I would call him on it but I still needed to leave early tomorrow.

I quickly filed the last folder and slipped into my shoes as he poured scotch into a glass.  He opened his laptop and stared moodily at the screen as I approached his desk and cleared my throat.

“What is it, Ms. Jones?”

“I need to leave early tomorrow.”

“For what purpose?”  He gave me a sharp glance.

“I have an appointment.”

He frowned at me.  “You’ve had a lot of appointments as of late.”

I didn’t reply.  I had never mentioned Rex to him.  Mr. Wright didn’t strike me as a dog lover and I wouldn’t put it past him to deny my request just because he hated dogs.

He took a swallow of his scotch.  “Fine.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wright.”

“Good night, Ms. Jones.”  He replied dismissively.

I rolled my eyes and closed his door before collapsing in the chair at my desk.  I had worked for Aiden Wright for three years.  Three years of putting up with his shit, his sarcasm, his crazy work demands.  Three years of crying in the bathroom and watching my social life go down the drain because of my work schedule.  I shook my head and collected my stuff before moving to the elevators.  The other financial advisors gave their assistants flowers and took them for lunch on Administrative Assistant Day.  They gave bonuses at Christmas and never called them in from their vacation because they needed a document typed.  In the three years I had worked for him, Aiden Wright had never once given me a bonus or hell, even told me I was doing a good job.  I was a fool to keep working for him.

So why are you?  Find another job where you’re not treated like dirt. 

It was excellent advice and one that I would never follow.  Some weird part of me liked the constant stress working for Aiden Wright, caused.  The thought of sitting in some office where my boss was always perfectly polite and perfectly reasonable, made me want to break out in hives.  I hated to be bored and working for Mr. Wright was far from boring.