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“Settle things?” Tina or Tara snips, looking up at Devin. “You said you wanted to show her what a real woman can give you.” She motions up and down to indicate herself, and Kasey is sputtering with annoyance at this point.
I almost scoff. She has nothing on Kasey. If Devin thinks she does, then my son is a bigger fool than I initially thought.
“Settle things? A real woman?!” She turns her lovely green gaze to me, angrily dashing away unshed tears. “Your son came over here to tell me that he’s taking this lady upstairs with him since I’m not tending to his needs! He said—he said—” She sniffles but straightens her spine and forces the words out. I’m impressed by her bravery but get thrown through a loop as I process her words. “He said that if I decide to give up my virginity, then I know where to find him.”
My vision goes red, and Devin seems to shrink down as I focus on him, eyes narrowing. “You what?” I grit out, my wafer-thin control almost snapping. “Are you an animal, Devin? Were you being raised by wolves when I wasn’t paying attention?”
“She’s making it sound way worse than it is!” he protests.
"I don't care," I growl. "You're fired. You're done. And don't you ever come near Kasey again."
Devin looks shocked. He's ruined everything. Kasey's hurt and I'm enraged. If he thinks I’m gonna let his behavior fly just because he’s my son, he’s got another thing coming. "But Dad, I didn't do anything wrong," he pleads. “I broke up with her, and now there’s no issues with me taking Tina upstairs. That’s how this works! It’s not like I’m cheating on her.”
I give him a hard look, sighing heavily. "Devin, it’s been less than an hour since you fought with Kasey, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s a fucking disgrace. You think humiliating your girlfriend in public is okay? You think that's acceptable behavior for an employee of my company?"
Devin tries to argue back, but I wave him off. "Save it. You're done. Don't come back to the office. Don't come near Kasey again."
“But–” he tries, but I cut my hand through the air to silence him.
I step forward, towering over him. "Is this how you treat a woman, Devin? Using and discarding them like trash? You have no respect for anyone, not even yourself. And you dare to do it at an event like this where everyone in the company can witness? Where is your head, boy?"
Devin tries to defend himself, but his drunken state only makes him more belligerent. He tells me again to mind my own business, but I’m well and done with the boy that I know I raised better than this. I grab him by the collar and push him up against the bar, watching his eyes go wide with fear. I’ve never struck my son, but the urge is there, and it takes conscious effort to push it down.
"You listen to me, and you listen good. You may be a big shot around here, but in my world, you're nothing. You treat Kasey with the respect she deserves or you answer to me. I’m only letting you stay because all the rooms are fucking paid for already and because you’ve got responsibilities with the company that you need to see through.”
“You just said I was fired,” he chokes out, eyes wide.
“Don’t fuck up anymore on this trip, take care of your obligations, and maybe you will just be demoted when we get back to New York. Any more fuckery, Devin, and I’m throwing your ass on the first plane home. Do you understand?”
Devin looks me in the eye and sees the fury there. He knows I mean business, and once he nods, I lower him to the ground. He slinks away, quickly followed by Tina, leaving Kasey and me alone.
I turn to her, my pulse already picking up from her nearness, all while a different voice is roaring in my head, demanding that I take care of her and claim her as my own.
"Let’s get some air,” I finally say instead of all the other phrases that might scare her off. “Follow me.”
I take Kasey's delicate hand in mine and guide her outside to the expansive patio overlooking the ocean. The moonlight casts a soft glow on her, illuminating her beauty. God, I can’t get enough of looking at her. Devin fucked up royally. This girl is out of his league.
Kasey exhales slowly and turns her face to the sky, seeming to relax now that we’re away from the din of the gala.
"Take a deep breath, Kasey," I say, my voice laced with concern. "We’re in paradise, remember? Let it all go and just feel.”
She follows my lead, inhaling the salty air, and a faint smile tugs at the corners of her lips. In that moment, I see a glimmer of the strong, resilient woman she truly is. It’s all I can do not to pull her into my arms and taste her mouth.
"Thank you for getting me out of there," she says, her voice soft.
I nod, placing a hand on the small of her back. To my pleasant surprise, she doesn’t pull away. "Of course. You looked like you needed to escape, and I’m happy to help."
We stand there in comfortable silence for a moment. Part of me still knows that this is wrong and that I’m lying to myself if I can’t admit that this is just the beginning of a slow seduction, but it’s a very, very small part at the moment.
"You know," I say, breaking the silence. "I have a feeling that you only met my son so you’d be able to walk into my life, not his. I promise I’m more reliable, at least.”
She laughs. "I think you might be right about all of that. At least then there would be some meaning to him dragging me across the ocean to tear me down in front of, like, a hundred people.”
As we continue to converse, her laughter breaks through the night a few more times as she relaxes. I can’t even remember what I said to make her laugh, but I’m well aware of my entire body responding to that sound. My fingers ache from the need to touch her. I become acutely aware of her presence, the magnetic pull between us impossible to ignore.
Then, a song that we both recognize comes over the speakers dotted about the terrace, the first one that isn’t simply instrumental, and on a whim, I ask her to dance with me. Kasey flushes but nods. After all, we’re alone out here, so what’s the point of resisting? I’m past the point of caring anyway.
Gathering her into my arms, my muscles are strung tight under her touch. Heat is radiating off her, the electricity coursing through my veins as we move in perfect synchrony.
