His Absolute Insistence: A Scandalous Billionaire Love Story (Jessika, #2) (9 page)

Asher was teasing me on the screen, rubbing the head of his cock up and down my slit.  I stared, both disturbed and fascinated.  This was me.  And him.  Us.  We were doing, um... things... and then he thrust into me hard.  The camera shook, but Asher had remarkably steady hands for someone who was otherwise busy.  He thrust in deep, holding himself there.  I lay on my back, hands covering my breasts.  Asher wrapped his fingers around one of my thighs, holding tight, then inched out of me slowly before thrusting back in.

This went on for about a minute.  The video clip wasn't especially long.  Then it ended.  I stared at the screen, brow furrowed, unsure what to make of this.  I saw a little button to replay the video, so I clicked it.

And I watched again as Asher teased me, rubbing the head of his cock up and down my slit.  Awkward arousal settled into the pit of my stomach, worrisome and exciting.  This shouldn't be exciting, I told myself!  And parts of it weren't.  I mean, I was on the internet, where basically anyone could watch Asher and I have sex.  Granted, the video resolution wasn't the clearest.  I'd seen the original version and it looked a lot higher quality than this.  This version had a grainy, almost faded look.  Asher would know how to explain it better.  I knew it was obviously still us, but it didn't exactly look like it.  We could definitely deny it.  I couldn't even see my face part of the time.

I watched my stomach flex and tense on the screen.  Oh, I remembered those feelings, yes.  They were nice.  A little squeeze, pinned down by Asher's body, while his hand held my thigh tight.  I liked those moments.

I was becoming altogether too excited and aroused by watching myself on this porn site, so I closed the browser to put an immediate stop to that.  For good measure, I shut the computer down, too.  It took awhile, and apparently it wanted to download some updates or something.  Yes, I clicked.  Yes.  Yes.  Just get on with it!

Eventually it powered off.  The heavy whirring fans slowed to a stop and the computer became silent once more.  I nodded to it as if to let it know it had done a good job, then I rushed back to the kitchen.  Just as I got there, someone knocked on the door.

My heart stopped.

No one should know I was here.  No one should even know
here
still existed.  My landlord sort of knew, except I paid him the rent um... well, I paid him a lot in advance, because the rent wasn't really much of anything compared to what Asher gave me as a flexible spending account through Landseer Enterprises.  Had someone noticed me here?  Maybe outside with Jeremy, before we came in?

"Hey, uh, Jessika?"  Jeremy's voice, followed by more knocking.  "Yeah, so, if you can hear me, it'd be great if you could open the door.  I've got a ton of groceries out here and I don't have a key, so..."

Oh!  I spun on my feet and ran to the door, unlocking it fast and swinging it open.

Jeremy stood there with a blank look on his face.

"Hi," I said, smiling.  "I was—"  Where?  Uh... "—in the bathroom?"

"Given the circumstances, I guess I can understand why you locked the door, but I wasn't gone that long, was I?"  He shrugged.  Not bothering to wait for me to answer, he picked up the grocery bags he'd placed on the hall floor, and brought them in.  Setting them on the counter, he began pulling everything out and sorting through it.

I closed the door behind him and locked it again, then went to help.

"So... pasta, pasta sauce, hamburg, spices.  Bread?"  Jeremy tossed me the loaf of crusty Italian bread.

"You got the garlic and butter, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, they're in here somewhere."  He rummaged through a couple of the bags until he found a jar of minced garlic and a box of butter sticks.  "I don't know how I feel about minced garlic in a jar," he said, handing it to me.

"What do you mean?  What's wrong with it?"

"I'm no expert, but... the kitchen staff at the mansion would probably throw a fit if they saw that.  They're all about fresh and organic and blah blah."

"Yes, well, I just like the jar," I said, holding it close to my chest protectively.

Jeremy rolled his eyes at me and went back to removing groceries from the bags and sorting them on my counter.

"So what are we making here?" he asked.  "Looks like Italian food.  Sounds fancy."

"Yes," I said.

"Yes what?  It's Italian or fancy?"

"Uh huh."

"Come on!  Seriously.  Pasta?  Meatballs and spaghetti?  I'm guessing garlic bread?"

"Maybe..."

"You want my help and you're not even going to tell me what we're making?"

"Nope."  I stuck my tongue out at him.  "I think I have pans somewhere here.  And pots.  I don't remember.  They're probably not very good."

He shrugged.  "A pan's a pan and a pot's a pot, right?  As long as they don't have holes in them I think it's fine."

"I don't think they have holes.  Not a lot, at least."

"I saw a pizza place around the corner when I was driving back, so I guess it doesn't really matter how well it turns out.  They close at ten, so if the food's not edible by then, I can drive over quick and pick something up."

"Thanks so much for the vote of confidence," I said.

"Yeah, not a problem," Jeremy said with a grin.  "You're welcome."

W
hile Jeremy set about boiling water and chopping vegetables with my not-so-sharp kitchen knife, I begged him to let me borrow his phone.  He gave it to me reluctantly, but only because I didn't have mine.  I stole away to my bedroom and closed and locked the door behind me, hoping for a little privacy.  Yes, perhaps it was rude of me, but I just wanted to call someone fast.

I dialed Elise's number.  I didn't know if I was supposed to call her or not, but I just wanted to make sure she was alright.  The phone rang once, twice, then went to voicemail.  It should have rang a few more times, which bothered me because she must have hit the button to ignore the call.

Worried, I dialed Lucent's number.  The phone barely rang once before it went to voicemail.  This time I left a brief message.

"Hey, um... Lucent?  It's Jessika.  Just calling to see if you and Elise are alright.  Maybe that's weird.  I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I hope you're both safe.  Asher and I are... dealing.  I think.  I'm not with him right now, I'm somewhere else with Jeremy, but everything is fine so far.  I'm going to call Asher right after this.  Call back if you get a chance?  I don't have my phone, but you can call this number.  It's Jeremy's.  Or you can call Asher, too, but I don't know what he's doing.  A text message would be fine.  Whatever works for you.  Or Elise.  Um... alright, bye."

I hung up.  I thought about calling Elise back just in case the voicemail ignore button thing was an accident, but decided against it.  I called Asher instead.

He picked up almost immediately.  "Jeremy, hey," he said.  "Is everything alright?  Please don't tell me something's wrong.  I'm dealing with plenty as it is."

"Hi, Asher," I said, meek.

"Jessika?"  Asher sounded confused.  "What's wrong?  Where's Jeremy?  Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes.  Sorry.  He's in the kitchen."  Belatedly, I realized Asher had no idea where I was.  "I mean, um... no, he's fine.  We're fine.  Nothing's wrong.  I just wanted to call you."

"Kitchen?" Asher asked.  "Are you home?"

Should I say yes?  Sort of?  I wasn't at
our
home, but I was at my old home.  I didn't know if that counted.  "How did things at the hospital go?" I asked.

He paused.  "I don't know yet.  I'm working on figuring a few things out, but it's not going so well.  I wish Lucent was here, but that might just make it all worse.  I'll figure something out.  It seems like everything's getting more out of hand by the minute."

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," he said, hesitant.  "Not right now, at least.  It would be better to do it in person.  I'm leaving soon once I finish up with a few more direct issues at the Tower, but then I'm coming home.  Is everything fine there?  From what they told me, the police investigation could last for a few days.  They want to send in some specialists.  I don't know what they're spending so much time on.  We can stay in the guest house for awhile if you want.  It'll be quieter."

"About that," I said, moving the phone from one ear to the other, then back again.  Both sides felt uncomfortable for what I was about to say.  "I thought maybe we could try something else?  Stay somewhere else, I mean."

"Oh," he said.  "Sure.  A hotel?  Whatever you want.  I can make reservations.  That's fine."

"No, um..."

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I haven't told you something.  And maybe I should have told you a long time ago.  It's weird and bad and rude and you're going to get the wrong idea about it and I'm so sorry."

Asher paused, then cleared his throat.  I froze, panicking.

"Alright, so...?" he said.  "What is it?"

As easily as that, he just wanted to know.  He didn't say anything more, didn't get angry.  For now, at least.  He'd probably be angry in a second once I said it.

"I never got rid of my old apartment," I said.  "I haven't gone there or anything like that.  I mean, I didn't go before now.  I wasn't sneaking away or planning to leave or hiding, you know?  I don't want you to think I kept it because I don't trust you or that I didn't believe in our relationship, so please don't think that.  I just... it's hard sometimes.  I wanted a place that's mine, even if I'm never there, if that makes any sense?"

"I can't say it makes that much sense," he said.

And that was it.  I regretted everything.

"If it makes you feel comfortable, it's fine, though," he continued.  "Maybe it worked out for the best, too.  You're there now?  It's a good enough hideaway.  I doubt anyone will find out about it."

"Oh," I said.  Just that.  I thought I should say more, so I added, "I thought you'd be mad."

I could practically hear Asher shrugging on the phone.  "No, I'm not mad.  I have the guest house, so it's not like I don't understand needing to get away sometimes.  If you wanted to get away, I could have come with you.  That's all.  I've never been to your apartment before."

"Asher, I haven't been here in nearly a year, I promise.  I know that's kind of dumb.  I wasn't trying to hide it from you and I don't come here randomly, just because.  Jeremy and I came here today because I didn't know where else to go, but that's it.  This is the first time I've been here since..."

Since I moved in with him, since months before we got married, since almost forever ago it seemed like.

"Does that mean you're asking me to come over to your place?" he asked, playful.  "I think you're supposed to ask that after a date, when we're both about to go home."

"My bed's here," I said on a whim.  "I'm in my bedroom right now.  I closed the door and locked it so Jeremy can't hear me.  I wish you were here.  I can think of a lot of things we could do in bed."

"I don't even need a bed for half of the things I'd love to do with you right now," he said.  "What else is in your apartment?  Kitchen counter?  Dining table?"

My thoughts wandered to all such scenarios, mixed with the remaining memories of the video I'd watched online.  I imagined myself sitting on the edge of the kitchen counter near the stove while the water bubbled and boiled and the pasta cooked, except Asher was there with me.  In my daydream, both of us ignored the food in favor of each other.  I was naked, but Asher had pants on, and he unbuttoned them and lowered them enough to reveal his throbbing cock and glistening cockhead.  Then he rubbed it up and down my slit before thrusting roughly into me.  The water boiled over but I didn't care.

Asher laughed, bringing my mind back to reality.  "Jessika?  Are you still there?  Hello?"

"Sorry!  I got distracted," I said.  "There was a bird," I lied.

"Text me the address to your place, alright?  I'll head over after I'm done here."

"I'm sure Jeremy can come get you."

"Maybe.  He's busy, though.  In the kitchen, you said?  Are you making something?"

"I wanted to make dinner," I said softly.  "I thought we could have a kind of date night maybe?  I know it's sort of strange, especially considering the circumstances, but we need to eat dinner anyways so I thought it'd be nice."

"Yes," he said.  "No, that's great.  I'm starving, too.  I love when you cook.  I know the kitchen staff does it for the mansion, but when we sleep in the guest house and make breakfast together in the morning, those are my favorite meals."

"Really?" I asked.  I didn't know that.  I didn't even know if he was telling the truth, but the sincerity in his voice made me smile.

"Yes," he said.  "Really."

"I'm using minced garlic from a jar, though."

"Are you?  Huh."  A momentary pause.  "I'm not sure I've ever had it."

"You've never had minced garlic from a jar?" I asked.

"I don't know.  I don't think so?"

"It's good," I said.  "I'm going to make garlic bread."

"I love it.  I love garlic bread."

I laughed.  He sounded so enthused about something so simple.  "Alright, well come here soon.  I'll go make the garlic bread now.  You can help cook if you get here quick, but if you have a lot to do, I understand."

"Yes..." he said, trailing off.  "I'll try.  I'd love to pretend nothing's wrong, but I don't think that's possible.  I'll talk to you later about that, though.  It's not important.  We don't have to ruin our meal because of it.  Everything will be fine."

He said that, but I didn't know if I believed it.  I wasn't sure if he believed it, either.

"Alright," I said.  "I love you, Asher."

"I love you, too, Jessika," he said.  "Everything will be fine, I promise.  Trust me.  I'll be done here in a couple hours and then I'll come over."

"Bye," I said.  "I love you," I added again.

"I love you," he said.  "Bye."

We both hung up.  I went to unlock my bedroom door and rejoined Jeremy in the kitchen.  He had a sizable pile of sliced green peppers and tomatoes stacked on a plate next to him.