Chapter 102

KATE


A blond man with shoulder-length hair stepped out of the elevator, wearing a perfectly tailored suit. His eyes were so blue that they were impressive.. He approached my desk, flashing an impish smile.

"Hello!"

"Hello! I'm sorry... I wasn't informed about your arrival. Mr. Ryan only sees people by appointment."

"Well... maybe he can make an exception for his best friend. Don't you think?" He winked. Best friend?

"Ben?" Nathan came out of his office, with a huge smile appearing on his face as he saw the guy in front of me. They greeted each other with a warm hug and whispered curses.


NATHAN

"Of course, Mr. Ryan. Excuse me." She forced a smile. I watched as she walked towards the elevator, feeling a slight discomfort, a reminder of her earlier provocation. Ben cleared his throat beside me.

"Tell me you didn't change the rule."

"What?" He gestured toward the elevator where Kate had just entered. "Of course not."

"Damn it. You're hooking up with her. Forgot you can't lie to me?"

"You barely even saw her... How?"

"I know damn well when you're trying to fuck a girl. And you should disguise it better when you're checking out someone's ass."

"Come on, I have a lot to tell you."

We entered my office and settled on one of the sofas.

"And work?" I asked.

"Business is going well. But let's save the boring stuff for when we have some alcohol."

"I'll want to know every detail about your project." Ben was the best at what he did. If we weren't friends, we could work together. But I had a rule about mixing business with friendship.

"Niels told me you let Stephan choose the place we're going to?"

"Sorry, I wasn't paying much attention... until I remembered the last few times."

"Okay. At least we'll have some asses and tits to liven up the night." Damn it. I hope not. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"That seems to bother you... I think you need to tell me something."

"Well..." Kate knocked on the door, interrupting me.

"Excuse me." She entered with her long, shapely legs and stiletto heels echoing on the floor. Leaning beside me, she placed the tray on the table. She was wearing a button-down white shirt and a tight black skirt that reached just above the knee. She was also wearing reading glasses, which I suppose she forgot to take off. The image of her leaning over was enough to set my imagination soaring. "Excuse me," she says before turning to leave.

When she leaves, I turn my attention back to Ben, who has a smile on his face. "Damn, Nat... I could ask a lot of questions. But what concerns me the most is if you're managing to work with her here."

"Believe me, it's not funny."

"I couldn't understand one thing... Are you trying to fuck her or resisting?"

"It's complicated."

"I have the whole day."

"We're... sleeping together."

"Why did it take you so long to answer?"

"She's... impossible."

"You're confused, and you're confusing me too. You, Nathan Ryan."

"I know."

"Do you like her?"

"All I can say is that if I put my dick somewhere else, she'll cut off my balls, make me eat them, and never look at me again."

"So, she's wild, and what she can do worries you? Are you afraid of her?"

"The truth is, I'm satisfied with what we have."

"Fuck, I think I didn't hear that right. Stephan said you might accidentally be in love with your secretary, but I didn't believe him." He laughs.

"He said the same to me, and I thought it was ridiculous, too. Wait... you already knew! You son of a bitch!" He laughs and shrugs.

"How many times?"

"What?"

"Did you two..."

"I haven't counted." It's my turn to shrug, remembering what he always said. "If you have sex with a girl five times, it's just casual sex, but if it goes beyond that, you're fucked."

"Damn, does that mean more than five?"

"Five?" I laugh. "Definitely more than ten or twenty, I don't know."

"You'll have to introduce her to me formally."

"Before that, I have to tell you something that will make you look at her differently."

"What are you going to say? That she's Russian? Or that she has exceptional oral skills?"

"She..." I laugh at the memory. It's ridiculous to think of her that way now.

"Spill it, Nat."

"If she finds out I told you this..."

"She won't just say it."

"She was... a virgin when I met her." He bursts into laughter, and I join in.

"I could have imagined anything, but never that you would be hooked by a girl with no experience whatsoever."

"That's the thing... at first, I liked the idea of teaching her, but that didn't really happen."

"What do you mean?"

"She didn't need my help. I ended up discovering that behind the image of an innocent virgin girl, there was a cunning, challenging, and irritating woman."

"One who's driving you crazy. You're really making me look at her in a different light now. From innocent and virgin to 'I'll cut off your balls and make you eat them.' I'm looking forward to meeting her."

"I think she has already decided that she doesn't like you."

"How?"

"She thinks you're going to lead me to put my dick somewhere else."

"You should have told her that you and your dick aren't that intimate. And if you don't mind, could you ask her if she has a friend with an intact hymen to introduce me to?"

"You didn't..." Shit. We laughed so loudly that I'm worried she might hear us.


KATE

We parked and got out of the car in front of the nightclub.

"You must be kidding," I murmur. Lisa laughs before heading towards Michael, who is standing in front of the place.

"Kate," he approaches and hugs me. Shit. "Beautiful as always."

"Thank you, Michael," I curve my lips, trying to force a smile. He steps back to talk to Matt. Fuck! Why did Lisa invite him?

"You're crazy, Lisa," I whisper, pulling her closer.

"Why?"

"I know exactly what you're trying to do."

"I'm not trying to do anything. I just invited a friend."

"Michael is not your friend."

"But he wants to be yours," she shrugs.

"Do you want Ryan to kill me? Is that it?"

"I want that son of a bitch to fuck off. He's not your owner. Relax, Kate."

"I'll relax when you..."

"Shall we go in?" Michael approaches. I will never relax with him around.

"Yes. I was asking Kate to relax and try to have fun," Lisa smiles at me. I want to kill her with my bare hands. "Maybe you can help her, Grey." She steps away to talk to the bouncer and check our names at the entrance.

"I can try," he smiles. "Lisa knows how to choose places."

"Yeah."

"Are you okay, Kate?"

"Of course."

"You suddenly became monosyllabic."

"I... I shouldn't have come, actually. I have a lot of work."

"Relax. You're overthinking about work. Let me try to help you, come on," he grabs my hand and pulls me through the crowd, entering the venue.

"Michael! Wait, where's Lisa?" I lost sight of her.

He only stops when we reach the bar, where he leans against the counter.

"Where's Lisa?"

"She must be having fun. Try to relax, Kate," he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. My phone vibrates. It's a message from Ryan. I quickly open it.

*From Nathan: I need you tonight. Where are you?*

Even in this place, the idea of talking to him was much more interesting than anything else. Let's play a little, baby.

*From Kate: Shouldn't you be paying attention to your strip show?*

"Work?" Michael interrupts me after ordering something from the bartender.

"Yeah... um, yes."



NATHAN


Niels returns from the bathroom and takes his seat.

"I'm not sure if it was a good idea to cancel the reservation at Infernus," Ben says, finishing the last sip of whiskey in his glass.

"I told you," Stephan raises his glass.

"So, are we going to spend the rest of the night here?" Niels asks as I type a response to Kate.

*From Nathan: Do you want to make one for me? Answer the previous question.*

"Nathan?" Niels calls my attention. They are all staring at me. Stephan and Ben exchange glances before bursting into laughter.

"What do you idiots want? Haven't you realized we're too old for this shit?"

"We want you to get off your damn phone," Ben laughs. "It's like you're addicted to some pussy you can't let go of." Stephan bends over in his chair, laughing uncontrollably.

"You're really acting strange, Ryan," Niels analyzes me. I roll my eyes and flip them off, then finish my drink in one go.

"I'll drive," I signal the waiter to bring the bill.