"Is that any way to greet your business partner?" she asked as she turned and looked up at me. With her back to my mother, she gave me the once over with her hungry roving eyes then licked her lips as she stared at my crotch. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to control the response she was looking to generate, so I moved back toward the hall.
"I'm going to go shower," I said.
"Will you join us for dinner, Jack?" my mother asked. "Sloan is staying and the cook made your favorite!"
I rolled my eyes, but didn't respond. I wasn't sure what I was going to do yet but, by the time I'd showered and changed, I knew there was no way in hell I was going to leave Sloan alone with my mother.
All through dinner, Sloan made subtle comments about what a great partnership we had and how well we worked together.
"You two do make a lovely couple, dear," my mother said, smiling across the table at me. "Your father would have absolutely approved."
"I see," I said, looking down at the poached salmon and steamed asparagus on my plate. My mother was right, it was my favorite, but tonight I didn't feel much like eating. "Well, you know how much his approval means to me."
"Don't be rude, dear," my mother scolded as she held up her wine glass for a refill. "We have a guest."
"Sloan isn't a guest, she's like family, Mother," I said sticking a fork into the fish as I decided to eat, hungry or not. "Besides, she knows what a miserable bastard Pop was. Don't you, Sloan? Mother drinks to cover it all up, but we know the truth."
"Jack, there's no need to be rude," Sloan said quietly as she ate her dinner.
The rest of the meal was passed with uncomfortable small talk as my mother proceeded to drink herself into a state of numbness yet again. I watched as Sloan carried the conversation as best she could and, once the dishes were cleared, I excused myself. Sloan followed me to the front hallway.
"Why do you have to be so miserable to your mother?" she whispered. "Don't you think she's suffered enough?"
"Why are we all pretending that my father was a wonderful man who left nothing but happy memories for us all?" I shot back. "I'm sick of the lies. Can't you see how miserable she is? It's been that way for years."
"You're just mad because you're pent up," she said, sliding her hand between my thighs and feeling me instantly respond.
"Stop it, Sloan," I growled. "This is unacceptable."
"This is?" she asked as she rubbed my crotch and felt me harden at her touch. "Are you sure?"
"Sloan . . ." I warned. "Knock it off!"
"Mmm, you know what I'd like to do with this?" she whispered as she moved her hand to the zipper of my pants. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away as I twisted it. She cried out, "Ouch, you're hurting me!"
"Good, then maybe it will finally get through your thick skull that no means no," I hissed. "I told you what the deal was, Sloan. Now stop pushing me or I'll be forced to deal with you in a way that you won't like."
"Oooh, you'll get rough with me?" she chortled as she leaned in close enough for me to feel her breath on my lips.
"No, I'll fire you," I said bluntly. "I'll remove you from the company and keep you from being anywhere near me ever again."
She narrowed her icy-blue eyes as she stepped back and stared at me. "I see. Is this how we're going to do it?"
"I told you what the deal was, Sloan," I said stepping away from her. "You agreed, and now you're going back on the deal. If you violate our terms, there will be consequences. Do you understand?"
"Oh, I understand all right," she said. "But I'm not sure you understand exactly who you're dealing with, my friend."
"I know all too well, believe me," I said through clenched teeth.
"I don't think you do," she replied before turning on her heel and returning to the dining room where my mother sat waiting for coffee to be served.
I shook my head as I opened the door and headed out to the car. Jimmy was waiting and, once I told him where we were headed, he raised the window between us and let me sit back in peace as he drove me to the club.
*
I found Brittany standing with her back to the front door, moving her ass to the beat of the electronic music that poured from the club speakers. She was wearing a sliver dress that revealed more of her tanned body than it covered.
"Jack, you made it!" she shouted over the throbbing beat as she moved in close and rubbed her enormous breasts against my chest. I felt myself aching for the release that I wouldn't allow myself with Sloan.