Chapter Twenty
RUIN ME
Bentley
Havingthis conversation with Kenzie so soon wasn’t in the plans, but since the bottom-feeders from last night realized who I was, I can’t leave her in the dark.
“Our family isn’t famous or anything, but my father has made a name for himself in the financial district. When there’s nothing exciting to lie about with the celebrities, the leeches head down to Wall Street. Thanks to a couple of nights out with my friends when I was too young to know better, I caught their attention a time or two. Not that I was doing anything wrong, but that’s part of the reason why I don’t speak to my parents anymore.”
Kenzie watches me with trepidation. “What happened between you guys?”
My palm rubs over her thigh. “My mother is a socialite. The things you see on reality TV and in the movies about rich women? They have nothing on what goes on in real life. It’s cutthroat and dirty and asinine most of the time. My mother threatened to sue me if I ended up in the papers again.”
Her jaw drops. “Sue you for what?”
“Defamation of the family name.” I laugh, because there’s nothing more I can do at this point. “I confirmed then what I already knew to be true in my heart. My parents cared more about their image and the size of their bank account than they did their children who were raised more by rotating nannies than anyone else.”
Kenzie leans against my shoulder. “I’m sorry that happened to you, but it seems like you’ve done well on your own.”
I nod. “My grandmother on my dad’s side was nothing like my mother. In fact, she hated my mom. Unfortunately, since my grandmother didn’t hide her disdain, I didn’t get to see her much. When she died and left me her house here, I knew I had the out I needed. I packed up my shit and left. My sister followed me when she was done with school. Though I never asked her to do that, I’m glad she did in her own way that allowed her to stay in our parents’ good graces.”
Kenzie cringes. “Now I feel bad for mocking your huge house. I told myself you were compensating.”
My fingers brush her hair back. “I didn’t think I had a reason to do that.”
She shrugs. “You don’t, but after you’d kicked me out, I made myself believe that you did.”
I wish our conversation could end there, on a good note, but I’m not done.
“My mother leaked to the press that I’d left New York to spend time at a treatment center. Thankfully, when they couldn’t find me or proof of where I was, not even the gossip sites picked up the leak. I’ve been living my own life, away from the deep-pocket circles ever since. But if one of those bottom-feeders does corner you, know that they’ll likely ask questions about things that aren’t true in an attempt to trip you up or turn you against me.”
Her hand settles over my heart, warming my chest. “I’m not one to believe what I see or read online, and I’m sure the hell not going to trust anything a complete stranger says just so they can get a reaction out of me.”
“Thank you.” I tighten an arm around her. “My life normally doesn’t have any drama in it. In fact, I ended things with my last ex to avoid falling back into that lifestyle. She began to remind me too much of my mother.”
I shudder, and Kenzie laughs. “Well, I never took my father’s money, and I don’t intend to find an interest in yours, so you don’t have to worry about that with me.”
My hand cups her cheek. “If I thought that, I wouldn’t have shared any of this with you.”
Her eyes heat, and the distance between us is quickly closed when she presses her lips against mine, then murmurs, “Should we christen your office?”
I dig my fingers into her hips and turn her until she’s straddling me. “I wish, but I have meetings I can’t avoid, and you’re probably supposed to be at work yourself, given how much of a hurry you were in this morning.”
Her lower lip juts out. “I don’t like it when you’re right.”
“I’ll be all kinds of wrong for you tonight to make up for it.” I kiss her again, letting our tongues greet each other. She moans into my mouth and presses down on my lap.
Fuck, I want to take her right here on my desk, but even if I chose to blow off the meeting, I don’t have a condom. That’s something I intend to rectify for the future.
Regrettably, I push Kenzie back. “No protection, and we both need to work.”
“You ruin all the fun.” She leans against my desk and pushes out her chest.
I lift her up, thankful she’s wearing a dress today. Her ass thuds on the desk’s sleek surface and I spread her legs apart. Before she realizes what I’m doing, I have two fingers buried inside her.
“How’s this for fun?” I whisper in her ear.
Her back curves, and she inches closer to me. “Terrible.”