five
Alec
I keep having "business meetings" with Donald. He thinks I'm eager to lay the groundwork for our "deal," but the truth is I'm doing anything I can to get into his house and get him drunk enough that I can sneak upstairs to speak to Addy again before his big dinner party this weekend.
The dinner party where he's going to parade his daughter around in front of a bunch of wolves like she's the prime rib they have to fight over.
My fists clench, and I take a calming breath as I fight down the urge to jump across his desk and pummel him.
"Just out of curiosity," I ask Jameson with a bored look on my face once he's three drinks in, "what made you decide to lock up your daughter? Couldn't control her otherwise? Was she a wild child or something?"
Jameson chuckles as he shakes his head. "No, nothing like that. Addison's always been obedient to a fault. Never gave me any trouble." He leans toward me conspiratorially and drops his voice a notch as if he's imparting a great secret to me. "No, I locked her up because I knew she was a prize gem. Lock a woman away and call her forbidden fruit and men will suddenly be willing to do anything for a taste."
I take in the man's glassy eyes, and my stomach curdles. This fucker is sick, and I'd gladly kill him with my bare hands if I didn't know his "associates" would come after me—and more importantly, Addy—as soon as word got out.
Jameson, idiot that he is, mistakes the look I didn't mask quickly enough for anticipation or agreement or some shit because he releases a deep, booming laugh as he sits back in his chair. "Don't worry, my boy. You'll get your chance to bid on her tomorrow night, just like everyone else. Just between you and me, I hope you're the one who gets her. I look forward to working with you more."
The fucker has the audacity to wink at me. I go along with the charade, doing what I have to so I can speak with my sweet girl. "Cheers to that," I lift my brandy glass and watch as Jameson readily takes the bait, knocking down the rest of his drink.
The drunker Jameson gets, the faster he drinks, intoxicating himself even more quickly.
Thirty minutes later, I deem it safe enough to excuse myself to use his restroom.
Like before, I fly swiftly yet quietly up the stairs to Addy's room.
I tap softly on the door before whispering her name. "Addy?"
Just a few seconds later, I hear her overjoyed whisper coming from the other side of the door, "Alec? Is it really you?"
"Yes, sweetheart." My heart warms at the sound of her voice, and my hands twitch with the need to touch her. "Listen, your father's hosting a dinner party with a bunch of his business associates tomorrow night, and he's going to bring you down."
There's a long moment of silence before she finally whispers incredulously, hopefully. "He's letting me out of my room? Will you be there?"
God, the knowledge that she wants me as badly as I want her does something to my insides. My chest feels tight, and while it's a discomforting sensation, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world if it means Addy desires my presence. "Yes, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, sweetheart. You can't let on that you know me, okay? Don't act happy to see me. Treat me like any of the other men, okay?"
"But why?" she asks me, confused.
My heart wrenches within me. This poor thing has no clue how devious or dangerous her father truly is. Locking some girls away might have made them bitter, but it’s only kept Addy painfully childlike in her innocence. This girl has been completely sheltered from everything. And all for a nefarious end game.
"I can't go into it all right now, Addy, but just trust me. Can you do that, sweetheart? I have a plan. I promise you that everything is going to be okay."
She doesn't hesitate before she whispers back fervently. "Yes, of course. I trust you, Alec. I'll do as you say."
"Good girl," I whisper back. "I've got to go now, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Alec?" she calls tentatively as I turn to leave.
I take a step toward her door again, craning my head down to hear her whisper. "Yes, angel?"
"Can we do what we did that night again?" Her voice is husky with lust and longing.
And just like that, I'm rock hard and biting back a groan. Fuck, she's such a horny little virgin, and I can't wait to give her just what she needs.
"Meet me in your window tonight," I grunt, turning to walk swiftly down the hallway before I say to hell with it, break down her door, and pop her sweet cherry right now.
* * *
Addy