“And what, pray tell, is that?”
Lukus broke out into a shit-eating grin. “I want it all. The whole thing. What you, James, and Markus already have.”
“Holy fuck.”
“Holy fuck is right.”
Lukus turned to go back in and try to get some work done, doing his best to shout down the small voice warning him that he may end up losing the club if he stayed on the new course he’d just weaved on to.
Chapter Ten
Markus
“Markus, so good to see you. How long’s it been?”
Markus found himself in a death-grip handshake with an old Northwestern law professor turned New York state senator. “Professor Withers. This is a surprise. I had no idea I’d run into you tonight. It has to be at least, what… eight, no, nine years? Damn, time flies!”
“Please, just Jonathan now. You aren’t kidding about time flying. What brings you to this neck of the woods? I thought you were practicing in Chicago?” The senator released his grip long enough to deposit his empty champagne glass on the tray of a passing waiter, before grabbing two full crystal flutes and handing one to Markus.
“Thanks. I’m still in Chicago. I’m out here in Manhattan this week working with a new client. I’m headed back home tomorrow.”
“You still at Brown and Cassidy?” Jonathon asked.
“Yep. Going on seven years now.”
“What, and you don’t have your name on the door yet?”
Markus chuckled. “Nope, not yet. I’m working on it, though.”
“From what I hear, you’re doing more than working on it. I’ve heard some pretty tall tales about your winning track record in court. If even half of them are true, I’m impressed. I always knew you were going to go far. Ever think about turning to politics?”
“Oh, hell no…” Markus then realized who he was talking to, and rushed to add, “No offense, Professor, or should I say, Senator?”
Markus was relieved when he was greeted with a hearty laugh. “Oh, no offense taken. To be truthful, it isn’t all I thought it was going to be either. Damn gridlock everywhere I go. The longer I stay in the state senate, the more I realize it’s a damn miracle anything ever gets done in this country.”
Markus was only half listening to his old professor as the conversation turned to topics he couldn’t care less about. He was much more interested in keeping his eyes glued to the entryway of the massive American grand hall. In New York City to meet with a new client, a federal judge who found himself on the wrong side of the law, he’d had managed to snag two invitations to a charity gala being hosted at the New York Metropolitan Museum. Looking around the expansive foyer, he caught a glimpse of several A-list celebrities, yet they weren’t who he was anxious to see either.
I should’ve detoured to the hotel to pick her up. We might have even had time for a quickie in the limo.
He might have been buried in client meetings all day, but the anticipation of burying himself deep in his wife was never far from his thoughts. As they’d recently celebrated their third anniversary, an outsider might think it a bit late to be acting like newlyweds. Yet considering they’d had a near marriage-ending event occur less than one week before, Markus and his bride had spent every spare minute of their trip to New York reconnecting. He was determined to use this time away to get their marriage back on firm footing. Remembering last night’s passionate marathon romp had all the blood rushing from his head to his cock.
Down, boy. We still have a few hours before you get to come out to play.
The room filled as the open-bar cocktail hour moved into full swing. He was starting to worry something might have been wrong when he spotted her. The sight of his elegant wife, paused at the top step of the entry of the grand foyer, took his breath away. A hush fell over the party. At first, Markus thought he was just tuning out the noise of the almost three hundred people in attendance, but as he walked towards her, he caught sight of several men who stopped mid-sentence to stare, mouths agape.
Dream on, boys. You can look, but don’t even think of touching. She’s all mine.
Brianna was wearing a slinky, plum dress that by all rights wasn’t risqué on its own. The deep V-cut bodice was low enough to display the curves of her ample breasts, but the floor-length gown was classy. It was how the glimmering material hugged her sexy curves that left very little to the imagination as to what lay beneath. Her long, dark hair was pulled into a seductive updo, a few stray tendrils framed her radiant face. He knew the moment her scanning eyes found him. Her radiant smile aimed directly at him threatened to knock him on his ass.
They took a few seconds, undressing each other with their eyes across the room before his hot wife descended the marble steps, each step forward revealing her tanned legs through the thigh-high slit of her gown. Her eyes never left her husband’s. Her sashay had the allure of a runway model. Even his companion, who’d been babbling along about the financial state of the country, was silenced mid-sentence, his attention riveted to the mysterious woman walking towards them.
As Brianna closed the distance between them, Markus observed the well-spoken Senator deteriorating into a bumbling teenager. By the time she stopped in front of them, Jonathan openly stared, his mouth agape.
Markus and Brianna spend time drinking each other in before he closed the remaining distance, taking her in his arms and pulling her tight against his chest. Over her shoulder he saw several jealous onlookers eyeing him with death stares.
“I was starting to worry about you, sweetheart. Is everything okay?” His intimate whisper against her ear triggered a shiver through her body.
Brianna threw her arms around his neck, nuzzling in close to whisper back. “I’m sorry Sir, but it took extra time before I got dressed to prepare myself as you requested.”
Markus needed to see her eyes. He pulled back to gaze down upon his wife. “Does that mean you completed your full list, young lady?”
There was plenty of early evening light streaming in through the massive skylights. More than enough for Markus to catch the adorable blush highlighting his wife’s cheeks. With a surge of joy, he remembered she was so much more than just his wife now. All week long he kept getting reminded of their previous weekend. The weekend when everything had changed between them. Sitting in client meetings, on conference calls, awakened in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, or even now, standing in the middle of the crowded Metropolitan Museum, the memories resurfaced of how close he had come to losing the love of his life. He reacted instinctively by hugging her closer, if that was possible, subconsciously daring her to try to get away.
Brianna was finally able to answer. “Yes, Sir.”
“Very good. Of course, I’ll have to do my own personal inspection. In fact, I have a few other preparations you’re gonna need to make now that you’re here.” He flashed her a mischievous smile before continuing. “But, you’re safe for now. Come, my dear. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Releasing her reluctantly, Markus instead reached for her hand, turning back to his old professor, who was still standing there with the same silly look on his face. “Professor, or should I say Senator Withers, I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Brianna. Sweetheart, I bumped into an old professor from Northwestern while I was waiting for you to join me. Professor Withers retired from the life of academia and is now a New York state senator.”