Grace (The ‘Hello’ series)

25. Chapter 25

twenty-five

Grace

I glide my hands over my new dress as I stare at the mansion in front of me. Ashley insisted on a shopping trip today, and I’m grateful she convinced me to go.

Now I’m in a deep blue dress that reminds me of Daniel’s eyes. It’s not inappropriate, not for an event that’s taking place at Daniel’s estate, but it’s got some sex appeal.

It’s definitely not loose fitting, and it hangs off one shoulder. The skirt is flirty and loose, but I feel like I actually have curves. It’s not the kind of thing I ever would have bought before, but now… I’m not half as nervous to wear it.

The double doors open as I move up the steps and walk into Daniel’s mansion. It’s huge, and I’m immediately worried that Melissa and I didn’t get enough decorations. But it looks amazing. Other coworkers are looking around in awe, even though Stacy looks as bored as can be, drinking alone while standing next to a wall.

Sebastian walks over to her and gently rubs her shoulder. My throat tightens as she melts against him. She finds me staring, and a smug smile tilts on her lips before she kisses his neck.

I roll my eyes, but it hurts that Stacy has been making me feel so terrible because of Bash. I shouldn’t care, though. She can have him. I got the better man and I know it.

“Look at how crazy this is.” Melissa giggles. “You know Mr. Brooks has never done anything like this before, right?”

“What do you mean?” I ask, letting her steer me away.

She lowers her voice. “That’s your ex, right? With Stacy? What an ass… but he… am I crazy, or—”

“You’re not crazy,” is all I say, unwilling to have this conversation. “What were you saying about this never happening before?”

“He’s never welcomed everyone into his home like this. I have no idea what made him change his mind, but maybe it’s something… else,” she teases.

I look at her with confusion. “What else could it be? We got the partnership that Mr. Brooks has been aiming for. This is a huge reason to celebrate, Melissa.”

She squeezes my hand. “You’re so cute and na?ve sometimes. I’ve seen how Mr. Brooks looks at you. I wish he looked at me like that way back when.”

I blink at her words, my smile fading, and I almost press her on that, but she pushes a glass of champagne in my hand and wanders off to go talk to another coworker. I take a long drink.

I have to deal with the fact that my ex is here with the woman who was my supervisor… and the woman he was cheating with. My boss and I can’t out that we’re interested in each other because of Bash and every single coworker being here. And then Melissa’s strange words.

I actually put on makeup and did my hair with Ashley’s help, and all I want to do is walk outside and be done with the stress.

Downing my drink, I turn and see Bash staring at me. His eyes drink me in as his jaw ticks. He walks over to me and hisses, “You couldn’t put this kind of effort into yourself when we were together?”

“I wasn’t inspired to,” I say softly.

He blinks at me in shock. “What the hell does that mean?”

I open my mouth to answer, but the sound of tinkling glasses draws my attention. Daniel starts making a speech about hard work and determination as Bash grabs my arm. “Grace!”

“It means that you’re a disappointing ass and Stacy is only with you because she can’t seduce your dad,” I say sharply before jerking my arm away. “Don’t touch me. You’re done with me , remember?”

He narrows his eyes. “Who are you?”

“Funny how people change when they realize their partner cheated on them, belittled them, and made them feel like they were the problem,” I say dismissively.

My voice quavers, but then I shake my head and clap along with everyone else. I head up the stairs after finishing my champagne. I should probably eat something so I don’t get drunk, but right now, I just want to get away from Sebastian.

Once I reach the top of the stairs, I look out over the railing and lean against a pillar. My gaze wanders over everyone as music fills the air.

A hand strokes over the back of my arm.

“You look even better in person, Grace,” Daniel purrs. I glance back at him, and he smirks. “Hello, darling. Did you miss me?”

I can’t stop the smile that spreads. “Of course I did.”

While facing forward, I reach back to take his hand. Daniel squeezes my fingers, and he steps closer. Heat rolls off his body, and I shiver. Daniel frees his hand from mine to gently brush his fingers over my hip and down my thigh.

“So much better in person,” he says in my ear.

“Someone might see us,” I whimper, not pushing his hand away even as it dips under my skirt to stroke across my skin. “Daniel…”

“It’s darker up here. We can see them, but they’d have to focus very, very hard to see us,” he whispers as he sucks my earlobe.

“You’re hard,” I breathe.

“Of course I am, because you’re involved,” he teases. “Do you have any idea” —he pauses to kiss my throat— “how boring London is when all I want is to be wrapped around you?”

His free hand strokes along my bare arm as his other teases my panties, moves back, and glides over my ass as he groans in my ear.

“Daniel…” I rasp. “Sir, I…” My eyes are still on Sebastian, who looks totally pissed off as he rants at Stacy.

At the same time, Daniel slides his fingers into my panties, then he slowly teases my entrance. “Is that a no?”

I shake my head.

“Are you telling me yes, Grace? Telling me that you’re going to be my good girl?” he whispers in my ear.

“Yes, sir,” I pant.

He steps closer, and his big frame brushes against me as he slowly thrusts two fingers inside me, curling them just like I need.

He groans, low and deep, as my lips part. “Are you watching Bash?”

I nod. “He’s mad because I told him off,” I answer, my thighs squeezing together until Daniel spreads my legs with his foot.

My hips tilt back as he slowly pumps his fingers, and I reach back to brace myself on his hip.

“What do you think he’d do if he knew my fingers were deep in your perfect pussy?”

A little moan leaves my throat, and my head falls back against Daniel’s chest. I like this. I know it’s wrong, and we could get caught, but I love his desire, his need to touch me like this in public. To claim me in front of everyone without their noticing.

My hips roll back against his hand as he keeps fucking me with his fingers, curling them deep inside me.

“Sir.” My hand slips from his hip and moves over his hard cock, still covered and shielded from me.

“You said I was better than that toy,” he reminds in my ear. “The toy you could have worn to the party. But you didn’t, did you?”

I shake my head as my pussy clenches around his fingers.

“That’s right, because you’re my sweet girl and you want me. You know you deserve a bigger reward,” he praises. “My good girl deserves everything I can give her. That includes making you come while everyone else is right there, right where you can see.”

His fingers keep going as he praises me, telling me how wet I feel, how much he’s missed me, how everyone else has to be blind to miss a sight like me in ecstasy, how I’m all his and how he’s going to take care of me until I’m right on the edge.

Daniel’s fingers slow, and I whine as he starts to move his fingers away. “Don’t stop, I want more.”

“Do you want my cock?” he asks in a dangerous whisper.

Sebastian glances at the stairs, and I notice Melissa moving around below. Plenty of people are. They’re all so focused on what’s down there… I shudder when he frees his fingers from inside me.

“Yes.” I pause as my heart beats faster. “Yes, sir.”

“Oh, Darling, say that again, please,” he says as his fingers open his zipper and the soft fabric of his boxers rubs against my ass as he pulls them down just enough. He jerks my panties down, then squats to free me of them. “Say it again, Grace.”

I step out of my panties, and he leans me forward, my arms bracing on the railing. His hot skin moves against mine, and I spread my legs wider, swallowing every moan as my pussy pulses in raw need.

“I need you to show me how good I’ve been. Reward me, sir.”

“So perfect, Darling. So good,” he muses and rubs the head of his cock between my legs, sliding it over my slickness until pressure builds. “Such a good girl,” he gasps.

“Only for you,” I breathe, and he slides inside me, stealing my breath as my body presses against the railing.

“Yes, only for me,” he groans and moves his hips back and forward again as my gaze fixes on his son.

He rolls his hips, thrusting into me at a slow pace that burns through me. I whimper and turn to hide my face in his neck, but he kisses my forehead. “No, be good. Focus on the party.”

My hands grip the railing tighter as he uses both hands on my hips, guiding me where he wants me so he can grind into me deeply, taking me at a pace that’s so languid and patient…

Compared to last time, it’s too slow, too meaningful. I whimper and fight my eyelids as they try to close.

“How do I feel, darling?”

“Perfect… more. Please, more,” I whimper.

His grip on my hips tightens almost painfully, and then he slams into me, rocking me against the railing until I feel dizzy enough to fall over. I’m right there, right on the edge until Daniel squeezes my breast and kisses my pulse.

I fall over the edge, shuddering and panting out soft moans as my pussy tightens and I tremble slightly.

A door slams, and I look down, finding some woman who looks almost familiar standing there, and Daniel stills.

“Of fucking course,” he hisses.

“Daniel?” I ask softly.

“You’re a good girl, you’ve done nothing wrong,” he promises, kissing my forehead as he slides out of me and smooths my skirt back down. “I have to take care of this.”

“Okay,” I breathe as my thighs stick together.

Daniel glances down, pauses, then kisses me softly. “I’m happy to be back with you.”

He hurries down the stairs as I stay up here. It’s not like I can run down there and say something. People might realize we were up here alone together. So, all I can do is watch as Daniel approaches the woman.

Sebastian tries to step in, but Daniel points at him. I hurry to a room I see, so I’m out of the way, which means that I hear everything once Daniel gets the woman up here.

“Victoria, what’s the meaning of this? You knew I had organized a party here tonight and—”

“And that’s why I had to come. You never want to see me,” she hisses.

“Because you’re my ex -wife. The only thing we have in common is our son. I told you I’d handle things,” Daniel snarls.

“Oh, yeah, I see how you handle them. Insist on a party here where you force my sweet boy to see his ex-girlfriend? The same ex-girlfriend who just berated him and called him a cheater?” Victoria hisses.

“Grace isn’t the topic of conversation at hand. You’re upset because I’m holding firm. Sebastian needs to learn how to be an adult, and that means moving out and taking care of himself. I lined up the job. I even lined up a new place for him. I won’t do it all . He has to learn to be an adult!” Daniel snarls.

“Grace is the issue here. You hired that no-good brat to help Sebastian, so fire her. He’ll take the job and you’ll get everything you want. It’s not like she’s actually good for anything. She never saw Sebastian as he is. She never understood how lucky she was to have him and was never willing to do anything for his sake alone,” Victoria insists.

I turn away from the doorway, sucking my bottom lip. Is that how people see it? It’s how I saw it right after the breakup, but he wasn’t happy with me. I did plenty. The only problem was sex. Even Sebastian said that so—

“She’s excellent at work. She does more than most of my employees and has caught problems before they could become disasters. Our son is plenty of things and he says plenty of things. Our job is to make sure that he’s a good man, not a coddled little boy,” Daniel snarls. “I’m not going to talk about his dating life, and you should stay out of it too.”

“Don’t tell me how to deal with this. You never even met her,” Victoria snarls.

“This isn’t a conversation, Victoria. Leave,” Daniel grits out.

“Don’t you know I still own thirty percent of the company stocks? I should be celebrating along with everyone else. Maybe I can see something in this girl that you so clearly do,” Victoria snarls. “Although, I’m assuming she’s hiding or late, or embarrassed to be seen in public.”

They keep talking, obviously heading somewhere else, but all I can do is stand there. I cover my mouth with my hand and close my eyes.

What the hell am I getting into? Drama just walked into Daniel’s house. I started some, maybe, but I didn’t tell Sebastian anything he didn’t already know. Now his mom, Daniel’s ex, is involved, and… and there’s absolutely no way I can handle this.