Free All Things Pretty by M. Leighton

well be. I can
practically feel every hard contour, like my skin is reaching out
for it.
    Then, just before the incredible tension
lulls me into doing something stupid, he retreats. Gently rolling
our hands until his is on the bottom, he grips the handle and pulls
open the door. He holds it for me, his eyes never leaving mine as I
smooth my hair and blouse, and walk demurely into the building. I
know without looking that his eyes never leave me.
    We ride the elevator in silence. I wonder if
Sig is aware of the crackle of electricity between us. It’s like a
living thing, snapping and sizzling. When the doors swoosh open
onto the penthouse lobby, I’m hesitant to meet the eyes of Dane and
Gerard. I wonder that I don’t look different, so much so that they
somehow know what was happening in there, what I was feeling.
    I take a deep breath and make my way to the
living room. I stop at the edge when my gaze falls to the couple on
the couch.
    Lance is sprawled on his back and a girl is
on her knees between his legs, her hand down his lounge pants. I
clear my throat loudly and he cranes his neck to look back at me.
His lips curve into a lascivious smile that tells me so much.
    I wondered why he didn’t mention any plans
for the day. Now I know. I also wonder if the girl just got here or
if she’s been here since last night.
    “There she is,” he says of me, tugging on
the dark fall of hair that’s spread across his stomach. A very
attractive young girl, probably not much more than eighteen or
nineteen, smiles up at me.
    She starts to unbutton her top.
“Finally!”
    Lance barks a general, “Leave us!” to
everyone in the room. I know that applies to everyone but me.
    I don’t glance behind me, but I can almost
feel the burn of Sig’s eyes between my shoulder blades. My cheeks
sting with humiliation. Most of Lance’s men are used to his…ways,
but Sig isn’t. This is the first time he’s walked me upstairs. He
has no idea what kind of man Lance really is. Or what kind of
person I am because of him.
    A stab of regret, a pinch of loss–loss of
what could’ve been between Sig and me if things were
different–slices through me. I’ll never have a guy like him. Even
though he works for Lance, something tells me that he’s a good man.
Better than most of the others. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s that
he helped me when I was stranded, when he had no idea who I was.
Maybe it’s that he was so genuine and kind and polite when he was
getting nothing in return. Whatever the reason, my gut tells me
that he’s more. Just… more. And that I could never deserve
him. This is proof. Proof of what I am, what I’ve become. What I’ve
had to do.
    I swallow an uncharacteristic lump of
emotion as I straighten my shoulders and move into the living room.
I stopped being squeamish about stuff like this years ago. There’s
only one explanation as to why it would bother me now. And that is just one more reason why I have to keep Sig as far
away from my heart as possible. He’s no good for me, for my plan.
He’ll only get me hurt. Get both of us hurt. And I’ve come too far
to let that happen now.

CHAPTER SIXEEN- SIG
     
    I’m torn. My cock doesn’t know whether to
fill up with blood or shrivel into a damn vagina.
    The thought of Tommi being undressed by
another woman is a huge turn-on. The idea of delicate, painted
fingernails scraping over her nipples, the image of ruby-red lips
kissing her bellybutton is so hot I could drive a nail into a
wooden board with my dick. Holy Jesus!
    But.
    The thought of Tonin putting his hands on
her, his mouth on her makes me furious. Like, put my fist through a
man’s face furious. He doesn’t deserve her. I know she’s with him
willingly, but I can’t believe that she’d be here if she had any
other viable option.
    I go back down to the lobby and text Finch,
the other undercover. He’s going by the name Hop for the time being
and I’m posing as his cousin, so we can get away with a