She gestured for her wife to join her on the couch over on the side of the room. Alicia half expected her to make love to her there – and, to be honest, was totally into the idea – but Danica was a master at separating work and pleasure. Once she put her mind to discussing business, that was all she would talk about until it was over.
Besides, this was pretty important.
The woman had a plan. The only way they would be able to stay together without interference was by ousting Russell Moreau, Alicia’s psychopathic father-in-law. That man held no love for her, unlike his daughter.He tried to have me killed. He tried to kill his ex-wife. He used to threaten and abuse his daughter… maybe he still does.Alicia glanced at the reddened skin on her wife’s face. Something wasn’t right about it.
The only way to get rid of Russell was by taking over the company. In truth, Alicia was along for the ride. She barely understood what was going on or what her wife planned. All she knew was that when Danica suggested they get married as soon as possible, it was for two reasons: to give Alicia as much legal power as possible in the family, and to start theirownfamily.
She tried not to think about that last part too much.
Thankfully, Danica had moved on from that topic. She was only interested in talking about the business luncheon Alicia was attending on behalf of Moreau Industries the next day. The Russian company had a tenuous relationship when it came to investments. They wanted Moreau’s money, but in turn, the Moreaus wanted their money, too. Poor Alicia was given a crash course on hedge funds and the like. Every time she expressed her lack of knowledge, however, Danica told her to stop focusingon the academic and to rely on her experiences in the hospitality industry.
“You will win them over, I’m sure,” she said. “The important thing is to be strong and confident. That is what it means to be a Moreau in your current situation.”
Right. Alicia was a Moreau now. She had a legacy to uphold, in more ways than one.
“You won’t be alone. I’ll make sure you have an assistant with you. If you really, really are having difficulties, you can call me here, and I will video chat with the associates.” That didn’t make Alicia feel better. If she couldn’t handle it on her own, she didn’t want to flounder, nor did she want to go running to her wife for help. Yet on the other hand, what the hell did Danica think she was doing, sending her with no experience to deal with money of this caliber?
“If you say everything will be fine, then I’m sure it will be.”
Danica gave Alicia a kiss that made her tremble from within.Why do we have to worry about this stuff right now? We just got married. Where’s the honeymoon?Soon. That would have to come soon, as there was no time right now to enjoy their newlywed life. Danica couldn’t even tell her when it was safe to distract themselves with a wedding ceremony and a honeymoon. Until then, they would make do with going to bed early every night. Alicia still had yet to feel completely satisfied with her brand-new sex life.
There were still so many things for Danica to teach her and to explore together. The choker around Alicia’s neck tightened. When she was at work, she attached a small chain of diamonds to the hook to throw people off from seeing what it truly was.
As for the handcuffs – er, bracelets – her wife had given her? At work, she wore both on her right wrist. After work, she would move one to the other wrist, to be worn as they were truly meantto be beheld.I am hers. Being her partner in all meanings is to be hers.She liked to think that she was Danica’s, too.
“I want to spend my whole day with you,” Danica whispered in her ear, knuckles grazing her throat. “We should be in our new home, christening that brand new bed I bought us.”
Alicia wetted her bottom lip with a frisky tongue. “How would we christen it together… ma’am?” She had said the magic word, she hoped.
“Why, I would tie you up and fuck you until that bed could never tell a lie about us.” Danica’s hand covered Alicia’s knee. Her mouth cursed the tights Alicia wore beneath her skirt. “Why are you wearing these?”
“To keep you from fucking me at work.”
“That won’t suffice. I’ll tear them apart, and you’ll have to learn to keep spares in your office.”
Arousal spread through Alicia like wildfire. Even her nipples threatened to poke through her poor silk blouse. “Then perhaps I will.”
“And perhaps I’ll take you right here.” What Danica wanted, she often got. Including a quickie with her wife on the office couch. She liked to claim it was their mutual marital right. Alicia didn’t disagree.
Chapter 2
It was only her second day at Moreau Industries, and already things were changing. For one, that was not Abby sitting behind the receptionist’s desk.
“Good morning, Mrs. Moreau,” said a young and pale brunette. “Anything I can do for you? Your interior designer is finished with your temporary furnishings.”
“Oh, uh…” Alicia looked to Dee standing behind her, as if her bodyguard could tell her anything. Meanwhile, Alicia’s wife hurried through the office en route to her own office, her assistant, Ms. Clayborn, rattling off information about her ten o’clock meeting.She doesn’t notice me now, but she certainly did last night.Their first night in their new home! Alicia had been so giddy about the vast (and pre-furnished) penthouse that she spent the whole evening wandering around while Danica arranged for a live-in servant to take over one of the six bedrooms.What’s it like to live with a servant? Oh, my God, I have no idea. Still so much to get used to!“I don’t need anything. I think.”
Alicia entered her office with a smile on her face. Ms. Clayborn had put her in contact with one of the best interior designers in the city. Sure enough, her office was smartly decorated with a dark yet modern theme. The furniture was black and luxurious – as befitting someone with the last name Moreau – but the accents! White pillows added character to the armless couches. Greenery brought life to the windows. Red and royal purple lamps hung here and there. Alicia’s desk now sported a desktop monitor with the CPU built into the back. At least her chair had stayed. Ooh, was that a large chunk of emerald serving as a paperweight? Alicia picked it up, thinking of her wife’s diamond paperweight. She stood upon a crimson and gold Persian rug, two black swivel chairs awaiting guests.
“Mrs. Moreau.”
That voice was familiar, but not one Alicia had been expecting. She turned to see Abby, utterly stylish in a gold pencil skirt and white blouse. Red pumps carried the woman’s dark and toned legs across more Persian rugs bedecking the hardwood floors. Her afro grazed one of the hanging lamps and, much to Alicia’s relief, the woman stopped to scoff at such low-hanging decorations. To be fair, there were people taller than Abby working in the office. Alicia would have to get someone to raise the lamps.
“What can I do for you?” Alicia asked, pretending to rearrange things on her desk. Not that there was anything to rearrange.
“More like what can I do foryou, Mrs. Moreau?” Abby held a tablet identical to Ms. Clayborn’s. Ten dazzling rings encircled every one of her fingers, each one scratching against the back of the tablet as Abby flipped it over and started punching buttons. “As of today, I am your personal assistant.”
“Really?” The emerald paperweight clanked to the floor. Alicia hurried to pick it up and place it in the middle of her desk. “I mean…”
