“Beg.”
“Please forgive me, Asher.”
“I forgive you, but only because you’re you. If you were anyone else, you’d be in so much trouble.”
“I like being in trouble with you.”
I mewl and gasp, unable to quiet myself at the sensations Asher rings from me. I cry out as my orgasm shoots through me. My ears pop and ring, and I yell Asher’s name as he pounds into me, and then he finds his own release, gritting his teeth as he comes.
When he stills, Asher leans his forehead down against mine. “I could never stay mad at you, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still furious at the situation.” He gently bites at my bottom lip. “This is only the beginning. You wait until I’m home tonight. You’ll get your full punishment then.”
I fight back a smile.
Yes, please.
34
ELLA
Aweek later, the story hits the air. It’s a week earlier than I expected, but the network couldn’t wait, not when they had footage of Asher and me together, as well as with Declan. It’s the first interview of our relationship to hit television, and even though it’s not an official relationship type of interview, it’s content the network has that no one else does so they decided to put it out as quickly as possible. Some banter Declan and I shared at the beginning of the tour is highlighted, and the head journalist comments on how integrated into the family I must be if I already share such an easy-going relationship with Asher’s younger brother. The spotlight focuses less on Greenspan than I would have liked and more on Asher’s and my relationship, but I still take it as a win.
After the story hits, interest in Greenspan spikes, and I breathe a sigh of relief. If Yegor and Sergei make a move, it’s now more likely to be seen and heard by the public. I’m under no delusion that this will stop them, but it might just pause them long enough to give Asher the edge he needs to take them down.
And we’re all anxious for that to happen.
Life with extensive security is stifling, and I still only leave the penthouse here and there. I was able to help at the school district’s summer pantry program to give kids with food insecurity a free lunch on a Friday, but I had to skip on another charity event when Robert was worried that he couldn’t secure the location well enough. The sooner we end this threat, the sooner we can all get back to our lives, and I can’t wait.
As it is, I’m at my photo shoot with Lennox Rose, and I have a veritable fleet of security with me, along with my mom, who flew in to spend time with me since I’m bored out of my mind most days. Unfortunately, she has to get back to her life, and she’s leaving for the airport directly after the shoot.
“These are gorgeous, Ella,” my mom gushes, looking at the photo monitor as Carlos, my photographer, flips through the photos I just finished modeling for. These photos are for their luxury coat fall line and won’t come out for a couple of months, but it was so fun to shoot. I’ve never modeled before, so it took me some time to get comfortable, but in the end, I’m pleased with the results.
“You were made to be in front of the camera. Why you spent your time in a corporate office, I will not understand,” Carlos says in his strong Spanish accent as he starts to pack up his camera. “You should be modeling, not pushing papers. Is that what they say?”
I giggle. “Yes, pushing papers. But I never thought modeling was an option; I’m not tall enough.”
“You are too short for a catwalk, not the camera. But no worries, we will make you a model from here on out.”
“That’s kind of you to say. And thank you, I really enjoyed the shoot.”
“You are welcome, hermosa.” He gives me a quick kiss on both of my cheeks. “I look forward to working with you again.”
“You really were wonderful,” my mother says as we headout to the black town car, flanked by Flores and Jenkins. “I always knew you were beautiful enough to model.”
I snort. “You have to say that; you’re my mom.”
“I’m serious, sweetie. When you were born, I had several nurses visit my room to look at you. Our nurse told them that you were the most beautiful baby she’d ever seen, and all the other nurses had to see for themselves. They all agreed, and they were right. You’ve always been stunningly beautiful. I was just too scared of the modeling industry to let you try.”
“That’s okay. Modeling like this is fun, but it’s more on own terms, you know? I don’t know if I would have had the spine to claw and fight my way through the modeling industry when I was younger. It wasn’t exactly my passion, plus there was too much going on . . .”
My mother sighs, linking her arm with mine. “I know. We were all just trying to survive losing your father. I’m still impressed you and Maya made it through college with the grief you carried. None of us had much to give back then.”
I nod in agreement. The years after my father’s death are both viscerally clear and a blur. The three of us really were just trying to make it through each day.
“I feel like I cheated with this, though,” I say as we climb in the car and get settled. “Ididn’tclaw and fight my way to make it in the modeling world—to work with these high-end brands. I started dating my boss.” I half laugh at the ridiculousness of it.
“You worked hard at your job, which is how you met your boss in the first place. You didn’t cheat in any of that, and you can’t help it that your boss is one of the most famous men on the planet and that dating him put you in the spotlight. Once that spotlight was on you, people couldn’t ignore your beauty.”
I laugh again. Trust my mom to humblebrag about me to me.
