Chapter 127 BOOK 2: CHAPTER 17

Chapter 127 BOOK 2: CHAPTER 17

—Amira—
My breath jackhammered.
This should be the moment any girl would yell at the driver to stop the car, then take to her heels.
But I didn't. I sat quietly, my eyes drifting to his lips, recalling the moment they captured mine... how warm and sweet they'd felt.
Nathaniel smirked as if reading the chaos going on in my head. He leaned closer and kissed my ear.
“Do we have an understanding?”
I shivered, heart pounding. “Yes.”
“Good.” He straightened and held my gaze. “Because next time, I won't be asking. I'll take what's mine... I'll be ruthless about it.”
My breath caught. Wasn't I supposed to be screaming and running? But I inched toward him, my panties soaking with arousal.
“You feel that?” he whispered. “That’s you losing control... that's you wanting to be ruined.”
A moan slipped from my lips. “Nathaniel—”
“Shhh,” he placed a finger over my lips.
“Say it. Say it, that you want to be ruined by me.”
“I–I want to be ruined by you,” I stuttered.
He let out a small groan before slipping his thumb into my mouth, and I couldn't help it. I sucked on it hungrily like my life depended on it.
“Look at you,” his voice dipped lower. “So hungry you don’t even pretend to hide it.”
I squirmed and sucked harder on his thumb. My core ached, my insides begging to be filled.
“No.” He pulled away his finger.
“You don’t get to take control tonight. You only get what I allow,” he said, voice husky.
I almost begged. Then I reminded myself the man before me wasn't the Nathaniel I knew—he was ruthless, unyielding, and would likely turn me down.
The car suddenly slowed.
I glanced across the window and saw that we were pulling before the hospital.
“Leave now while you still have the legs to run,” he said.
My fingers trembled as I unbuckled the seat belt. I stepped out of the car and hurried inside the hospital.
That night, I slept over at the hospital watching Mama and Oluchi sleep. Then the next morning, I headed home.
I peeled my clothes and stepped under the shower. A moan slipped from my lips as I scrubbed reliving every moment with him in the car. His voice. The intensity in his eyes. His touch.
My nipples grew taut as I rubbed them, my hands sliding beneath until they cupped my sex.
“Nathaniel,” I gasped, disbelief flooding me.
I couldn’t believe I was touching myself to his memory.
Just as I was about to come, I tore my hands away, panting. It was insane, the power he held over me.
Back in the bedroom, I slipped into red panties and an office gown that accentuated my curves, then stepped into a pair of Jimmy Choo stilettos.
My phone rang as I finished my makeup. Joyce.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Amira. I'm sorry I wasn't able to call last night. Hope you got home safely.”
“Y-yes, I did.”
“You wouldn't believe what happened,” she blurted, breath ragged. “Mr. Rivera cleared all the bills last night and gifted me a sum of five million Naira.”
I blinked. “Congratulations, dear.”
She chuckled. “You have no idea how happy I am. I'll see you at the office, right?”
“Of course.”
“Alright, see you later,” she said and ended the call.
I let out a breath and glanced at my reflection in the vanity before grabbing my bag and joining my ride outside.
Dust rose into the air as we pulled away from the compound, the car weaving through the morning traffic. I rolled up the window, grateful for the quiet hum of the engine and the faint scent of leather.
My phone screen lit up. A text.
‘I want the latest flight test data and engineering notes for the fighter jets prototype on my desk this morning.’
Nathaniel.
I swallowed hard and lowered my phone into my bag. His convoy was already in the driveway as I stepped out of the car and made my way to the executive floor.
Settling behind my desk, I went to work.
Time ticked.
The sounds of footsteps approaching had me looking up from my computer. Grace.
She inched closer in a skirt suit that left nothing to the imagination, her perfume oozing through the space.
She grinned. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I mumbled. “How may I help you?”
“I want to see Mr. Rivera.” She brought forward a box of cupcakes. “I made this for him and I'll love to give him myself.”
Heat rose to my face, and I could feel my hands balling into fists. Seriously?
Why couldn't she just stay away from him?
“Oh, that’s… nice of you,” I said, my lips curving with a smile that didn't reach my eyes. “Let me call him.”
I dialed in Nathaniel fingers crossed he would turn her away. “Sir, Grace is here to see. Said she has something to give you.”
“Okay. Send her in,” he said.
My heart shattered. Blinking, I lowered the phone and turned to Grace, a reticent smile still plastered on my face.
“He’s available now. Please go ahead.”
She murmured a “thank you” and strutted toward his office, hips swaying with the kind of confidence that scraped at my nerves.
I tried to focus on work but it was hard knowing they were alone.
Come on, Amira,” I whispered to myself. “I don’t care what they’re doing.”
My alarm went off for break.
I went out and when I came back, she was still in his office. Just as I rounded up with the document he assigned me and approached his office, the door slid open.
He sat behind his desk, laid back like a king, while she scurried away with the biggest smile I’d ever seen on her face.
“Thanks, Amira,” she mumbled, and headed out.
I swallowed hard. “May I come in?”
He nodded.
I walked to his desk and lowered the file in my hands. “The documents, as you requested.”
He didn't look at the file. Rather, he pressed a button on his desk and the doors clicked shut behind me.
“You’re upset.”
“I’m not,” I replied too quickly. “You asked for the documents. I delivered.”
A corner of his mouth lifted.
“Trust me. She only brought cupcakes... that's all.”
“What you do with your visitors isn’t my concern.”
Silence. Then he stood.
“You watched her walk out of here like that and you expect me to believe you feel nothing?”
I scoffed. “You can't have everybody.”
He grabbed my arm and backed me up against his desk. My butt scraped against the wood, his hips locking me in place.
A slow ache stirred in my belly.
“I don’t need everybody,” he said, his lips grazing my ear. “I only need you… and you don’t get to run from it.”
A moan slipped from my lips as he nuzzled my neck. My ear. My cheek.
Just when I sure he'd kiss me, he pulled back and stepped away.
“If you don’t trust me,” he murmured, “you can walk away right now.”
I blinked. Not a single nerve in my body was willing to move. A smirk curved his lips as he approached.
“You can't fight it… if you do, you won’t win.”
Before I could blink, he spun me around and bent me over his desk. “I warned you about this last night, didn't I?”
My lips parted, my breath shaky. I closed my eyes as he dragged his fingers—achingly slow—up my legs, then slid in-between.
“Just as I expected,” he murmured. “You’re so wet for me.”
A raspy cry slipped from my lips before I could stop it. “Nate—”
“Open your eyes,” he ordered.
I did.
“Good,” he husked. “Now, don't move.”
A beat passed.
I licked my lips and waited.
Then I felt his fingers slid beneath my panties.
My breath hitched.
A shiver slid down my spine as he stroked my dripping core.
“Please,” I begged.
“Please, what?” he murmured. “I want to hear you say it.”
“I–I want you.”
He stilled.
The silence was deafening.
Then he withdrew his hand and straightened, leaving me bent over his desk, breathless and undone.
“That,” he said calmly, “is what you look like when you stop lying to yourself.”
I turned, heart racing—but he was already back in his chair, composed, untouchable.
“Go back to work, Amira.”