No Strings Attached

Chapter Nineteen

I watch his brows curve. "I already spoke to him not even thirty minutes ago. No, I have plans tonight. I'm not going to his party."

He's silent for a long while. "And you're sure he's talking internationally? Send me his address."

He hangs up. "One of my top sponsors is Tiffany's. You know... the jewelry—"

"I know what Tiffany's is, Giovanni," I mutter, rolling my eyes.

He smirks. "Well, Wallace Denno is the chairman. He, uh, told Sasha as he was leaving that he wanted me to stop by to negotiate having my showcase presented on their new advertisements."

"Giovanni, that's huge."

"Do you mind stopping by? It'll in and out."

Even though a party is the last thing I want to attend, as his publicist I know how much this will impact his company.

I nod, forcing a smile. "Let's go."

***

I don't know what I expected.

I guess I expected the chairman of Tiffany & Co. to have butlers, elegantly dressed guests, maybe a playlist or two of Frank Sinatra playing from a speaker. However, as I walk around with a scotch in hand, I'm quite surprised.

Most of the guests are in jeans. Everyone's drinking. There's some new age artist crooning from a radio station. There's no oeuvres, no fancy disgusting snacks. I catch sight of messy sliders on the table as I pass by.

I can barely hear my own thoughts, claustrophobic by the loud chatter. Giovanni has been gone for nearly an hour now. I'm trying to avoid anyone, not wishing anyone to really realize I came here with Giovanni.

Sasha's dress does what it's meant to, but every time I'm approached, I quickly find a way to escape the small talk, the corny one-liners. My phone is buzzing in my clutch but I refuse to look at it. The vibration alone is enough to drive me off the wall.

I down the rest of my drink, setting down the glass onto a table as I begin to search for a way out of the crowds. I notice a glass door and a spiral staircase behind it and immediately reach for the handle. Thankfully, it's unlocked.

I look up as I start up the staircase, seeing stars. This penthouse has a roof.

At the sight of the skyline of Los Angeles, I smile, walking towards the edge of the building. The silence is a comfort. I lean against the sturdy brick, reaching for my phone. I brace myself before opening the screen.

There are a few texts, thankfully no calls.

Carlos: Norman had to send out a building-wide notice about what happened tonight. Just wanted to warn you. You'll probably be hearing about it when you return.

Carlos: I'm here if you need me.

Rebecca: They've removed Dixon from the intensive unit. He will be fine, Scar.

Norman: Hang in there, kiddo. Rebecca told me you are staying in Cali... I think that's definitely for the best. Call me when you land back in NYC.

I scroll past their names, finding Giovanni's.

I'm on the roof.

I hit send and immediately stuff my phone back into my clutch.

I am pleased by the solitude, the ability to think. I feel like I haven't had a chance to do that in weeks. Giovanni has quickly found a way to consume most of my thoughts. Not even right after I married Dixon, when things were still good, did he remain on my mind throughout every moment of my day. Doesn't matter whether I'm in meetings or speaking to clients, I am so easily reminded of Giovanni... how good I feel when he calls or emails or shows up.

I don't even hear him come up. Suddenly, his hands are beside mine on the brick, his arms on either side of my body. His front is pressed to my back.

"I'm sorry," Giovanni murmurs. "That lasted longer than I thought."

I hum, looking down. "It's alright. Did you figure something out?"

"After meeting every damn member of his family, we did. God, the man can talk."

"He probably adores you. You can be pretty charming when you try to be."

"And when I don't try to be?" he laughs. My lips press together, my cheeks flushing.

Who am I kidding? He's always charming.

"You are the only one I'm nice to," he says after a moment. "I needed to hire you because of how un-charming I am."

"Nice is pushing it."

I shiver violently. I'm not sure if it's his lips hovering above the curve of my neck or the chilly December wind, but I feel it everywhere.

"I think I can be very nice," he utters, his voice laced with something new. I look down, watching his hand leave the brick and land on the bare skin of my thigh, rising upward.

Oh shit. Here? My eyes roll when I feel his fingers meet the soft material of my panties.

"You don't agree with me?" he questions near my ear as he fondles me.

"You... have your moments," I hum softly, relaxing into the firm hardness of him. His other fingers entwine with mine on the cold brick.

"We're in public," I whisper, rocking slightly into his fingers as they slip into my underwear. My legs are trembling in these heels.

"There's no one here," he replies, thrusting a single finger into me. My breath catches, my fingers tightening between his against the smooth rock as he snugly adds another.

"There are buildings... people who can see us."

Fuck, don't stop.

"Then let them see," he replies, removing his hand, bringing it up between us. He slips his fingers into my mouth and I taste them without question, willing to do whatever he wants right now.

Let them see.

I grab onto my panties with one hand, pulling them down as gracefully as I can over my heels. When I straighten, Giovanni's hand is around my throat, not tight but secure, holding me in place.

"Undo my belt," he demands, taking my underwear from my hand to pocket it. I reach back, unable to move due to his firm grip, fumbling as I undo his belt, buttons, reaching into his slacks. I pull him out of his briefs, squeezing, caressing him, getting off on the way his breath is catching with need.

"Both hands on the side."

I do as he says, opening my eyes.

"If someone were to come up to the roof..." My voice trails into nothing as his teeth graze my earlobe, pulling. He surges into me, one hand around my throat, the other on my hip guidingly. I hiss, crying out as he takes me hard, roughly enough that I'm slamming into the hard brick, gripping onto it with all my might.

"They'd find me fucking you."

A grin splits my face at the sheer rawness of this, the awe and disbelief of how much he can shock me... how much he can force me to experience. I can't help but moan his name as he bends over me, kissing, licking, biting... unabashedly forceful.

I'm loving every minute of him.

"This is home."