I heard a loud slam of the door and turned to look. It was Vince. His jaw tightened and his eyes focused on mine as he made his way around the car and toward me.
I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, his hands slipped to the back of my neck and he pulled me toward him, connecting his lips to mine. With his other hand, he gripped my waist to keep our bodies pressed tightly together.
I stood still for a fraction of seconds, my mind processing what was happening, but soon after, I complied, allowing our lips to dance in a perfect rhythm. His towering height was making me bend back a little.
The kiss was demanding and sensual, enough to ignite a searing feeling down the pit of my stomach. I’d never been kissed this way before—a kiss filled with so much need. So much desire.
My entire body hummed with pleasure and my nipples peaked, painfully straining against the fabric of my strapless bra, underneath the dress. My legs were wobbling and if it weren’t for him holding me, I would’ve collapsed right here on the floor.
It was too soon to have assumed anything out of this—whatever it was between us—but it was a strong feeling that I couldn't shake. My hands looped around his shoulders and I moaned against his lips, my core tightening with lust.
But the valet's chuckle brought me back to reality, and I immediately stepped back, my heart hammering in my chest. We panted for breath, unable to move our eyes from each other. The surrounding atmosphere was too hot to bear.
"Do you want me to continue?" Vince asked in a low voice, his tone filled with desperation and hope.
"Here?" I asked, blinking at him with my wide eyes. Here? I scowled. What the fuck?
A smug smile appeared on his face—a smile that I would’ve loved to kiss off—and he nodded. "We can continue here if you want. I don't mind. Though, I believe, that would attract a hoard of audience."
I looked at the valet standing outside the large entrance of the hotel and gave him an awkward smile, trying to hide my eeriness. I glanced back at Vince and bit my lips.
"Follow me," I said with newfound confidence surging in me.
I guided him through the entrance to the elevator. Vince was purposefully walking close to me, his hands circling around my waist the entire ride to my room. By the look on his face, I could tell he was enjoying it immensely. Taking out the swipe key from the purse, I hovered at the lock. But the door wasn't opening as fast as it should have. When it finally opened with the beeping sound, I sighed with relief.
I pushed the door wide open and stood quietly. A part of me was scared, but the other wanted this. Wanted him.
“Are you looking forward to being carried inside, Joy?" Vince breathed, drawing his mouth close to my ears.
I couldn't speak. A shiver ran down my spine and what I wanted to do was dissolve into his arms. I walked straight inside the room and he followed suit and closed the door behind him. Dropping the purse on the floor, I turned to face him.
He was leaning against the door with his eyes scanning me from top to bottom, observing each of my moves as if I was the most fascinating sight for him. I took a deep breath and unzipped the dress from the back. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped and paced toward her.
He paused just inches away from me and said, “You really want to have me kneeling before you, don’t you?”
His voice made my breath hitch. But yes, what a sight it would’ve been. Him kneeling before me . . . between my legs. I shivered.
He pulled me to him and planted soft kisses on my cheeks. His lips were smooth against my skin. So fucking enticing. He moved his wet kisses down my jaw to the crook of my neck and continued the slow tortures. He knew exactly what he was doing and the effect that it was having on me. I gasped, and he lifted his face up to meet my gaze.
“So fucking delicious.”
His fingers curled around my thighs and he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around him as he carried me to the bed and landed on the top of it with my back on the soft mattress and his body pressed on mine.
"Do you want me to stop?" His grey eyes met mine as he slid the sleeves of my dress down my arm.
"No, I just want to make something clear." I knew why he was here and that he'd leave and they would never meet again. "I don't know you and you don't know me. Let's just keep it that way."
His eyes widened, as if he wasn't even expecting it. He stared blankly at me for a moment before nodding. "Sounds good to me. Does that mean we’ll never see each other again?"
Do you want to?—was at the tip of my tongue. "No." I cleared my throat. “I sound like a slut, don't I?" A frown took over his face, and I whined, "Yes, I do. You're afraid that if you tell the truth, you might not get any action."
I covered my face with my shaking hands, cursing myself at the back of my mind.
I'm drunk, I'm drunk. I chanted at the back of my mind. I would've never said things like this if I were sober.
"No, I do not think that. You’re a very interesting person, Joy." He laughed, moving my hands from over my face and kissing me, gently.
But I spoke again, pulling away from the kiss. "You’re a complete stranger. It’s all so exciting and, at the same time, it's frightening that you'll turn into a dangerous dream. But . . ." I tried to speak between his demanding kisses. "You're so . . . and I'm so . . . I think this is the only way to get you out of my system."
He put a finger on my lips before grazing over them with his thumb. With the same smirk glued on his lips, he muttered, "Stop talking and listen. This night is going to be very long."
I smiled and whispered back, "Very long."
***
I entered the hotel room. It was almost a quarter to three, and I had no intention of walking in on Cole, who was probably butt-naked and in action. But then I remembered I had nowhere else to go.
But strangely enough, the room was empty, with no signs of Cole, which was a relief.
The moment I walked into my room, I glimpsed a girl, one of those I’d encountered back at the club. She’d just walked out of the washroom in a way I’d least expected. She was wearing a lace bra and panty, both with a perfect combination of red and green stripes. The light coming from the living room formed a shadow on her.
I remembered her—ebony eyes, long chestnut hair straightened over the shoulders, her skin dusky and figure petite and slender.
I moved back, shaking my head. I was not in my right mind at the moment, to have been around her or any other woman. But I was too aroused to elude the offer sparkling in the girl's eyes.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying not to move my gaze from her eyes.
"I have been waiting for you," she answered in a broken accent. "We came here to grab a few drinks but then Cole suggested we move back to his studio."
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"I wanted to stay here for you."
I sniggered, "For me?" He walked past her, toward the bathroom door while pulling my t-shirt off and tossing it on the bed. “What if I hadn’t come back?”
"I saw you leave with someone, but you're back too early . . . which means either you didn't get what you wanted or something else happened." I turned around to meet her gaze and frowned. She spoke again, "Am I right?"
I didn't want to recall what had happened back at Joy's hotel. All that mattered was that she didn't want me there, and that was the end of that.
"Who are you again?"
"Sonia."
"Okay, Sonia, you know where the door is. So, I believe you can help yourself out. I'm not in the mood." I knew deep down that if Sonia wanted sex, I wouldn't hesitate to give her what she needed.
Sonia seemed to have known my instincts from the distance. She pressed her hands on my naked chest and pushed me until my back crashed with the bathroom door. She was quick to unbutton my pants and skim her hands down my underwear.
A groan escaped my lips.
That was more than the action I’d got in weeks. Even today.
She drew her face to my neck, her breath warming my skin even more. She whispered, "I don't think you mind me overstaying my welcome, do you?"
I loved a dominant woman in bed, but right now, I needed to be in charge. I took a fistful of her hair between my fingers and pulled her head back.
I wanted to end this as quickly as possible and send her down the road, as I’d always done.
Drawing my face close to hers and with our lips just inches apart, I questioned in a husky voice, "Are we still talking now?"
A smirk appeared on her lips and she began planting sultry kisses on my chest, creeping down to my lower belly. Her tongue grazed on my belly button, sending a shiver down my spine and I leaned my head back on the door, my eyes tightly closed. Within seconds, she’d pulled my pants down and began massaging the growing bulge from over the underwear.
Everything had happened too fast after that for my drunken mind to process—her mouth guzzling my cock, my silent moans reverberating in my ears, my hands over her mouth to stop her from screaming while I fucked her, each thrust faster and harder, her legs locked around my waist.
There was no kissing involved, no attachments, just a quick-fuck session.
I was doing this only to divert my mind away from Joy, forcing my anger out as an overwhelming sex drive. I had not only been pushed away once today, but twice.
But even though I had someone else under me, my mind kept bothering me with one question, all the while: why the hell did she push me away?
VINCE The unexpected for me was to wake up beside Sonia, our legs tangled and bodies naked and sticky. Well, not entirely unexpected. I’d hoped to see Sonia gone by now, but she was sleeping soundly, with her chest pressed on the soft mattress of the bed. I sighed, got up, and made my way to the bathroom. I double-checked the door to make sure it was locked, as I was in no mood for repeating last night's innuendos. My muscles relaxed as the warm water glided down my skin. The decision I’d made last night—leaving Joy alone when she was drunk and clearly scared for reasons I was clueless about—was bugging me. No matter what I did, I couldn't push past that one moment that had ruined it all. Joy pulled the shirt off of my body and tossed it on the floor before pushing her red dress down her legs. She pulled me back to her, her lips demanding. I could've kissed those plump lips and devoured them all day if I could.
JOY I wanted to ask Vince many questions, but yet again, my fear of ruining the moment took the chance away. I gulped, gripped the coffee cup and kept walking through the long pathway that led into the park of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. The place was enormous and crowded with people, clicking pictures of each other and the trees that were aligned by the sidewalk, their long branches providing a perfect shade for the pathway. The sounds of children laughing, birds chirping and people talking were mixing into a rhythmic symphony. I noticed Vince twisting and turning in hesitation, as if he was battling with his own mind. Stop fidgeting and start talking—I felt the inner Aubrey in me scolding me. She was the only one who could push me to do things, no matter how stupid, and sometimes it was definitely worth it. "You eat a lot of sugar," I blurted out in a breath and looked away, cursing myself. I was meaning to say something el
JOY The next spot on our list was the Eiffel Tower. We were having a great time. I missed being this childish since Mason started working and travelling. And with Vince, I just didn't care what others thought. I was sure Vince wasn’t judging me. What was surprising was the way Vince was behaving. I hadn't expected him to be this fun. As promised, I treated us both with hotdogs. It was quite clear that I was the losing party, so I’d stopped running midway. We made our way to the venue when it was around the afternoon. This city was something. No matter what Vince believed—even though he had his reasons—I was willing to fight.Paris is the city of love. Period. The first thing that we did after nearing our destination was getting pictures of me taken, pretending to hold the tower in my hands. And Vince was kind enough to take them for me. The pictures came out spectacular. He surprised me with his knowledg
VINCE I didn't want to feel this way. I hated to be so weak. I’d been claustrophobic since childhood. Whenever the fear haunted me, I was alone. Without Mum and Dad to comfort me. My pride hadn't allowed me to seek help from my caretakers, either. I used to cower down and rub my hands on my chest until my breathing returned to normal and the fear faded. I had no idea what caused this fear. Whether it was really a closed room, I feared or the thoughts and nightmares about being alone and left in a room with no escape, I couldn’t understand. When Joy had pressed her delicate hands on my chest, fear was the last thing on my mind. No one had ever made me feel this way. I couldn't push past the reverie of emotions I was feeling after that, so much that I ended up acting upon them. I’d kissed her. And before I knew it, I had unintentionally pulled back, reminding myself that I didn't deserve her. I couldn't even accept the fact th
VINCE My phone was constantly buzzing in my pants. And that entire time I was busy scolding myself, persuading my mind and heart to get Joy out of my thoughts, to think straight. Nothing was ever going to happen between the two of us. Joy had made it very clear last night when she’d pushed me away, not once, but twice. I finally glanced at the humming device, striding it out of my pocket. It was Jordan. Taking a deep breath, I met Joy’s stare and said, "I have to get this." "Sure." I quickly headed out of the restaurant and picked up the call. "You fucking asshole, what took you so long? I’ve been calling you all day,"Jordan growled from the other side. He sounded devastated, which only made me believe that whatever the matter, it had to be a huge matter or he wouldn't be so freaked out. "I was busy with business.” Lies! “Why? What happened?" I asked, peaking at Joy through the glass windows o
JOY I recognised his face immediately when he stalked toward me and, shocking as it was, I remembered his voice better—the same raspy tone that had me going weak on my knees and that English accent. I felt pain and anger hammering in my chest as I stared at him. I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a time when I couldn't differentiate between reality and imagination, which I had to take therapy for. But standing here, I hoped the man in front of me was nothing more than a figment of my imagination or some late, late hallucination. I’d known how much Vince had changed over the years. I’d seen him change with my own eyes . . . on sheets of papers, advertisements, social media and news. He was more handsome now with a perfectly trimmed scruffy beard. His aura was stronger and his voice deeper. His physique was broader and his gaze fiercer. But some things about him remained the same—his devilish charm, his wicked smirk, and the ambition
JOY "Are you sure there's no message for me?" I asked the brunet. The receptionist had his brows lined and for the fifth time, he responded, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but there really isn't any. We have a quick delivery policy here at our hotel where—" “Oh, I know,” I said, instantly regretting the rudeness and frustration oozing from my tone. I took a deep breath, my nostrils flaring. "I’m sorry, and thank you." I turned around on my heels and walked my way out of the hotel, my heart clenching in my chest. The scorching heat made me squint my eyes, and I pulled my sunglasses down. Julia looked concerned, her brows bent into a frown. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Do you want to talk about it?" I shook my head. "There's nothing to talk about. It's the end of the fairy tale. The prince returned home and now it's time for the princess to do the same." Julia patted m
JOY I didn't want to get into his car, make myself look weak, but Aubrey had a point. Rather than going home with a random stranger, I would’ve prefer to go home with a stranger I trusted, no matter how bad his reputation. A part of me knew him—the real him—and that part was sure he would never hurt me. And here I thought I had trust issues. My legs trembled as I inhaled Vincent's earthy aroma lingering inside the car. The smell was too strong. Too addictive. He walked to my side, hauled the door open, and bent in, his face just inches away from mine. His attention was focused on buckling the seatbelt around me, but I completely glued mine on him. My breath hitched, my heart just seconds away from lurching out. Goddamnit!He was beautiful. He looked up at me with the same power he had before, the one that could steal millions of hearts. I had missed those silvery eyes and his long lashes that fanned his cheeks when he bl
Hi there, everyone. This is Shreya Sengupta, the author of this book, Healing Mr. Brown. Firstly, I would like to thank you all for reading and investing so much time in this book. Honestly, I know this is not the best work out there and this is definitely not my best work. I will not ramble about how I started writing this book only for fun and how it became a paid story. No. I just wanted to stop by and let you all know that this book is actually a part of a series called PERFECT FOR YOU. Vincent and Joyce’s book is actually book 2 in the series. Richard, Misoo and Beau have their own book and so do Jordan and Aubrey, as well as Olivia Stanton. Book 1 was about Jordan Sykes and Aubrey Evans, but unfortunately, I took it down from every site. Book 3 is about Richard and Misoo. Book 4 is about Beau and his client. And lastly, book 5 is about Olivia and a hot farmer. So, subscribe to my Patreon. Now, this series was all about time pass for me if I’m be
Hi there, everyone. This is Shreya Sengupta, the author of this book, Healing Mr. Brown. Firstly, I would like to thank you all for reading and investing so much time in this book. Honestly, I know this is not the best work out there and this is definitely not my best work. I will not ramble about how I started writing this book only for fun and how it became a paid story. No. I just wanted to stop by and let you all know that this book is actually a part of a series called PERFECT FOR YOU. Vincent and Joyce’s book is actually book 2 in the series. Richard, Misoo and Beau have their own book and so do Jordan and Aubrey, as well as Olivia Stanton. Book 1 was about Jordan Sykes and Aubrey Evans, but unfortunately, I took it down from every site. Book 3 is about Richard and Misoo. Book 4 is about Beau and his client. And lastly, book 5 is about Olivia and a hot farmer. So, subscribe to my Patreon. Now, this series was all about time pass for me if I’m be
[TEN MONTHS LATER] JOY I was at the edge of the dais, watching my dad flirt. That was an unsettling sight. I’d always wanted him to move on, start anew, date and fall in love again. But I had never expected him to choose Jordan’s mom as the candidate for it. God! That is why the sight was so unnerving. Not just for me, but for Jordan as well. He stood frozen beside me, his lips parted and nose crinkled as he watched the same scene as me. I could see him cringing underneath his oh-so-cool exterior. The dance floor was filled with couples waltzing around, our parents being one of them. The hall was grand, and the decorations and everything about this place were equally grand. Dad and Vince had given a lot of effort into the project and today was the success party of MQ3. “I can’t watch it anymore,” Jordan finally scoffed and turned to me fully. “How?” “They met at your grandfather’s birt
JOY“Vince,” I called, my voice shaking.He didn’t move. Didn’t turn. Only his shoulders heaved as he inhaled deeply. I stood behind him at a distance, not knowing why I couldn’t walk up to him. I wasn’t afraid of him, but I was unsure about what to do to make him become his usual self.“I’m sorry,” I blurted, looking down at my feet like a child waiting to be punished. Maybe I should’ve just told him about the attack. But he had to understand my side. He had been worried about his mother and I wanted him to have a good time. “Vincent, say something.”“I have nothing to say.”“Good. Then, hear me out.” I finally took a step toward him. “Look at me, please.” He didn’t. Sighing, I began anyway. “I know I did the wrong thing. I should’ve told you about the whole thing.”“You bet,” he snarled.“I know, but with everything going on, I didn’t want to burden you. You were so worri
JOY I followed Richard into the tall building with long glass windows and excellent furnishing and everything posh. The floor was cream marble and the walls were bright white. Opposite the entrance was the reception table. Two women in proper shirts and skirts, blazers and vests, smiled at us as we entered. “Mr Brown,” one of them said. Richard only gave a terse nod and walked past the table toward the elevator, ignoring their bright smiles. I really wanted to greet them, given how neglected they looked, but I was too worried to even fake a smile in my defence. We’d gone to Vince’s penthouse, but he wasn’t there. The place seemed ghostly. Beau was currently at the police station and his phone was out of reach, like Vince’s. I knew I shouldn’t have hidden it. But who knew he was observant enough to catch it? I remembered his lectures on listening before reacting, but now he was doing the same thin
VINCEWe moved to the dining room while Misoo, Joy, and Agatha walked back into the kitchen. I could see Richard’s jaw twitching as he avoided looking at Beau. And I knew if a war broke down between the two at this moment, then there was nothing I could’ve done to stop, no one’s side I could’ve or would’ve chosen.Richard and Beau weren’t the ones to blame, and neither was Misoo for the uncomfortable situation among these three. It was just that life happened.I sat on the chair beside Paige and waited for Richard to settle down as well. But Richard walked out of the room in a hurry, pulling his phone out of his trouser pocket.“I can’t believe you guys,” I began. “It’s been eleven years and you all are still hung up on the same bullshit?”“I’m not,” Beau protested, which made me snort.“Like hell, you’re not. Do you know what the biggest deal about this whole mess is? Misoo isn’t the
JOYBeau entered the living room with a rather tense demeanour, his hands held behind his back and his gaze flickering between the people present in the room. I knew he was uncomfortable about something but couldn’t pinpoint why.That was until I saw Misoo fidgeting through my peripheral vision. I shifted toward her, pretending to not notice the unspoken heat filling the room.“The house seems too packed, no?”Misoo was taken aback and jolted her head up to meet my gaze. “It does.”“Yeah,” I nodded. “I think it’s because of Beau’s presence.” She retorted a laugh, her almond eyes flicking toward the only man in the room before settling back on my subtle eye-hints at their tension. I asked, “So, aren’t you going to tell me what’s with the secret glances between you and him? I’m not blind, you know?”“Maybe some other time,” she said in a hushed tone. “Besides, your man’s coming back. If
JOYMom parked the car in front of Vince’s house and turned back to check on Paige who was deep asleep. Dad had taken care of Paige while Mom and I had spent most of the Saturday together. I had never realized how much Mom had changed and suffered. But I was willing to move on.Mom was here and that was all that mattered.And when Sunday morning dawned, Paige and I had to return. I felt much more relieved now that Josh was in prison as Beau had confirmed. But Mom wasn’t convinced that I was okay and had decided to stay with me.I looked at her and sighed. “You didn’t have to do this, you know, stay with me?”“I’ve lost a lot of time on you and I think this would be good. All three of us spending time,” she said.“Yeah.” I smiled. “But don’t you have work?”She nodded. “I’m a freelancer. All I need is my laptop and a place to sit.”“Well, you’re guaranteed to get
JOY “How’re you feeling?” Beau asked as Dad handed us the coffee mugs. It was way past midnight. I had tucked Paige safely in her bed before coming back downstairs to talk to Beau, who looked too tense within himself. “Good,” I said, slumping back on the couch, my body aching from the struggle. “Frankly, I was terrified to see him, but I think I’m okay now. I realised many things today.” Beau kept the mug on the table and said with all his sincerity, “I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if something happened to you.” Meeting my thankful gaze, he added, “More so, my best friend would've hated me if Josh had—” “I’m fine," I confirmed, not letting him complete. "Besides, whatever Josh did wasn’t your fault.” He shook his head. “But it is. I took him too lightly and kept only two men at guard.” “How many more men would you have kept?” I asked with a raised brow that made him laugh.