All Chapters of The Man I Shouldn't Want: A Game of Seduction & Lies: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The city stretches out in all directions, a sea of miniature buildings beneath me as I stand by the floor-to-ceiling windows in my father’s office, looking out. The early morning light bounces off the skyscrapers, adding a bit of shine to the greyness below, but I’m barely noticing. I cross my arms, sighing as I watch the clock on the wall. “So… he’s really not coming, huh?”I let the words hang in the air, half hoping for something, even if I knew better. I hadn’t tried reaching out to him — of course not. And he hadn’t given me the slightest hint he’d show up, so I have no reason to feel surprised. Still, some part of me, somewhere deeper than I’d care to admit, held onto the hope he’d at least check in on his only daughter. Ask if I was prepared or… something. Next to me, Meera gives a small, sympathetic nod, though she tries not to show how nervous she is. If anything, she looks more wound up than I feel. A knock at the door breaks the quiet, and I glance over as my father’s assi

As I walk out into the parking lot, Ric follows me. There isn’t anything on his face that says he’s coming along, and if anything, he looks held back, his gaze darting around as if he’s worried someone will spot us together. The idea that he’s concerned about being seen should maybe make me second-guess myself, but instead, it makes me want to pull him in, my fingers itching to slide along the collar of his suit and pull him close, let him see that I’m as bold in real life as I was in his office that day.But there’s an understanding between us, I guess. And no, I’m not that reckless. I can’t be, because otherwise Meera will throw me off the edge of a cliff. This is still public, still my father’s domain, and if anyone saw us exchanging glances, it would be brushed off as professional camaraderie. After all, Richard Steward has worked with my father on several projects over the years, his presence at the office would hardly raise an eyebrow, or his intent to help me out on my first pro

“Your father has gone nuts,” Meera breathes once we’re out into the evening sun. The air has a chill, but it's nothing compared to the cold my heart has become. There’s so much anger in me right now that I’m afraid I might knock a few teeth out because of how hard I’m grinding my jaw. Ric isn’t here. He left. And that just makes it so much worse…Right? Or maybe not. I don’t think I’d want him to witness this madness that has taken over my father. “Can you pinch me, Meera?” I whisper, my voice barely audible, and she misses it. What just happened can’t be real. When I look down at my hands, I find them shaking visibly. Meera wraps an arm around me, making me roll my eyes. I don’t need comfort right now. I need to shoot a hole into my father’s chest as big as a basketball. Suddenly, I find myself thinking of my mother. Snippets of their arguments begin to flash in my mind, until a thought forms: she wasted her life on him. Maybe that’s what took her so early. The prick of tears in t

I hand Chris a glass of wine, and we settle on the couch, the silence between us both awkward and comfortable. “So,” he says after a beat, swirling his glass, “you’re really back for good?”“Looks like it,” I reply. “Had to get a new phone just to make sure people could reach me again. And I’m getting back with my publicist. You remember Anya?”“Anya? Uh, hard to forget her,” he says with a grin, lifting his glass. “Welcome back to our world, Natalie.”We toast, and I take a sip, letting the wine ease the tension a little. There’s a pause, and then he says, “It’s… it’s good to see you. Hollywood’s not quite the same without Natalie Jones around to stir things up.”I smile, a little taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. “Thanks, Chris. But I think I’m going to prefer just Natalie from now on.”He blinks, weighing in the thought before he nods without asking more about it, and the quiet stretches out again, comfortable in a way I haven’t felt in a long time. I can tell he wants to s

I can barely whisper the answer. “You. I’m yours.”A satisfied smile curves his lips as he stands, undoing his belt with deliberate slowness that makes me whimper. He positions himself between my legs, lifting my hips to meet him as he presses into me, filling me completely. I gasp, my hands clutching his shoulders as he moves, each thrust deep and unhurried, grounding me in the sensation of him.He’s all I can think about, all I can feel as he claims me, every nerve in my body aware of him. His pace quickens, the pleasure building with every movement until I’m spiraling, my body shattering as I cry out his name, lost in the sensation of him.Afterwards, Ric settles against me, his lips trailing over my neck as he leaves a hickey, marking me. I reach up, touching his face, brushing my fingers along the stubble on his jaw. There’s a feeling I can’t quite place, a vulnerability that makes me pause, but before I can put it into words, he kisses me again as he pulls off my sweater, his ton