By a Thread

by Lucy Score

I would have liked to point her in the direction of an open window. At least, that’s what I thought that urge was. I was confused by the fact that my dick seemed to be waking up.

“You know, you’d be a lot prettier if you smiled once in a while,” she mused, fluttering her lashes. No wonder women hated it when men said that.

“Hey, Mal, why don’t you try sexually harassing men on your own time?” Ally piped up, leaning over her wall. “Some of us are trying to eat here, and your praying mantis routine is nauseating.”

“Not fair, Charming,” Ally stormed into my office. She held a clear plastic garment bag aloft. I almost cracked a smile. Almost. “What seems to be the problem, Maleficent?” I knew exactly what her problem was. That bag held four new vests that I’d ordered specifically with torturing her in mind. Sue me. If her mere presence was torturing me, then I could at least make sure she was suffering too.

I get it. I’m an asshole. I don’t want her around. But I can’t leave her alone. Deal with it.

“Why are you not chasing that woman around with a diamond ring?”

Direct. Love it

Harry was silent, and I looked up. He was sniffing the air. “You smell that?” he asked. I knew where this was going. “I do not.” “I do. It’s strong. Here. Let me waft it toward you,” he said, flicking his hands at me. “That’s the smell of bullshit.”

“You bug the shit out of me.” “Yeah, but I’m already taken. Is she?” “Who?” “Don’t play me, Russo.” “She’s single,” I admitted. “What a coincidence. So are you.”

Love him

“Wait a second. Dom, are you saying you’re attracted to me?” I asked incredulously. He glared at me. “You’re not stupid, Ally.” “Apparently I might be. Are you attracted to me?”

He looked tortured. I liked it. “Never in the history of my adult life have I been so overcome with lust that I couldn’t control myself. And I’m willing to bet the same is true for you,” I guessed. “Don’t overestimate my control or underestimate your appeal, Ally.”

“I take my job seriously, Dom. Don’t think that I was blowing off work for something frivolous.” “It must have been good for you to give up two hours of pay.”

Dammnnn. Asshole

“What do you want me to say, Ally? That I care?”

Please

Goddesses of secret lusty meetings, please let Dominic Russo fuck me on this conference table right now.

Xdxdxdxd

“It’s Wednesday. On Wednesdays, you wear your navy pencil skirt.”

A little bit obsessed. Love it

If anything, you could have me fired. You should have me fired. Me: What is wrong with you? Charming: I don’t know.

“There’s nothing I can do at this point. You’ll just have to wait until Monday.”

I saw that coming

It was amazing how many people didn’t know what real desperation felt like.

Yeah

“If you think I’m going to let you wait for a bus or a train wearing nothing but a coat and a thong at this time of night, then you’re the stupid, stubborn asshole,” he growled.

I wondered if I was leaving a trail of body glitter behind me like I was a Questionable Life Choices Tinkerbell.

“You can’t carry me around like a bride,” she insisted. “Yeah, well, a few hours ago, I would have said you couldn’t jack me off in a strip club. I guess we’re both wrong.”

Brownie didn’t care if I abducted an employee. He still loved me.

“What? I had dogs growing up. I’d offer to help you with him, but I hate you.” Yes. There was that.

Though my vision was blurred like a downpour on a windshield, I could tell Dominic was on the verge of panic.

Finally, the lights came up, and that’s when I found her. On the arm of Christian “About to Be a Dead Man” James.

“This bed is so big. And Jersey is so far.” “Yeah, well, I’m taking your car,” she said. “You can have anything you want,”

The urge to call Dominic was overwhelming and disconcerting.

U want his comfort

The hand that clamped down on my shoulder half an hour later scared the ever-living shit out of me. “Oh, sweet Jesus!” “Who the hell did this to you?” The demand, growled over the volume of my music, nearly shocked me out of my chair and onto the floor. But he caught me. I was staring into the eyes of one furious Dominic Russo.

“Who the fuck hit you, Ally?” He enunciated each word with a burning fury that was both terrifying and touching.

“No.” “No?” I laughed. “It’s adorable that you still believe you have a say in what I do.” “It’s adorable that you think I would let you walk out of here tonight,”

“I’m saying I found you. And I’m not fighting it anymore. You’re mine.”

My life would never be the same. I was never letting her go. No matter what.

“Ally,” he said. And I knew that Caretaker Charming was dying to be let off his leash to fix everything.

My type

“Just because we had sex doesn’t give you any right to tell me what to do.” I dragged her a step away from the tack strip she was standing too close to. I was so angry the edges of my vision were going red. “Listen to me, Ally. I don’t care if this is inappropriate or high-handed or controlling. You aren’t staying here. I’m not fucking around. And you’re not winning this one.”

She slept in layers huddled under cheap-ass blankets just to stay warm. I felt physically ill.

She would live here. She would have anything and everything she needed. No one would ever take advantage of her or lay a hand on her ever again. End of fucking story. I was her Prince Fucking Charming.

“How did my father get the tape? Did someone sell it to him?”

She fucked him of course

“Or is it because it works better for you? You get a nice warm place to stay that doesn’t require you to get up at the ass-crack of dawn for a commute.

Yeah Im not forgiving this one

You don’t get to have a bad day and try to hurt me because of it. That’s not what a relationship is. I don’t deserve this.”

You don't

My world was starting to close in on me. The walls of my office loomed closer and closer. Had I really thrown away something real, or was I justified in my distrust?

I do not like u

In the meantime, Brownie and I are still hoping you’ll walk back into our lives. He doesn’t know that I don’t deserve you. Please don’t tell him.

“We’d like to congratulate you on being the first recipient of the Lady George Administration Memory Care Grant.”

Sure

“Actually the email said fell in love in the house, but that was a typo. So you’re going to need to start packing.”

U cant be this blind

“And then there’s the phone and laptop,” Jasmine continued. Oh, shit.

Apparently U are