two business adversaries battle it out in the boardroom for the ultimate form of control.
From 'Bound to Lie' by Nichelle Gregory. It has been reprinted with permission from Cleis Press. 'Melt' was included in Best Bondage Erotica 2015.
“Mr. Leland and Mr. Falconi will be with you shortly, Ms. Tesser.”
Lexie glanced up from her leather portfolio and smiled at Gloria. “Thank you.”
The receptionist peered at her over her glasses. “Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, water?”
Lexie lifted her hand. “Oh, no. Thank you.”
Gloria nodded before directing her attention to her computer. Lexie looked at her watch as her stomach growled. She never ate before completing a mission. An empty belly kept her focused and she looked forward to enjoying a meal afterward. Lexie was glad all she needed was information this time. Later, she would celebrate her impeccable record with the company and indulge with lobster bisque and a large slice of double-chocolate cake. She planned to savor that dessert in less than an hour.
The phone on Gloria’s desk rang and Lexie listened to her quick replies. She knew the other woman had been given herfinal directives before she could head home and that she’d been made aware of Mr. Leland’s late arrival. In less than twenty minutes Gloria would leave and she would be alone with Mr. Dane Falconi. Lexie drew a pen from her bag.![]()
Dane Falconi thought he was about to review possible concepts for a nightclub that would no doubt rival New York’s finest. He had no idea the havoc she was about to wreak once the two of them were left to take care of business. Lexie toyed with the slim gold ballpoint while pretending to study the intri- cate designs before her as Gloria hung up the phone.
“Ms. Tesser?” Lexie lifted her head. “Yes?” “Mr. Leland has been delayed in his commute from theairport, but Mr. Falconi can see you now.” Gloria got up and rounded her desk. “Please come with me.”
“Of course.” Lexie closed her portfolio, slipped it into her bag and stood, pleased to be right on schedule.
She followed Gloria around the corner, noting the exit at the end of the hallway as they passed panels of glass giving views into empty office spaces. Lexie didn’t bother eyeing her reflec- tion, confident her appearance was every bit as flawless as the work she was about to present. She’d chosen a black high-waist pencil skirt and a heather-gray blouse with every intention of using her muted feminine wiles to distract Dane. She’d read his file several times. Dane enjoyed women like his coffee, rich and full-bodied.
“Here we are.” Gloria knocked once on the door, then twisted the silver knob and opened it.
“Thank you.” Lexie stepped past her into the midsized, well- designed conference room, eager to finish what she’d come to do.
“Ms. Tesser, welcome.” Dane Falconi picked up his coffeecup as he got up from the head of a beautiful dark wood table. He moved toward her, elegant and handsome as hell in a dark suit that matched his thick hair. “I apologize for my partner not being able to join us.”
Lexie shook his offered hand. He seemed even taller than she knew him to be as his warm fingers grasped hers. “I understand. It’s a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Falconi.”
“Likewise.” Dane turned his attention to his secretary. “Gloria, can you refresh my cup before you go?”
Dane had coffee at the end of each day. Lexie always appreciated the marks that were consistent. Made her work a hell of a lot easier. She loathed unexpected surprises, messy scenarios and any unaccounted variable that prolonged her from finishing a job.
“Of course.” Gloria took Dane’s cup and exited the room.
“Mr. Falconi, I’m excited to show you these concepts this evening.” Lexie gripped the pen tighter in her left hand as she followed him along the opposite side of the polished rectangle table, ensuring her seat would be to his right.
“Please, call me Dane.” He waited for her to sit down before doing the same. “Your firm comes so highly recommended. I know taking on a project already in progress isn’t something your company normally does.”
Lexie smiled, amused by Dane’s ironic choice of words. She took her portfolio out of her bag she’d placed on the chair beside her. “It’s our pleasure to help you and Mr. Leland build the kind of hot spot you’re both known for.”
Her company could pull off anything at the last minute; waking an architect in the middle of the night to whip up a few designs and forging her credentials was nothing.
“Let’s see what you’ve brought.” Dane scooted his chair closer to hers.Lexie directed his attention to the first design. “Here, you’ll see we’ve integrated—”
A soft knock on the door drew both their attention to Gloria coming in with two mugs on a tray and a file folder under her arm. “Pardon the interruption. This fax just came in for you.”
Lexie would have to buy Gerard another bottle of his favorite vodka for his uncanny ability to always know the precise moment to engage her target.
Gloria placed the tray within reach, handed Dane his coffee and the folder, then smiled at Lexie. “There’s hot water in the carafe along with a selection of teas and hot chocolate in case you change your mind about having something to drink.”
Lexie gave the secretary a genuine smile. “How thoughtful.”
A certain premium blend of cocoa was one of her guilty little pleasures.
“Thank you, Gloria.” Dane opened the folder as Lexie glanced at the empty mug in front of her, half tempted to make the warm drink. She needed no distractions with her window of opportunity coming up in less than seven seconds.
Lexie watched Dane read the fax as the silver-haired clerk gave a faint nod of her head. “Do you need anything else before I go, Mr. Falconi?”
Dane shifted his attention from the paper in his hand to look at his executive assistant as Lexie prepared to make her move.
“That’s all. Good night, Gloria.” Lexie kept her eyes on them both while she edged her handimperceptibly closer to Dane’s cup. She poised her pen above the rim and successfully depressed the whisper-quiet button on top that released the hidden liquid inside.
Success!
Lexie said good night to Gloria as she left. She heard the door click shut as Dane drank his coffee. One sip was all it usuallytook. She’d have him spilling his guts in no time. Lexie’s gaze slid over Dane’s face. He was an attractive man, clearly used to the world bending to his will. She would take pleasure in making him yield to hers in just a few minutes.
“Now, where were we?” Dane tapped his finger on her schematic. “I think you were just about to tell me how you integrated both metal and wood on the entrance of the building?”
“Yes. Mr. Leland expressed an interest in using eco-friendly materials over the phone. I also propose installing solar-powered skylights.”
Dane put his cup down and nodded. “I love that idea.”
“I thought you would.” Lexie observed him squeeze the bridge of his nose, knowing he’d never hear the rest. “I’ve got several more concepts I think you’ll like too.”
“Are you sure you won’t have a cup of cocoa?” He lifted the silver tin from under a napkin on the tray and Lexie recognized it as her favorite. “This is a really good brand. Very smooth.”
Lexie smiled. “I think I just might.”
Why not? Dane was already feeling the effects of the drug. Her long day was almost over. She deserved a few sips of plea- sure. Lexie took the tin and the spoon Dane offered. She carefully added the powder and stirred as he poured water into her mug. The sweet fragrance wafted upward and Lexie couldn’t resist tasting the cocoa.
“Delicious, isn’t it?” Lexie nodded. “Heavenly. Just what I needed.” “I thought another cup of coffee was just...” Dane frowned.
“Just what I...” He blinked and looked at her. “What were we talking about?”
Lexie sat her drink down with a barely repressed grin. He was ready and so was she. “Do you remember my name, Mr. Falconi?”
Dane slowly blinked as he loosened his tie. “D-Dane. Please call me, Dane.”
Lexie got up out of her seat. “Very well.” She walked over to the door, locked it, then proceeded to close all the blinds. She turned to face Dane again, delighted to see he hadn’t moved an inch. He continued to stare off into space as she moved back to her bag. She took out a mini-tape recorder and two plastic ties. “Dane, I need to ask you a few questions.”
“What’s going on?” He asked the question slowly, as if it were a struggle to say three words.
Lexie was impressed he’d spoken without slightly slurred speech. Sometimes that made understanding the intel she extracted difficult...but never impossible.
“What’s going on right now is an exchange of information from you to me.”
Dane leaned back in his chair. “Information? I don’t...under- stand.”
The initial effect of the drug she’d administered was disorientation, which was helpful for restraining her marks—for their safety and hers. Lexie preferred clean jobs with no blood, little sweat and no tears.
The latter usually occurred whenever she questioned a female, which was why Lexie favored interrogating members of the opposite sex. She never got tired of watching the medically induced cobwebs cleared away after she’d secured a man. Astonishment shifted to indignation, then outrage and finally, usually, they made the decision to give her what she wanted. Those were the easy guys. The harder ones, the ones that refused to cooperate...well, they got a visit from an operative within another branch of her company. They didn’t mind getting dirty.
Lexie moved behind Dane. She rested her hands on the back of his chair, then leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Youdon’t need to understand. Now, tell me everything you know about Mr. Swan.”
“Swan? He runs one of our nightclubs.”
“I’m aware of that.” Lexie ran a finger across the fabric of Dane’s tailored suit. She turned him in the chair to face her. “Did you know he installed a state-of-the-art safe in his office?”
“Yes.” Dane glowered. “What the hell is going on here? W- what did you give me?”
Lexie placed a hand on his shoulder when he attempted to get up. “Dane, I need you to focus.” She caressed the top of his hand, which was resting on the metal arm of his seat. “Tell me what I need to know. There are files kept in that safe that are crucial to national security.”
Hazel eyes locked with hers, captivating and arresting. Damn.
He had to be one of the sexiest marks she’d ever had the pleasure of tying down.
Pushing the errant thought from her mind, Lexie blinked, moved and within the breadth of a second secured Dane’s wrist to the chair with her plastic tie.
“What do you think you are doing?” His voice had deepened with anger.
Lexie sighed. Sexy or not, she wanted this job done twenty minutes ago. She placed her palm on top of his other wrist. “Dane, I’ll ask the questions. Okay, sweetie?”
“I don’t think so.” He grabbed her arm with his free hand and Lexie gasped.
Instinctually, she lifted her hand with every intention of striking his windpipe but Dane moved faster, placing his long fingers around her neck. Lexie’s eyes widened as he squeezed, cutting off her air supply with cold-blooded efficiency. She only had a few precious seconds to react before she wouldn’t be able to move at all. Dane smiled at her, his gaze steady, deadly as he tightened his grip around her esophagus.
Lexie grabbed at his hand with both of hers, desperation setting in as the need for oxygen switched her into survival mode. She clawed at him, but she knew just like Dane did that her efforts were futile as her vision began to blur. Shocked, Lexie stared up into the sepia depths of Dane’s eyes as her fingers fell from his hand at her neck and she gave in to the blackness consuming her.
Dane checked the blood flow to Lexie’s hands and ankles a final time before standing to admire his handiwork. She was secure on top of the conference table, her beauty on display. He didn’t want to take his eyes off of her. Her outfit was perfect, professional and modest and fucking distracting.
The picture in Lexie’s file didn’t do her or her curves any damn justice. He’d released her hair from the clip holding the tresses back and now the curly ebony strands framed her face, in lush contrast to her caramel skin.
Dane moved from between her legs to her side. “Lexie, wake up.”
Lexie remained still, except for the even rise and fall of her chest. Dane assessed the reddened marks around her throat as he took her pulse. It truly was a shame to mar such lovely skin, but she’d left him no choice. He trailed a finger down her cheek while studying the increase of eye moment beneath Lexie’s eyelids. She was coming around.
“Lexie...”
One would never think she was capable of doing what Dane knew she could do. He smiled as Lexie slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. “Welcome back.”
A flicker of emotion glimmered in the dark brown eyesholding his and it only took Dane a nanosecond to recognize it wasn’t fear, but anger that he found sexy as hell.
Dane watched Lexie lift her head and take stock of her current situation. She attempted to wrench her bound hands above her head, then more gingerly tested the nylon rope binding her ankles to the legs of the fine wood table.
