Chapter 28 - Gemma

Even while my dreams were at their most ambitious and I found myself craving a successful career, I never imagined I’d be a CEO, let alone launching a publication of my own.

But it seemed anything was possible with the Levovs, and I was in no position to complain.

The office was filled with the family I'd grown to accept as my own as they stood around with drinks in hand as they talked, all sharing in on the excitement. There were even family members from Andrei’s branch, and I spent a good chunk of the late afternoon getting to know them and their names.

Ben had been incredibly kind in putting the launch party together, and to my surprise, he even worked out all the details.

It was nice, and I found myself becoming impossibly excited for what was to come.

After our confrontation with the Ivanov twins, everything else seemed to fall perfectly into place. With Adrik dead and Alina sent somewhere else to begin again under a new identity, there was no need to make any redactions or apologies. Instead, they took the fall for the crimes, and when Adrik’s body was eventually located by police elsewhere, apparently the feds figured their guy was already gone.

While at least part of me felt for Alina, it was a comfort to know that she had the chance to start over on her own, and after swearing it to Ari, she relinquished her place in the organized crime space. She promised to stay away from the city, which she had grown tired of anyway, and since then, she hadn’t been a problem.

Without needing to worry about the Ivanovs or any potential threat they posed, Ben and I were able to pick up where we left off, and a general sense of comfort fell over us. With time, effort, and the determination to not waste what we had between us, we managed to reach new heights in our relationship, and we had never felt closer.

It was a relief, and thankfully, my partner was a better man than I once gave him credit for.

Standing in the new office with a timer up on one of the big screens, we were finally able to see our plans put into action, brought to life and so tangible that my heart was near bursting. With the new hires joining in, it was easy to already feel a sense of community.

I had a team of people behind me, and for the first time, I was able to step into a position of leadership. Instead of waiting for others to deem me worthy of hiring or keeping around, I was at the helm, and I had the privilege of pursuing those dreams as far as they might take me.

Thankfully, I had Ben to back me. He was the company’s biggest investor and partial owner, and yet he said from day one that I had full authority. It was my project, after all, and while he would always be available to help whenever I needed it, the rest was up to me.

I never thought I’d be given such an incredible kindness from anyone, but thanks to Ben, my dreams and ambitions were a reality.

“Look,” Ben said as he slid an arm around my waist and pointed his glass toward the giant counter. “It’s almost time.”

With a wide smile on my face, I leaned into his touch and turned my attention to the screen that would soon announce the official launch of the publication. I watched as the numbers diminished, and soon enough, everyone had their eyes locked on it with building suspense looming all around us.

With a hand cupping his mouth, Ben announced for everyone to hear, “We officially launch in five…four…three…”

As he counted, we all joined in, and I could hardly contain my excitement while my heart raced at the thought. After all my effort and planning, it came together so nicely, and I was able to watch as this establishing moment unfolded with my own eyes.

“Two…one!”

Cheers erupted in the room as everyone clapped, and I was over the moon as a celebratory image popped up on the screen, and it was official.

The energy in the room was electric, and I couldn’t get enough.

Mirroring my ecstatic smile, Ben used his hand around my waist to pull me closer, and he sweetly melded his lips against mine as the excitement continued all around us.

I savored the tenderness of his touch, my heart ready to give out at any moment.

“Congratulations, Mrs. CEO,” he murmured against my lips through his teasing, affectionate smile. “The title looks good on you.”

Shivering faintly at his teasing words, I let that thrill move through me, and I found myself caught between wanting to celebrate and needing to be surrounded by him even longer.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” I said back, cheeks aching from how happy I was. At how I had my husband to thank for all of it.

His lips curled as his hand lingered on my waist. “Better get to it, then.”

***

With the excitement of the launch party dying out and after receiving copious amounts of kind words from the family and the new team, we found ourselves in the back of the SUV as a driver guided us home.

Despite how incredible and fulfilling the event had been, it was nice to be alone with Ben as the fresh breeze came in through the cracked windows. I leaned my head against his shoulder while the city lights passed overhead, soaking in the quiet, tranquil moment.

Ben’s hand was on my thigh as he traced absent circles there with his thumb, head leaning against mine. Even through the silence that lingered between us, I felt nothing but loved and appreciated through his presence and touch.

The man I once despised became the very person I couldn’t live without, and I wouldn’t trade any of that for the world.

“Thank you,” I murmured as I soaked in the moment.

His quiet questioning hum moved through me.

“For all of this…encouraging me to start the publication and helping me with all the details. Everything,” I said, smiling softly for him as I pulled back enough to look at him. “I wouldn’t have any of this without you, and I’m grateful for every moment of it.”

As Ben held my gaze with a light, warm lift of his lips, he cradled my cheek with a hand and gently stroked a thumb across my skin. “You deserve this chance to show the world what you’re made of. Nobody will be able to hold a candle to my strong, ambitious wife—CEO and professional journalist. It’s impressive, really.”

My smile widened as my heart warmed. “You think so?”

He nodded. “Of course. It gets me all hot and bothered just thinking about it, you know.”

Even if there was slight teasing in his voice, the thought of him gaining some sort of gratification from the thought of me leading my own company was enough to send another thrilling spark down my spine as I looked up at him.

He was so beautiful that it was impossible to not become completely distracted while under his gaze.

As I stared at him intently, he cocked a brow with interest. “That just did something for you, didn’t it?”

Laughing quietly at his comment, I tried to bite back how it stirred longing within me, yet I couldn’t help but nod. “Yeah, I’ll admit it.”

More of that amusement moved across Ben’s face as he pulled me even closer with his hand against my cheek. The interested gleam in his eyes betrayed just how much it seemed to affect him, too.

“Cheeky woman,” he said in a near purr as he gently brushed his nose against mine, looking at me as if I were the only person left in the world. “It’s a good thing I like that.”

Another rush of excitement coursed through me, and in that moment, caught up in our enticing banter, I wanted him more than anything. Given how he reflected that yearning back at me, I knew he felt the same.

His lips were half an inch from mine as he whispered against them, “You’ll be the death of me, you know that?”

Spurred on by his words and the need that dripped into my system, I closed the space between us and pressed my lips against his.

He inhaled sharply at the daring move as his fingers moved to the nape of my neck, and he met me with equal fervor.

I drank up the way his lips caressed mine, with reverence at first, drawing out that mounting lust within me before neither of us could hold back. With a hand against his chest, I gripped the fabric of his silk shirt and melded our mouths together, suddenly hungry for that affection I grew to crave more and more over time.

I was addicted to his touch and the depths within it, and I knew I’d never be able to get enough.

As his hand landed on my hip, he pulled me subtly closer and hummed against my lips as the exchange became greedier.

There was no ignoring how much we both wanted it, and given how much long the ride home was, no part of me wanted to wait.

Unwilling to wait a moment longer, I dropped my hand to his thigh and slowly trailed upward until I palmed the prominent tent in his trousers.

Ben shuddered as he muffled a breathless moan against my lips, perking up in surprise at both my wandering hands and the realization that we were still in the back of the SUV. He pulled back just enough to break the kiss and whisper against my lips, “Are you sure about this, wife?”

Chewing the inside of my lip, I knew I wanted nothing more. Warm all over and in need of release, I nodded.

Ben maintained that eye contact, brimming with desire as he reached over and pressed his hand against the button in front of him. With ease, the partition came up until it settled into place, effectively sealing us away in the back, tucked into our own little bubble of paradise.

All the while, my heart raced with excitement, aware of what was to come.

Ben’s knowing smirk twitched as he eased back into place and resumed his hold on me. “Might as well put the partition to good use.”

Nearly shaking with my need for him, I was met with immediate relief as Ben crashed our lips together again and he ran his fingers through my hair, stopping to hold my neck and pull me impossibly close.

I moaned softly into the kiss as I continued to palm him through his pants, growing more feverish as it continued.

There was something thrilling about what we were prepared to do, and my stomach flipped at the mere idea.

Our lips were incessant as we kissed roughly, eagerly pulling moans and breathless sounds from each other as our hands roamed. All of it made my head spin, and I was at least thankful for the cracked windows to alleviate the rush of simmering air between us.

At the slow, sensual movements of my hand sliding against his restricted cock, Ben swallowed back a groan, forcing his lips to falter for a moment. Given the break, I moved closer to his neck and kissed a rushed trail of affection down his skin, stopping at the crook of his neck to offer it extra attention.

Satisfied by his breathless sounds as he kept an arm lazily around me, I kept going, eventually struck with an idea.

When I pulled back and shifted until I was on the floor between his knees, Ben’s brows went up in interest as he brought a hand down to caress my cheek. “And what are you doing down there?”

Smirking for him, I grazed his thighs with my hands as I fit myself between them and wasted no time reaching for his button and zipper.

He seemed almost caught off-guard by my hurried movements, yet he didn’t complain as the zipper was undone and I managed to free his rock-hard length. He grunted quietly as I took him in my hand and used the lightest touch up and down the expanse of it.

Ben sighed as he watched me while he remained slumped against the seat in complete submission, not saying a word to stop me—not while our blood was pumping and the partition stood in between us and the driver.

“Jesus Christ…” he uttered, letting his head tip back as I stroked him slowly, regaining the slightest sense of restraint since I had him where I wanted him. Another hushed sound left his lips as he soaked it in.

Spurred on by his evident enjoyment, I leaned forward and gently licked the aggravated tip, immediately feeling his thighs clench beneath me. He gasped softly with his eyes closed.

I repeated those delicate touches for a moment longer, watching intently as he faltered more and more the longer it went on.

With my tongue swirling against him, Ben sighed and gently ran his fingers through my hair. “You really will be the death of me…mark my words—”

He choked back another gasp as I took him in my mouth and surrounded him with that plushy warmth I knew he loved so much. His grip on my hair tightened as I accepted more of him, gliding my cheeks against his length.

“Fuck, Gemma…” Ben mumbled as his chest rose and fell more rapidly, head lulling to the side as he cracked his eyes open to get a better look at me.

I could tell he was resisting the urge to guide me with his hand, given how his fingers twitched just as he stopped himself. But taking that as a hint, I moved down even further, filling my mouth with him completely.

He groaned at that, unable to hold it back anymore. As much as he watched to watch, he couldn’t take it and dropped his head against the headrest, eyes screwed shut and brows furrowed in concentration.

As those husky sounds left his chest, I bobbed my head slowly, offering him that complete friction that I knew was pushing him closer and closer to the edge.

Even if he was big and somewhat intimidating to take all at once, I braced myself and continued, relaxing my throat to take him even deeper until my nose brushed against his pelvis.

“F-fuck—” he muttered, strained from the influx of sensations I offered him as his whole body tensed, one hand in my hair and the other squeezing the seat beneath him. “God, I love you…so fucking much…”

His reverent words sent another rush of excitement through me, and I fully intended to finish what I started.

Pulling back up slightly, I used my tongue in tandem with the rhythmic movements of my head, earning myself more than enough broken moans and rough attempts to not grunt audibly.

From the risky place, his encouraging grip on my hair, and the way he was so close to coming undone already, it was all too much for me to resist.

Gripping the base of him, I picked up my speed, going from torturously deliberate to enthusiastically urging him closer to the brink.

I couldn’t get enough of those moans, but as I felt his thighs clenching more and his fingers gripping the nape of my neck, I knew he was close.

He rasped out a groan before sucking in a sharp inhale again, “Don’t stop…please, don’t—”

The sound cut off at his throat as he clenched and hit the precipice, giving in to that euphoric state as he grunted and stumbled right into his orgasm.

With the flat of my tongue, I took in his release, careful to not make a mess of the backseat—although, if I was correct in assuming he’d make the driver keep going for a few more blocks, I had the feeling it would only get worse anyway.

Swallowing him up eagerly, I looked up at him to watch as he slumped into the seat with a hazy grin as he gently hooked a finger beneath my chin and urged me back up.

Instead of guiding me back into the seat, he pulled me roughly onto his lap and held me close as he caught his breath, lips a breadth away from mine. My breath hitched and my heart pounded with excitement.

“You’re too good at that, my love,” Ben murmured, leaving a searing kiss against my mouth before continuing, “but I’m not complaining, and I’m certainly not done with you yet...”

I smiled at his words, giggling quietly at the relief and mischief in his tone as he held me firmly against him in my straddling position. “Good, because we were only just getting started.”

Mirroring each other’s grins, we reconnected our lips in several long, searing kisses as my arms snaked around the back of his neck and his hands roamed my body.

His fingers slipped beneath the fabric of my dress, edging closer and closer to my bare hips.

The touch alone made me shiver, all of my senses feeling incredibly heightened.

But before we could continue, the SUV came to a stop, and we both reacted with immediate disappointment. Given how worked up we both were, there was no way we’d be willing to climb out just to continue inside.

“Sir, we’ve arrived,” the driver announced from up front.

For a moment, Ben only looked at me as he caressed my cheek, gazing into my eyes while that undeniable hunger moved through his. As if deciding on the spot, he grumbled to himself before his voice traveled loud and far enough for the man to catch through the partition.

“Keep driving. Don’t stop until I tell you to.”

Even as he spoke, Ben never took his eyes off me, and my heart melted while he held me so affectionately.

Without another word, the SUV accelerated, and that private bubble around us formed again.

The moment that semblance of self-restraint cracked and his lips were on mine again, I knew we were in for a long, sinful night.

*****

THE END