Chapter Forty-Five
While Mac and Grace thoroughly enjoyed playing tourists in their city with the Becker Family, it was time for everyone to get back to work.
After bidding their friends goodbye, Mac checked in with his lawyer, Michael Stone, to see if he had any news about Bakary Konen, the man from Graceās past who was trying to blackmail her. While Macās inner rage wanted to go after Bakary personally and castrate the fucker, he knew it was best to let cooler heads prevail. Having Michael involved would prevent him from doing anything foolish enough to backfire and cause trouble for his wife and son. But the local authorities wouldnāt be enough to handle this; Mac wanted the big guns. So, they contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
āIām waiting to hear back from an FBI agent named Zach Harris. I promise to call you the minute I have anything to report. In the meantime, I think it would be best for Grace to write everything from start to finish. I want to ensure that we dot and cross every i and t. Iām hoping for minimal blowback on you and Grace, especially Grace. She doesnāt deserve this bullshit,ā Michael said firmly.
āI appreciate that. I know there was a time when you didnāt like or trust Grace,ā Mac said.
āI didnāt know her back then, McKinley. But Iāve grown very fond of her. Sheās been an amazing asset to your firm and a wonderful wife and mother. Sheās had a remarkable influence over you both personally and professionally. Iāll do my best to protect her reputation; you can count on me.ā
āThank you, Michael. Any chance we can see if Konen is still connected with Armel Kouassi? Iād give anything to fry his ass as well.ā
Michael didnāt need to ask why. Before he and Grace were married, McKinley had told him about Armel Kouassi, the foreign dignitary from Cote dāIvoire. Kouassi had wooed Grace as a young woman with the promise of a romantic weekend on a private island, surprising her instead with a gangbang that left her emotionally broken.
Both Mac and Michael realized that present-day Grace was not a damsel in distress that needed her battles fought for her. But they would do everything in their power to ensure that Grace wouldnāt have to face her past alone anymore.
āIām looking into that as well. One thing that is clear is Konen was an idiot to have used email to contact Grace. Blackmail via the internet makes this a cybercrime. I canāt tell you how glad I am that Grace didnāt delete the email,ā Michael explained.
āMe too. By the way, is there anything new with Alice I should be concerned about?ā Mac asked.
āNo, she seems to have faded into the woodwork, fortunately. I donāt think you need to worry about her brand of shenanigans. Iām keeping her in my peripheral vision, though, just to be safe.ā
āKeep me posted on anything I should know about.ā
āWill do. Give my best to Grace.ā
After his call with Michael, Mac focused his attention on the profit-margin reports and did a little poking around to see if there were any small firms in places where he might consider further expansion. Focusing on business helped him to stop visualizing taking a hatchet to the genitals of both Bakary and Armel.
He spent a couple of hours narrowing his choices to companies in Lisbon and Helsinki. Both were relatively small but rising firms. He put his notes on each into files and saved them to share with Grace.
And just at the moment he thought of her, she was standing in the entranceway of his office. It reminded him of the first time he saw her, and it took his breath away.
āBusy?ā she asked, somehow unaware of how the sight of her had rendered him incapable of words.
When he said nothing and just stared at her, she frowned.
āWhatās wrong?ā
āNot a thing,ā he said, finally finding his voice. āYouāre so incredibly beautiful, Grace. Letās blow off the rest of the day and make love all afternoon.ā
Grace smiled wickedly. āGive me a minute to ask Avery to cancel my 2:30 meeting.ā
Ten minutes later, they were locked in a passionate embrace as the elevator took them to the sixth floor. When the doors opened, Mac held her back for a moment.
āI meant what I said downstairs. I want to take our time and enjoy each other.ā
Grace sighed. Here was a man once so committed to his work that he couldnāt even put his phone on silent mode. Now here he was, all hers, and about to spend the afternoon putting pleasure first.
āSounds like a much better way to spend time than the reports I was working on.ā
They stood in their bedroom kissing for a few moments, tongues savoring each other, as the heat continued building between them. Neither realized that the other had the same vision in mind: the first time theyād made love.
Not that disappointing rendezvous in the tacky hotel where Grace Remy lived before she met McKinley Stewart, but rather the night in Paris when they finally connected after what felt like an eternity of misgivings and missed opportunities.
Heād shown up late and rather inebriated that evening, but Grace was needy and forgiving, as luck would have it. Just like that night, he placed soft, wet kisses along her neck and whispered, āI want you, Grace. Donāt make me wait any longer. I need you. You know you need me too.ā
Her eyes lit up with recognition of his words from that encounter. Pleased that they should be recalling the same memory, she answered as she had that night, āGod, yes, I need you.ā
āBefore you ask,ā he smirked, āmy phone is on silent mode.ā
āI love that we were both reminiscing about our first night.ā
āI love that you count Paris as our first night instead of my disastrous first attempt with you.ā
āThat wasnāt a complete bust,ā Grace said as she nipped on Macās earlobe. āIf I recall, the oral sex made me see God.ā
Mac scooped her up and dumped her on the bed. Joining her there, he began to unbutton his shirt.
āNo,ā Grace said, stopping him. āLet me undress you.ā
Pleased that his typically impatient wife was willing to take it slow, he dropped his hands to his side and let her take over. He should have known better because instead of carefully undoing the rest of the buttons, she ripped the shirt open and had the little plastic fasteners flying everywhere.
āHey, I liked that shirt!ā Mac pouted in feigned protest.
āYou have a dozen more exactly like that one,ā she laughed. But she was gentler with the belt and trousers. Once she had Mac fully naked, she undressed herself in slow, seductive, striptease-style movements.
Mac felt his already hardening cock go stiff as a metal rod when she finger-checked her wetness and sucked the digit clean.
āYouāre so naughty, Gracie.ā
āYou like me naughty, Mac.ā
āLet me have a taste.ā
Instead of sliding her finger back into her pussy, she flipped onto her back and spread her legs.
āIām all yours,ā she purred.
He smirked, climbed between her thighs, and hovered over her smooth mound, allowing his hot breath to tease her. He looked up at her, grinned seductively, and let his tongue start its magic. He flicked, nibbled, and sucked on her clit, easing up each time he felt her getting close.
āPlease, Mac! I need to cum!ā
He stopped and looked up at her again. āWhatās the rush, darling?ā Then he continued his sensual assault on her pink folds and hard little nub, edging her, denying her, until she whimpered.
Instead of pushing her over the edge, he kissed a trail along her body until he reached her sensual mouth. He shared her taste in a toe-curling kiss before resting the tip of his manhood, wet with precum, against her lips.
āLube up my cock, Gracie,ā he directed as she opened her mouth willingly.
He slid inside and toyed with just enjoying a blow job from his very talented wife. But he wanted her pussy more.
Releasing himself from the grasp of her clever tongue, he moved down again and spread Graceās legs apart. Debating whether to take her like this or have her ride him, she made the choice for them by lifting her hips to take him in.
Their eyes locked as he entered her slowly. In hers, he saw so much love, so much passion, and so much of something else for which he couldnāt find the words.
āJoy,ā she said as if reading his mind again. āYou bring me so much joy. I love how you love me and make me feel like Iām the only woman in the world.ā
āYou are,ā he said as that joy consumed him.
The slow, deliberate thrusts of their joining had their arousal building. Trying hard to keep the pace unhurried, Mac captured her wrists. She grinned at him with a sassy sparkle in her eyes.
āYou have the bluest eyes,ā he murmured as they moved together. āI get lost in them sometimes.ā
āI much prefer your brown eyes,ā she sighed, āso incredibly sexy.ā
Inwardly smiling as he felt the rub of the little gold ball from Graceās delightful pussy piercing, he remembered being surprised by it the first time and how sheād said it wasnāt something a girl put on her resume or vitae.
Wasnāt it funny? Theyād been together less than two years, but he felt heād known her for a lifetime.
Grace smiled as she knew he was replaying some memory in his head, and she couldnāt help but do the same. The man whose thick stiff shaft was penetrating and stretching her open was a stranger not all that long ago. Now he was her husband and partner, the father of her son, and most importantly, her best friend. Typically, sheād have insisted he go harder and faster by now, but this leisurely pace was deliciously erotic, and she allowed herself to let him take her close to the edge for what felt like a thousand times.
Mac looked at her face and saw the moment she had become incapable of any rational thought. Her eyes were glazed over in a dreamy state of heightened pleasure and her brow, usually furrowed when she was frustrated by her need for urgency, was smooth. She looked a little bit high, and the thought amused him. So did the fact that this might be the first time heād ever made love to her that she wasnāt demanding he speed up the pace. Instead, she had completely given herself over to him, relinquishing all control.
Eventually, it was his own need that spurred him to grab her hips and thrust into her more rapidly. She screamed his name as her orgasms came in intense waves, triggering his climax as he emptied himself into her.
Several moments passed by before either of them could speak.
āWell, that was far superior to the meeting I had scheduled,ā Grace teased as she curled up into Mac.
He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. āYouāre so impossibly beautiful, Grace. The expression on your face the moment you came was indescribable. It spoke volumes to me without a single word.ā
āI donāt know if I can always be that patient, but I have to admit, not rushing you was pretty fucking heady this time around.ā
āYou surprised me, actually. I kept waiting for my sassy little redhead to demand that I fuck her harder, deeper, and faster. Giving me complete control and trusting me to get you there was intensely satisfying.ā
āWell, you got me there. I feel a little buzzed. I donāt think I can go back to work today; do you think the boss will mind?ā
āHeās kinda strict. Maybe if you give him a second round, heāll let you off easy.ā
āWell, then,ā Grace said, wiggling her eyebrows. Without another word, she scooted herself between his legs and took his flaccid cock in her mouth. Her hands massaged his balls, and her tongue did that swirly thing that always drove him wild. It didnāt take long for his shaft to come back to life. He grinned when she looked up at him and said, āI think youāre ready.ā
They spent the afternoon enjoying oral pleasures, and, in what Grace called round three, he fucked her hard and fast and deep, and left them both completely sated.
Fortunately, Grace had the wherewithal to set an alarm because when it sounded, Mac woke up surprised that theyād both drifted off to sleep in the mid-late afternoon.
āDo we have time to shower?ā he asked as he stood up to head to the bathroom.
āNot the way you mean,ā she said with a sassy grin. āBut sure, you go first. I will text Claudette and tell her we will come down there for the baby. Iād rather she not see the tangled sheets of our afternoon tryst, even though Iām well aware that Bentley informed the staff that upstairs was off limits due to our fuck fest.ā
Mac laughed. āI doubt he put it that crassly, darling. But yes, he did inform the staff to stay on the third level or below.ā
āThey must think Iām an oversexed hussy,ā Grace lamented.
āNonsense! They know we are a happily married couple with a young baby and very little opportunity to have time for ourselves. We could be doing anything up here; you could be knitting, and I could be reading the paper.ā
It was Graceās turn to laugh. āKnitting can be very titillating.ā
āPerhaps you were just praying, my love. You did repeat the phrase, āOh Godā many times.ā
Grace made a face at Mac but burst out laughing.
When they headed down to fetch their son, she took his hand and said, āThanks for this afternoon. It was exactly what I needed.ā
Mac felt a warm satisfaction come over him. It was precisely what he needed too.
Ā
Chapter Forty-Six
Two days later, another email came from Bakary Konen with instructions to wire fifty thousand dollars into an account in the Cayman Islands. Mac and Grace put in a call to Michael but had to leave a message.
A half hour had passed when Grace received a call from Zach Harris.
āHello, Mrs. Stewart? My name is Supervisory Special Agent Zachary Harris. Iām calling regarding the situation described by your attorney, Michael Stone. Iād like to come to your office and meet with you tomorrow. Mr. Stone indicated he can be present with you, and you are welcome to have your husband attend.ā
His tone was a bit intimidating. āAm I in trouble?ā Grace asked pensively.
āNo, maāam. On the contrary. The bureau believes you can assist us in a case as there appears to be a connection between your situation and our investigation.ā
āOh, well, of course. Anything I can do to help.ā
āDoes 10:00 a.m. work for you?ā
āYes, I can shift some things around.ā
āI will be bringing my partner, SSA Sam Jenkins. We will see you tomorrow. In the meantime, do not answer the email. We have alerted the local authorities and have someone watching the house for your safety.ā
āOh, thanks for letting me know. Do you think I am in danger?ā
āNo, but these are dangerous men. It seemed prudent to take precautionary measures.ā
āThank you.ā
The call rattled Grace. Sheād assumed the worst thing that could happen was that Bakary would leak details of the gang bang in Cote dāIvoire or how sheād spent time working a brothel there. Sheād never considered he might mean to bring her harm.
The urge to run away and hide that had been tucked away since the day she met McKinley Stewart threatened to rear its ugly head. Graceās heart raced, and she felt clammy. Fighting the instinct to grab the baby and run, she got up from her desk and raced into Macās office.
āGrace? Whatās wrong?ā Mac asked. Her face had drained of all color, and she was pale as a ghost. She rushed past him and into his bathroom and became violently ill.
Feeling helpless to do more, Mac held her hair and rubbed her back while she lost the contents of her stomach. When she had nothing left to sick up, she crumbled into his arms and sobbed.
Avery, being a wise executive admin and knowing a bit about women, closed the door to Macās office and sent a message to his Uncle Bentley, the house manager.
Bentley, in turn, stopped in to see Claudette and see if she could stay longer to keep an eye on DJ.
āOur Grace isnāt feeling well, and Mac needs a bit of time to get her settled before he takes over with the baby,ā he explained.
āMais oui! But of course. I can stay as long as they need me to.ā
Mac helped Grace clean up and brought her to their sixth-floor living quarters. āWould you like me to draw you a bath or help you get into bed?ā
āI just want to lie down,ā she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Once he had her tucked in, he asked, āDo you want to talk now or later?ā
āLater. But you should know that two FBI agents will be here tomorrow, and theyāve contacted local law enforcement to watch our house.ā
Mac was alarmed and wanted to know every detail, but he knew what Grace needed most at the moment was to rest.
āSleep a while, darling. You can tell me everything later. Just know that youāre safe with me here; I wonāt let anything happen to you. I promise this will all get taken care of, and you will finally be able to put your past to rest for good.ā
Grace nodded, desperately wanting to believe him. But she was too weak to do anything but close her eyes and pray he was right.
Ā
Chapter Forty-Seven
Many hours later, Grace woke to an empty bed. Noticing a dim light coming from the nursery, she got up just in time to see Mac putting DJ back to bed. When Mac noticed her standing in the doorway, he smiled.
āThereās my best girl,ā he whispered. āYour son was wet and ravenous, but heās got a dry diaper and a full tummy. What can I get for you? Are you hungry?ā
āHungry for you,ā she answered softly.
Guiding Grace back to their bedroom, he smiled. āI think we should get you a little chicken broth first, so you have enough strength before I ravish you.ā
āI could eat a little soup.ā
āSleep help?ā
āYes, tremendously, thanks.ā
āShall we talk before or after I take you back to bed?ā
āBefore.ā
Grace filled Mac in on her conversation with SSA Harris and how he was bringing his partner tomorrow for a meeting.
āThen Iād better not keep you up too late.ā
āI need you, Mac.ā
āOh, donāt worry, my love; I fully intend to bring you pleasure before we go back to sleep.ā
Grace felt the knot in her stomach loosen as he fed her soup and then scooped her up and took her to bed. There, he kissed the back of her neck and caused her bones to feel like rubber.
He grinned when he found her wet and ready for him and entered her slowly from behind in a lying position. He gripped her shoulders to get deeper inside and nipped at her earlobe as their bodies rocked together.
Each thrust brought them closer to climax, but neither was in any hurry. It was pure heaven to be joined like this, feeling like they were floating. The walls of Graceās tight wetness stroked Macās hard shaft into a state of pure bliss. But when his sac tightened, the act of lovemaking became animalist sex as they panted, moaned, and exploded together.
Mac spooned her and stroked her hair as they drifted off. āFeel any better?ā he murmured drowsily.
But Grace was already asleep, feeling safe in Macās arms
She woke to an empty bed again, but with a note on her pillow.
I let you sleep a little longer. You needed it. DJ is with Claudette in the kitchen this morning, so you need only worry about getting yourself ready for the meeting at 10:00 a.m. Letās use the formal dining room as a conference room today. Love you!
Grace showered and put her hair up in a twist. She chose a navy pantsuit and a cream-colored blouse. She kept her makeup neutral and wondered why she felt the need to downplay her looks. Was she afraid the FBI agents would judge her and suggest sheād invited the sexual abuse all those years ago? She remembered how she was treated when she tried to report what had happened to the police. Theyād been cruel, telling her she had invited trouble, going to an island with a man looking like she did. Men like Armel Kouassi and his associates couldnāt be blamed for taking advantage of a slut with loose morals.
It had been a long time since sheād felt this anxiety-ridden, and she wished for a brief moment that she had allowed her doctor to write a new script for Xanax.
But when she headed down to the kitchen, Claudette had a cup of tea and a blueberry scone waiting for her and was giggling up a storm with DJ. The laughter was music to Graceās ears and was just what she needed to feel calmer.
āYour little man here is growing so fast. Look how he entertains himself in that bouncer! Such a sturdy little boy; it wouldnāt surprise me at all if he were an early walker,ā Claudette cooed.
āIt helps that he has a wonderful nanny,ā Grace said, grateful that their chef had insisted on helping with the baby.
Michael Stone arrived early and helped Mac set up in the dining room. Grace reviewed her written statement and fretted over how the meeting would go. Michael felt very protective of the woman he once mistakenly thought of as an opportunist.
āTry to relax, Grace. Youāre not in any trouble here. The FBI agents want to find out as much information as possible,ā he said, hoping to calm her nerves.
She smiled weakly and nodded. It was overwhelming, and the memories that all this had dredged up threatened to consume her.
When the agents showed up, Grace smiled. SSA Sam Jenkins turned out to be Samantha, which put Grace more at ease.
The meeting started with Grace sharing details of the first time sheād been contacted by Bakary Konen and how sheād been desperate to keep her past quiet so as not to destroy the career and life she had built after scraping by for so long. SSA Harris asked a few questions along the way but mostly let Grace talk.
āI know that paying him off was foolish. I didnāt feel I had any other choice at the time. This time around, itās different. I have someone in my corner.ā
Her eyes met Macās, and she saw a tenderness that tugged at her emotions. Not wishing to cry any more than she had already done, she looked away and inhaled sharply.
Michael nodded. āYou have several someones in your corner, Grace.ā
Mac turned and addressed the agents. āI need to know that you will take action here. There must be something the bureau can do about these predators.ā He was pissed but reined in his temper.
Harris and Jenkins looked at each other and nodded.
āThere are some things we are not at liberty to divulge. But you should know that weāve been familiar with Bakary Konen and Armel Kouassi for some time now. What youāve given us here helps us with an ongoing investigation and adds considerable weight to it,ā SSA Harris said. āWeāll need all records of communications with Konen. We are working alongside Cyber Crimes to get enough on him to prosecute. Your information helps tremendously.ā
āGrace will give you everything she has. We want this son of a bitch nailed for whatever you can get him on. And if you can get Armel Kouassi for any part of this, all the better. A man like him shouldnāt be able to walk free after what he did to my wife all those years ago, but weād be happy to see him behind bars for whatever you can legally pin on him,ā Mac said, trying to reign in his anger.
Grace nodded. āThere must be something he can be punished for, isnāt there?ā
SSA Jenkins sighed and shot her partner a look that said she appreciated his patience. āGrace, youāre not the only woman Konen has targeted. I canāt tell you more, but I will say this, heās been working with Kouassi to find and target other women that both have previously sexually abused. Your coming forward will help us stop them both.ā
āThank you, it helps to know that,ā Grace said quietly. āI wish Iād been strong enough to report it when he contacted me the first time.ā
āNo sense beating yourself up over this; they werenāt on our radar back then, so it would have been up to local authorities who may or may not have done anything at all if Iām being honest. Please donāt spend any more time regretting that you didnāt come forward sooner. Sometimes timing is a key factor in the success of an investigation like this,ā Harris said.
āWe will be in contact with you soon,ā Jenkins said as they rose to leave. āIāve asked the NYPD to keep an eye on your home for a few more days as a precautionary measure. We believe the real danger isnāt physical harm; his threat to divulge past events is a concern. Since he seems to be honoring the allotted time for you to make the transfer, we just need to get to him before the deadline, and hopefully, your past should stay right where it belongs.ā
āThank you so much for everything,ā Grace said.
āIāll see them out,ā Michael offered, leaving Mac and Grace alone.
Ā
Chapter Forty-Eight
āTiming is key,ā Grace said absently as she stared at the door. She shook her head and turned her gaze to Mac. āI know it costs you to let the FBI handle this, that it would be more satisfying to pound them both into the ground. I love that you love me enough to do this the right way.ā
He nodded and gave a heavy sigh. āIt would only end up hurting you and DJ if I took matters into my own hands. But yes, it costs me dearly.ā
āI know I should have reported Bakary the first time he started blackmailing me, but I wouldnāt change how I handled things. It may have cost me so much but look what Iāve gained. If I hadnāt been homeless and on the verge of bankruptcy, I wouldnāt have interviewed for the job as your last escort. Iād never have met you, and I wouldnāt have the wonderful life I do now.ā
Mac contemplated her words for a moment, then surprised her by saying, āI disagree. I think we were meant to find each other and would have somehow, some way, regardless of events that came before.ā
Grace tilted her head, āPretty deep stuff coming from a man who is normally so grounded. Are you suggesting the Universe was conspiring to make sure we met?ā
āAnd if I am?ā he said, moving to her and taking her in his arms.
āWell, how can I argue with your logic?ā she said before bringing her lips to his in a passionate kiss.
āRegardless of how we got here, Iām so glad we are together. We fit perfectly like two puzzle pieces. Three pieces now, with Dominic Jordan.ā
āOur little man with the name of his two grandfathers,ā Mac continued. āSomeday, Iād love to hear more about Jordan Remy. He must have been one hell of a man to raise such an amazing daughter.ā
Grace sighed. āSomeday, when this other mess is all cleared up, Iāll tell you about him and my mother.ā
Mac held her close; he couldnāt help but be aroused by her soft body against his and the scent of her perfume.
āWe have time on our hands, and our baby is busy with his nanny. Want to go fool around?ā
āOh, God, I thought youād never ask!ā
Mac surprised Grace by shutting the door to the dining room and turning the lock. He sent a quick text to Bentley about keeping the staff away from the third level and put his phone on silent. Unbuckling the belt to her slacks, Mac slid them down her hips and let them fall to the floor. Grace stepped out of them and waited for Macās next move.
He scooped her up, set her on the table, and spread her legs. Pulling the fabric of her powder blue panties aside, he slipped a finger into his wife. āYouāre wet and ready, just how I like you,ā Mac murmured as she moaned.
Moving between her legs, he flicked the gold ball of her intimate piercing; his tongue darted in and around her pink folds. He continued impaling her with his finger as he took her hard little nub between his teeth. As he nibbled, Graceās eyes fluttered, and her hips rocked.
āYouāre so easy to please,ā Mac said as he teased and tormented her. The gentle motion of her hips became bucking wildly as her climax closed in. But just before she hit the peak, he stopped.
āMcKinley!ā Grace protested.
But Mac was clearly in charge. He dragged her off the table and flipped her around, so she stood bent over with easy access to her dripping pussy, begging to be finished off.
He spanked her sexy ass a few times before entering her. Just a little reminder that she belonged to him, he mused.
āOh, God, yes! Fuck me, Mac!ā
āSay please, darling.ā
āPlease! Please, Mac! God, I need to cum!ā
āDo you? Perhaps I should take that pretty mouth of yours and leave you frustrated.ā
Grace whimpered.
āBut your pussy feels so fucking good!ā Mac growled as he picked up the pace and jackhammered into her. āSo hot and wet and so fucking tight!ā
āYes, oh God, your cock feels so good inside me!ā
Mac grabbed her hips and rammed into her as if his life depended on it. The decadent friction had him bring her over the edge with him, shooting his seed inside her.
They stayed this way for a bit before Mac slid out of her and wiped his spent dick on her ass.
āDonāt clean up,ā he said with a wicked gleam in his eyes. āLet my cum run down your leg and dry there. Youāre wearing pants; no one will notice. Iāll take my dirty whore again later.ā
Grace shivered with arousal. She was so lucky. He could have treated her with kid gloves after she had shared the nightmare of her sexual abuse from years ago with the FBI agents. But instead, he made her feel alive, reminding her of her need to be his in all ways. And he stood for her as no one ever had in her adult life.
She put her slacks back on and winked at Mac. āLet me know when you require my body again, Sir.ā
āKeep talking like that, and it wonāt be long, my sweet little slut.ā