popeobx - Tumblr blog

popeobx · 1 year

Text

protection (9) — ari levinson

summary: Ari and your father have been business partners for ages, and it seems that he doesn't care for you. This doesn't stop you from trying; scheming to make the older man fall for you the same way the rest of your father's men have, too.

pairing: dbf! ari x reader

warnings: swearing, smut (daddy kink, unprotected PinV sex, dirty talk) mention of guns, death

wc: 4.8k

masterlist | navigation | series masterlist

You awaken at the same moment Ari does. Everything about the moment seems relaxing; the sun streaming in through the window, his arm wrapped tightly around your stomach, his breaths drawing in and out in perfectly timed beats.

However, the noise jolts both of you awake, and you gasp as you sit up. Ari stands from the bed immediately and grabs his gun from the nightstand, then aims it at the door. When nobody comes storming in, he tucks on a pair of boxers and looks over at you, giving you a small, convincing smile.

“It’s okay,” he says carefully, “I’m gonna go investigate. Stay here, okay, baby?”

Another loud noise comes from downstairs, and you jump while grabbing Ari’s free arm.

“No, Ari, what if—”

“I’ll be fine,” he promises, “Don’t leave the room ‘til I come up to get you.”

You shake your head at him, but when he raises a brow and starts to tug his arm away, you know he’s serious. Naked and scared under his sheets, you watch as he exits the bedroom and closes the door behind him.

The second he shuts the door, you dive off the bed and pick up his dress shirt — the very same one you removed from him last night — and button it around yourself. Then, you follow right behind him out of the bedroom, not caring one bit about what he told you to do.

At the bottom of the stairs, you watch Ari hold his gun in front of him and survey the area before moving away, which is when you begin to climb down. You’re careful, slow, and deliberate, and after a minute, you hear Ari’s voice.

“Jesus— what the fuck are the two of you doing?”

“We’re moving Miss Y/N’s things into the house.”

The voice is Mateo’s, and you instantly relax. You hurry down the remainder of the stairs and freeze when Ari turns and sees you. His eyes grow dark at the sight of you disobeying him, but when he skims over your body in just his shirt, he seems to relax a bit.

“Morning,” you greet.

Mateo’s standing in the middle of the entryway beside Javier, who have both moved your dresser inside. When both men hear your voice, they look over at you, skimming over your clothing choice. Mateo instantly looks away, back to Ari, while Javier’s eyes fall to the floor.

“Well, you scared the fuck out of both of us,�� Ari lectures them.

“Relax, Levinson.”

Nick comes strolling out of Ari’s office in a suit and tie, looking very handsome — although you’d never admit that to anyone. Ari rolls his eyes at the sight, then takes a step back toward you.

“Meeting’s not ‘til noon, Fowler,” Ari reminds him, “The fuck are you doing here?”

Nick grins and holds up his arm, displaying his watch, “Eleven-thirty. You would’ve been awake, I’m sure, if you hadn’t had such a workout last night.”

Nick’s eyes trail over to you, skimming up your exposed legs. You glare at him and step behind Ari, who already holds a hand out for you.

“Fuck off, Nick. Don’t look at her. In fact, wait in the office. I’ll be down in a few.”

Nick laughs and gives you a wave before retreating to the office as instructed. Ari turns around to face you, tucking an arm around your waist and pulling you to him roughly.

“Ari—”

“Thought I told you to wait in bed for me,” he says sternly, letting his eyes wander down to the undone buttons exposing your cleavage just enough, “I wasn’t done with you.”

You smile, “You can always take me back upstairs.”

He shakes his head, guiding you back against the wall. His arm softens the hit, and before you blink, his face is buried in your neck.

“Can’t wait that long,” he replies.

“Wait—” you whimper when he starts to drag your legs up and around him, “What about—-”

Without lifting a finger or his face, he speaks loudly and aggressively.

“Mateo, you two morons go get the rest of the stuff from the truck. Take ten minutes.”

Mateo clears his throat, “Um, yes, sir.”

You give in and let Ari guide your legs around his waist once the men have exited the space. He moves up your jaw and cheek to your lips, where he captures you and holds you there until you feel dizzy. His fingers expertly travel down your body and dip between your legs, feeling how desperate you already are for him.

“I think I’m addicted, baby,” he murmurs, “So fucking addicted to this tight little pussy.”

“Daddy,” you moan, tugging on his hair as he shoves his boxers down to his ankles.

“Shh,” Ari whispers in your ear, “I told you to stay upstairs, right, princess? Did you listen to me?”

You whimper, shoving your hips forward as you beg, “No.”

“No,” he repeats smugly, “So, daddy’s gonna take what he wants, and then you’re gonna go wait for him in bed until he’s done with his meeting. Fair?”

You pout and Ari pulls back, then pecks your lips several times before raising a brow, expecting an answer.

“Fair,” you nod.

“Good girl,” he smiles.

Ari reaches down with one hand and guides himself into you. He’s slow, patient, and he revels in the gasp that you suck in as he pushes deeper. Your thighs start to shake so he steadies them with his hands, then kisses your lips again to distract you from the stretch.

“Oh, God,” you whimper when he’s fully buried inside.

Ari laughs, “Not quite, baby. We gotta be quick, okay? Daddy has a meeting.”

You nod, whimpering when he starts to move. His thrusts are different than last night; this time, he sets the pace immediately and sticks to it — brutal, unforgiving, and rough. One of his palms comes up and wraps around your neck while the other grips your hips so tightly, you’re sure you’ll have a bruise there.

He drives in and out and in and out, never once stopping to let you breathe. You can feel him everywhere, his touch burning holes in your body.

“Ari—Ari, oh, fuck, please,” you whine, not sure what you’re even begging for.

Ari can tell this, because when he catches a glimpse of the dumbed out expression on your face, he grins and kisses your forehead.

“I’ve got you. Just let daddy take what he needs. Be good for me. Can you do that?”

“Mhm,” you hum, clawing at his back.

“Thank you, baby,” he says, kissing down your neck, “Cum for me when you’re ready.”

You roll your hips against his and listen to the groan he lets out. When his lips travel down to your collarbones, where he playfully bites your skin, you clench around him. He snickers against your skin and does it again, moaning when he feels you squeeze him even harder.

“Daddy, I—” you stop and take a shaky breath in, “I’m gonna cum, I think.”

“Go ahead, I’m right behind you. Cum for me, baby, soak my fucking cock,” he growls.

He nips at your neck one last time just to shove you over the edge, which he does successfully. You finish around him and he releases inside you a moment later, groaning loudly.

You grip him tight while you catch your breath, trying your best to steady yourself in Ari’s arms. You feel weak, like all the energy you woke up with has been taken just in one round with him. Ari pulls back and sees your expression along with your droopy eyes, then laughs to himself. He kisses you a few times, which you welcome, then slowly slips out of you,

With your legs still locked around his waist, Ari carries you back upstairs and to his bedroom. He lays you back down in bed and then grabs a pair of your panties from his dresser drawer, then slides them up your legs.

“What’re you doin’?” you ask him sleepily.

He smiles, brushing hair from your face, “Keeping you messy, princess. I’m still not done with you. Take a nap, I’ll come back to you soon.”

You smile against his warm palm as he strokes your cheek. Innocently, you tug him down for a kiss, which he obliges, then pulls the comforter over your body.

“Daddy?” you call before he can escape the room.

“Yeah?”

Your brain is fuzzy, you’re already most of the way asleep, but you have to tell him. You can hear his words clear as day in your mind, and you have to tell him.

“I love you, too.”

Ari stands, frozen in the doorway, until he hears your soft snores. The same little snores he fell asleep to last night; the only sound that he thinks could ever calm him. Then, softly, he exits the room and closes the door behind him, trying his damndest to get his mind ready to handle business.

When you wake again, you’re tangled in the sheets on Ari’s side of the bed. The sun streams in and the house is quiet, but you know it’s time to get up. There’s a dull ache between your legs, but it instantly makes you smile.

You recall how Ari carried you upstairs and tucked you in, and you recall how you—-

Told him you loved him.

Your eyes widen and you sit up, still in Ari’s dress shirt and panties. You bite your nails as you think about how you want to handle it — if you should pretend like you don’t remember anything, or if you should just be honest with him.

Deciding to try and put it out of your mind for now, you decide to take a shower. You know Ari wanted you to stay messy, but you settle for leaving the panties he put on you out for him to find when he comes upstairs.

Your shower is long, and the only reason you get out is because your stomach growls. Quickly, you dress, then make your way downstairs. Mateo, you find instantly, and when he sees you — fully dressed, now — he gives you a warm smile.

“Hi, Miss,” he says cheerfully, “We set all of your things up in the guest room. I’ll be happy to move anything upstairs for you, too.”

“Thank you,” you reply, “Did you… Did you see my dad?”

Mateo frowns, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Did he say anything to you?”

His eyes leave you, darting around the room in hopes for a distraction. He doesn’t find one. You cross your arms defensively, urging him to answer.

“He asked me not to remove anything from the house,” Mateo finally says, speaking slowly.

You raise a brow, “How did you do it, then?”

“Um,” he stutters, scratching the back of his neck, “Javier held a gun to his head while Nick and I moved your stuff out.”

You swallow, digesting that image before you allow another question to escape from your mind.

“Did he say anything about me?”

Mateo’s shoulders fall, like he’d been silently urging you to not ask that question. Instead of responding right away, he closes his eyes and looks to the floor, collecting himself before he shifts back up to you.

“No, ma’am,” he replies.

You know he’s lying, but you don’t call him on it. Instead, you nod, then inch toward Ari’s office. You know it hasn’t been long since he separated from you, but you can’t help yourself. You miss him.

As if reading your mind, Mateo side-steps you and knocks on Ari’s office door, then peaks his head inside when the call comes for him to enter.

“Miss Y/N wants to see you,” Mateo says, “Not an emergency.”

Your eyes widen, and just as you open your mouth to object and say that everything is fine, Ari’s voice sounds from inside.

“Come on in, baby.”

Mateo gives you a warm smile and holds the door open for you. Slipping through, you enter and find Ari and Nick inside. Ari’s seated behind his desk with papers scattered around. Nick is holding a file folder in his lap and sipping on a glass of whiskey. He gives you a smirk when you enter, but you look to Ari, instead.

“Hey, sweetie. Come in to give us some entertainment?” Nick asks, grinning when Ari’s eyes narrow at him.

“Everything okay?” Ari asks patiently, gesturing you over.

You nod, sinking into his arms when he opens them. He welcomes you onto his lap and strokes over the skin on your thighs, then kisses your forehead.

“Lonely,” you whisper to him in an attempt to explain, “Not trying to interrupt.”

“What a sweet girl,” Nick continues.

“Nick, shut the fuck up,” Ari growls, “Add something useful, or leave.”

Nick chuckles to himself, then sits up in his chair and glances down at his folder. Ari’s palms remain soft against your skin, stroking up and down as if it’s a mere habit by now.

“Alright, fine,” Nick sighs, “Looks like you’ll have to transfer about… I don’t know, thirty? Costs a fuckin’ lot, but you’re getting a good return on your investment— are you fucking listening?”

Ari’s face is buried in your neck now, and you smile when you see how much this annoys Nick.

“Yeah,” Ari mumbles against your skin, kissing you softly, “Thirty million. Got it.”

You tense, “Thirty million?”

Nick smirks, “Didn’t know your daddy was so rich?”

“Out,” Ari demands, “Leave the file and get out.”

Nick rolls his eyes and slaps the file down on Ari’s desk, then drains the remainder of his whiskey. He glances over at you once again, then offers you his empty glass.

“You’ll have to drink with us soon, lovely. I’ll bet you’re a lot of fun when you’ve had a few.”

“I will not ask again,” Ari says harshly.

Nick holds up his hands in surrender, then leaves the office without another word. As soon as the door clicks behind him, you turn on Ari’s lap.

“I didn’t mean to stop your meeting,” you pout.

“It’s okay, he was annoying me, anyway,” Ari replies, kissing your lips, “How was your nap?”

“Good,” you say, “Mateo got all my stuff.”

“I heard. Are you happy about that?”

“Yes.”

Ari smiles at this, and the sight makes you smile, too. Your heart feels as if it’s soaring in your chest, and you remember what Ari told you last night. What you told him today. How much you meant the words as they escaped you.

“Ari,” you say gently, squirming on his lap, “I heard what you said last night.”

He nods, “I know. I kind of figured after you said it back to me, today.”

You shift again, growing shy at his assertiveness. He doesn’t seem embarrassed or uncomfortable in any way, leaving you feeling as if you’re being dramatic.

“I do, you know,” you say quietly.

He grins and kisses your head, “I know. I was surprised you said it, but I know.”

You peek up at him through your lashes and allow your eyes to travel over every inch of his face.

“You were surprised?”

He nods, “Yeah. I didn’t even need you to tell me. I see it every time you look at me.”

You pout and, before you can help yourself, you turn around in his lap and straddle him, then kiss his cheeks and his lips. He laughs and presses his palms into your waist, tugging you back only slightly so he can get a look at you.

“I needed you to say it,” you confess, “Still kinda do.”

“Baby,” he says, cupping your chin, “I love you. So much.”

“I love you, too, Ari.”

He smiles and pulls you to his lips, kissing the life out of you the second you get close enough. He doesn’t stop and neither do you; not until there’s a knock on Ari’s office door.

“Are you guys fucking?” Nick yells.

“No, Nick,” Ari huffs.

The door shoves open and Nick’s head peeks through, smirking widely when he sees your position on Ari’s lap.

“Hey, bonita, there’s a meal out here for you,” he teases, “Paired nicely with a very sad man on the side.”

“Huh?” you question.

Nick shrugs incredulously, “My guess is, he heard the two of you going at it, then saw the two of you going at it, and—”

“Are you talking about Javier?” you ask, scoffing, “He knows I’m with Ari.”

“Right,” Nick nods, “I just don’t think he imagined having to witness the two of you playing house and fucking every five seconds.”

You roll your eyes, then kiss Ari one last time, “I’ll handle him.”

“So will I,” Ari grunts, but when you narrow your eyes at him, he shakes his head and nods to the door.

You crawl off his lap and walk past Nick, not bothering to even look his way as you exit. Nick laughs at this, then turns to Ari again. You hear his comment faintly before you disappear down the hallway.

“Damn, submissive but feisty. Who woulda thought?”

“Shut the fuck up, Nick.”

You’re already on the defensive as you make your way out into the dining room. Javier sits with a plate in front of him, lazily pushing around vegetables with his fork. You stop for a moment and try to collect yourself, then approach him and stop in front of the empty seat that also houses a plate of food.

Javier glances up at you and gives you a sad smile, then gestures for you to sit.

“Hi,” he mumbles quietly.

“Hi,” you reply, no emotion in your voice.

You take the seat and unfold your napkin, placing it on your lap before picking up your utensils. The room falls silent as you cut up your chicken, then steal a quick glance up at him.

“All your stuff is moved into the guest room,” he informs you, “Thought you might stay in there, given everything that’s happened.”

“Everything?” you ask.

He shrugs and flicks a green bean with his fork, “Vick’s death. I kinda thought you and Ari were still working though that.”

“What Ari and I are doing is none of your business,” you reply, your tone clipped.

“I’m just saying—”

“I’m just saying that your opinion has no place at this table,” you snap, “Yes, Ari killed Vick, but he was also the only one out of all of you that was keeping my best interest at heart.”

Javier’s eyes narrow as he looks up at you, “I was doing what I thought was right for you, too. He’s not good for you, Y/N, he’s a murderer.”

“What is or is not good for me is none of your fucking business, Javier,” you say sharply, standing from your seat.

Javier opens his mouth to reply, but Ari beats him to it. Flying out of his office, gun in hand, Ari loiters in the doorway. You don’t say a word or look over at him; convincing yourself you can fight this one. When Javier’s eyes move back up to yours, he shakes his head.

“So, what?” Javier scoffs, “You’re gonna let Vick’s death slide because you’re fucking the boss?”

Ari steps into the room and raises his gun, speaking clearly and aggressively, “Maybe I’ll make it a two for one.”

You, having no patience for their games anymore, snap. Not even meaning to, you hold your hand up to silence him.

“Sit down, Ari, I’m handling it.”

The words pour from your mouth before you can stop them. Instead of trying to take them back, however, you gesture to the seat beside you and silently demand for him to obey. Much to your surprise, he does.

“He’s all yours,” Ari replies cooly, setting his gun on the dining room table.

Javier’s eyes widen at the control you have over the boss, and the expression on his face makes you smirk. You lean forward and catch Javier’s attention once more, then cross your arms over your chest.

“I understand that you’re sad about Vick. But you need to understand that what you did, what you, Vick, and my father did, was unacceptable. You can play it off and tell me that you thought you were doing right by me, but you weren’t. You and I both know that you thought there would be an opening for you to swoop in and save me if Ari turns into the bad guy, right? And I was willing to forgive you, but I won’t keep having this conversation with you. So, you need to move the fuck on and get over me before I kick you out of this house. Clear?”

Javier frowns, and his eyes fall to the table, “Yeah.”

“Good.”

You leave your dinner at the table and storm out of the dining room, not caring one bit about leaving the men to talk to one another. Faintly, you hear Ari’s chair scratch against the floor as he stands, then his voice.

“The only reason I haven’t put a bullet through your fucking skull is because she asked me not to. You might want to make sure that doesn’t change.”

Even though his words should scare you, they don’t. Instead, you smirk and head up the stairs, knowing full well that Ari will follow.

The knock on the bedroom door draws you out of your head and stops you from pacing. Just for a moment. You know it’s Ari, even though he rarely knocks.

“Come in,” you say gruffly, continuing your pacing in front of the bed.

Ari slides inside and shuts the door behind himself, then stands in front of the door with his hands on his hips.

He doesn’t speak, and neither do you. You take a deep breath, then exhale all at once as you turn, pacing back toward Ari.

“Are we kidding ourselves?” you ask him, but leave him no room to answer, “Me and you. Are we just pretending that we can make this work?”

“What?” Ari furrows his brows, “No. Fuck no. What makes you even think that?”

You scoff, “You shot Vick, Ari.”

“He hurt you, Y/N,” he replies, as if it’s obvious, “Fuck Javier. Fuck Mateo. Fuck anyone who makes you feel like you have to apologize for my actions.”

You stop pacing and look up at him, taking in the stern expression on his face. More than anything, you want to trace over the crease between his eyebrows and the frown line in his cheeks.

He takes a step forward then, and you can feel everything else melt away as soon as you smell him. You want his warm hands on you, his lips on your cheek, his heartbeat against your temple.

“Javier’s right,” he shrugs, “I am a murderer. But, the only people I’ve ever killed were ones that held guns up to me, or the people I love, first. So, ask me if I regret it. Ask me if I’d kill Vick all over again if it meant that someone paid for breaking your fucking heart. Ask me.”

You shake your head when he steps closer, “No. I don’t need to.”

“Why not?”

You chuckle dryly, “Because, Ari. The answer doesn’t fucking matter. I love you either way.”

“Then come here.”

You nod and walk over to him, collapsing into his chest when you’re close enough. He pulls you in and wraps both of his arms completely around you, stroking through your hair and breathing you in as if it’s been ages since he held you.

Ari seems to relax once you’re in his hold, and you feel yourself relaxing, too. You replay the argument downstairs in your head and smile to yourself when you remember how Ari immediately obeyed you — in front of Javier — when you told him to sit down. As if he can read your mind, Ari snickers himself before he speaks.

“You know,” he mumbles into the top of your head, “It was really sexy the way you bossed me around downstairs.”

You smile and pull back, “I had something to say, and I needed you to hush.”

Grinning, Ari leans down and kisses you gently. You return it, combing your fingers through his beard the way he loves.

“You’re the only person on this planet that can get away with that shit.”

“I know.”

You both laugh and pull the other closer, still believing that’s possible. A knock at the door pulls you both apart only by inches, and when Ari yells for them to come in, Nick’s head appears through the door.

“You’re all set, boss,” he smirks, then looks over at you and shoots you a wink, “Ma’am.”

“Thanks, Nick,” Ari replies, waving him out of the room.

“All set for what?” you ask.

He smiles, suddenly looking completely smug as you stare up at him. His fingers lace through yours and he starts to tug you toward the door while nodding his head lazily for you to follow.

“Come with me,” he murmurs, “I have a surprise.”

Ari tugs you through the back door and out to the pool deck, where you sat with Javier and Mateo yesterday. It’s lit up this time; complete with deck lights and string lights across the yard beside the pool. At the table, two chairs are pushed together, and they sit behind trays of food and a bucket with a champagne bottle. You furrow your eyebrows but follow him over anyway, collapsing into his chest when he finally halts.

“We’ve never been on a date,” he says quietly.

Your heart stops in your chest, but you don’t let it show. You just stay tucked into him, letting him comb his fingers through your hair and hold you close.

“No?” you tease.

“No,” he chuckles, “I thought maybe we could start tonight, and then go on a date at a real restaurant tomorrow.”

You grin against his chest, knowing he can feel it. Slowly, you nod your head.

“Okay.”

All too soon, you find yourself seated beside Ari in your chair, with a champagne flute in your hand. He takes a seat beside you, then reaches down and grabs the leg of your chair and pulls you even closer to him. He relaxes when his arm settles on the back of your seat, and you lean your head on his chest.

“Do you miss it?” he asks.

“Miss what?”

He shrugs innocently, “Your house. Your life. Your father.”

“No,” you answer immediately, shifting to look him in the eye, “Ari, I was a prisoner there. I couldn’t leave the house without his men, I couldn’t come downstairs half the time because there was a meeting, and— I never got to decide what I ate!”

He laughs and shakes his head at the end of your sentence, earning a laugh from you, too.

“What are you talking about?” he questions.

“Javi or someone else always just made me food. I never got to say ‘hey, make me a steak with mashed potatoes’.”

He rolls his eyes, but hides it as he smirks, “Well, I promise, baby, if you want a steak here, I’ll have it made for you as soon as possible.”

“Thank you,” you smile, cuddling closer, “Do you miss him? My dad?”

“I wouldn’t trade what I have.”

Your heart burns with pride, but Ari’s voice is colder than before. You swallow and decide to push him, even though you probably shouldn’t.

“That’s not what I asked.”

He sighs loudly, taking his time, “We have different views on business. I think it was time for us to part ways, anyway.”

“So, you don’t regret it?”

Ari frowns and looks down at you, tipping your chin up with his hand so you’re at his mercy.

“Not for a single second, alright?” he says.

You nod. Ari leans down and slowly connects your lips, giving you a meaningful, passionate, heartfelt kiss. He doesn’t try to deepen it, he merely keeps you pressed against him until he decides to pull back.

“Love you, Ari,” you whisper.

“I love you, too, princess.”

Your head meets his chest again, and this time, you relax into him. You drain your champagne flute, then set it on the table. Ari uses your glass and pours himself something to drink while he tells you about how he met Nick, and you eat up every single word.

Soon, you find yourself on his lap, too much champagne in your veins, and Ari feeding you grapes. He groans and clenches his jaw when you take his index finger into his mouth, then remove it and give him a long, slow kiss.

The remainder of the night is like that; passionate kisses and snacking on the food while you swap stories about each other. Ari laughs more than you’ve ever seen in your life, and it’s a sight you savor. Because it’s him, after all. And despite all of his flaws, you could not love Ari Levinson more if you tried.

a/n: so so so excited about where this is going and i hope you guys enjoyed!! pls give me any and all feedback! reblogs are appreciated and thank you!

*i no longer have a tag list. follow @mackenzieslibrary for updates! thank you for reading!

372 notes · View notes

popeobx · 1 year

Text

protection (6) ari levinson

pairing: dbf! ari x reader

warnings: swearing, verbal arguments, daddy kink, kissing, degrading language, angst

wc: 5.4k

masterlist | navigation

You wake the next morning and immediately begin replaying the events from the night before in your head. Dinner with your father had been awkward — he’d spent the entire meal asking you about your goals, where you see yourself in ten years, and if you ever dreamed of getting married.

What type of man do you hope to marry?

Do you want to have children?

Do you want your husband to be the primary provider of the household?

The questions spin around in your mind, and the answers you’d given had sounded robotic at best. Now, you lay staring up at the ceiling, wondering where those questions came from.

Eventually, you rise from bed and tuck on a zip-up jacket over your tank top, then make your way downstairs. The kitchen is empty and the house is eerily quiet, but you don’t pay too much attention to that.

You pour a cup of coffee and decide to head back upstairs to get ready for the day, silently planning on what you need to do. You freeze, however, when you hear Ari’s raised voice come from the direction of your father’s office. Out of curiosity, you inch closer and closer, praying you won’t get caught by one of your father’s men.

“No, Christopher. Out of the fucking question. I can’t believe you’re even considering this!” Ari shouts.

“It would be good for the deal,” your father says, sounding completely rational and emotionless, “She’s my daughter. She’ll do what I ask.”

“She shouldn’t fucking have to,” Ari fires back, “Anything could happen to her. The inability to close this goddamn deal shouldn’t be putting her in danger.”

“She won’t be in danger, Ari. I would never put her at risk, you know that. Care to explain why you’re so worked up over this?”

The silence is deafening, and your grip tightens around your mug. Your mind races with possibilities as to what the two men could be discussing as you try to picture Ari standing over your father’s desk. His hands on his hips, jaw clenched. He’s probably shaking his head as he tries to form a rebuttal; the image is enough to make you smile even as they argue.

“I just don’t understand why we’re falling into this high school game with these guys. I can close this deal, Chris. This doesn’t need to happen.”

“Really? Because, if you could close it, it would be closed by now,” your father replies.

“Fuck you, just give me more time.”

Your father sighs, and both men are silent for a moment. You take one step back, then another, almost too scared to hear your father’s response.

“Fine,” he snaps, “But, one of these days, you’re going to have to look me in the eye and tell me why you care so goddamn much about who my daughter dates.”

The room falls silent, and when you hear Ari’s boots against the floor, you hurry away. You take the stairs two at a time, careful not to spill your coffee while still trying to get out of sight as fast as possible.

When you reach your room, you set the coffee mug down on your nightstand, then crawl into bed and pull the blankets up to your chin.

Ari’s words replay in your head along with your father’s, but you make no greater progress on figuring out what the hell they’re talking about. You silently beg and plead for Ari to come upstairs and explain it all, even though you know he isn’t aware you even made it downstairs at all.

It’s lunchtime when you manage to go downstairs again, bringing your empty coffee mug with you. This time, the house is full of motion — men coming in and out of the house with purpose. As soon as your feet hit the marble of the first floor, Javier steps out from behind the wall and gives you a tight smile.

“Good morning,” he says quickly, dropping his eyes after a minute, “More coffee?”

“What?” you question.

He eyes the empty coffee mug in your hand, then looks back up at you.

“Would you like some more coffee?”

“Oh,” you shake your head, “No, thank you. Um, how are you?”

“I’m fine,” he replies, then looks over to another few men entering the house and approaching your father’s office, “Come on. Let’s go somewhere else.”

You follow him as instructed, thrown off by the hustle and bustle of the house in the middle of the week. He guides you into the kitchen, which is far enough from your dad’s office that you know you’ll be safer — especially with Javi.

He’s silent as he begins to wash your coffee mug. Awkwardly, you take a seat at the bar and watch him, taking note of the fact that he never once looks up at you. You wonder if Javier knows anything about the conversation between Ari and your father, and if he’s willing to talk about you given the fragile state of your relationship.

“Javi,” you say quietly, “Can we talk?”

He doesn’t look up, “About what?”

“Well,” you clear your throat, “Vick told me that you refused to pick me up yesterday, and—”

“Darling!”

You look up as your father enters the kitchen, and flashes back to his earlier conversation with Ari run through your mind.

“Hi, Dad,” you say, your voice a little less enthusiastic than it usually is given his statements made this morning, “A lot of meetings today?”

He smiles and embraces you even though you make no motion for it, then kisses your temple. You try not to think about how his best friend’s mouth was in that same spot a mere twelve hours ago.

“Oh, you know how the business works,” he replies, not giving you a straight answer — as if he ever would.

“Right,” you mutter, “Where’s A— Mr. Levinson?”

Javier looks up at you as you stumble over what to call Ari, but your father doesn’t bother looking at you. The men exchange a meaningful glance before he smiles, brushing off whatever he and Javier were silently discussing.

“He’s not here, honey,” he replies absentmindedly, “Any plans for your day?”

You shrug, “I need to get my nails done for the charity event.”

And a wax. And, maybe, some lingerie.

Javier pours a cup of coffee and slides it to your father, who is in the middle of checking his phone. His response is delayed, distracted, and you look down to your lap.

“Javier will take you,” he says without looking up, “I have to make a call. Excuse me, darling. See you for dinner, okay?”

You just nod, letting him kiss your forehead before rushing off — not before he presses his phone to his ear. When you look back at Javier, he doesn’t allow himself to meet your gaze. Sighing, you stand, your voice coming out quieter than it was before.

“Vick can take me out,” you tell him softly, “I’ll see you later.”

You’re sure he’s going to let you walk away; clearly conflicted with some emotion that he isn’t willing to share. You care because you miss the way he dotes on you, the way he listens to you when nobody else does. Now, it feels as if that’s gone between you.

“Bonita,” he stops you, sounding as if he’s cursing himself for speaking up.

You turn, meeting his eyes and giving him a soft smile at the nickname. He visibly relaxes at the sight, and you feel victorious.

“Yes?”

“I’ll take you,” he says, “Whenever you’re ready.”

“Thank you, Javi,” you smile.

He nods, and just as you turn, he speaks again, “About yesterday. I’m sorry I didn’t come get you. Vick told me this morning that you were concerned that I hate you.”

You swallow, squirming under the pressure of his gaze. If Vick told Javier that, who knows what else they discuss. Until now, you’ve never thought about it. Until now, you’ve never had anything to hide from them.

“I’m just used to you coming for me,” you mumble.

This brings a smile to his lips.

“I won’t let you down again,” he promises, then nods toward the hall, “Whenever you’re ready, we can go.”

You give him a grateful smile, then turn and exit the kitchen. Just like that, Javier has healed that broken bit inside you. The thought of losing his gaze, his appreciation, his heart, makes you sad, but no part of you wants to explore why.

Things snap right back into place with Javier as he takes you out — Mateo joining the both of you but not saying much the entire trip. You check your phone consistently, just in case Ari reaches out, but you hear nothing. Part of you wonders if he will care that you’re out, but you shake that thought from your head.

You feel like a new and improved woman with a fresh and complete manicure, and when Javier stepped up to pay, using your father’s credit card, Ari’s credit card felt a million times heavier in your wallet.

When you get home, you thank Javier and Mateo, then head upstairs to change and squeeze in a workout before dinner. You’re unsure if Ari is in the house or not, but you’ve resigned to leaving him to take care of whatever business he was so worked up about this morning. Your head spins around the conversation, and you’d physically bitten down on your tongue several times so as not to ask Javier about it.

Waiting for you in your bedroom, however, is a surprise. You don’t notice it at first, but when you do, your breath hitches. A fresh bouquet of red roses sits on your nightstand beside a Tiffany’s box, and you stare at it for far too long, afraid it might disappear if you get any closer.

You pluck the card from the bouquet carefully, then turn it over. Ari’s attempted neat handwriting has your heart racing as your finger traces over each letter.

Away for work. I’ll be back in time to see you in your gorgeous dress. Be good for me.

You smile at the card, even though your heart sinks at the thought of not seeing him for a few days. Then, you pick up the Tiffany’s box and pull it open, allowing the jewelry to take your breath away.

A pearl pendant stares up at you from its place in the box, and immediately, you’re desperate to put it on. Before you can, however, your phone starts to ring. Ari’s name lights up your screen, and you pounce on the call.

“Hi,” you say into the phone, breathless from his gift.

“Hi,” he replies, “Did you get my present?”

You grin, “Yes. How did you even know I was home?”

You know he must have left this for you while you were out, which means he knew. He chuckles into the phone, and your heart skips.

“Saw you on the cameras,” he says, as if it’s obvious, “I linked them to my phone, or whatever the fuck.”

“Wow,” you laugh, “Very technologically advanced for someone your age.”

He scoffs, “I’m not that old, baby.”

Your smile widens and you let another laugh escape your lips. For a moment, you’re still unsure of what to say; how to express your gratitude for such a beautiful gift.

“Ari,” you whisper, “This is beautiful. I love it so much.”

“I’m glad,” he replies, sounding slightly smug, “Got your nails done, huh?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm,” he hums, “Funny. I didn’t get an alert that my card was used.”

You snort, “You just bought me a three thousand dollar necklace.”

You can practically see him rolling his eyes through the phone. The image makes you smile regardless.

“I told you, from now on, use my card,” he lectures.

“Why is that so important?”

“Because, I—” he stops himself, and your heart lurches as you beg him silently to finish his thought, “I want to take care of you. Can you quit being so damn bratty and let me pay for your shit, please?”

You giggle before you can help it, and the breathy laugh that Ari returns brings butterflies to your stomach.

“Alright, I promise,” you answer.

“Thank you,” he huffs, “Listen, baby, if your dad says anything to you about the charity event, I need you to tell me. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” you say immediately, then add, “Why?”

Ari sighs, and you can tell he’s debating how best to say it. You don’t bail him out; you wait patiently for him to gather his thoughts.

“He wants to get you a date. And, you and I both know, that is not happening.”

You gasp, blurting out your first thought, “He wants me to open my legs for a business deal?”

“What?” Ari snaps, “That is not what I said.”

“But that’s what he’s doing, is it not?”

“Listen to me. The only person opening up those sexy legs is going to be me, so you have nothing to worry about. I’m taking care of it. Just be aware and do not agree to anything.”

“Okay,” you mumble, turned on by his words and adding a gentle, “Miss you, daddy.”

The groan that escapes Ari’s lips is unholy, and it makes you bite down hard on your bottom lip.

“Don’t you fucking dare get me hard right now, Y/N,” he growls into the phone.

“Sorry,” you reply innocently, listening to him sigh.

“I have to go, baby. My cell’s gonna be out of service for a bit, so take this number down in case you have an emergency.”

You do as he says and type out the phone number in a note, then return to the call. Not a single part of you is ready to hang up the phone.

“Be careful, Ari. Promise you’ll be home for the charity thing?”

He scoffs, “I wouldn’t miss it. Not with you in that dress.”

“Can’t wait,” you smile, “See you soon.”

“Be good.”

“No.”

You disconnect the call then with a giggle and sparks flying in your stomach, knowing Ari is shaking his head at you. Your phone dings with a text, and you grin.

Not funny, princess.

Your response comes in half a second.

Sorry, daddy.

The next few days, you do your best to keep your mind as occupied as possible. The only time you hear from Ari is late the night after you spoke to him on the phone. He asked you for pictures, which you sent without a second thought — taken special for him — and he returned a picture of his seed covering his hand and the base of his cock.

Things between you and Javier return to normal, which you’re thankful for. Your father remains distant the way he was in the kitchen on the morning you heard him and Ari fighting, but you don’t let it impact you. After what Ari told you about your dad’s little deal, you’re not in the mood to put up with him.

Javier takes you to dance and picks you up, seemingly thrilled to do so. He proudly holds a matcha for you when you come out, and when his hand sets itself on your lower back as you leave the studio, you don’t push him away.

When you get home, you sit at the bar in the kitchen while Javier stands at the stove with grilled cheese ingredients in hand. All you can think about is Ari — if he truly will keep his promise and come home tomorrow for the event, so you don’t have to go with some random, power hungry man who is only interested in you for one reason.

“Hey, Javi?”

He notices the shyness, the insecurity in your voice immediately, then looks up from the stove to you.

“Yes?”

“Um,” you start, looking down at your lap, “Do I— Is my dad really going to make me take a date tomorrow night just so he can close a deal?”

Javier presses his lips into a line, then turns back to the stove. He shuts it off and removes the sandwich from the pan, placing it on a plate.

“You know I can’t discuss business with you, bonita.”

You frown, “It’s not business, Javier, it’s my father offering me up like a whore—”

“No,” he snaps immediately, walking over to you and setting the sandwich down on the counter before stepping in front of you, “Ari told you that?”

“No. I overheard them talking about it.”

Javier sighs and steps even closer, cupping your cheek in his palm. It’s his way of comforting you, you’re sure, and you lean into him when the pad of his thumb brushes across your cheek.

“The business is complicated. Your father has to bluff sometimes. But, I promise you, I’m not going to let anything happen to you tomorrow. Okay?”

Slowly, you nod, “Okay. Do you know when Ari’s coming back?”

Javier’s chest deflates, but the question doesn’t deter him. He keeps those big, brown eyes focused on you, and his thumb continues its quest across your cheek.

“No,” he says sternly, “You know, he’s not the only one around here that can keep you safe.”

“I know,” you answer, an alarm bell sounding in your head.

“You don’t need him.”

When he takes another step closer, setting his free hand on the back of your chair, you start to squirm.

“Javier—”

“I mean it, bonita, you don’t need a man like him in your life.”

You snort, “Oh, but I suppose you’re so much better than him?”

Javier pulls back only slightly, but it’s enough for you to escape from around him. He shakes his head and holds his hands up in defense, then steps back.

“Maybe I am. What’s so hard to believe about that?” he asks, his tone bitter.

“You don’t know anything about him,” you remark.

“Oh? And you do? He opens up to you while you’re on your knees for him?”

You physically draw back at his words, and Javier’s face melts. He starts to shake his head, as if trying to take the words back, but it’s too late and he knows it.

“Nice,” you mutter, “Thanks, Javier.”

“No—” he says, his voice cracking as you start to exit the kitchen, “No, bonita, wait—”

“Don’t fucking call me that,” you snap.

Javier freezes at the harsh words directed at him, and you take the opportunity to bolt out of the kitchen. He doesn’t follow you, and when you get up to your room, you close and lock the door, then hurry to your bed. You call Ari’s cell first, but it goes straight to voicemail. Then, you scroll until you find the emergency number, and just as your thumb hovers over it, you pull back.

Telling Ari about what Javier did and that he knows about the two of you could mean subjecting Javier to violence on Ari’s part. Even though he hurt your feelings, part of you is conflicted on what the right move is.

If Ari calls, you think. If he calls, I’ll tell him everything.

You fall onto your bed with confidence that you’re making the right choice, even though you know deep down that Ari Levinson will not be calling your phone tonight.

You stand in front of your bathroom mirror, staring at yourself in your dress, and silently place the necklace Ari got you around your neck. Your makeup and hair are done, shoes are on, but the jewelry was your last piece. You smile when you see it, hoping Ari loves it, too.

Except, he’s not back. You haven’t heard a word from him, and every ounce of you is trying not to pounce on your phone and dial that number he gave you for emergencies only.

“My love? Ready to go?”

Your father yells at you from downstairs, and with one last squirt of perfume and a long sigh, you decide to give up. Give up on Ari, give up on kissing him, touching him, having him. He makes promises he can’t keep, and the impact that behavior has on your mood is too intense.

Whipping open the door, you start down the stairs. Your father stands at the bottom in his best suit, and he gives you a wide smile, then extends his hand for you to take.

“You look beautiful, darling,” he says proudly.

“Thank you,” you reply, giving a tight smile.

“Are you ready for a great night?”

You try not to roll your eyes as you say, “Yep.”

“That makes two of us,” he answers.

“Three, actually.”

Your eyes widen at his voice, and you can’t help but spin around to see if it’s true.

It is.

He’s there, looking handsome as ever in a black suit and the red tie you got for him. He grins at you and lets his eyes float over your body, wrapped up in the dress he requested. Your father emits a low growl that you barely hear because you’re still so immersed in Ari.

“You made it,” your father says in greeting, but his tone is clipped.

“Of course I did,” Ari answers him, then looks back at you, “I promised.”

You smile widely and bite your lip, squirming without realizing it as you try to fight off the urge to jump on him. Your father grabs your hand and squeezes it tight, keeping you in place beside him.

“And the deal?”

Ari smirks, “Marcus will call within the hour.”

Your father’s grip tightens on your hand, and his jaw clenches as Ari reveals that he closed the deal. You beam and you don’t even care who recognizes it; you just want Ari to know how happy you are that he’s here.

“Wonderful,” your father mutters.

“Should we go?” Ari asks, then shifts his gaze to you again, “I’d be happy to take her in my car. I’m sure she won’t want to crawl up into the Tahoe in that dress.”

Your father’s jaw ticks, “She’s fine.”

“I’ll go with Mr. Levinson, Dad,” you speak up, removing your hand from his.

“Like hell you will,” he replies.

“Sir,” Javier appears in the living room, wearing a blue suit and pressing his phone to his ear. When he sees you, his eyes rake over every inch of you, and when he sees Ari, his jaw clenches.

“What is it, Javier?”

“Marcus is on the line for you,” Javier replies, “I pulled the car around.”

“Take the call, Chris,” Ari urges, “I’ve got her.”

“Vick will stay behind and ride with you,” he announces before stepping toward Ari, knowing he needs to take the call, “Right behind us, Levinson.”

“Alright, Chris,” Ari replies smugly.

Your father and Javier exit the living room; Javier’s eyes lingering on you and Ari for a beat too long. You narrow your eyes at him and he drops his gaze to the floor, then follows your father out of the house.

“Ari—”

He stops you by placing his hands on your hips and guiding you backward, tucking you against the wall. He pins you against it and presses his body up against yours, then nudges your nose with his to get you to angle your face just right.

“I’m ready to get on my goddamn knees for you in this dress, baby,” he says, his voice deep.

You grin, “So, you like it?”

“I love it,” he admits, leaning dangerously close to your lips, “I missed you.”

Your heart drops to your feet, and you swear, if you could pick it up and hand it to him, you would.

“You did?”

“I did,” he confirms, then raises a brow, “Didn’t you miss me?”

You smile and grab ahold of his suit jacket, then tug on it in an attempt to bring him even closer.

“Of course, daddy,” you whisper, “Um, will you— Can you—”

“Can I?” he questions, trailing off as he waits for you to finish your request. You can tell by his expression that he already knows what you want, but he’s going to make you ask for it.

“Kiss me,” you squeak, “Please.”

His smile widens, “That stipulation of yours is gonna get me into a lot of trouble, isn’t it?”

“Mhm,” you nod, beaming as you pull him in.

He cups your cheeks in his hands and pulls you up, nudging your nose with his again before he finally, finally slots his mouth over yours.

He groans and so do you the second you taste each other. Your grip tightens on his suit jacket and his on your cheeks, and when his tongue skims your bottom lip, your knees buckle.

“Baby,” Ari chuckles as he wraps his arm around your waist to support you, “Need me to hold you up?”

You laugh, already tugging him back in, “Yes, please. Come back.”

He snickers and falls right back into you, and this time, you invite his tongue to meet yours. You can’t believe he’s finally kissing you, finally giving you what you’ve been begging for. You can feel his beard, and you let out a moan when his lips travel to your jawline, then down your neck.

“Excuse me, Mr. Levinson. Ma’am.”

You gasp and shove Ari’s shoulders. He sighs and takes his time pulling off of you, clearly not thrilled to be interrupted. Vick stands in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets, staring at the floor so as to pretend like he can’t see a thing.

“What is it, Vick?” Ari grunts, keeping his arms around you.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that we really have to be going.”

Ignoring that, Ari turns back to you and presses one last kiss to your lips, then pats your ass twice.

“Go fix your lipstick, baby. We’ll go when you’re ready.”

You nod, reaching up to wipe a bit of smeared lipstick from the corner of his mouth.

“Be right back,” you say.

He grabs your wrist before you can make it far from him, earning your eyes back on him.

“Bring the tube. I want your lipstick print on my collar when we go in.”

You bite down on your bottom lip and nod again, then head back up the stairs. Your heels tap against the floor and you hurry while grabbing the lipstick tube from your bathroom. When you return, Ari’s waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. You smile and take his hand, then hold up the tube in your free one.

“I’ll reapply when we get there. I have a feeling it’s pointless for the car ride,” you say quietly, “What about Vick?”

You’re worried; Javier knows, now Vick. Ari merely shakes his head, easing your worries as he presses his lips to your forehead.

“What about him?” he shrugs. His arm wraps around your waist and he nods his head, leading you toward the door. Vick stands in waiting, and opens the front door once you two are close. Silently, Ari pulls a crisp, folded one-hundred dollar bill from his pocket and holds it up for Vick to take. “You drive, Vick, and you don’t say one fucking word when we get there.”

Vick swallows and takes the money, “Yes. sir.”

The drive to the event immediately becomes your favorite part of the night when Ari places you in the backseat, then climbs in himself. You feel bad subjecting Vick to it at first, but as soon as Ari pulls you into his lap and starts to kiss you, you forget everything.

Before you get out of the car, Ari holds up his phone as a mirror for you to reapply your lipstick, then has you place a perfect print on his collar for everyone to see. It’s red, and it’s obvious that it’s yours, but no part of you cares when you see the smile on his face because of it.

Vick follows you and Ari out of the car and into the event. Ari offers you his arm and you take it proudly as the both of you walk in. When you see your father approaching the two of you, however, you drop your hand from around his bicep.

“Pushing it a little, huh?” your father mutters, but reaches over and kisses your cheek for show.

“You afraid of a little talk, Christopher?” Ari replies, but smiles at your father to keep up appearances, “If there’s something you want to say, say it.”

Expecting your father to be angry at that comment, your brows furrow when Javier steps over and whispers something in your father’s ear. Nodding, your father smirks victoriously. You catch Javier’s eye and he looks away, his expression regretful. You furrow your brows at him, then remember that you never told Ari that Javier knows what the two of you did in your bedroom.

“I have nothing to say,” your father shrugs, then nods over Ari’s shoulder, “Just thought I could give someone else the opportunity.”

You stand innocently beside Ari — foolishly, you later admit — as three beautiful, adult women step over to the four of you. Suddenly, something in you feels like an imposter; like you’re just the kid playing dress up around the adults.

“What the fuck is this about?” Ari hisses, glancing at the women only once before he moves to your father.

“Nice to see you again, Ari,” one of the women says smugly.

“Yeah, last time I saw you, well—” another one says.

“Enough,” Ari grunts, silencing her.

“Oh, I just talked to him,” the third girl says to the other two, giggling, “He called me a few nights ago. I swear, phone sex has never been that good.”

Your hand immediately falls from his arm, and suddenly, all you can hear is the buzzing in your ears. The motion attracts the girls’ attention, and they all look over at you. Javier shuts his eyes in defeat and lets his head fall, not wanting to see how it ends.

“Aw, Ari, I didn’t know you had a…niece?” the blonde says, giving you a sassy smile, “Cute.”

“Shut the fuck up, Amber,” Ari snaps.

Your father smiles proudly, smugly, like this is the only plan he has for the entire night.

“I just thought it might be nice for everyone to have a clear idea of the type of man Ari Levinson really is. STD’s and all, right, Ari?”

Your breath escapes you, and when you gasp, Ari looks over at you. Tears well in your eyes at the idea that you haven’t heard from Ari in days, yet he’d talked to another woman while he was away. The thought never even crossed your mind, and you feel incredibly stupid when you realize that the two of you had never had that discussion.

Ari claimed you, but he never offered up his own assurances. His own faithfulness. You shake your head, unwilling to meet his eyes out of fear that he will see your tears.

“I need to get some air,” you say weakly, “Um—”

“I’ll take you outside,” Ari says, grabbing your arm.

You yank yourself out of his grasp, “No. I can’t—”

“Y/N, stop,” Ari groans.

“Fuck you,” you mutter, wiping a stray tear from your cheek before turning.

“Baby, seriously—”

“Touch my fucking daughter again, Levinson, I swear—”

“What the fuck will you do?”

You hurry away from the men, leaving them to argue without a care how it ends. You sniffle and wipe away a few more tears before cursing yourself for how stupid you feel, look, and are. The second you reach the glass door, you glance over your shoulder. Javier is standing a few feet away with regret written all over his face, and you stare at him for a long moment before he approaches you.

Silently, you push open the glass door and step outside, and silently, Javier follows. You know you’ll never be able to go outside without one of them, and a part of you is thankful it’s him. Even with your argument.

Javier doesn’t say a word. You don’t want him to, and he knows that. He shrugs off his suit jacket and places it over your shoulders, then removes a cigarette from his pocket and lights it. He takes a puff, then passes it to you. You take it from him and let the smoke fill your lungs, making your fingers and toes tingle and your heart ache a little less.

a/n: more to come, but i hope you guys enjoyed this one! please leave me some feedback if you can, i'd love to hear it! reblogs are appreciated!

*i no longer have a tag lost. follow @mackenzieslibrary for updates! thank you for reading!<3

432 notes · View notes