Midnight Renegade by Anya Summers

10

By Friday, Reegan was exhausted. It had been a good week, all things considered. The new security program she had spent hours upon hours coding was streaming along. There had been a few minimal adjustments she’d had to make so far, but on the whole, it was running better than she could have hoped. There was still plenty of testing that needed to be done with the software but she was confident in the design.

Granted, she had already put in eighty hours by noon today, but at least she was making time and a half overtime—and dreaming of what she planned to do with the extra cash. She was thinking a week long luxury stay at one of those island resorts with the cabins over water in the South Pacific, like Bora Bora.

But the most startling turn of events was that she was considering asking Brody if he’d like to go with her. To spend a week in an above water private bungalow, where they could eat, and gorge on the pleasures of each other’s flesh. The notion was ridiculous, of course. They weren’t a couple, no matter how fantastic the sex happened to be—and sweet baby Jesus, it was amazing. The simple thought of the two of them together in Brody’s bed, dungeon, or really anywhere else in that man’s house, and her toes curled in her bright pink Converse high-tops.

She sat at her desk in jeans and a Ramones tee, her hair bundled into a messy bun on top of her head, black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, staring at lines of code on the bank of monitors gracing her desk. She really did love her work. Not to mention the financial freedom it garnered her. She didn’t have to depend on anyone, like her parents. Her mom would love nothing more than to be able to control Reegan through money. But Reegan had vowed to herself when she’d gone away to college and finally achieved a measure of breathing room from her mother’s constant hovering, that she would make her way in life and remove the vestiges of her parents’ control. Being independent was how she liked it, even though there were days she didn’t have an answer.

Too often while she’d been growing up, her parents had used money as a way to curtail her impulsive nature. They had made it impossible for her to be herself. And it was one of the many reasons why she tended to eschew commitment. In her mind, commitment equaled imprisonment, and giving another person power over you.

It was rather ironic, given her need to submit in the bedroom. But then, it was only a power exchange for the duration of the scene, or sex.

Which, in a roundabout way, brought her to Brody. The guy was persistent with his overtures. The more time she spent with him, the more her ability to keep her walls in place and remain emotionally unattached became more difficult. She had to give the man credit where it was due. With the constant daily contact, the stupendous sex, the frank and rather intimate discussions, the sex again, the scenes and gentle aftercare, she found herself wanting to lower her guard where he was concerned, and let him in.

But that would be the worst idea she had ever had, given their track record. Still, it was impossible not to consider.

For instance, so far this week, he had texted her multiple times a day, every day, like they were a real couple, checking up on how she was faring with her hefty workload, asking her opinion about some inane things, and even personal questions—like he was courting her. This morning, when she’d woken up, he had already texted her.

She recalled the text message. What’s your favorite flower, favorite band, and favorite type of food?

Those were all things men asked women they wanted to date and build a more permanent relationship with. She had answered. Orchids, Broken Machines, and what else, but Mexican.

She had responded mainly because she knew he would otherwise carry out his threat to deny her orgasms at their next scene. It was a small thing, really, to respond. She didn’t see the harm in it. Besides, it was rather sweet that he asked in the first place. She couldn’t deny the pleasure she experienced when she received a text from him.

On top of the numerous questions, there was the sexting. The requests for intimate pictures of body parts. So far, this week alone, she had snapped a photo of her boobs, one of her pussy, a full-length nude, and an ass shot. Because of work, they hadn’t gotten together at all since Sunday, but with the wonders of technology, they hadn’t missed a step.

Each night, when she finally made it home, Brody was ringing her up with a video call. They’d had phone sex four nights running. She couldn’t begin to describe how damn kinky it was watching Brody glide his hand over his cock while he instructed her precisely how he wanted her to touch herself.

Her phone buzzed on her desk. Think of the devil.

How’s work going?

Good. The glitches in my program have been fixed and it’s now running smoothly. Fingers crossed I figured out all the bugs in the system.

Proud of you.

Pleasure spread through her chest at the unexpected compliment. How did the design for the rancher turn out?

Better than expected. He wants a few modifications but nothing that will fundamentally alter the design.

That’s awesome. I knew you could do it.Brody was so talented with his work and the success he had made with his career. He had literally built himself from the ground up. And it was sexy as hell.

Come over tonight. I don’t care how late it is. I want you in my bed.

Her belly clenched. Can’t. I’ve got a girls’ night with Sophia.

Fine. Tomorrow, I will pick you up at one. Have a bag packed because I won’t be dropping you off until Sunday night.

Sir, yes, Sir.

Brat.

Jerk.

I will make you pay for that.

I would expect nothing less.

At the knock on her office door, she typed: Gotta run. Have a meeting. And added the kissing emoji.

Fine. Call you later.

You bet.

She glanced up at her boss, Rodney. “What can I do for you?”

“How’s the test running?”

She gestured at her bank of monitors. Rodney was in his late fifties, had been on one of the first tech teams in Silicon Valley in the late eighties and early nineties, and had helped establish web operating systems for big banks. He entered her office and stood by her shoulder, studying the lines of code.

“The spider algorithm is learning and self-correcting?”

“Yep. Once I figured out why it was glitching, it’s been moving along like artwork.”

“Bill’s going to want to see this. How soon do you think it would be ready for a system-wide testing? Let our hacker teams test it for vulnerabilities.”

“As soon as it finishes running through my standard battery of tests. Say end of next week, give or take a day or two.”

“Aren’t you going out of town then?”

“No. I leave in three weeks. I can’t get out of the trip back east, either. It’s my parents’ thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. They’ll have a conniption fit if I don’t attend the damn thing.” Reegan had already begun her mental preparations for her trip. Any time she had dealings with her parents, regardless of the fact that she loved them and they her, she had to work herself into a certain mindset. They loved each other, but were complete opposites, and didn’t necessarily get one another.

Rodney shook his head. “Don’t apologize. Family comes first. Besides, you’ve earned the time away for that trip, plus a whole lot more.”

“Yeah. Once this is fully launched, I plan to take you up on that more. I want to go lie on a beach in a questionable bikini, and drink gallons of Mai Tais.”

He barked out a laugh, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “We can make sure that happens.”

“Yay!” Reegan did a little boogie wiggle in her chair.

“Email me when it’s close to being done so we can set up the system-wide tests.”

“Will do.” She waved him off.

He had just stepped out of the office when her cell rang. She grimaced, spying the name that popped up on the screen. Taking a deep breath, she answered. “Mom, what can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to check and make sure you’ve booked your flight for the party. If not, your father would be more than happy to send the jet.”

Reegan wasn’t so certain of that. Her dad tended to pinch pennies, even though he had a larger yearly income than some countries. And she would get a diatribe about responsibilities, and told if only she had thought ahead and bought her ticket in advance. She rubbed her temples at the tension building. “Yes, I bought my ticket weeks ago.”

“Oh, that’s good. When does your flight get in? I can send Alhambra to pick you up. You are staying at the house, right?”

The thought of being under her parents’ roof for even a night, gave Reegan the willies. But the problem was there were no hotels near their estate. “I will email you the flight information. And, if it’s all right with you and dad, I will stay at the house. But I don’t want to cramp your style, so if it’s not cool with you both, I can get a hotel room.”

“Oh, not at all. We’ll be in our wing. And you have your own wing to stay in. I’ll have the maids freshen everything up in your old room.”

Oh, joy!It was one of the reasons Reegan lived more than a thousand miles away. She loved her parents dearly, despite their strange, over protective, hovering ways. But Delaware was close enough.

“That’s great, Mom. I appreciate it.”

“Now, if there’s anything you want me to have Cook prepare or stock for you while you’re here…”

“I’m sure whatever they already have on hand will be more than enough for me. You don’t have to go to all that trouble.”

“Why, it’s no trouble at all. And it’s what we pay them to do, my dear. Rather handsomely, I might add.”

Reegan prayed for patience as her mother prattled on. “Now, what are you planning to wear? I’m sure I could ask the designer making my dress to make you one as well. I’d just need your measurements.”

“I have a dress already, Mom, no need to fuss.” Reegan removed her glasses and rubbed her tired eyes.

“It’s not a dress from off the rack dear, is it?” her mother asked, horrified by the thought.

“In fact it is, and it will be perfectly fine. I don’t need a designer dress for the party.”

“Oh, but Louis could surely make you something spectacular in time.”

“There’s no need.” Reegan pinched the bridge of her nose as a headache begin. “Look, Mom, I’m in the middle of a major project, and need to get back to it.”

“Oh, all right. But send me your flight information and your measurements. I’ll have Louis make you something in case the off the rack dress doesn’t suit when you get here.”

“Okay. Gotta go. Give my love to Dad.”

Reegan hung up and laid her head on her desk. Nothing exhausted or frustrated her more than dealings with her parents. She loved them and they her. But they were as different as night and day.