What Money Can't Buy Ch. 09

"What did you say, Francesca?" Charlie asks her, as engaged as I was watching her with my parents.

"It was... I don't even know. I just flashed red and before I knew it, I was back here," she says, clearly still upset with herself.

I take over for her, "Mum called her a gold-digging whore and Francesca..." I tell our table the story, and Francesca's blush deepens.

"No shit. I could kiss you!" Charlie expresses his admiration, but I narrow my eyes at him. "But, I won't, obviously," he placates me. "Seriously, that sounds amazing, I'm only upset that I didn't get to see it happen. I bet Diana's face was priceless!" He claps Francesca on the back.

"Her plastic surgery did look pretty expensive," she chuckles, and Charlie laughs out loud. Francesca groans, "I need another drink."

"I could use one as well," Rose says, and she and I head to the bar, Charlie still pestering Francesca for details, looking at her with admiration.

Rose and I reach the bar, but there is a queue. "I was sorry to hear about the restaurant closing. Are you going to choose a different restaurant as a venue since most places are booked?" I chat with her.

She rolls her eyes, "Yeah, I guess so. It sucks- Bar 23 is so big, plenty of room for an event. There aren't a lot of options like that, especially in such a good location. We're pretty disappointed. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks trying to find a place," she says, exasperated.

I'm surprised, "I didn't realize you two were so set on Bar 23, I thought it was more of a convenience thing."

She shakes her head at me, "No, Cheryl and I loved the idea when Jessie suggested it and we went to check it out. But we'll find something," she sighs.

I frown as we reach the front of the queue and order. An idea starts percolating in my head. That's probably crazy... "Rose, this might be a stupid thought, but what if we killed three birds with one stone?"

She tilts her head to one side, "What do you mean?" she asks.

I swallow, not sure how she'll take this, "Well, you and Cheryl need a wedding venue, Jessie loves working there, and Francesca wants to open a restaurant. The restaurant is in an excellent location and has a ton of space. Francesca could hold private events until she is ready to open a full kitchen..." I ramble.

Rose's eyes widen. "Are you- You're thinking of buying Bar 23?" she asks cautiously.

"Is that crazy? It just seems..." I offer, but she cuts me off.

"Perfect. I mean, it is crazy, and you should think about it, but it does seem fated in some way!" she gushes for a moment, but then her face falls, "Although...".

"What?" I ask, but I know what she's going to say.

"If I know my sister, she won't accept it. Not even close," she sighs.

I frown, "It would be so easy for me. And she could live her dream!" I'm frustrated because I know it would just lead to a huge fight.

"It's a sweet idea, but I think you'd regret it," Rose affirms.

I know I should, but I don't want to give up on this. "But it would be helping you and Cheryl and Jessie. Maybe she'd be willing to see that?"

Rose furrows her brow. "I don't know Reggie, that would be a stretch. I would back off from this if I were you."

I sigh. "You're right. It's just, I really, really want to do it," I can't help but grin at Rose.

She gives me a skeptical look. "Watch yourself," she says as the bartender finishes our order. I thought Rose would be on my side with this. I sigh, then grab the drinks and head back to the table, my thoughts racing. As much as I don't want to admit it, Rose is right. I need to consider the pressure this will put on Francesca. Maybe something to chat with my therapist about. I shake off my inner thoughts and try to join the conversation. We all chat around the table, enjoying some hors d'oeuvres and relaxing.

After about half an hour, Jamie reminds me it's time for our speeches. Francesca squeezes my hand, "You'll be incredible," she tells me.

I grin at her, "If you can stand up to my mother, then I can talk about something I'm passionate about for 10 minutes." She grins back and I head for the stage.

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The earbuds helped calm me, and Francesca's beautifully written speech elicits a rousing round of applause. I head back to the table and Francesca gets up and hugs me tightly. "You were brilliant, darling," she says, then kisses me. I hug her tightly before sitting down. The waiters are already coming out with the first course. We all chat over dinner, and Francesca and Charles really seem to get along. I'm starting to warm back up to him. Maybe I've been too hard on him, lumped him in with the others. "I'm feeling really stuck working for Dad. I don't know- I want to broaden my horizons, find a passion," Charles tells us as we finish our dessert.

"Really?" I say, the surprise evident in my voice.

He nods, "I'm still young, Reg," he sneers sarcastically at me.

"Suuure," I quip back at him, and he feigns shock and dismay. We laugh together, and it feels almost like old times. I finish the last bite of my cake, "I'm going to head to the loo," I tell Francesca and stand.

"Having to pee frequently is a sign of premature aging, old man!" Charles lets out a cheap wisecrack as I turn to leave, and I flip him off. I wander to the loo and think about the possibility of buying Bar 23 for Francesca. It's not the right move, Reg. Be mature about this. I resolve to put it out of my mind for the evening, at least.

I turn the corner after using the loo and see Henry. I hadn't seen him all night, and now he's making his way towards our table. Shit. I press through the crowd, trying to beat him there.

"Are you the whore Reg brought with him?" Henry slurs at Francesca, clearly drunk.

"Henry, back the fuck off," I tell him, then stand between him and Francesca.

He chuckles, "'S cute," he pushes me to the side, taking me by surprise. I try to get between them again, but Francesca stands to meet his eye and puts her hand up, indicating she doesn't want me jumping in again. "You're a feisty one, aren't you?" he slurs again.

"Henry, you may want to lower your voice," she says calmly, "You wouldn't want to make a scene at the event designed to make up for your last one," her voice is biting. The band that was setting up on the stage starts playing, drowning them out slightly from the crowd.

"Wow, there's the fighter dad told me about," he sneers, the hiccups, "So, how much is Reggie paying you for the night? I'll double it if you come home with me," he goads her on and brings his hand to her hip. Fucking asshole. She throws it off her and opens her mouth to speak, but he cuts her off, "Triple if you blow me in the kitchen," he purrs to her, his other hand raising up and grasping her chin.

"Henry, what the fuck is..." I start, but Francesca pulls her face away and slaps him hard in the face, and I'm stunned to silence.

"Never touch me again," she seethes, and he gapes at her.

"Henry, you need to go, now, before I throw you out and we have to host another event to make up for it," I tell him, absolutely fuming at this point.

"Oooh, so scared!" he snipes at me, but his hand is still on his cheek and he's off his game.

"Get the fuck out, Henry," Charles walks to stand next to me. Henry glares at us both but turns and heads to the door. My eyes follow him until he disappears around the corner. When I turn back to Francesca, Charles is hugging her. "Damn, little lady, that was awesome! Taking down all the Hagadones tonight!" He pulls away and looks down at her with pride.

I take Francesca into my arms, "I'm so sorry, baby. That was awful," I tell her. She shakes her head, shrugging it off. My Killer. "I... God, I don't even know how to apologize for my shite family. There is no excuse." I am so embarrassed and ashamed.

She runs one hand through my hair. "I'm alright, Reggie. It's not your fault," she smiles at me and I run my nose along her neck.

"You're so strong," I murmur to her, then release her.

"Francesca, you're my new hero. I would be delighted if you'd share a dance with me," Charles asks her, holding his hand out. She smiles and takes his hand, then looks to me as if for permission. Charles mimics her.

"You get one, then I'm taking her back," I acquiesce, and they head to the dance floor. I ask Jamie to dance and we start to have some fun. After the first dance ends, I thank Jamie and head over to Francesca. "My turn," I wink at Charlie, and snake my arms around Francesca. The band starts playing Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love. I swing her slowly to the beat. "It's been a crazy night," I say, and she chuckles.

"That it has," she smiles at me.

"Are you doing alright? Do you want to get out of here?" I ask her as I let my hand trail her cheek then slide a tendril behind her hair.

"I'm fine, Reggie. You don't have to worry about me. I'm sorry that I've been all over the place. I didn't realize how much anger I'd let out once they... You know, proved me right," she replies, then blushes.

I scoff, "It didn't surprise me. You certainly didn't hold back when you met me," I snicker at her, and she slaps my bicep. "What, it's true! The only Hagadone you've been pleasant to is Charlie!"

"He is the most handsome," she smirks at me, and I gape at her.

"Ohhh, I see," I smirk back at her, "Do you want me to go find him?" I drop her waist and look around.

She laughs and puts her arms around neck, leaning into me. "Don't worry, you're a much better kisser," she teases. I throw my head back and laugh deeply.

"You better watch it, Killer, or I'll leave you here with them," I grin down at her.

She smirks up at me. "Give me some sugar," she coos, and I lean down and kiss her, pressing her body into mine. God, she is intoxicating. I let my tongue slip between her lips and my hand finds her face, pulling her harder against me.

I feel myself getting excited- this evening has been full of mixed emotions and she looks so fucking sexy in this dress. I run one hand up her thigh along the slit in the skirt. "Want to be bold again?" I question her, pressing her against my erection. She grins and nods, her face flushed. I smirk and drag her off the dance floor, looking for a private space. Earlier I noticed a hallway on the other side of the coat-check area that was relatively hidden- it would do. She giggles as I pull her through the crowd and into the hallway, stopping quickly in my tracks. Oh, good lord.

"Hey, Peggy," Francesca manages before breaking down in a fit of laughter. We interrupted Charles and Peggy in a rather compromised position- Peggy pressed against the wall beneath him, her skirt lifted, and Charles's pants pulled below his arse.

"Jesus, I don't need to see this," I utter, but I'm holding back my own laughter as I turn to look away.

"Fuck," I hear Peggy curse as we turn to leave them alone.

"Enjoy!" Francesca calls back, laughing again as I pull her out of the hallway. "God, what is it about you Hagadone men?!" she asks me, still laughing. I shrug and grin at her. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me in for another kiss, and I forget our social faux pas.

"Let's go home, Francesca," I mutter darkly against her lips.

"But we haven't celebrated the New Year yet," she pouts at me.

"I don't care, and I have a promise to keep," I growl as my finger slides beneath the thin strap of her dress. I can't wait to peel this off of you, Francesca. She swallows and nods, and it's all the permission I need. I take her hand again and drag her to the coat check.

"What about the group? Shouldn't we say goodbye?" she asks me as I hand the tags for our coats to the checker.

"They'll be fine, Francesca," I tease her. She rolls her eyes at me, but she has a deliciously mischievous smile on her lips. I pull out my mobile and order a Lyft. "The car will be outside in 4 minutes- you can run and tell your sister goodbye, but don't leave me waiting, or I'll have to punish you," I pull her into me as I speak the last words and whisper them into her ear. She groans low but presses away from me and wanders back into the crowd.

I wait on the pavement for her, watching the time tick by on my mobile, hoping Francesca makes me wait. I wouldn't mind spanking and teasing the hell out of her before slamming into that pussy, taking her for my own. The car pulls up, and to my delight, Francesca has yet to re-emerge. This girl really is a glutton for punishment.

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Throughout the car ride and on the lift, I keep myself in check- I don't touch Francesca. I want to build up the suspense for her. I can tell she is wondering why I haven't pounced; her eyes keep flitting to me, and she's squirming. "Charlie seemed really interested in my goal of opening a restaurant. I think he really wants to get out of your family's business..." she speaks rapidly. She tries to distract herself by talking to me about her night, but I'm barely listening, my mind filled with images of her naked body. Finally, we arrive home and stand to wait for the lift. The doors ping open and I sneak a glance at her as we walk in- she's flushed and wringing the sleeve of her coat in her hands. I've got plans for you, Killer. We arrive on our floor and I walk slowly to the flat and unlock the door. I shed my coat and hang up my keys, and Francesca follows my lead. "Come," I tell her, holding out my hand. She takes it and smiles sensually at me, her eyes lighting up. I lead her to our bedroom and shut the door behind us. "You were late," I murmur darkly, looking her up and down as she walks further into the room to stand beside the bed. Damn, she looks fit in that dress.

She turns to me and bites her lip, "Are you going to punish me?"

"A man is only as good as his word, Francesca," I say, stalking towards her. I stop in front of her, not touching her, my eyes trailing her chest.

She looks at me through hooded eyes. "I believe you made me one other promise today," she breathes.

I nod, my eyes finding hers. I can see that her body is electrified, and she is desperate for my touch. "Don't worry, Francesca. I have every intention of peeling you out of this dress," I tell her as I undo my tie. I place it on the bedside table and move to the buttons on my shirt, slowly undoing each one as I speak, "But I intend to take my time." I shrug off my jacket and shirt, and she reaches her hands out to touch my bare chest. Quickly, I step back, avoiding her greedy fingers. "No, no, baby- I'm running this show," I click my tongue. I want to leave her desperate for my touch and tease her until she thinks she can't take it anymore.

She whines, "Reggie, I want to touch you. I want to kiss you," she murmurs, stepping towards me and attempting to pull me against her. I grab her wrists to stop her and she groans frustratedly.

I shake my head at her, "I'll take you right now, hard and fast, if you want, and we'll both love it," her eyes gleam and she bites her lip, but I continue, "But I want you to cum spectacularly. Watching you stand up to my family- you were incredible and deserve an earth-shattering orgasm. Is that something you want?" I say in hushed tones, and Francesca's eyelids get heavy.

She flushes and swallows, "Yes."

I smirk at her, "Good. Let me take over, Francesca," I insist, and drop her wrists. "Now, stay still," I breathe. I step back and kick off my shoes, shed my socks, and start unbuckling my belt. I survey her as she watches me, silent and wanting. God, she looks so hot right now. I watch her chest rise and fall as I slide my trousers and knickers down, exposing my rock-hard cock. Francesca licks her lips, and it takes immense self-control to not throw her on the bed and fuck her silly. Finally naked, I wander back to Francesca and step close behind her, letting my cock hit her ass. I raise my arms and find the clips in her hair, releasing them one by one. Her flaxen hair drips along her back as I go, and I toss the clips behind me until her hair settles across her shoulders and back. I gently collect it in my hand, making an effort not to touch her too much, and pull it all to one side. "You have lovely hair, Francesca," I mutter into her ear, then blow softly along her neck. She shivers and moans lightly.

I gently kiss her bare shoulder and bring my fingers up to replace my lips, letting them tickle her skin before they find the strap of her dress. I slip a finger beneath it and slowly move it over her shoulder and let it fall down her upper arm. I lean forward slightly and scrape my teeth on her earlobe, "It's time to peel," I whisper, eliciting another shiver, then find her other sleeve and repeat the process. She groans and presses her ass against me. "Stay still, baby," I scold her, then lightly kiss her neck. I run my nose from her ear, down her neck to the edge of her shoulder, and delicately bite her there.

"Oh, Reggie," she mutters. I find the zip and pull it down slowly, reaching the end that sits just at the top of her firm and round bottom. I release the zip and the dress gapes slightly but stays up. I let my fingers trail down her arms, making her hairs stand on end. On the way back up, she sighs longingly. I hook my fingers under the straps that are hanging on her biceps and move downward again, this time taking the dress with me, peeling it from her chest and down her stomach. I stop when I reach her ass and tug the straps towards me to press her against me slightly, letting my chest touch her exposed back. I slide my tongue along the same path my nose travelled but start at her shoulder and move to her ear. I nip at her earlobe then suck it into my mouth, swirling my tongue around. "Mmmmh," Francesca reacts, pressing herself into me again.

I pull away and she whines again. I continue dragging the dress down, bending at the needs and having to pull harder to get past the delicious swell of her ass. I press the dress against the front of her legs, making sure she can feel the lush fabric dance along her stockings, before I drop it and it pools at her feet. I run a finger from her heel to her ankle, then trail it along the inside of her leg. When I reach the edges of her stocking, I play with the lace on top. Jesus, her body... I kiss her right ass cheek delicately, then lose myself for a moment and bite her, causing her to yelp, then moan. I kiss the bite mark, then let my fingers dip beneath her panties on the sides and slide them down. I can already smell her as I release them and they join the dress, puddled at her feet. I peak between her legs and can see a sheen of her juices on her swollen lips. Already so wet. I raise my head slightly and blow along her lips. "Oh, fuck," Francesca murmurs. Her thigh muscles tighten beneath my hands and I smile.

I lower slightly and rest my nose just above her knee and trail it up until I am centimeters from her moist lips. "You smell divine," I groan, then stand and step away from her, appreciating how good she looks in her thigh-highs and high heels. I still agree with Susanna- her legs look great in a pair of stockings. I smirk at the thought of Susanna, remembering how she ogled Francesca all night. Francesca looks over her shoulder at me expectantly, waiting for my instruction. Good girl. "Step out of your dress," I tell her, and she does as she's told then turns to face me. Her breasts are perky, her nipples already standing tall. They are enchanting. I lean forward and suckle gently on one nipple, and Francesca's back arches toward me as her head falls backward. I pull away and blow lightly over her wet nipple and she moans loudly. I do the same to her other nipple and she raises her hands up to my hair.