This was awkward as hell—standing here, still flushed from fucking her daughter in the driveway, now face-to-face with a woman who looked like she could eat me alive and thank me for the meal afterward.
Ambly reached the bottom of the staircase with the kind of grace that made the air feel heavier. Up close, she was even more striking. She stood nearly as tall as me—maybe 5'10 in those heels—her posture straight, shoulders back, carrying her curves like she owned every inch of space around her. If I'd passed her on the street and someone told me she was in her late twenties, I'd have believed it. Her skin was smooth, glowing under the chandelier light, not a line out of place except for the faint ones at the corners of her eyes that only made her look more experienced, more dangerous. The silk blouse clung to her full, heavy breasts, the deep V-neck revealing just enough lace and shadow to draw the eye without trying. Her hips flared wide beneath the tight skirt, thighs thick and strong, the kind of body that promised power and softness in equal measure.
She stopped a couple of feet away, close enough that I caught the subtle scent of her perfume—something rich and dark, like vanilla soaked in bourbon. Her sharp green eyes flicked over me again, slower this time, taking in every detail.
Then she extended her hand, palm down, fingers elegant and manicured in deep crimson.
I took it carefully, gave a firm but polite shake. Her skin was warm, grip confident, lingering just a second longer than necessary before she released me.
She nodded once, as if I'd passed the first silent test.
Kara stepped forward, brushing a quick kiss on her mother's cheek. "I'm gonna go change out of these clothes real quick. Be right back." She turned to Ambly, voice light but pointed. "Mom, please don't be too hard on him."
Ambly's lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile. "I won't, honey. You can go."
Kara gave my arm a reassuring squeeze, then disappeared up the grand staircase, heels clicking softly until the sound faded.
Ambly gestured toward one of the plush sectional sofas near the fireplace. "Please, sit."
I did, sinking into butter-soft leather. She sat opposite me in a high-backed armchair, crossing her legs slowly. The movement made her skirt ride up just enough to reveal another inch of thigh, the edge of her stocking and the faint outline of a garter clip. She didn't adjust it.
For a moment, we just looked at each other. The only sounds were the quiet crackle of the fire and the distant, muffled movements of the staff somewhere deeper in the house.
"So," she began, voice low and smooth, "Ace. My daughter tells me you work at a coffee shop she now owns."
I nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Beadry's, downtown."
"And before that?"
"Same place. Different owner. Less… pleasant."
Her eyes glinted with amusement. "Kara mentioned your old boss was difficult. She doesn't tolerate people being mistreated. Especially not people she cares about."
I shifted slightly. "I appreciate that. More than she knows."
Ambly leaned forward just a fraction, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, fingers steepled. The motion pressed her breasts together, deepening the shadow between them. "She talks about you constantly, you know. How you're different. How you don't want her money. How you make her laugh. How you make her feel… normal."
I swallowed. "I care about her. A lot."
"That's sweet." Her tone was almost gentle, but there was an edge beneath it, like velvet over steel. "Most men who come near her see dollar signs. They want the lifestyle, the connections, the status. They'd let her buy them apartments, cars, whatever she offered. But you…" She tilted her head. "You refuse everything. That kind of pride can be admirable. Or foolish."
"I just want to stand on my own feet," I said quietly.
Ambly studied me for a long beat. Then she stood, walked slowly to the sidebar near the fireplace—a polished mahogany affair loaded with crystal decanters. She poured two fingers of something amber into a glass, didn't offer me one.
She took a sip, watching me over the rim. "Do you know how rare it is to find someone who isn't for sale?"
I didn't answer.
She set the glass down, walked back, but instead of returning to her chair, she sat on the sofa beside me. Close. Not touching, but close enough that the heat of her body reached me, that I could smell her perfume stronger now, feel the shift in the cushion as her weight settled.
Her voice dropped lower. "Kara is young. Passionate. She thinks she's in love because you're the first man who hasn't tried to use her."
I turned to look at her. Her face was stern, unreadable, but her eyes burned with something intense.
"I'm not using her," I said.
"I believe you." A pause. "But I also know my daughter. She's… intense. Demanding. She gets bored easily. And when she does, she moves on."
I clenched my jaw. "I'm not going anywhere."
Ambly's gaze dropped to my mouth, then lower, lingering on my chest, my lap, before coming back up. "You're loyal. That's attractive."
She shifted slightly, her knee brushing mine. Didn't move it away.
"Tell me, Ace," she murmured, "when was the last time someone took care of you? Really took care of you?"
I stayed silent.
Her hand moved—slowly, knwoingly—resting on the cushion between us, fingers just inches from my thigh. "You work long hours. You worry about rent. You turn down help because of pride. But what if someone offered you… relief? No strings. No expectations. Just pleasure."
The air felt thicker suddenly.
She leaned in a fraction closer, voice barely above a whisper. "I could take you upstairs right now. One of the guest bathrooms has a lock. You could bend me over the marble counter and plow my insides out until I couldn't stand straight. I'd let you use me however you wanted. Hard. Deep. No one would hear. And Kara would never know."
My breath caught. Her face remained stern, almost cold, but her eyes were dark, pupils blown wide.
Her hand moved again—this time onto my thigh, sliding upward slowly, deliberately, until her fingers brushed over the front of my jeans, pressing lightly against my cock through the fabric.
I froze.
She gave a faint squeeze, testing, feeling me twitch involuntarily beneath her touch. "You're already half-hard," she said softly. "I can feel it. Imagine how good it would feel inside me. I'm tighter than you think. Wetter than you'd expect."
Her thumb traced the outline of me through the denim, slow circles.
"I'd swallow every drop if you wanted. Or you could finish deep inside—no condom, no worries. I'm fixed. Just raw, filthy fucking until you're empty."
Heat flooded me, traitorous and unwanted. My body reacted even as my mind screamed no.
But I shook my head, stood up abruptly, stepping back out of reach.
"Ma'am," I said, voice rough but firm, "I'm honored you think of me that way. Truly. But I really do love your daughter. I'm sorry."
For a long moment, she just stared up at me from the sofa—hand still resting where I'd been sitting, expression unreadable.
Then, slowly, a low chuckle escaped her lips.
It wasn't warm. It was low, almost predatory, sending a chill down my spine despite the heat in the room.
She leaned back, crossing her legs again, watching me with those sharp eyes.
"Well," she said quietly, amusement lacing the word, "that's… unexpected."
The chuckle came again, softer this time, but no less unnerving.
"You really are different, aren't you?"
Before I could respond, heels sounded on the stairs—Kara coming back down, fresh and changed, oblivious to the charged silence she was walking into.
Ambly's gaze lingered on me for one more beat, something new flickering behind the stern mask—curiosity, maybe even respect—before she turned her head toward the staircase, the chuckle fading into a faint, knowing smile.
Kara's arms wrapped around me from behind, warm and familiar, her chin resting on my shoulder as she hugged me tight. "I'm ready, Mother," she said cheerfully. "Let's start!"
For a split second, everything felt almost normal again. Then I caught Ambly's eyes across the room.
She was staring at me with that same stern, unreadable expression—but something in it had shifted. A glint of satisfaction, maybe. Anticipation.
That's when I noticed the maids.
They lined the upstairs railing like silent statues—more than ten of them, all in identical black uniforms, white aprons crisp and spotless. Every single one faced downward, directly at me. Expressionless. Not curious, not surprised, not even blinking. Just… watching. Waiting.
A cold prickle ran up my spine. The unease I'd felt earlier turned into something sharper, heavier.
"Uh," I muttered, forcing a weak laugh. "D-do I have something on my face or something?"
No one answered. The maids didn't move. Ambly didn't speak. Kara's arms stayed loosely around my waist.
Ambly raised a hand. "Let's not—"
Sharp, white-hot pain seared through my back, like a branding iron driven straight through muscle. My eyes flew wide, breath seizing in my throat. My hand shot behind me on instinct—fingers brushing warm, slick blood and the cold metal hilt of a knife buried just below my left shoulder blade.
I stumbled forward a step, legs already going numb from shock.
Kara released me, stepping back with that same warm, sweet smile—like she'd just handed me a gift instead of a blade. Her hands were stained red. My blood dripped from her fingers.
"Oh, fuck!" The words tore out of me as the pain finally hit full force. "AH! FUUCK!"
Ambly exhaled slowly, almost bored. "Kara, change of plans—"
I didn't wait. I needed to run away. Now.