Now she looks up, a challenge in her eyes. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Nothing.” I’m now certain Madison’s lower or middle class status is a sore spot for her. I’m curious whether it has something to do with the human cosmetics heiress, Eleanor Harrington. Because even though Madison didn’t seem to know her, she had a similar scent as Madison. A familial scent. And her interest in Madison couldn’t be ignored.
“I was changing the topic. I’m just curious what upbringing created this smart, ballsy, window-dress wearing package.”
I don’t consider myself a charmer, but I’m not horrible if I put a little effort out. She relaxes.
“My mom has a Ph.D. in Shakespearean Literature. She teaches at Landhower Preparatory School.”
“And your dad?” I prompt.
“No dad.”
“Test tube baby?” I deadpan.
She shrugs. “No name on the birth certificate. My mom got knocked up when she was in graduate school by some upper crust society guy. I guess he wanted nothing to do with her because she had the wrong pedigree or something.”
Ah. And there’s the reason for the chip on her shoulder.
It also fits with my suspicions about Eleanor Harrington. She has a few sons who might be of the right age to have sired Madison.
“Not that you’d know about that,” she mutters to her plate.
“Why do you say that?” I want to know her thoughts.
“You know,” she says in that light tone of hers, the one she uses when she’s teasing me. “You were born with a silver fork, knife and spoon in your hand.”
“I assure you, I was not.”
“Oh right.
No silver utensils allowed on the premises,” she intones. “Page thirty-eight, fifty-six and one hundred and eleven of the assistant manual.” She goes back to cutting her New York strip, which slides around on the plate and makes her jostle her knees to hold the plate steady. “What’s that about anyway? Are you allergic to silver?”
“Something like that.” I take the knife from her and cut neat strips. It’s not an intimate act, except that I’m a wolf, and feeding my female is a primordial urge. I can’t deny the surge of satisfaction it gives me, even though it probably offends her since she knows nothing about shifter culture.
I don’t want to examine why I would feel this way about feeding a human. She’s not my mate. She can’t be.
Maybe I just need to screw her and get her out of my system.
Oh, right. Can’t do that, either, because she’s my fucking assistant. The best one I’ve ever had, no less. And honestly, having a capable assistant has to trump my need to know what it would be like to taste her.
To hear her screams of pleasure. Her voice choking out my name when I make her come.
It simply can’t happen. A fact I knew before I invited her here as my tortuous non-date.
“What about you? Skeletons in your family’s closet?”
“Lots.” Literal ones-caused by our feud with the Adalwulfs. There’s not much I can say about my family and the secret of what we really are, but she’s watching me, her warm brown eyes attentive. “My family is as dysfunctional as they come.”
When I don’t elaborate, she says, “You were sweet to your sister tonight.”
“We’re close. Fucked up families sometimes do that to siblings.”
“Are you close with Scarlett?”
Now I’ve had enough. “Too many questions, Windows.”
“You started it-Sir.”
The added sir wrings a chuckle out of me. “So I did.”
I finish my food, but Madison’s barely made it through a quarter of her plate. I crack open the Perrier and sip straight from the bottle.
“Why are we out here?” Madison asks.
“I don’t need to suffer through a stuffy dinner in there with guys I see every day.” It has nothing to do with wanting to be alone with Madison Evans.
I look at my Rolex. “I’ll go back when dinner’s over and do my duty.”
“What about Benson Senior?”
Right. My supposed reason for bringing her here. “I’ll corner him later. Make small talk.”
“Ask him about golf,” she advises. “Outside of his company and leaving a legacy for his son, it’s his main obsession. Do you know anything about golf?”
“Sure.” I’m not bad with bullshit, when I try.
I get on my phone to check all the texts that have been coming in. Mostly from my pack brothers wanting to know where I went and what was up with me bringing the secretary. I leave them unanswered and check my alerts for news reports on MoonBase, Moon Co. or the Benson deal. Nickel promised to keep on top of any reporters. We even discussed letting slip some false information, so we can sniff out the leak.
There’s a traitor in our midst, and if we don’t find the betrayal soon, the Adalwulfs will continue to be one step ahead.
Madison gives up on finishing her food and sets the plate down, stripping the napkin shield from her peek-a-boobs. The sight makes me agitated and angry. Normally, having her near me calms my wolf, but it’s too much with the windows. My testosterone and levels of the male shifter hormone lupinocrine go nuts with the need to chase, catch and claim her. Forcefully, if necessary. Actually, forcefully would be preferred.
If she were a she-wolf.
“Let’s go.” I stand and offer her a hand since it’s a long way up, and she’s in precarious heels and a full-length dress. She puts her fingers in my palm. I’m way too happy to know that her scent will be on my skin for the next thirty minutes if I don’t wash. Tonight her scent is heavy on the citrus, with only a hint of nutmeg.
I lead her back to the ballroom where the band is playing and a few people are dancing. Instead of heading to my assigned table, I lead her straight to the dance floor. The need to hold this female in my arms is just too much for me.
“W-wait. What are we doing?” she asks. It’s the first time I’ve seen a touch of panic in her, and it surprises me.
I give her my usual asshole look of scorn. “Dancing. Ruby will freak out if people don’t get on the floor.”
“Okay, um…I’m freaking out because I don’t really know how to dance.”
“Ah.” I can’t help but smile because her admission is cute. “So there is something you’re not good at.”
We arrive on the floor, and I take her right hand in my left, placing my other palm on her back beneath her shoulder blades to guide her. “Put your hand on my shoulder,” I murmur.
“Sorry.” She quickly lifts the flailing other hand to the place it’s supposed to be. I start moving slowly to let her get used to being led. My wolf glories in having her close. Her scent is like a hit of a powerful drug.
“My gifts are, um, more mental than physical.”
“Not sure I agree there.” I didn’t mean to mutter that out loud. Or with innuendo. “All you have to do is follow my lead, Windows. I won’t let you fail.”
“Yes, but will you let me fall?” She surprises a laugh out of me, which unfortunately catches nearly everyone’s attention.
Fuck. Just what I need is half of Manhattan high society gossiping about me having an affair with my assistant. Is it an affair when you’re not married? Or is it just corporately unethical?
The rumor mill will run even hotter because a number of said high society members here are also wolves. Wolves who will not approve of their alpha dicking around with a human female when he should be busy finding his fated mate. The she-wolf who will continue the oldest and most undiluted bloodline in the country.
A tinge of iron reaches my nostrils and sends shockwaves of alarm through my wolf. I scan Madison for any injuries, but see none. The scent isn’t the blood of a woman’s period, either.
“Are you bleeding, Madison?”
She stumbles and looks down toward her feet. “What-did I get it on you?”
Ah. My wolf relaxes. Her shoes. “You have blisters.”
“So many,” she admits with a rueful smile.
“Not so smug now about ignoring my orders to not wear high heels.”
“What makes you think I was smug?”
“You enjoy crossing me.”
“What gave you that idea?” Her lips twitch up in a smile. I want to hate it. I do hate it. Because that smile fills my chest with warmth. Makes me want to kiss the red right off her pouty lips. I subtly draw her a little closer to my body, wanting more of her intoxicating scent up in my nostrils.
“Am I right?” I probe, ignoring my absurd attraction to this girl.
“What?”
“Do you enjoy crossing the Big Bad Boss?”
Her soft lips part on a gasp.
My dick punches out against my trousers. I want to make her gasp for better reasons.
“Oh, yes,” I say. “I’ve heard your little nickname for me.” Shifter hearing gives me the edge.
“I’m sure you’ve been called worse.”
“No apology?”
“Like you said. I enjoy crossing you.” Her gaze lands squarely on mine, and I feel a sense of triumph. The need to drag her off to a dark corner and ravish her overwhelms me.
Fuck-I’ve never felt this way with any female, much less a human. I don’t even know if I can maintain control much longer.
“I appreciate an honest response.”
I stop dancing and escort her off the dance floor toward the closest side door. Once we’re past the caterers, I pull out my phone and call Tony. “Bring the limo to the secret entrance to pick up Ms. Evans. She’s ready to go home.”
I need to get her out of here. Away from me. I’m losing control here. The scent of what can only be a smear of her blood makes me want to tear the room apart to damage her foes.
Madison blinks at me. I end the call and hold her gaze as I tuck it back in my pocket. “There’s no need for you to stay and suffer. I may demand your blood, sweat and tears for other projects, but certainly not this one.”
“Oh, I’m fine. Really.”
I expected her to protest. She may push the envelope on many things, but she never gives less than one hundred percent to her duties.
“Your feet hurt and you’re tired, I can tell.”
Her shocked gaze searches my face.
Damn. I revealed too much. I’m not supposed to notice or care about my employees.
“I thought I was covering pretty well.”
“You have. But I don’t want your blood on my conscience.” I put a hand on her back and lead onto the service elevator.
As soon as the doors close, I realize my mistake. Madison’s scent blooms around us, filling the small space. Everything in me screams to whirl on her and claim her.
It’d be so easy. She fits into my arms perfectly-I know that from dancing. I could tip her back, ravish those red lips. Rip off the dress and lick her sweet scent from the source.
My heart thuds behind my breastbone. I force myself to stare straight ahead at the bright buttons marking our descent.
“So this is the secret exit.” Her voice is low and husky, pure seduction. She’s killing me. “Why do I get the feeling that you use it often?”
“Because you know me well.”
“You could leave with me. I mean-I don’t mean with me, with me. But at the same time as me.”
The muscles in my groin tighten painfully. If she’s not careful, I will leave with her, with her. “No. My sister would skin me alive.”
“Are you sure? Your assistant could craft a perfect excuse.”
“I’d like nothing more than to escape the ball, but I promised Ruby I’d do my part.”
She nods. “Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“Oh, I won’t,” I assure her.
Not without you.
She tosses me the most dazzling smile. “In any case, thank you. I had a nice time.”
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