If I believed that bluster Madison fed me before she waltzed out of here, if I really thought she seduced me to make herself unfireable, I’d crucify her. I stomp on black widows. My mother taught me not to trust a female with an agenda.
But I saw the cracks in her facade. I think I scared her today. Maybe because I was too rough. Maybe she fears she bit off more than she can chew. Or she just doesn’t want a repeat performance-my wolf bristles at that notion, but it’s possible.
Madison’s barely out of college. She may come off as a grown-up, she may be smarter than ninety-nine percent of the population, but that doesn’t mean she actually knew what she’d get today when she pushed me too far.
“Not to take her side, but you’re abusing a position of power, Brick. I know she doesn’t ruffle easily-but that doesn’t mean-“
“I know,” I cut in. Guilt stabs me.
We stare at each other for a long moment, and I see the doubt in my friend’s gaze.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Don’t let this spin out. If things need to be nipped in the bud, get Eagle involved right away.”
“I don’t need Eagle to handle this. I’ve got it.”
“All right. I hope so.”
“Enough,” I say with an alpha push in my voice to shut him up.
I only wish I felt as sure as I sounded.
* * *
Madi
I go home, take a shower, and put on my PJ’s. Aubrey has class tonight, and I intend to order in and curl up with a book.
It’s not that I want to forget what happened today, it’s just too much to think about.
What happened was far too big to unpack.
I’m on the couch with my takeout when my phone buzzes with a text from Blackthroat.
His texts are as short and concise as his words. This one simply says,
Call me.
I’ve worked for him for almost four months, and we’ve rarely spoken on the phone after work hours. He has decent boundaries for a workaholic. I don’t get many calls after hours, nor requests on weekends.
Before I can check myself, I text back,
What’s the magic word?
I know I’m poking the bear, but we did just have sex on his desk today. I think I have some wiggle room now.
Blackthroat’s one-word reply:
Now.
Okay, yeah. He’s still my boss. My pulse picks up speed as I hit the call button. I’m all fluttery and nervous like I’m sixteen, and he’s the first boy at school to show interest in me-which, for the record-didn’t happen since I was a pariah at my school for being poor. Determined not to show my nerves, I say the moment he picks up, “Don’t worry, I haven’t hired a lawyer yet.”
He makes a hmph sound but says nothing else, which is odd for him. Of course, it’s not like we’ve had any after-hours phone calls before.
“Listen.” The deep timbre of his voice sends thrills straight through my body, reawakening all the parts he pleasured today. “I obviously regret my behavior today…”
I stiffen. Ouch. He regrets it. My heart starts pounding hard against my chest. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.
“I crossed all the lines.”
“Yep,” I say with false cheer. “You totally did.”
I’m so glad I walked out of there with the upper hand today.
“I just hope… I wanted to make sure… you weren’t forced into anything. Or coerced. I mean… because I’m your boss. I gave you an out, but I don’t know if it was clear-“
It sinks in that he’s not trying to dump me or offend me. Could Brick Blackthroat actually be second-guessing his behavior? Is he actually worried about me? My feelings? His abuse of power?
He fears I felt forced. That’s…almost sweet.
A slight smile creeps around my mouth. Part of me wants to make him sweat it, but I have mercy. “As tempted as I am to make you suffer on behalf of all the assistants who’ve held this position before me, the answer is no. I didn’t feel forced. I am perfectly capable of saying no when I don’t want sex.”
Hmph. He makes that sound again. “For the record, you are the only assistant I’ve had in that particular position.”
I choke out a laugh. My hurt over his expression of regret evaporates into lightness.
“Was it the peek-a-boobs?” I tease.
“Probably,” he grumbles. I hold my breath, waiting for more. Not sure what to say next, and there’s an awkward silence. “All right. Then I won’t apologize.”
Right, because that would probably kill him. He does, on occasion, say thank you, but I have never heard the man apologize.
“Madi.”
My pulse quickens at his use of my shortened name.
“Yes?” I purposely leave off the sir because this isn’t really a boss-employee discussion.
“Did you do it to make yourself un-fire-able?”
I hesitate-not because I’m not sure, but I’m debating how much to reveal. There’s something so vulnerable about not having an agenda. About just wanting something for myself. For my own pleasure, not my future or my career. My whole life has been focused on getting ahead. Proving myself. I’m strategic and smart with my choices.
This choice was not strategic, though.
“No,” I admit the truth. “I did it because it was hot.”
“It was hot,” he agrees, and my heart races. After another pause-this one not as awkward, he says, “Just so we’re clear, I would’ve made your life a living hell if you had.”
“You already make my life a living hell.”
“Oh, Ms. Evans, you haven’t seen anything. The gloves are still on where you’re concerned. You don’t want to see me when I’m out for blood.”
A tingle runs up my spine.
The gloves are on where I’m concerned. Does that mean I’m special to him?
“Leave it to you to ruin what could’ve been construed as our first nice conversation.”
“I don’t do nice, Peek-a-boobs. But I want you to know you’re safe. I’ll keep my dick in my pants from now on.”
I shouldn’t be disappointed. This can’t go on any longer.
“Goodnight,” he says. Another first for him-he usually ends calls without any closure.
I hold the phone away from my face and look at the screen with a goofy smile. He’s already hung up. “Go-goodnight?” I let out a nervous laugh. “Well, that was weird,” I say to the empty apartment.
Huh. Blackthroat is still a royal dick, but something happened between us. Something more than sex. I’m gooey and warm inside and trying to get rid of the traitorous part of me that believes what we just exchanged was special.
And to keep myself from those very dangerous thoughts, I go back to review the part that matters.
He regretted having sex with me and promised it wouldn’t happen again.
This wasn’t the beginning of something nor really an end.
It was a one-off.
A story for the storybooks, nothing more.
My heart can stay safely locked down, and my job is intact.
Why then, do I feel so disappointed?
Brick
“What did you find out about the connection to the Harringtons and my assistant?” I ask Sully as I take the elevator up to my floor Tuesday.
“I’m still looking into it, but I’m guessing you were right-Brett Harrington and Denise Evans-Madison’s mom-were at Harvard together.”
I grunt in reply. My sense of smell never lies.
“I’ll get you a definitive as soon as I can.”
“Good.”
Sully gets off on his floor, and I continue to the fifty-fifth and step off the elevator.
I know Madison is here by her intoxicating spiced orange scent before my gaze meets hers. I see her every day, yet it’s all changed now. I’ve been inside her. Seen her sweet face when she comes. Know what kind of panties she wears–a silky black thong that will forever be imprinted on my brain.
And yet we put that to rest. It won’t be happening again. From a scandal standpoint, I appear to have dodged a bullet. Also from a legal standpoint, not that I think she could’ve won any case against me.
After her scent and the flash of insecurity in her gaze, I note her dress.
Unbelievably, she’s wearing another fucking window.
Wordlessly, I point at her, then point to my office as I stride by.
She gets up and follows me in.
I cast a baleful glance at the window cutout in her dress. I’m already having a hard time not tracing my own finger around its outline the way she so loves to do. Now that I’ve touched her, I seem to think I have the right to do it again.
My nostrils flare as her scent hits me square in the chest and travels southward. If I were honest with myself, I’d acknowledge it was one of the reasons I summoned her into my office rather than having an exchange at her desk. I want her scent to linger after she leaves.
Or maybe I want to have her spreadeagle on top of my desk.
“Why am I still seeing boobs?” I demand.
“Because I’m unfireable.”
So she thinks. Except she’s right. I’m not about to fire her. I can’t even stand not seeing her on weekends anymore.
“Okay.” I shove my hands in my pockets and pace away from her to aid my resistance. “You won this battle. Is that what you need to hear? You won, Madi. Now stop wearing the damn dresses.”
“Wouldn’t want to make you do something you regret, right?” I catch a slight sourness in her voice, and it makes me turn to study her face.
Did I hurt her with that comment? Fuck. I never meant it that way.
“Is that why you’re pissed?” No longer able to keep my distance, I walk over, pick her up, and set her on my desk. She lifts her chin in a show of defiance that I regrettably find adorable. “Listen to me. You’re the first assistant in all the years I’ve had this company that I can stand. So I don’t want to fuck that up because I can’t keep my dick in my pants around you. That’s why I said I regretted it. And also because I was concerned that I’d taken advantage.”
Her shoulders relax, and her gaze softens.
“So will you just give me a fucking pass and stop wearing the dresses?”
I see a flicker of stubbornness in her expression.
“You won, all right? You’re unfireable. I’ll give you anything you want to make this better.”
“Anything, huh?” She rests her hands beside her on the desk and crosses one leg over the other, making the fabric of her dress slide up. “That’s a pretty bold offer.”
“Within reason.”
She slides off the desk and tosses her hair. “What I want is to make you suffer.” Her hips twitch as she struts out of my office leaving me with a hard-on and a growl in my throat.
Madi
When I walk onto the fifty-fifth floor the next week, a tense silence greets me. A hushed crowd of analysts cowers in the corner, looking seasick. Another round of layoffs Blackthroat wanted to oversee personally? We were supposed to have a preliminary meeting with Benson at noon, but it looks like the conference room is already occupied.
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