Noah already knew about Brick’s feelings for the secretary. They shared a glance in that exchange that said what happened was meaningful on both sides.
That means any wolf here might know. If it got back to the Adalwulfs, it would be disastrous. I also hate seeing my alpha weakened like this.
We, as his pack brothers, should have insisted more on getting him out to find his fated mate. We should be traveling the world, arranging meetings with every pack princess to find the one female who will trigger the claiming instinct in him.
He’s been too focused on growing this company since we left college. On his need and drive to surpass everything Adalwulf Associates is, everything they took from our pack when they murdered Brick’s father.
Now he’s ensnared by his secretary-a fucking human. It’s absurd and totally beneath him. Worse-he allowed her to stay overnight at his home-on pack land-and used her to satisfy his sexual needs.
I close my laptop. It’s already three o’clock, and we’ve been in here for hours. I doubt we’ll get much more done with the mood Brick’s in. “Should we break for the day?”
Brick’s still fuming. He glares darkly at Madison’s cleavage a moment before he says, “Yes.”
Everyone moves at once, like he’s the teacher who just released the class, the pent-up tension in the room propelling us out of our chairs and into the elevator. Once I’m inside, I text a team of private investigators I have on standby. They’re already on the hunt for every bit of information there is to be had on Madison Evans. We have a few suspicious phone calls to her work phone that might have come from the Adalwulf building, but that’s not enough to bring her down. I tell the team to have someone following her at all times, too.
I’ll prove she’s up to no good. In a choice between his pack or a measly human, Brick will make the right call.
And he’ll get rid of her once and for all.
* * *
Brick
“The Benson deal is close to closing. I want everyone in the legal department in the conference room in five minutes,” I snarl through the intercom Wednesday morning.
“They’re already on their way,” Madison replies calmly. “And your executive team is here.”
I’ve been a holy terror for three days now.
I barely sleep at night. I have to fly back to the Berkshires to run after work and go to the gym in the mornings, but nothing takes the edge off.
Billy and Nickel walk into my office, and Billy surveys me with narrowed eyes.
I rise to my feet, sending my rolling chair backward to hit the bookcase behind my desk. “Don’t enter my office without knocking.” I blast them both with enough alpha command to make them freeze in their tracks.
“Sorry, Alpha,” Billy mutters. “I thought the secre-Madison-told you we were coming in.”
Neither of them say a word about the fact that Madison Evans is still in my employ, despite the fact that I said I’d get rid of her.
I can’t do it.
It’s simply not possible.
I need a steady hit of her scent. Need to see the swish of those hips and the tease of her skin. Getting rid of her is the right move-the only move for my pack-but it doesn’t work for me.
I need her here at the office. That’s what I keep telling myself. It’s about business. She’s the best damn assistant I’ve ever had.
My wolf is confused and thinks she’s my mate. I can control that urge.
It would be easier if we hadn’t decided to keep things professional, though.
“I’ll meet you in the conference room.”
I’ve avoided a private conversation with my executive team all week. Just the sight of them makes me want to throw something. I stride past Billy and Nickel and head to the conference room with them trailing me.
Eagle is already there, directing the in-house legal team.
“Where are we with the updated contract draft?” I demand.
“We have the-” a human starts to explain.
“I wasn’t talking to you.” I don’t even look his way.
“I just gave them the instructions you called in this morning.” Eagle reminds me that while I may have called him at six this morning, it’s barely past eight still.
I frown at all of them. “Questions? Problems?”
Nobody dares to speak. “I want this done by the end of the day. We’ll have lunch brought in. No one leaves this room until I have a completed draft. Understood?”
“What can we do to help?” Nickel asks. He and Billy are standing in the doorway. Billy usually relishes my tirades, but his brows are down today.
He’s about to become the subject of my fury.
“
Nothing. Why are you here? Go back to your offices until I call for you.”
“You did call for-“
“Leave it,” Nickel mutters, putting a hand on Billy’s shoulder to turn him around. The two of them exit.
He’s right. I did tell Madison I wanted to see them. I just changed my mind the moment seeing them pissed me off again.
I sweep the room with a challenging gaze, which no one dares to meet. Every employee has their head down over their laptop. Too bad. I was in the mood to fire someone.
I stalk back out, and my cell phone rings. I check the screen. Seeing it’s Ruby, I answer on my way back to my office.
“Brick. I’m just checking in about the Adalwulf Associates board meeting.”
Fuck. Like I didn’t have enough of my mother with Thanksgiving.
“I’m not going,” I say curtly, shutting the door behind me.
Ruby draws a breath. “Really? You’re going to tuck your tail and cower in front of our pack rivals?”
She knows exactly how to goad me. A snarl issues from my throat, loud enough that I worry Madison heard it.
Ruby’s right, of course. As our mother’s heirs, she, Scarlett, and I have seats on the board of Adalwulf and Associates. It was a negotiated part of our parents’ mating agreement. Of course, we’ll never have a real say in anything discussed there, since we don’t hold a majority. So, really, there’s no point at all in attending. But Ruby’s right. Staying away would make me seem weak.
Ruby continues as if I agreed to go. “I was hoping we could go over together. You, me, and Eagle. I can swing by to pick you two up on the way.”
“Fine-but only if we’re finished with the Benson deal. When is it?”
“A week from Friday. It’s already on your calendar-I checked with Madi yesterday.”
I grunt in reply and end the call.
Now I’m really grouchy. There’s no way I’m going to be able to work without taking the edge off.
I stare at the wall between my office and Madison as if I could see through it.
I’ve been calling her into my office for a myriad of inane reasons just to keep her scent here. I can’t be certain if it riles me up or takes the edge off. Either way, it’s like a drug that I need a constant hit from.
“Madison.” I hit the intercom.
She doesn’t answer.
I slam my finger down again. “
Madison.”
My wolf spins and snarls, like a beast in a cage. He’s ready to tear the building apart, as if someone kidnapped her. Or-fate forbid-she quit again.
Calm down.
I force myself to fill my lungs with air. She’s probably in the restroom. She was at her desk when I went by a moment ago.
Still, I find myself stalking through the top floor to make sure. I don’t catch her scent near the restrooms, nor is she in the kitchen. I have to loosen my tie because I’m too hot under my collar.
I throw open the conference room door, catching the whites of every employees’ eyes before I shut it again.
Not in there.
The elevator dings, and Madison exits in the wool coat I bought her carrying two trays of coffees.
“Where were you?” I demand, even though it’s quite obvious. Like the proactive assistant she is, she already gathered drink orders. “You don’t pick up their coffee orders.”
Madison blinks. “I…do, though.”
“No. Just for the executive team. And I don’t want you doing that anymore, either. From now on, you’ll get them delivered. You don’t step away from that desk unless I give you leave.” I point at the desk as if I’d grounded her, and she left her room without permission.
I know my behavior’s over the top. I’m not sure if I’m subconsciously trying to sabotage our tenuous relationship so she quits again because I can’t take this torture, or if I am really this on edge, and I can’t dial it back anymore.
Fortunately, Madison keeps her cool. “I’m going to bring these coffees into the conference room, and then I’ll come straight to your office.” She holds my gaze with those wide, intelligent eyes.
I hesitate. The stormy part of me doesn’t want to be mollified, but the eye contact settles my wolf. “Fine.” I turn and stalk back to my office.
A moment later, she’s in the doorway, pulling off her coat as she enters. “Yes, sir?”
Yes, sir. Yes. Sir. She thinks I want something.
Damn straight I do. I want something from her right here and now.
I frown at her.
“Are you-” she hesitates. “Are you angry that I saw the inner workings of your family? Is that what’s bothering you?”
I give her massive points for trying to call me out on my shit.
I get up from the desk and stalk toward her, taking her coat and shutting the door behind her.
“No.”
My answer surprises me, but it’s true. I’m actually grateful Madison witnessed my family dynamic with the compassion and understanding she brought.
She straightens the skirt on a black peek-a-boo dress with shoulder cutouts. The need to lick the bare skin there makes it hard to think straight.
“Is it the Benson deal?”
“No. Well, partly.” I give an impatient wave of my hand and toss her coat onto my chair. I want her scent there when she leaves.
I don’t mean to do it. One second she’s standing in front of me, the next moment, I have her pinned against the wall, one of my thighs insinuated between her legs, one hand cradling the side of her neck.
Madison gasps and clings to my arms as I shove my nose into her hair and breathe in that delectable scent.
“I’m not supposed to fuck you.” My voice is crushed granite.
Madison squirms against me, but not to get away. She rocks her pelvis down over my thigh, rubbing her damp sex against my suit pants.
“You’re not…” She sucks in another breath. “Is that what they told you after Thanksgiving? When you were standing out in the snow together?”
I don’t know why I’m still surprised by her sharp intelligence.
My teeth scrape along the skin of her neck. “Yes.”
She rubs over my thigh, and I grip her ass to help.
“Why? Because I work for you?”
“Yes.” My wolf hates the lie, but it’s more of a half-truth.
I find the crack of her ass from the back and slide my fingers forward until I hit the damp of her panties.
She grinds harder over my thigh. Her head hits the wall behind her, and she levels another bold gaze at me. “Well, in that case, I’m totally down with screwing the boss.”
I study her, taking in the lifted angle of her chin, the fire behind her eyes. Madison Evans doesn’t shrink from a fight.
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