I walked faster.
“You should know,” She said slowly. “I wasn’t the only one that caught him coming out of there.”
I gave her a quick look. “Who else?”
“Carolina.”
No!
Carolina was a notorious gossip.
I couldn’t stand her.
And she was equally as fond of me.
“She can’t know it was me.”
“I don’t think she does.” Teresa looked up and down the hall. “She left.”
I should’ve known someone as nosy as her wouldn’t have let that go.
As I walked back down the hall toward my office, I passed the main office area and realized she was propped in the doorway, waiting.
“Ha! I knew it.”
“What?” Teresa said.
“It was Ms. Chase with him.”
“What makes you think it wasn’t me?”
“Ha!” Carolina tossed her blonde curls. Sneering at us. “Wouldn’t Mr. Walker love to know that Ms. Chase is fraternizing with her favorites?”
Mr. Walker?
My gaze
He was talking so fast, he sounded like a crazed man. “Mike. I’ve told you a dozen times. It was a fling. I’m done. Go away.” I snapped. “You don’t mean that.” He caught my arm and pulled me toward him. “I can make you feel good.” His hand was fumbling around near the crotch of my slacks. I swatted him away and slapped his face. “Back the hell off, Mike!” “What’s going on!” An authoritive voice boomed from the front doors. We both turned and looked. Kane was there. He was standing just outside the front door. I knew that stance. His feet were apart and his arms across his thick chest. His brows knitted in disapproval. “Noth-Not-Not your b-business…” Michael fumbled. Trying to sound bold. Though it came out weak as a fly. He was clearly intimidated. “I think she’s made it very clear that the answer is no. When a woman says no, you leave her the hell alone.” He announced. Each word carefully enunci
Logan sneered. His nose jerking as he gave me a venomous look before strolling reluctantly toward the bathrooms. Some comfort he’d be. I’d been on the other end of that feigned concern enough to know how weak it’d be. He’s not one for genuine compassion. He was rushing off to give Carolina some solace, after my cruel words had driven her off. I’d meant what I said about cruelty. Logan is the cruelest person I know. I turned, still staring at his back hatefully. And abruptly finding myself slamming into a hard wall. I grimaced before even looking up. My eyes slowly trailing from the square chest blocking my path, up to the hard lines of those features. But I already knew. I was surrounded by the scent of expensive sandalwood cologne. “That was rather impressive.” He drawled. “Was it?” “I almost went in search of your old pompoms.” Oh, God.
But then Logan’s face peeked into the doorway of the office to give me a contemptuous warning look. He barely poked his head around the doorframe. But he cast a slow ominous look from Kane to me. What right does he even have to be jealous anymore? Or to try to control me? I was enraged. I got up and stalked out of the Office. On his heels as he retreated. Clearly not wanting Kane to catch him talking to me. Not right before the suit goes to court. I thought bitterly. “Why don’t you go the hell away.” I caught up to him in the hallway. “You had me. You didn’t want me. Why does it just eat you up that someone else does?” “It doesn’t matter to me!!” Logan gave a wild gesture. “He can have my leftovers if that’s what he want.” I stiffened. Hating being termed like that. “Then just leave me the hell alone.” “Fine.” He shook his head. Looking away from me like a pouting chil
“Did you have a fling with her?” I demanded. My anger building at a dramatic rate. A sense of blind panic was taking over. I had a billion questions that I needed immediate answers for. “No.” “Are you now?” “No.” Liar! My mind was screaming not to believe him. Especially because I wanted to, so much. What else could she have been trying to press? I felt crippling betrayal. How could he do this to me? I’d thought he was so different from the others. “Are we going to go in?” He keyed open the door and swung it wide. Mouth tight I walked past him and straight in. Not looking back as I aimed straight for the shower. The one place I knew he’d have no right to enter. I quickly stripped and hopped beneath the warm water. Letting it settle over me like a soothing balm. Kane… He was all I could think about. I wanted to tell Logan to go fu
Where is he going? I wondered. As he carried me in his arms. Acting as though my weight was little more than a bird on his arm. What’s he doing? My panicked mind worked to find some logic to what I do. Fearing he’d want to make love all night. He’s done it before. I knew I should be looking for the streamers of things that made me resent him. How he got rid of my apartment, how he’s taking Logan to court, how he forced me into his apartment. But right now, none of those things mattered. His arms were warm. His gaze intense and striking. Seeing straight through me. And though my mind was screaming to keep him at arm’s length, I was tired. And I don’t want to. I just wanted to enjoy his company. I didn’t complain when he set me down. Dropping my head and shoulders over the soft pillowy warmth of his bed. And lay over me. Staring down at me thoughtfully. There we
“I don’t want to go. I don’t want it to be like before.” I said the words. Realizing what they really meant. “I want to be with you, Kane.” The words were impossibly hard to say. But once uttered, I felt as though I giant weight had lifted off me. I waited in fearful anticipation of his response. Still, it was the last thing I expected. “For how long this time, Angel?” I was a bit wounded. Having hoped that he would give me some grand declaration of returning affections. Instead, he sounded a bit skeptical. “For always.” “You sure about that?” There was a crack in his voice that told me despite his off-handed responses, this conversation was dreadfully important to him. “More sure then I’ve ever been about anything.” “Then let me do what I need to do. Breathe. Stay here. And give me time to build the world you want.” “Build the world?” I laughed softly. “This isn’t a video game, Kane.” “No. But I’ve lear
I found myself turning my face into the side of his neck to steal another hit of it. Then Teresa came in. Her eyes instantly sparked, and a slow smile turned her lips. “Here’s that file you requested yesterday.” “Thank you.” I told her. Sliding it to the center of my desk. It was the Walsh file and I had requested it. She wasn’t making that up. But she lingered there to watch us a bit longer than she needed to. Smiling knowingly. “Anything else, Teresa?” I asked. She shook her had and spun on her heel to walk out. “I’ll need the Bilmont file later.” She nodded. Eager to return with something later. I gave her a sideways glance that was us sharing a secret. She smiled and turned to walk away. Though I’d have said I had no real friends, Teresa was the closest I came. She did try to call fairly often, but I often guessed it was because I was her supervisor. So, I tried not to
“Mom!” I cried in objection. “You’re meddling again.” “Someone has to. Sometimes, for such a smart girl, you’ve all the sense of a runaway train.” “I love you too.” I said dryly. But I could hear the affection in her voice as she said it. I knew she wasn’t being cruel. “It’s coming down to it.” I sighed. “He wants to know where I’m at in the pseudo-relationship.” “Is it pseudo? He sure didn’t seem to think so.” “Well, I can’t really tell anyone.” “Why the hell not!” Her outrage was growing. She was going to set off these machines if she didn’t settle down. I gave them a nervous look. She groaned in aggravation and sat quietly. Closing her eyes until the beeps became regular again. “Be careful, Mom.” I urged. Patting her arm in a soothing way. “I’m calm. I’m calm.” She nodded. Talking more levelly. “Tell me why you wouldn’t want the whole world to know that man is yours?” “I do. It’s just…I just…” She was giving me a patient look. “I’m his supervisor. And Logan uses that to