Their Salvation

by May Gordon

  I thought about talking to the head of accounting, Dan, about the discrepancies, but after meeting him during lunch, I decided to stay far away from him. He gave me lust filled looks and not the flattering kind. It scared me. What also seems to is all the talk about our boss.

  Pierce Thorne.

  He’s not well-liked by his employees. I heard he's sour and intimidating. This makes me not want to talk to him, but I don’t want to bring Mary into this either. She’s HR not accounting. I see only one option, and I heard that Mr. Thorne will be working late tonight as usual.

  Taking a deep breath, I gather the papers, and walk to the elevator. I look at myself in the mirror inside and realize I’m a mess. My once neatly tied back hair is messy, clothes rumpled, and my make-up practically rubbed off, not that I wear much to start with. When the elevator chimes, it startles me, my nerves of this day wearing thin. Mr. Thorne’s floor is dark for the most part. I can see the city lights shining through the windows and an office light at the far end of the hallway. As I walk toward it, I feel my heart start to race. From the little gossip I’ve heard about Mr. Thorne, I assume he's so mean because he’s old, but when I near his office I stop in my tracks. The man hunched over is far from elderly. His massive body dominates the desk. He seems as if he's been in that position for a while. His hair is dark brown, long enough to run your hands through, and his face is strong, if that’s possible. He’s not what you'd call GQ handsome, but looks like a warrior in a suit. For some reason, I find myself dying to know what color his eyes are.

  After gawking for way too long, I remember I came here for a reason. I stop at the office threshold and shift the papers to one arm, using the other to knock.

  “What?” He snaps, not bothering to look up from the paper he’s currently reading.

  Taking a deep breath, I force myself to speak. “Mr. Thorne,” my voice sounds weak and shaky.

  His head snaps up, his eyes burning into mine. I suck in a breath. They’re a beautiful dark green. They widen in disbelief, maybe because I'm working here so late. I decide his silence and staring is him waiting for me to explain why I'm here.

  “I’ve found some concerns regarding the Brayer numbers.” Again, all he does is stare, and I return it, not knowing what else to do. “Mr. Thorne?” I ask a little louder, trying to snap him out of his trance.

  “Who are you?” His voice is low, sounding awestruck.

  “Diana Hemway. I work in accounting.” I’m sure he's too busy to know every single new employee, especially one so low on the totem pole.

  “Here?” He asks shocked.

  “Yes,” I say uneasily. I wonder why he seems so shocked.

  “In my building?” He asks.

  I can't help it; a giggle slips out. I don’t know why I find his confusion so funny, but I do. “Yes, sir.” I give him a little smile, hoping he doesn’t get angry at me for laughing.

  His expression changes then, becoming lighter. He continues staring at me, but unlike all the other men who’ve done so in the past, his feels different. Warm, but most of all safe.

  “Mr. Thorne?” I push on. “About the Brayer numbers.”

  Something seems to click, and his brows pull in. “You're reviewing the accounts?” He questions and waves me into his office, gesturing to the seat in front of his desk.

  I walk inside, feeling a little claustrophobic from the unknown tension in the room. I take a seat and cross my legs at the ankles. He never takes his eyes off my face. There’s a quiet determination to him, of what though, I have no idea.

  “Mary assigned me the task and I found some concerns.”

  His head perks up, eyes narrowing at my words. “What kind?” His tone is harder now.

  I stand and lean over the desk laying out the papers I brought. I assumed he would lean back in his chair, but he doesn’t, and we find ourselves face to face, gazes locked. Something passes through me, through us. I can see it in his eyes. Up close, they’re even more breathtaking. I see his jaw clench and realize he must not like me in his space. I clear my throat and pull away before explaining what I found.

  “As you can see Mr. Thorne, I’ve highlighted the losses that concern me.” I look up to see him once again watching me. I smile and point towards the paper, as if he didn’t see me put them down. After a lingering stare, his eyes move to the documents.

  “They seem as if they’re standard ES tax deductions,” his voice rumbles like a beast purring.

  “They were made to, but I checked with their department, and they have no record of even charging this company.” Suddenly he’s all business.

  “What?” He all but snaps though I don’t flinch from his angry tone. I know he's not mad at me.

  “Then who’s charging it?”

  “I'm not sure, but whoever it is, is making it look legitimate.” He now picks up the papers, reading each one over carefully.

  “How long has this been going on?” He asks.

  “I’ve looked through the history of Brayer Inc., and the charges started a couple years after you bought it out, so about three years now.”

  “How much money does it add up to?” He asks, watching me with fierce eyes that soften as soon as they lock onto mine.

  “Eighty-four thousand two hundred and thirty-one dollars.” He raises his eyebrow and leans back in his chair.

  “That’s a drop in the bucket.” He’s still angry but doesn’t sound too concerned.

  “You don’t get it, do you?” My tone is a little sharper than I intended. He raises an eyebrow as I pull out another sheet of paper and place it in front of him.

  “It’s a list of companies I own, seems like the smaller ones,” he muses, looking at me again.

  “All with the same ES tax deduction. And they don’t go back to their department but an offshore account.” That most definitely gets his attention, and he's pissed.

  “How much?” He growls.

  “Over eighty million, and I haven't even looked through all the small companies yet.” I see the rage boiling as he slams his hands on his desk and abruptly stands, turning to look out the window.

  “How long has this been happening?” He demands. I feel the fury vibrating from him.

  “I can’t say for sure, as I said I haven't looked through all of them, but from that list, the majority is about six years.”

  “Fuck!” Mr. Thorne yells. Again, I don’t jump because I know he’s upset about the situation. “Why didn’t any of my accountants find this sooner? Why didn’t I?” He’s angry at himself.

  “They had great strategies, hitting businesses you most likely delegate others to oversee accounting. Using the tax was smart, and the payments were small enough not to get noticed.” He turns and looks at me with wide eyes, and I realize he didn't actually want an answer.

  Mr. Thorne walks around his desk, slowly, almost like he’s stalking prey.

  “So, how did you figure this out?” He asks, drawing closer to me.

  “Brayer Inc. was being charged ES tax.”

  “So?” He asks, not understanding what I'm talking about.

  “It’s for companies bought out from overseas.”

  Then it clicks. “And Brayer is American,” he smirks. At this point, we’re almost toe to toe. He’s so tall, at least six-four to my five-eight.

  “That’s what first tipped me off. Then I did some digging and found the rest.” I smile at him, proud of the work I've done.

  He returns it, and my heart feels like it skips a beat.

  “How long have you been working here?” He rumbles, his voice deep but soft.

  I feel myself blush then. “Today,” I mumble.

  “Today?”

  Giving up on trying not to be embarrassed, I tell him in a huff. “This is my first day.”

  There’s a long pause before he asks, “Are you fucking joking?” He’s clearly shocked.

  I shake my head, and he throws his back and starts to laugh. I start getting a little annoyed.

  “Wh
at’s so funny?” I put my hand on my hip to show I'm not impressed.

  “Nothing Diana, I'm just surprised. All these years paying those good for nothings downstairs, and you’ve been here one day.” He’s still chuckling.

  “That’s correct.” I stare at him and lift my chin with pride. This makes him smirk.

  He shakes his head and says, “It’s late, and you’ve done more than enough your first day. When you arrive tomorrow come straight here. We have a lot to do.”

  “Of course, sir.” I take a step back, feeling like we’ve been close for too long. “I’ll be here bright and early.” I go to leave, but he gently grasps my wrist. It practically burns me, but in the most fantastic way.

  “I’ll drive you home.” His voice is deep.

  “That’s okay, Mr. Thorne. I have a ride.” It’s a small fib. The bus is technically my ride.

  “I’ll walk you down then,” he insists. Well shit. Thankfully, his phone rings.

  “Fuck. Give me a minute.”

  “I’ll just see you tomorrow, sir.” I start to walk out the door.

  “Just wait, Diana. I’ll only be a minute.” He answers the phone and starts talking.

  Not wanting to stand another minute in this energy charged room, I sprint from the office, throwing a quick good-bye over my shoulder. I hear Mr.Thorne call my name, but keep walking. I suddenly feel tired, and my heart won't stop beating a mile a minute. I hope I made an excellent first impression. God knows he made one on me.

  Chapter 4

  Pierce

  I'm sitting in my office about to combust. I’ve been here since six, attempting to work. I couldn’t sleep, not after meeting Diana. God when I first saw her I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was breathtaking. Black wavy hair, piercing dark blue eyes and her body, tall, curvy and soft. I wanted to hold her in my arms so badly, feel her elegant curves pressed against me. I couldn’t process how beautiful she was; I probably freaked her out with all my staring.

  And fuck she was sweet. A little shy, maybe a tad nervous, but didn’t seem too intimidated by me. The minute she walked in the door my cock sprang to life. It’s never done that before, and I haven't been with a woman in well over a decade. I've never felt like this.

  I wanted to talk more, spend time with her, find out every little thing about her. Unfortunately, learning someone is stealing from me killed any opportunity of that, and to top it all off, she hightailed it out of here. I tried to chase after her but when I went to the parking garage she was nowhere to be seen. That pissed me off because I wanted to make sure she got home safely. It drove me crazy not being able to see if she was all right, which led to a sleepless night. I thought coming in early to get some work done would help, but no luck.

  I check my watch, and seeing it’s finally eight, I practically jump from my desk and head to the elevator. Mary, my head of HR, arrives at this time. When I get to her office I see her just putting her things away and knock lightly. She turns and smiles but looks surprised to see me.

  “Mr. Thorne, good morning. How can I help you?” She sits at her desk and waves to the chair in front of her.

  “Good morning, Mary,” I grunt out taking a seat. “I wanted an employee file.”

  “Sure thing.” She stands and heads to the filing cabinet. “What’s the name?”

  “Diana Hemway.” She stills at my words.

  She looks back at me with a concerned face. “Is something wrong, Mr. Thorne?”

  I shake my head at her. “I met her last night when she was here late. Her work was impeccable and I wanted to know about her.”

  Mary seems to breathe easier at that and pulls out the file handing it to me. I flip it open only to find there’s hardly anything in it. She's young, twenty-four, and has only been working in accounting a few years. Most of my employees are Ivy league, the best of the best, and recruited by me. So how did she get here?

  “How did you find her?” I ask Mary. She seems to fidget and looks worried.

  “Diana is a good friend of my sister. She told me she was amazing with numbers. When I interviewed her, she quickly impressed me, and her former employers had only good things to say.” Mary seems like she's trying to justify hiring her.

  “Relax, Mary, I'm happy with your decision. I just wanted to know the circumstances and more about her.”

  Again, Mary relaxes. “Don’t scare an old lady like that.” I can't help but roll my eyes. I even scare Mary after all her years working here.

  “Diana is a remarkable young woman, smart as a whip, and the kindest heart you’ll ever see,” she smiles brightly.

  I take the folder and stand before saying, “She’ll be working with me from now on. She brought something to my attention the others missed. I’d like her to look over more accounts as well.”

  “Of course, Mr. Thorne. I’m glad you like her. Have a great day.” I give her a sharp nod and head back to my office.

  During the elevator ride, I look closely at her file. She obtained her degree on a general online college, tax accounting, and did the books for a retirement home. If I saw this application, it would be a hard no, but she's already more than proven herself. I notice something odd on her form; her current residence is the same address as her last employment at SunVille Retirement Home. When the door opens, I step out but suddenly freeze at her laugh. I look up and see her talking to Jen. They must’ve arrived while I was talking to Mary. Her smile is magical, light, and full of life. Being so far away from her seems almost painful now. I stride forward and stop right in front of her. I must’ve surprised her, looking like a puppy welcoming home its master.

  “Good morning, Mr. Thorne,” she giggles, probably laughing at my behavior.

  “Good morning, Mr. Thorne,” Jen greets me as well.

  “Good morning to you both. Jen, make sure we are not disturbed.” I gently grasp Diana’s hand and pull her into my office, making sure I lock it behind us.

  Turning to her she’s giving me a sweet, shy smile. Her hair is tightly pinned and she’s wearing a navy blue dress that hugs her like I’m dying to. I’m trying not to stare at her plush lips though I’m imagining what they taste like. Everything about her is addicting, and I'm more than ready to overdose on her.

  “You didn’t wait last night,” I growl out. Okay, that wasn’t what I wanted to say, but it did piss me off.

  Her eyes widen for a split second. “I didn’t want to be a bother, I’m more than capable of getting home.” She straightens her back a bit.

  “You are never a bother, you hear me?” Again, I’m gruffer than usual, but it pisses me off that she thinks she could ever be that. I’m worried I scared her, but she only smiles at me. I clench my hands to keep from reaching out to her. She’s so beautiful.

  We stare at each other for a while until she breaks the spell. “So, shall we get working?”

  Diana and I spend the day going through companies to see if they have the same payments she showed me. We both sit at the table in my office, which I made sure to chair next to her but not close enough to be too creepy. As we work, I found out just how much I underestimated her intelligence. She’s impressive and can look over a spreadsheet faster than anyone.

  We work non-stop until I convince her to have lunch with me. I was thinking of taking her to the nice sushi place down the street, but remembering what she’s wearing, I decide to order in. My heart couldn’t handle other men looking at her, and I don’t want to taint her opinion of me by beating them to a pulp. As we eat, I try to pick her brain, find out everything about her, and for the most part, she’s open and willing to tell me. But when questions about her parents or childhood come up she becomes vague and I choose not to push it. Afterward, we get back to work and find a handful more that have been stealing from me.

  “So now that we have all the small companies with these payments, what do we do next?”

  She leans back in her chair and stretches her arms above her head, her breasts straining against the material. She’s been
driving me crazy all day, her sweet smiles, little giggles, and scent. God, she smells fantastic and I still have no fucking idea what it is.

  “What are your thoughts on it?” I ask wanting to know her opinion on the matter.

  “Well, this has been going on for years, so it has to be an inside job,” She muses. “It will take a while to fish them out, and you should probably do it on the down low.”

  I nod, encouraging her to go on. She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose.

  “We need to track the offshore account,” she pauses and looks at me with a sexy smirk before continuing, “but you already knew that.”

  I realize it’s almost six. I always stay late, but I don’t want to overwork her.

  “That’s enough for today. Let me drive you home.” I stand and pull on my jacket.

  “Oh, no that’s okay, I can get home on my own,” she tries to argue. I know it makes no sense to drive her with her car here, but I only want more time with her.

  “I’ll walk you to your car at least.” She suddenly gets a nervous look on her face. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t have a car.” She nibbles on her lips as I start to feel anger boiling inside me.

  “Then how did you get home yesterday?” I growl out.

  “The bus,” she mutters under her breath.

  I explode. “Are you telling me you walked and took a bus at almost nine at night?” I yell at her.

  She seems unfazed by my outburst, which pleases me.

  “Lots of people do, and the stop is just down the street,” she tries to argue and rolls her eyes.

  “You are never to take it again,” I order her.

  Suddenly, she starts to giggle and I raise my brow at her.

  “I would appreciate a ride, Mr. Thorne,” she smiles sweetly at me.

  She’s been calling me that all day and I swear my cock pulses every time it comes out of her mouth. But I want more from her; I want us to be personal and familiar with each other.

  “Call me Pierce.” Again, I demand it.

  She seems surprised but then nods.