by Kreig, K. L.
But Jake then told Wes he would have to give the quarterly update to the board in his place and Wes freaked, promptly telling me that I would be attending the meeting with him since I’d put all of the materials together. And he needed someone to run the presentation while he talked.
Umm…didn’t they have those clicker things for that?
But that’s not why my body’s revolting against me. No. It’s not the fact that I’m not capable of hitting the little forward arrow on the computer when Wes is ready to go to the next slide. It’s not the fact that I’m sitting in a room of very powerful, very good-looking men, where I am completely out of place, because not only am I the only female, I’m also the only assistant in attendance. And it’s not the fact that this is the very first important business meeting I’ve ever attended.
Nope. It’s none of those things.
It’s the fact that Gray Colloway’s two brothers, Asher and Connelly, now sit across from me at this long table, staring. Fire’s blazing out of Asher’s sockets so hot, I wouldn’t be surprised if I spontaneously combust. And Connelly’s sitting stock still, concern and confusion wrinkling his forehead. The tension in the room is so thick it hangs like a dark, menacing raincloud, threatening to blast me with ten thousand volts of death wielding electricity any second.
When Asher and Connelly walked in together a few minutes ago, they were laughing and bantering, as I’d always fondly remembered, but the minute they saw me, they both froze. As did I. Asher’s loud voice made me jump when he yelled, “What the fuck is she doing here?” Um…ditto.
Connelly, always the more laid back of the two, quickly calmed him down. I heard him quietly tell Asher this wasn’t the time or place.
So while all of this was nightmarishly bad, what had me feeling like I could spew the bowl of Wheaties I had this morning for breakfast was that if Asher and Connelly were here, the chances were high that Gray wasn’t far behind. And why were they here to begin with? In my research, I knew HMT was recently acquired by a holding company. And then suddenly it hit me. Gray, Asher, Connelly, GRASCO Holdings. Holy Jesus.
“Where’s Gray? He’s never late to these meetings,” Asher asks, accusing eyes never leaving mine. Everyone senses that something is wrong between the three of us, but no one dares ask, including Wes.
Connelly pulls out a cell phone and dials quickly. “Bonnie, where’s Gray? He’s late.” After a short pause, he adds, “Okay.” He shoves the phone back into his pocket. “He’s finishing up a call, then he’ll be here.”
Holy hell.
I break Asher’s stare and look down at the table, but I can still feel all eyes upon me. I can hardly breathe. This cannot be happening. This is both everything I’ve wished for and my worst possible nightmare all at the same time. I’ve thought of nothing else but Gray’s heated stare and the warmth of his hand on my bare skin since I saw him at the fundraiser. And any second now he’s going to walk through that door.
I have to quit. Or I’ll be fired. Either way, this is my last day at HMT Enterprises because after Gray walks in and sees me here, there is no way he’ll let me stay. Or that I can stay. I can’t possibly work in the same building as he is every single day and wonder each time I walk around the corner if he’ll be there. Or every time I walk into the gym, if he’ll be shirtless, pumping iron. Or when I step into the elevator, if he’ll be waiting inside.
Gray is the most persistent man I’ve ever known. My defenses will hopelessly crumble at my feet, and I’ll do something foolish, like tell him everything. And I can’t do that. He can’t know.
Oh God. Blood thumps loudly in my ears, and it’s hard to pull enough oxygen into my lungs. My life was finally looking up and suddenly it’s crashing down around me into a million shattered pieces again. Reluctant tears sting my eyes. I fight with everything in me to hold my shit together.
“Livia, are you okay?” Wes asks softly, placing a hand over mine. “You look white as a ghost.”
I swallow hard, unable to answer through my constricted airway. Just then, the light chatter in the room completely stops and, feeling his eyes pierce me, I look up.
But Gray isn’t looking at me. At least not my face.
He’s looking at my boss’s hand, which is still covering mine. And when his fiery eyes connect with Wes’s, Wes pulls it back like a snake has bitten him. A mean one.
Then his heated hazel eyes finally connect with my watery ones and all oxygen is depleted from the room like a backdraft. I want to simultaneously run into his arms for the protection and affection I so crave, and bolt so fast and so far he can never find me. I want him on top of me, inside me, taking every bad memory and replacing it with love and goodness.
I want to cry for all the things I can’t have.
We stare helplessly at each other. I feel the volley of eyes on us, back and forth, back and forth, waiting to see what will happen next.
The pressure in the room has increased tenfold, but instead of animosity, all I feel now is the sexual tension rolling thickly between us. It’s palpable. It always was. He looks absolutely edible in his charcoal, fitted suit. The mint green button down he’s wearing underneath makes his hazel eyes take on a shimmery hue.
“Livvy,” he finally says, breaking the silence as he walks in, taking the empty seat next to me. He opens his folder like this is the most normal thing to happen in the world. I don’t respond. I can’t.
As the meeting starts, I realize that Gray didn’t look surprised in the slightest to see me when he walked into the room.
I have no idea what that means.
Chapter 12
When this meeting is over, I am going to kill Wesley Nichols. I don’t care how fucking brilliant he is or the fact that he graduated summa cum laude from Penn State. As soon as I stepped foot into the room and got over my initial shock at seeing Livvy sitting here, in the flesh, I zeroed in on that fuckers hand on hers. And I just about lost it. He got the message quick, however, and that’s the only thing that kept me from flying across the table to choke the life out of him right then and there.
I knew Wesley Nichols would be here. That was one of the messages I quickly read on the climb to the meeting. Jake’s wife delivered early and he sent Nichols in his stead. But I was very shocked to see he’d dragged along his assistant to a board meeting. The fact that he had his hands on my woman, and can’t run a fucking computer and talk at the same time has steam rolling out of my ears. The guy is a blathering, nervous mess.
So at the end of his presentation, I do the only thing any other man in my position would. I put him on the hook and watch him squirm.
“Mr. Nichols, where are we at with the latest optical detection design patent?” I have no choice but to look over at Livvy as I ask my question because he’s sitting on her opposite side. But instead of watching him, I watch her.
“Umm, let me check my file here.” He opens several folders and shuffles papers around nervously for long, indeterminable minutes. As I watch her, watching him, I can tell she knows the answer but is afraid to speak up.
“Livvy, would you happen to have a status update for me?”
The look on her face is priceless, and I almost feel bad putting her on the spot. Almost. But I wouldn’t do it if I weren’t certain she knew. I would never intentionally embarrass her that way in front of my peers. Or my brothers.
Nichols has now looked up and his eyes flit uneasily between Livvy and me, as do hers.
“Ah, yes,” she says reluctantly. “It was rejected and an appeal was filed three weeks ago.”
That surprised me. That patent was filed before we even acquired HMT and why the fuck didn’t I know this before now? This was supposed to be cutting edge security monitoring technology created by HMT’s own renowned developers that would not only revolutionize the security industry, but make GRASCO Holdings a hell of a lot of money. That’s one of the main reasons we decided to purchase HMT Enterprises to begin with.
“What was the reason for the denial
?”
“A patent for similar technology has already been obtained,” she replies, chewing anxiously on her lip.
I snap my eyes to Nichols, who looks like a deer caught in the headlights. He should fucking know this and the fact that he doesn’t means his days here are numbered. Since we only acquired HMT Enterprises just several short months ago, I’ve only had the opportunity to meet with him a handful of times, and I was so wrong when I pegged him as flighty. He’s a fucking incompetent moron who’s going to be standing in the unemployment line come Monday. And by the look on his face, he knows it.
The rest of the meeting goes by slowly. I feel every single one of Livvy’s quiet sighs, as if they are connected directly to my cock. I’m attuned to her every breath, every tap of her finger, every cross and uncross of her sexy legs, which I have the utmost pleasure to view in my peripheral vision, courtesy of the tight black skirt now rising with every movement she makes.
I want to pull her into my lap and hold her. I want to strip her clothes and fuck her raw on this table until neither of us can breathe without the other. I want to own and worship every creamy inch of her, like I once did.
“Gray?” Ash grates impatiently.
“What?” I huff.
“I said, Willis is reviewing the CFC books, but initial reports indicate we may need to hire a forensic auditor.”
Shit. Ash had tried telling me about this financial discrepancy a couple of weeks ago and I had my head so far in the clouds, I never followed up. And by the irritated look on my brother’s face, he’s thinking the same thing.
“How much is the discrepancy?”
“Over half a mil, but it’s not confirmed yet.”
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath.
“I should have a report in a few weeks. We’ll go from there.”
I nod. I trust my brother implicitly.
“Is there any other business to discuss?” I ask. I’m impatient as hell to adjourn this meeting so I can talk to Livvy in private. I want to spank her ass so she can’t sit down for days. Or fuck her blind. Sitting next to her for these last three hours without being able to touch her has been excruciating.
“Good,” I say when my question is met with silence. I rise, as does Livvy, who is quickly pulling her papers together in hopes to make a hasty escape. Too bad, angel. You aren’t going anywhere.
As she steps back from the table and turns away, I gently grab her elbow, pulling her into me. “Not so fast,” I whisper. I lean down and take a deep whiff of her intoxicating scent. I can’t help myself. Jesus, I’ve missed her so damn much.
Her eyes flick to mine and I see them pleading with me not to do this here, but there is no way in hell I am letting her out of my sight. For all I know, she’ll run again and hide so deep I’ll never be able to find her.
“Gray, please.” Her soft voice is as beseeching as her green eyes are beguiling. I am entranced.
“Gray, don’t forget dinner at seven-thirty.”
My eyes never leave hers when I answer Asher. “Change of plans. I can’t make it.”
Her sparkling emeralds widen slightly before her face falls in resigned acceptance. Her eyes shift from mine and I want them back. I want to stare into her now broken soul and fix whatever happened between us. But I have no fucking clue what that is.
And she’s going to tell me come hell or high water.
“Gray—” Ash starts, but stops the second I whip my head around. I’m sure the look on my face is feral and he simply throws up his hands in frustration, shaking his head before turning to leave. Conn is watching silently from the door, a slight smirk on his face.
Fuckers. Both of them.
“Uh, Livia. Is everything okay?”
I now turn my death glare to Wesley Nichols, who will soon be pounding the pavement for a new job.
“That will be all,” I grit, punctuating every word.
“Of course, Mr. Colloway. Uh, Livia, I’ll see you later.” He turns and scurries out of the room like a mouse that’s been kicked. It’s a blow I wish I could have physically delivered instead of verbally.
Like fuck you will, Nichols. You will never lay eyes on my Livvy again.
I didn’t miss the heated way he glanced at Livvy several times throughout the meeting or the fact that he had just as good of view at her sleek, creamy thighs as I did. My jaw now aches from gritting my teeth for the last several hours.
With everyone now gone, I release her elbow and silently walk to the open door, closing it softly and locking it for good measure. We shouldn’t be disturbed, but still. I walk to the wall and press a button that starts the descent of dark blinds over the glass windows that overlook the hallway. We’ll need completely privacy for what I have in mind.
When I turn back toward her, she’s nervously watching my every move, rooted to the spot where I left her. I slowly walk back toward her, stopping with only inches separating our bodies.
Her eyes lock on mine. Her heat seeps into me and I want to wrap myself in it and forget every day of the last five years ever happened. I want to lean down and kiss her pink, glossy lips. I want to back her up against the closest wall, reach under that tease of a skirt, rip her panties violently from her hips and find her slick heat with my fingers. With my cock.
I want to get lost in her.
But I can’t. I need answers. I deserve some fucking answers.
“Start talking,” I rasp.
Chapter 13
I silently watch him as he glides to the door and closes it. My traitorous eyes fall on his toned, tight ass when he turns to the wall and punches a button that shrouds us in complete privacy from the outside world. Our hot gazes collide when he turns and stalks back to me, stopping a hairsbreadth away.
There are very few men that exuded complete confidence, if not a bit of arrogance, like they were born with it. They wear it. They own it. They make no excuses for it. They couldn’t help it if they tried. There’s a very fine line between cocky and confident, and Gray is one of the few men I’ve met that can pull that off successfully. You are simply drawn to the man. It’s inevitable. He’s magnetic.
And over the last five years, he’s mastered that skill to smooth perfection.
“Start talking,” he demands. I shudder when I feel his warm breath scatter over my flushed face.
This is it. This is the inevitable moment I knew would always happen, although I prayed it wouldn’t. I knew the minute I saw Asher and Connelly walk into this room that I was screwed. For a second time, I would have to ruin the man I love. The man, who for some unknown reason, still cares about me. I can see it in the scorching way he burns me with his gaze. I’d felt the heat every time he’d looked my way for the past three hours.
But not only did I not want to say the words, I was a chicken shit. I couldn’t say them. My entire body was shaking uncontrollably and I felt a little light-headed. I could really use a few shots of tequila about now. Or the whole damn bottle, which is a testament to the state I’m in because I loathe tequila.
“What do you want to know,” I ask, stalling for time, desperately wracking my brain for an excuse better than the one I’d come up with. Because I knew Gray would see right through it for the lie it was. He was always too good at reading me, from the moment our eyes connected so very long ago and I tried unsuccessfully to deny my attraction to him. He knew I wanted him back then. He was so right.
His jaw clenches. Anger clouds his mesmerizing hazel eyes. “Oh, no you don’t, Livvy. Don’t you fucking play games with me. The very least I deserve is an explanation for what you did to me. To us.”
“You’re right,” I whisper, barely audible. He does deserve that. I wish I could give it to him. I spin away, unable to look him in the eye as I try to push the bitter-tasting lie past my lips, the one that will deliver the final crushing blow, but he grabs my elbow, turning me back around to face his wrath.
“No. You don’t get to run away. You did that once already. I want you to look me in the eye
s as you try to lie your way out of this one, Livvy. Because I know whatever’s about to come out of that pretty little mouth of yours is nothing but a pile of shit.”
I open my mouth and close it again, speechless. He pulls me into him, so our bodies meld together from knee to chest. One hand holds my arm, while his other snakes around my waist, holding on for dear life. His face is mere inches from mine, and his ragged breaths wash over me like a hot summer breeze.
Jesus, how I’ve missed him.
His touch. His kiss. His love.
“You forget how well I know you, Livvy,” he murmurs. “I can see the wheels spinning behind those gorgeous eyes of yours, just trying to come up with something plausible to appease me. Something that won’t rip my fucking heart out of my chest and leave me bleeding out for a second time.”
I’m snared in his fiery gaze, unable to look away. Unable to deny his words or catch my breath. He leans in closer, running his nose erotically along my cheek. I inhale sharply.
His anger is justified.
His lust just confuses me.
“You ruined me, Livvy,” he croaks. The pain and agony I’ve caused him laces thickly through every syllable and I don’t have to see his face to know he speaks the truth. His confession guts me and tears spring into my eyes. I’ve ruined myself too, Gray.
“I’m sorry,” I choke out. There are no words I can utter that will ever be good enough. No words that will erase the pain and suffering I’ve caused Gray. The truth would only cause him more pain. Even if he could forgive me, I don’t deserve him. Not anymore.
“Sorry’s not fucking good enough,” he bellows, releasing me like a hot coal, pacing to the other side of the large conference room. “I need to understand, Livvy. Jesus, I deserve to know why the woman I love more than the air I breathe deserted me less than twenty-four fucking hours after she agreed to be my wife!”
I try to hold it in. I try, but I can’t. He’s the one that’s suffered because of my actions. Well, we both have, but how dare I make this about me. I know what I did; he doesn’t. He just thinks I abandoned him.