Summer Shut up, shut up. What are you saying? Couldn’t you have found a way to share your opinions in a diplomatic fashion? This is when he loses his shit, and fixes his cold glare on me, and probably buzzes for security to throw me out. My stomach churns. I swallow down the bile that taints my throat. All expression leaches from his face, leaving behind a cold hard mask. It’s as if every single emotion inside of him has been flash-frozen. His jaw tics. Ugh, that’s not good, right? A vein throbs at his temple. I gulp. Here it comes. I grab the arms of my chair, brace myself. A chuckle vibrates up that massive chest. I freeze. No, no, he’s having a complete breakdown. Wow. Did I cause that? His eyes gleam. "Go on." "Eh?" "You’ve certainly gotten my attention, little Bird, don’t waste it." I draw in a de ep breath. "There's only so far that you can pull the wool over people's eyes." Unlike those in your inner circle, the general populace cannot be bought. "Why do you want them to believe that you want to right your wrongs?" "I don’t." "Right. So why are you embarking on this entire plan? Why FOK Media?" He taps his forefingers together. My hold on the chair tightens, "I signed the non- disclosure agreement, so whatever you say stays within these walls." His eyebrows knit. "Very well. As you’re already alluding to it, I estimate that you have guessed that FOK Media is a cover. We need to buy goodwill with the public. We also need a legitimate business that is a tax write off." "Ergo, a nonprofit." "Besides, the money channeled through the entity will be used for doing good." "Finding the best talent in the world, from different fields, sponsoring them, providing seed investment in return for a percentage of their lifelong profits." He drums his fingers together, "Get to the point." "I suggest that you a) change the name to reflect your intention; b) that instead of a percentage of profits, you give the chosen talent a portion of the share capital, along with the immediate funding. That way you bind them to your company, while helping them grow their own nest eggs for the future. Everyone wins. And c).." He doesn’t move a muscle. Well, exc ept for the bulging vein at his temple, he may as well be carved out of rock. "You Seven not be in volved at all with the company." "Oh."
I nod. "Who do you recommend should lead this initiative?" My guts churn; my heart beats so hard I am sure it’s going to jump out of my ribcage. "You’ve come this far, Pink, don’t stop now." "Me." "Eh?" He blinks. Yeah, the man actually seems surprised. I rendered the notorious gazzillionaire alphahole silent. Fist pump. Adrenaline laces my blood. I tip my chin up, "Me. I suggest that I lead the initiative." Color sears his cheeks. Okay, strike that. Maybe it is too early to celebrate. His bic eps bulge; the tendons of his neck flex as he swallows. Guess he didn’t like what I said, huh? I don’t blame him. If I were in his shoes—though his pants are what I’d rather be in, actually— Shut up, what are you thinking? Get the hell out, while he’s too shocked to react. "Umm. I’ll be going then." I slip out of my chair, grab my bag, slink toward the door. "Ms. West." I ke ep going. "I didn’t dismiss you yet." The look on your face said it all, asshole. If you think I am going to wait for you to dole out any other punishment —my stomach flip flops—nervousness that’s all it is. The faster I get out of here, the better. I reach the door and squeeze the handle. "Okay." I freeze. He didn’t say that. No way. Nope. Nah. I open the door a crack. "If you leave now—" "Yes, I am aware." I raise a finger above my shoulder "You’ll get my sister’s appointment with the doctor cancelled. And you won’t give me the account to FOK— which, by the way, the name sucks— I mean it’s intriguing, but not exactly what you’d call a public relations success, considering all the connotations that go with it—" A feminine groan fills the air. I stiffen. The sound of skin hitting flesh, a low moan bleeds into the space between us. All the hair on the nape of my neck rises. Bloody fish in boots, it couldn’t be. I spin around. His burning indigo gaze clashes with mine. I flinch. The force of his dominance seems to swell, until the air is thick with unspoken words... desires... lust. Anger coats my blood. At him. At myself. For hating him. And wanting him. Dense hatred for everything he stands for; the absolute power that he wields crashes home. "You didn’t." He doesn’t move a muscle. Another harsh gasp pulses from the phone on the table and the blood thuds at my temples. I race to the table. He doesn’t react. I snatch up the phone. Don’t look at the screen. Don’t. My gaze drops to the expanse. My face is front and center. Head thrown back; eyes closed. Color flushed cheeks, hair clings to my forehead.
It’s the visage of a woman in the throes of absolute ecstasy. Bile rises up my throat. The camera angle had caught me in all my pre-climactic glory; and him? There’s only the hard muscle of his bic ep from the arm he’d thrown around me— it could have been anyone. Of course, he’d ensured that his r eputation wouldn’t be touched by this. The on-screen me grips the muscle of his forearm, arches her neck, her mouth rounded in an O. It’s filthy, dirty... and completely arousing. My stomach clenches. I can’t tear my eyes off of the screen. An arm fills my line of vision. He takes the phone from me, shuts off the video. Silence descends on the space. He stands not a few inches away from me. The heat from his body envelops me. I shiver. My palms and feet are so cold. "I thought you said there were no cameras—" "I lied." Of course. "Hangonabloodysecond," I force the words out through lips gone numb. "You answered your phone, so you couldn't have been recording on it..." He curls an eyebrow. I stiffen. "So there was another camera in the room...?" He circles the air with his finger. "More than one camera?" He tilts his head. My knees buckle, I dig my heels in for purchase. Honor among thieves? Meredith has no idea she is working with the devil in disguise. As am I. The world spins, my knees seem to buckle, and darkness closes in. When I open my eyes, all I see is blue and turquoise and shades of cerulean. Eyes, his eyes. They aren’t cold and empty. There is an ocean of hidden emotions, tucked away de ep inside. So de ep, so intense. Angry waves crashing on a stony shore. Pulling at me, tugging on me. My skin feels too tight. My hands and legs tremble. "Don’t you dare faint again." Fury vibrates off of him, and all of my nerve endings seem to flare at once. The world comes into focus again. I swallow, and my throat hurts. "Drink this." He holds a glass to my lips. No way! If he thinks I am going to acc ept a drop of water from him, he’s— He glares at me; I purse my lips. "Don’t be stubborn." He growls. I turn my face to the side. My heart begins to race and my vision wavers again. "Fine." I hear him st ep back, then hear the thunk of a glass hitting a surface. "I didn’t poison the water. Honestly." He shakes his head as if he can’t believe I’d suspect him of such a thing. My tongue feels swollen in my mouth. A bead of sweat slides down my back. There’s silence a beat, then another. "Please, Summer." Goosebumps flare on my skin. Maybe it’s the fact that he spoke my name, or he used the ‘P’ word. I chuckle to myself. Why do I care about that, huh? But I’m too thirsty; an itchiness crawls down my throat. I turn on my back, then sit up and swing my legs over. The world tilts then straightens. I reach for the water. My fingers are shaking.
How strange. I mean, nothing much has happened, exc ept... My entire world has come completely undone. All the moorings gone, everything I thought I was, had worked toward, all my hopes and dreams and ambitions. My company, my sister... Karma. Focus on Karma. I need to get through this for her. I drain the glass, place it on the table. Then wipe the back of my palm across my lips. "Why?" I raise my head, take in those features that I’ve come to hate. "Why do it?" "Because I need revenge against your father."