Summer "A... week?" I squawk. I didn’t heard that correctly. "You mean seven days?" He raises his eyes skyward, "She can count." Jerk. I swallow, press my knees together, "I won't do it." "Why not?" He drums his fingers on the table. "Don't you need this gig?" "I do." "Then?" "My uh—my," I twist my fingers together. How do I put this without giving away more about myself? How...? "My personal circumstances don’t allow me to—" "Ditch him." "What?" I stare. The ego of this guy. I mean, it’s not possible he’s managed to get through life with this attitude, is it? Does everyone he encounter bend to him? Do they? He rotates his foot, clad in Italian leather shoes. "Time you got rid of whichever lover boy you're seeing." My eyes bug out, "You’re joking." "There you go again, presuming to know what I mean." I throw up my hands, "You’re speaking in riddles." "Good, one way for you to put that ol’ brain matter to good use." Anger thrums at my temples. My pulse pounds. Adrenaline laces my blood. "I’ve never met anyone quite like... like... you." I raise my palm, bring it down. There’s a blur of motion, and the next moment, he looms above me. His fingers lock on my wrist. "Let me go." "Your answer first, Pink." "Don’t call me that." "I’ll call you what I want, when I want to, and you’ll answer to it." "No." "Yes." Obnoxious ass. I stare at his face, searching for something... anything that would give me a clue to why he is acting so unreasonably. "Were you born this way or did you become such a r epugnant beast along the way?" "You don’t get to ask the questions." He tugs me forward and I squeak. My nose bumps his. That dark edgy scent of him envelops me. Moisture pools between my thighs. Hell. How could someone so horrible smell so delicious? "Your boyfriend—" "What about him?"
"Drop him." Not that I have anyone currently. And if I did, would I do as he's commanded? Yes. Yes. "No." I jerk my head. He lets go of my wrist only to wrap his fingers around my nape. I flinch. "You will do as I say." My nerve endings crackle. That hushed tone of his voice... the angle of his head, the intensity with which he peruses my features, holds my gaze, ripping me to shreds, cutting straight to the core of me, that frightened little girl who’s inside of me. Bet he knows how much of a loser I am inside. One who has never managed to get her own way. I’m not going to give in now. If I do, the alphahole will win and I’ll never... never give him that satisfaction; not unless it is on my own terms. "Oh yeah?" I tilt my head, "And if I don’t?" "Hmm." His eyes gleam, "You sure you want to know?" The hair on my forearms stands on end. This is a trap. Every single action of his since he walked into this room has been carefully calculated to put me on edge, to unbalance me, to ensure that I am so angry that I’ll lose my composure. Don’t say the obvious, don’t. I toss my head. "Bite me, motherfucker." He peels back his lips. His white teeth flash. Wow. The sheer enjoyment on his face? It changes his features, transforms him into what he might have been as a boy. Full of life, excitement, ready for the next challenge... which in this case, is me. I pull back. "No, don’t —" He lunges forward. The next moment I am splayed across the length of the table, my breasts crushed against the hard surface. "What the—?" I struggle and he leans his heavy arm on the small of my back. I jerk my hips, push up on my toes. A weight behind my knees pins me in place. "Let me go, bastard." "Nice of you to have spotted my true lineage, and on our first meeting." I huff. Don’t say, it , don’t. "Technically, it’s our second meeting." "Don’t correct me." He yanks up my skirt. Cool air assails my skin. I freeze. No way, he isn’t going to... "Unhand me." He pauses, "Did you say 'unhand'?" Is there a glimmer of laughter in his voice. I angle my head and he increases the pressure on my back, holding me immobile. "You wouldn’t dare..." My chin trembles. "You should realize that I don’t take kindly to dares." He cups my butt and my thighs squeeze together. I clench my fists at my sides. When I get out of here, I am going to file a sexual harassment lawsuit. I am going to sue the living daylights out of him.
"Won’t work," he growls. "What?" "Whatever you are plotting." I freeze. "Everyone in this office will support me. It’s your word against mine, and yours doesn’t count for much." My guts clench. The sheer audacity of this man! Does he really think he can get away with what he is doing? "The cameras." "None in this room." "From the entrance to the building?" "I’ve ordered them wiped already." "The bar yesterday..." I bite on my lower lip. Of course, he owns it and everyone there, as well. "Fuck you." Pain explodes across my backside. I scream. "You spanked me, what the bloody hell—?" "Language, Bird." He smacks my butt again. I howl. No one has ever smacked me before. I haven’t let anyone get this close to me. Certainly, no one in the re volving door of foster homes had cared enough to admonish me. So, how had I put myself in this position with this intolerable asshole? I strain against his hold and he leans more of his weight on my back. I kick out with my leg as he spanks me again, and again. Five, six... ten. "Stop." I wheeze. "Learned your lesson yet?" "Get off me, you brute." I yell, and he slaps my arse so hard that my entire body jerks up the table. "Sinclair." "What?" My breath stutters; the pain sinks into my blood, coils in that empty space between my thighs. "My name, little Bird." He cups my butt, "My name's Sinclair." Moisture pools in my core. Why the hell is my body reacting this way? "Say it." His voice lowers to a hush. I tremble, open my mouth, wanting to oblige him. Do it. Give him what he wants. "No." Whack. "Now." He growls. My skin stretches; my nerve-endings pop. "Sinclair." I huff. His large hand palms my butt. "See, we get along so well when you obey me."
Right. I swallow, firm my shoulders. "This is not about a boyfriend." He stills, but his body is braced for action. Dense clouds of energy vibrate off of him. I turn my head so my cheek is flat against the table. "My sister." I peer up at him. "She’s unwell, I can’t leave her." "Not my problem." Anger threads my veins, "She’s not well you... nincompoop. I can’t leave her." "Too bad." The blood pounds at my temples. Until now, I hadn’t’ realized how protective I feel about her. Me? I can deal with shit. But Karma? No way am I going to let her suffer because of this. I twist my torso. His grip loosens. Enough for me to pull free. I scramble up on the table, raise my hand, "Do it and you lose this account, and your home. You and your sister will be on the streets." I pause, "You wouldn’t." He raises an eyebrow. Of course, the asshole would go all out to destroy me. Then another thought strikes me, "You already knew?" He leans back, straightens the cuff of his jacket. "You don’t think I’d let you walk in here without running preliminary checks on you?" "You had me investigated?" My gut churns. The thought of this man searching out the nooks and crannies of my life? My butt throbs. Every fingerprint of his seems to be etched into my arse. I clamber off the table, glad to put the width of the barrier between us. "Didn’t take too long, by the way." He straightens, his tone already preoccupied. No doubt he’s moved on to other things already. He’s dismissed me in his mind. Me and my petty little life. I am inconsequential, not even a blip on the expanse of his beautiful life. I hate him... No, loathe him. I am going to find a way to avenge this humiliation. Ensure that he feels as helpless as I do in this moment. I smooth my skirt down my hips, then square my shoulders. "Good-bye, little Bird." He pivots, struts to the door. His large body cuts out the sight of the doors. That’s how massive he is. Slim waist, jacket stretched across a firm butt. Powerful thighs that ripple with each st ep he takes away from me. More wetness pools between my thighs. It's not fair that the devil has such an irresistible body. If he leaves, I can forget about my fledgling business, or paying next month's rent... And if Karma's condition were to flare up..? No, she is stable. That's what her last examination showed, but I have to be pr epared for the worst. I can't afford to be selfish anymore.. "Wait." He continues walking. "I’ll do it." He reaches the door, "Tonight. 8 pm. I'll send my chauffeur to pick you up" "I can’t drop everything..." "Don’t tempt me to change my mind."
Hate him. Hate him. Hate him. I press my lips together, hold up my middle finger, then for good measure stick out my tongue at his back. Childish, but what he’s done to me, how he’s coerced me into this situation, is nothing short of crazy; like, completely out of this world, unbelievable. "Why are you doing this? This entire set up... It's too elaborate, smacks of desperation." He pauses at the threshold. "What is it you really want from me, Sinclair?" He draws himself up to his full height, "I'll tell you when the time is right." My heart begins to thud. OMG... that... didn't sound ominous. Not at all. The hell is he hiding from me? I bite down on my lower lip. Not yet. Now is not the time to throw more questions at him. I can play his game. If he can bide his time, so can I. "Oh, and Bird? That spanking today, was nothing." He pushes open the door, holds it open for a beat, "Next time, your rudeness won’t go unpunished."