SWNOVELS One Bossy Date: Chapter 22
Piper sits on the king-sized bed in our hotel room with her legs dangling over the edge.
Her face is almost as red as her dress.
Unmistakable proof she was crying in the bathroom and trying like hell to hide it.
Yeah.
I’m going to slaughter Apollo Finch three times over.
Once for going out of his way to savage my grandparents’ legacy.
Again for digging into my fucking personal life.
And finally for hurting the woman I love.
Although Fyodor could drop him like a hammer the instant I say the word, I already know I’ll have to settle for nailing his ass legally.
I fucking hate it.
A slander and libel case is so much less than this vicious fuckwit deserves.
“Brock,” she starts, but the look on her face says too much.
“That twisted, gutless, cutthroat chickenshit bastard clown had no right! No right.” I shake my fist in the air. “He’s hellbent on bringing me down.”
“I’m so sorry.” Her words are barely audible.
Why should she apologize for his shit?
“I’ll bury him alive. Nail his dick to the inside of a cell with criminal charges,” I vow.
Piper balls up her hands, moving them roughly on her thighs.
Something about the motion stops me in my tracks.
She’s gone from humiliated to scared thanks to yours truly.
Goddamn.
Why am I letting him rattle me like this?
I suck in an acid breath and exhale. “I’m sorry, Sunshine. I don’t mean to explode.”
She shakes her head.
“It’s fine. I just hate this. Everything was going so well, and now—this. Just go public with our relationship, and I’ll resign,” she whispers.
What the hell?
“I have no problem going public with our relationship, but you’re not resigning over this. You’re the reason we even have a counterattack. If you quit now, we’re back to square one, and my marketing department is left swinging in the breeze.”
“If I quit and we’re still together, the scandal dies. It’s not news-worthy to date a woman who doesn’t work for you anymore—”
“You can’t quit. I need you, Pippa.”
“Maybe I could stay on as a consultant, but I doubt you need it. The issue isn’t us, Brock. It’s the optics, office morale, the judges at that conference…”
I inhale sharply, annoyed that she’s always too smart for her own good.
“You are not quitting your job and downgrading to a goddamned basement consultant who can’t even step into the office. That’s not right.”
“I’d like to come clean and do things right, even if it hadn’t come to this. I don’t want Maisy thinking it’s cool to sneak around with your boss.”
“We will, Sunshine. We’ll just do it on my terms.”
I won’t watch Apollo fucking Finch back Piper into a corner. He’s a complete lunatic if he thinks I’m going to be backed against a wall where she’s concerned.
Her lips slowly curve into a tense smile I haven’t seen since before she handed me her phone. “What are your terms?”
“You don’t quit your job. HR can fuck off and deal with it. I’ll take the blame.”
“That…that isn’t going to work. How do you just gloss over this while you’re trying to clean up your brand image? Never mind the award.” She tilts her face up.
“I’ll win, dammit. Don’t worry about it.”
I’m not thinking straight—if I’m even thinking at all.
Right now, I’m halfway tempted to sweep her up and haul her into the lobby so the entire world can see me kiss her.
She stands. “You’re upset.”
“Obviously. That fucking jackal doesn’t fight fair. If it’s so important to beat me for his ego, his pride, he should clean up that piece of shit hotel and stand his ground without these cheap parlor tricks. But hell, I don’t even care about that. He can have the shitting trophy if it’s fair. Not this way. Not by hounding me out of the running with these nosy goddamned reporters.”
I pinch my eyes shut and see red, trying to breathe.
I’m back in a burning spy plane, all adrenaline, everything spinning and choking and horrible, helplessly plummeting to Earth.
Ripping this man’s throat out might be the only thing that stops my free fall.
At least Piper doesn’t look scared out of her wits anymore.
She walks up to me and rests her hand on my chest. “Brock, I’m not going to undo all of our work. I won’t ruin Winthrope.” She swallows. “I won’t ruin you.”
Insane.
I stare at her.
Doesn’t she know she’s already ruined me?
After Lanai, after finding her here, I knew I’d never look at another woman the same way again.
Swallowing a growl, I close my hand over hers.
“Piper, listen. The only way to ruin me is to let him win. If you quit, that’s exactly what you’re doing. He’s kicking me in the balls right where I live.”
“Then what can I do? How can I help?” Her frown deepens.
“You’re here. That’s enough.” I pull her closer, hugging her to my chest.
“Since when did the bosshole become so sensitive?”
“Don’t know. Maybe the day a mouthy thing with looks like an angel barged in, watching me shower—”
“You broke into my room,” she says, smiling.
Even with my gut turning into a volcano, I laugh.
That’s her magic, all right.
She makes me happy even with the entire sky falling down.
“Piper?” I whisper.
“Yeah?” She tilts her head back so she can see my eyes.
I almost say it.
I almost cut myself open and bleed on her.
I almost give her the words vibrating in my soul—but I shouldn’t tell her now.
Not like this.
Not while we’re stuck in this dumbass crisis.
The first time I say ‘I love you,’ it needs to be perfect.
“Brock?”
“Never mind,” I say.
Her eyes search mine. “What were you about to say?”
“I forget. Nothing important.”
I didn’t forget shit.
I’m just too gutless to say it.
Still, I run my hand down her back. “I’ve vented and moaned, but you haven’t said much. How are you really holding up? You’re in the middle of this too, and I wish like hell you weren’t.”
“I—I don’t know. I don’t like being called a junior copywriter who got ahead by sleeping with you. I hope nobody who works with us thinks that.”
“If anyone’s that stupid, they don’t know the facts. Piper, we kissed before you ever worked for me. Hell, I kissed you. This shit show is entirely on me—”
She meets my lips with hers, silencing me.
“Hush. If you hadn’t kissed me, I would have done it first,” she admits.
“Yeah?”
She nods, a slow smile appearing. “Once I had the nerve, I would have walked right into your office and kissed you.”
“I wouldn’t have called security.” I grab the zipper on the back of her dress and pull it down.
“What would you have done?”
I kiss her lips. “What does it look like?”
She brings her leg up behind mine.
Her hands move to the row of buttons on my shirt. “I might even have done this.”
She works several buttons out of their holes and flicks her tongue against my chest.
“Fuck,” I rasp, lust bolting through me. “If you did that, I’d have no choice but to do this.”
I place my hands on the shoulders of that skintight dress and peel it down.
She continues working my shirt open. “Then I’d call this fair game.”
She unbuttons my pants next and watches them fall.
I feast my eyes on the beautiful woman in front of me. “You’re not wearing any panties.”
She smiles and bites her lip.
“The dress was too tight. And I wanted to surprise you later, before everything went crazy.”
I’m definitely going crazy now.
Especially as she works her hands under the elastic of my boxers, pulls them down, and slides a soft hand down my length.
“Miss Renee?” I bite off, my head rolling back as she strokes me to heaven.
She rises on her toes to kiss my lips.
“So formal. We should fix that,” she whispers.
Goddamn, if I ever needed to blow off some steam…
I devour the inside of her mouth before I can answer. Then I pick her up and place her on top of the desk in our room.
“Brock, we have a bed—”
“Too far and less fun,” I growl.
I thrust into her then, anger and madness and adoration filling my hips.
Every stroke renders us breathless.
Every groan brings us closer.
Every pulse writes whole volumes, books about all the shit I want to say with words, but I can only communicate with flesh right now.
“Brock!” she whimpers, her pleasure cresting, and she digs her little teeth into my shoulder.
As I drive on, deeper and harder and faster, I realize I have something no power-hungry billionaire rival can ever take, no gossip can derail, and no amount of money can buy.
As I slam her against the desk and bottom out, emptying my balls with a groan, I know this woman is irrevocably mine.
I just hope I’m smart enough to keep her.
The next day I’m in my office, lighting up every resource I have so this never happens again.
“Up security on everyone’s company devices. I want my house watched twenty-four seven, the whole perimeter.”
I’ll be damned if this jagoff gets another picture from inside my yard.
It’s a threat to Piper and a breach of my privacy.
I don’t want her home alone either. Her family isn’t back from Mexico yet. Finch could bug her entire house if he wanted.
“Anything else?” Keenan asks. “For the record, I’m sorry you have to deal with this.”
“That’s it. Don’t apologize, just get it done.” I cut the call and pound my phone against my desk.
A thick envelope catches my attention.
What the hell is that?
I tear it open and pull out a large blue card with a yellow thought bubble that reads, There is no good card for this…
I flick it open and see the words, But I’m so sorry for your loss.
And then in handwriting underneath, Hell of a winning streak you had, Winnie. It almost pains me to see it coming to an end.
P.S. At least you won’t be lonely. That sweet little kitten should help lick your wounds.
Fuck him entirely.
I am done.
Before any sanity sets in, I grab my phone and call Apollo Finch.
“Winnie, what a surprise. Did you get my card?”
“You fucking coward,” I spit.
“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“Stay the fuck away from her and stay away from my house! If she shows up in one more tweet, I’ll send you to the butcher shop. Then I’ll send a package to your mother.”
I know how unhinged I sound, threatening dismemberment.
I don’t care. This maniac has crossed every red line.
“Oh, Winnie, your threats are so tedious. You should work on that anger. I had to take a few classes myself after Samantha—yeah.” He catches himself.
It takes a second to remember that was his ex-wife’s name.
The woman who walked out on him after losing the award sent his life into a spiral. I’m sure the decent chunk of his fortune she got wasn’t nearly enough for putting up with his bullshit.
“Don’t play dumb with me, Finch. No one else sends me a condolence card unless they’re causing my bad luck. All for an award I haven’t lost yet.”
“Yet,” he bites off.
“The award isn’t the point. I’m warning you, stay the fuck away from my—” I stop. Shit. Why give him more ammunition? “Stay away from Piper Renee.”
Silence.
Then he says, “Was it worth it?”
“What?” I clip.
“Dipping your pen in the company ink. Was it worth ending your winning streak and embarrassing yourself?” He pauses, waiting for an answer I won’t give. “You were always so buttoned-down. No scandals, no women, no substances to spice things up. Mr. Boring Workaholic, too married to his work to ever wind up in trouble. Or so we thought.”
Goddamn, this is pointless. He’s been warned and I’m not sitting here taking his shit.
“Are you done?” I snarl.
“Don’t hang up yet,” he hisses.
I wait.
“You’re so protective of Miss Renee. It’s almost endearing,” he says, an edge in his voice that hints he thinks this could backfire. “I wonder what you would think about this?”
“What?”
“You have to rein in your temper first, Winnie. You are threatening me with a meat grinder, after all. But I wonder how much you’d flip if you heard my little recording?”
“Recording? What fucking recording, Finch?”
“Oh, fine. Best not to leave you wondering, huh?”
I wait while there’s a clicking sound and another voice with a digital echo.
A voice I recognize.
“He’s going to get blown up and it’s all thanks to me,” Piper says miserably. “Jenn, what if they start digging into my father? All the medical stuff he’s paid for? An office fling would be pretty embarrassing, but if everyone finds out he’s spent tens of thousands on my family… I can’t do this. I can’t let his kindness end in a slaughter. I’ll never live it down. I love him so—”
Click.
The recording cuts off.
I’m too fucking stunned to speak, my heart banging in my chest.
Finch’s nasty laugh echoes in my ear. “Rather sad, isn’t it? You’re so protective of her. You can just tell the guilt must be eating her alive. What will she do if this leaks and the whole Winthrope crew finds out about Harold Renee’s special treatment?”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Before I know what’s happening, my fist crashes down on my desk so hard pain lashes up my arm.
“Leave her alone or you die.”
He makes a loud exaggerated yawning sound.
“That’s very sweet of you, still trying to go all Neanderthal for her. Such a shame that we understand your little romance, but everyone else—well, your HR department—might consider your moves potentially litigious. Winthrope Resorts might even need a new CEO.”
“Stop following her, or Oasis Springs will definitely need a new chief. I’ll make sure they never find the body,” I growl.
I don’t even disconnect the call.
I just chuck the phone across the room.
It thuds against the wall, bouncing to a stop on the floor.
Pure bullshit.
And here I am, playing right into his game.
Fuck whatever happens to me.
I care that he could make Piper’s life far more miserable.
That can’t happen.
I can’t take more from her than she’s already lost just by trying to do the right thing with her ailing father.
My phone goes off and I walk across the room, surprised it isn’t broken as I snatch it off the floor. “Goddamnit, Finch, you need to back the fuck off and—”
“Young man, that’s no way to talk to your grandmother!”
Oh, shit.
“Sorry. I thought you were—”
“Apollo Finch? I gathered that much. Are you two fighting? Oh, Brock, multinational CEOs don’t have time for schoolyard spats. Just be the bigger man and walk away.”
I wish like hell I could.
“What do you want?” I ask, tamping down the fury in my voice.
“I just called to make sure you and that sweet girl got home okay. You left in such a rush.”
Right.
My elderly grandparents had an international flight, and she’s worried about me. Typical Grandma.
“We’re good. Just a PR issue I had to go chasing down,” I say, holding my breath and hoping she hasn’t seen the news.
“That junk in the papers? It’s as bad as the old Roland Osprey rag.”
Well, fuck. So much for keeping a lid on it.
I wait in grim silence until she says, “I don’t think you did anything wrong, you know.”
“You don’t care that I’m dating an employee?” I ask.
I certainly can’t make myself regret it.
“Oh, pish-posh. Back in my day, that was called an office romance, and it was spicy.”
I cringe. “Grandma, don’t make me hear that again.”
“Prude. I wouldn’t have you harassing some poor girl who worked for us, but that’s not what happened. She hangs on your every word. You watch her with your heart in your throat. You two were adorable. She’s exactly the kind of woman I always hoped would find you.”
“Yeah,” I say tightly, stunned that this insanity has their approval.
Maybe my tight-ass grandparents aren’t as concerned with optics as I thought.
Grandma laughs. “If I’m being honest, I was rooting for a British girl so you’d move to London. But I really just want to see you as happy as I saw you this weekend. If that girl is special, treat her like gold. Cling tight. I could go on forever, but you know what you need to do and I need a nap, dear. I just wanted to let you know we’re behind you before you did something stupid in the fuss—or you let her make a dreadful mistake.”
“Thanks, Grandma,” I say dryly.
“You’re welcome and I love you.”
“Love you too. Go take your nap.”
I wasn’t expecting that.
I have to protect her, dammit, now more than ever, before Finch drops another atomic bomb on her life.
I owe her that much if I want to keep her. I just wish it was as simple as threatening Apollo Finch with an early grave.
As I sit down and think, my jaw tight enough to break, I know what I have to do.
The question is, am I strong enough to do it?
I have to try.
Even if it makes bailing out over hostile territory in a flaming wreck and dispatching a bunch of mobster fucks feel like a spring picnic.