Guarded King (Empty Kingdom #3)

Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

ROMAN

“ T he legal team will draw up our formal bid for EcoTech this week,” Cole says.

“Good.” I scan the men and women sitting at the table. “Other points that need to be discussed?”

There’s a low murmur and shaking of heads, but all I can focus on is the way David is leaning in toward Chloe and murmuring in her ear.

My jaw clenches, and it only relaxes when she nods, then shifts to put distance between them as she turns to speak to Sophie, who’s sitting on her other side.

“Looks like everyone’s happy.” Tate smoothly steps in for me when I don’t continue. “The marketing department is working on drafting announcements for when the bid is accepted.”

Announcements. Accepted. Those words bring me back to the topic. “Excellent. That’s it for now. We’ll meet again in a week’s time.”

Around the table, our employees collect their things and stand. As they file out of the room, Cole, Tate and I bring up the rear. I can’t help but track Chloe, who’s walking with Sophie and, annoyingly, David.

“What the hell’s going on with you?” Cole asks.

I turn to him with a frown. “What?”

“You’ve been as distracted as shit since you got back from France.” Tate eyes me. “And you stayed an extra night. Is there something you want to tell us?”

“There’s nothing to tell.” I stare straight ahead, avoiding their scrutiny. “I extended my stay so I could meet up with Jameson in Paris. The only thing on my mind at the moment is this acquisition. You know how important it is.”

“We do,” Cole says. “But it’s not the be all and end all. I know you want to prove a point about the King Group’s change under your leadership. But there’s no one thing that’s going to accomplish that. All the work we’ve done over the last few years is what’ll show the world that we’re doing things differently.”

I grunt. Thoughts like that are what typically occupy my mind, but today, I’m distracted for a completely different reason. And that reason is walking ahead of us, hips swaying and a tight skirt accentuating an ass I can’t wait to get my hands on again. It’s been two days since I fucked her in my office, and since then we haven’t had any real alone time.

During the day, the risk of being interrupted is too great. And locking the door will invite suspicion. Chloe spends the evenings with her father, so I’m reluctant to ask her to work late in order to see her. I’ll reserve that request for when we legitimately need to work late.

But fuck, was it hard not to touch her each time I saw her yesterday. I’ve got to come up with a solution before my distraction ends up costing us a deal.

“Yes, the acquisition is only part of the plan,” I say. “But it will put us years ahead of our nearest competition. And I don’t want Haverscombe disrupting things at the last minute.”

“I doubt Haverscombe is the type of man Ellis wants to do business with,” Tate says. “Not if he truly cares about integrity.”

Tension knots my back and neck. If he knew the truth about Chloe, he wouldn’t want to work with me either. Regardless of whether what I’m doing with Chloe is anything like the shit Dad pulled, I’m not sure if Ellis, or anyone else, will see the distinction.

“Is the reason you dislike Roger so much because he’s dating Katherine?” Tate asks.

Where the hell did that come from? I shoot him a narrow-eyed look.

He raises his hands in the air and laughs. “Sorry, I had to ask.”

Irritation flares inside me. “Did you?”

“Yes. You’ve never opened up about why the two of you divorced. Just wondering if there’s a lingering flame there and that’s what’s got you all riled up.”

If I was tense before, my muscles are even tighter now. “I can guarantee that there’s no lingering flame.”

As we stop outside my office door, Sophie waves at Chloe and continues on to Tate’s office, while David hangs back by her desk.

I force my gaze away before I do something stupid like grab him by the collar and tell him to move the fuck on.

“Okay, okay.” Tate exchanges a look with Cole.

I glare at both of them. “If you have something to say to me, spit it out.”

The light sound of Chloe’s laughter from a few feet away steals my focus. David’s perched on the corner of her desk, grinning at the no doubt smart ass comment that made her laugh.

“David,” I bark. “Is there a reason you’re distracting my assistant from her work?”

Every set of eyes turns to me, including Chloe’s wide ones.

David jerks upright. “Sorry, Roman. I wanted to book some time with you so we could go over our revised plans.”

Cole and Tate are wearing similar speculative expressions as they look between Chloe and me. Dammit. I need to get a better handle on the unfamiliar feelings that are taking me over. I’ve never experienced anything like this. Not even with Katherine. It didn’t bother me when men flirted with her. She was a beautiful woman, why wouldn’t they? But the sharp lash of possessiveness I feel with Chloe is as potent as it is unexpected. Maybe it’s because, to everyone else, she appears available. Maybe the instinct would fade if the world knew she was mine.

Or maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe this is what it feels like to hold on to something valuable and fragile. Something that might disappear with one wrong move.

“Fine.” I nod at David and force down my irritation. Then I turn to my brothers. “Anything else from you two?”

“Nope.” Tate says.

Cole responds at the same time. “Nothing.”

“Good. I’ll see you at our meeting with the legal team.” I enter my office and shut the door behind me to avoid being peppered with last-minute questions.

Rolling my neck, I try to loosen the tightness coiled at its base before dropping into my chair. Instantly, my focus is drawn to the scratches on the edge of the desk. My lips curve up at the memory, and finally, the tension in my muscles abates.

Maintenance contacted me first thing yesterday morning. Apparently one of our cleaners notified them of damage to my desk, and they wanted to know if I’d like a replacement.

I’d told them I wasn’t interested.

Damn. I’m already distracted again. With a long exhale, I straighten and get back to work.

Ten minutes later, I’m interrupted by a knock on my door.

“It’s just me,” Chloe calls out.

“Come in.”

She slips in silently and closes the door behind her.

Maybe it’s because of her interaction with David, or maybe because my control is shot, but I stand and take a step out from behind my desk. “Lock it.”

Her lips part, but she obeys without argument. The moment the snick echoes around the room, I’m striding across the office and pushing her against the door.

“I thought you wanted to keep it professional at work?” she says, wide eyes searching my face.

I drop my forehead to hers. “I’ve broken so many rules when it comes to you already.”

Sighing lightly, she runs her fingers through my hair.

“I don’t like it when David flirts with you.”

She pauses for a heartbeat, but then her fingers continue their caress. “I wasn’t flirting back.”

“I know. I still don’t like it,” I admit grudgingly.

She laughs softly, the sound loosening the unfamiliar knot of possessiveness in my chest.

For a moment, I let myself enjoy the softness of her touch, but eventually, I step back. “I need to see you outside of work.”

Still pressed against the door, she lowers her hands to her sides. “How? Where?”

“My apartment.” I drop my head back and study the ceiling, searching for a way to make it happen. “Can Carol stay with your father tonight?”

She worries her lip, drawing my attention to the plump flesh. “She did offer to stay if I need her to, but it’s probably too late to arrange for tonight, especially since she stayed on Wednesday.”

Bitterness rises in the back of my throat and coats my mouth. Fuck, I don’t want to think about her date with Ethan.

According to Chloe, he called the next morning to apologize for the abrupt ending to their date, even though he wasn’t the one who caused it. I guess that’s what good guys like him do. And yet, I can’t find it within me to regret stealing her from him.

I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I’d bring her back here and fuck her all over again if I had to.

“I’m sorry if I’m making this difficult,” she says, eyes scanning mine.

The uncertainty there causes a knife to twist in my gut. I take several steps back, only stopping when I’m leaning against my desk. “Come here.”

She obeys, approaching slowly, but watching me almost warily as she does. I wish I knew what was going through her head. I wish I knew how to reassure her. When she’s close, I wrap my arm around her waist and draw her in until her body is flush against mine.

“Never fucking apologize for looking after your dad. I told you we’ll make this work, and we will.” I trace my finger down the side of her cheek, then grip her chin between my thumb and forefinger and tip her face up to mine. “I didn’t bring you here the other night because I wanted an easy lay,” I say. “Nothing about the two of us together is easy. But I want it anyway. I want you .”

I press my lips to hers, sweep my tongue into her mouth. She responds immediately, tangling her fingers in my hair. Despite the need that surges through me, that conjures images of bending her over my desk again, taking her on the couch, or pressing her up against the window, I manage to restrain myself.

As much as I want her, I can’t risk either of our reputations by having her here while there are other people in the surrounding offices. She deserves more than rumors of impropriety and people whispering in the corridors if anyone finds out we’re in here together with the door locked.

When I let her go, her lips are swollen, and her eyes are hazy. I’m so damn hard I’ll probably need to take care of myself in the bathroom after she leaves. But the blue balls are worth it for the wondering look she gives me.

Smiling, she touches her fingers to her mouth. “I’m not used to this.”

“Kissing your boss?”

She laughs, a husky little sound that goes straight to my dick. “That too. But no. I meant doing something that feels so wrong and so right at the same time. I’m usually so careful to do the smart thing, the sensible thing. And this is the farthest thing from that.”

I regard her carefully, searching for doubts. Is she having second thoughts about pursuing this? The thought slices more deeply into me than it has any right to, considering the reality of our situation. If she threw up a stop sign, it certainly would be the quickest and easiest way to resolve matters.

It might be better for both of us if this ended here, but there’s no fighting the part of me that craves her. It’s too strong. Despite denial having already embedded its claws in my stomach, I still force myself to give her an out. “I told you before. You’re safe with me. If you want to end this now. There won’t be any repercussions.”

She looks up at me, a little crease between her brows. Then she shakes her head. “I’d forgotten what it feels like to want to take a risk, to let my life get a little messy. I think… I think I want that more than I’m scared of it.”

“I don’t want you to be scared of me.” The words come out rough around the edges.

She places her hand on my chest, the warmth of her palm soaking through the fabric between us. “I’m not scared of you. I’m scared of the unknown, I guess. And this kind of thing, the emotions that take over when I’m with you, it’s completely new to me.”

I stay fixed on her. “We’re both sailing in uncharted waters.”

Her throat bobs in a swallow. “But… you’ve been married before. You must have felt this way about Katherine. Despite how things ended up, it must have started out this way.”

What looks like pain flickers over her face, but it’s gone just as quickly as it came. Fuck. I don’t like that she’s comparing the connection we share to what I had with Katherine.

I slide my hand into her hair and tilt her head so she’s forced to meet my gaze. “The way I felt about Katherine was nothing like this,” I grit out, needing her to hear the truth in my words, to see it in my eyes. “I would never have broken my rules for her the way I have for you.”

Her mouth parts, a small breath escaping her. “But why?”

“Why didn’t I feel that way about her, or why have I broken my rules for you?”

Catching her bottom lip between her teeth, she studies me. “Both, I guess.”

My ex-wife is the last person I want to talk about. But I owe Chloe at least part of the truth. “I fooled myself into thinking Katherine was what I needed at the time, but she wasn’t, and she never could be.”

Ignoring the question in her eyes, I release her and shove my hands into my pockets.

“As for why I’ve broken my rules for you…” I’m still struggling to understand it completely myself.

Maybe it’s because she’s the first woman who’s made me question my priorities. With her, I’m reminded of what it’s like to live in the moment rather than to treat life like a chess game, calculating the implications of every move I make. She makes me feel like a better man, and I’m selfish enough to not want to give that up. And fuck if she isn’t the only woman—the only person —who’s managed to quiet the constant voice in my head that drives me to do more, do better, be better.

Better than him.

That contradiction lodges like a rock in my throat. Because despite all the ways I tell myself it’s different, if the world finds out I’m fucking my young, beautiful assistant, it’ll be damning proof that I’m cut from the same cloth.

All of that is far too complicated to put into words right now, so I take the easy way out. “Because you’re the only woman who’s ever made me want to break my rules.”

There’s still a faint glimmer of doubt in her expression. Rather than try to assuage it any more, I pull her to me, cup her face, and press my lips to hers until the heat builds between us the way it does so easily.

But someone will come looking for us soon, or at least get suspicious, so I feather my mouth over hers one more time, then break away. “Ask Carol if she can do some overtime this weekend. We’ll make a plan then about how to move forward, okay?”

With a nod, she turns for the door. As she slips out, she casts a last look at me over her shoulder.

I return to my seat, but instead of getting back to work, I swivel and stare out over Manhattan.

With the city spread out before me like this, it’s too easy to feel like I’m untouchable. That I’m in control of myself and my life. I’m starting to realize that both of those things are an illusion. And maybe, just maybe, letting go of those beliefs might give me a peace I never knew I wanted.