15. Im A Dead Man
I'm A Dead Man
Luke
I get to work earlier than usual Monday morning to start on the Dobson divorce, getting everything ready for when Joni comes in at ten. Dani walks into the office fifteen minutes later, speaking with someone.
"He's going to complain, Mom, he hates this. Put him on and I'll deal with it." She tosses her purse on her desk. "Mason, are you giving Nanny attitude?…I don’t give two shits that you’re tired.
You should have thought of that before deciding to have a party while I was stuck in that elevator. Did you really think I wouldn’t call Uncle Jake to check in on you?" Dani yells.
"And I still don’t understand how you managed to convince Uncle Jake to stay, but now he’s in deep shit with Auntie Erin."
I stand in the doorway of my office, leaning against the frame.
"I don’t care, Mason. I have your phone for another week and you’re spending three days with Nanny and Papa. Now, shut your yap and go cut the grass like Nanny asked you to do when I dropped you off. I love you with all my heart, I’ll see you Thursday." She hangs up and flops down in her chair with a grunt.
"Daniella," I call.
She jumps and throws a pen at my head; I duck before it hits me.
"What have I told you about doing that!" she spits out. "You’re going to give me a heart attack or make me piss myself." She runs her fingers through her hair, that she’s wearing down today. "I have a mom bladder, remember. It’s not as strong as it used to be."
I pick up her pen and place it on her desk. "Noted."
Dani leans forward, resting her elbows on the desk, and dropping her chin on her palms. "So, how was your weekend?" she bats her lashes at me.
"Unproductive," I cross my arms over my chest.
"So, what did you do instead of working?"
"Daniella, my weekend was horrible. I was incredibly bored."
She sits up straighter. "Then why didn’t you go somewhere, or hang out with friends?"
I say nothing. She does not need to know how pathetic I am. That I haven’t hung out with anyone besides my family in years. Instead, I turn around and head into my office, shutting the door behind me. Just to have it swing open a second later.
"Don’t you brush me off," Dani barks. The tick, tick, tick of her shoe tapping against the floor signals her frustration.
I sit behind my desk. "Joni will be here at ten for her meeting. I need you to scribe." I pull up her file and start working, getting ready to make my calls to the women who were accused of sleeping with Doug.
"You have dictate on your computer that can do that for you." Dani says.
"Then I wouldn't need you if I used that, would I." I say.
"Fine, be a dick today, but you didn't have to take my advice about the weekend."
She turns on heels that make her legs look exquisite and her ass like an oil painting and walks out, slamming my door when she leaves.
Dani brings Joni Dobson in at ten on the dot and sits next to her with a pad of paper, ready to work. She refuses to look at me, her nose is scrunched up in this cute way and her leg bouncing. She’s irritated with me.
I had already spoken with the women who were accused of sleeping with Doug. Out of the ten different women, only four admitted to having a sexual relationship with Doug. The other six swore it was only sexting and video chats.
"I spoke with the women from the text messages. Four did confirm a physical relationship with him," I begin.
Joni smiles and sits back in her chair. "I fucking knew it. Once he got that promotion, he started 'working' late but was never in the office when I called to speak with him. What about the other six?" Joni asks.
"They said they never met him in person, spoke with him via text messages and video chats." I confirm. "Now that we have confirmation of his—" my office door flies open, cutting me off.
Doug storms in, waving papers in the air. "I’m not the only one with proof of cheating!" he slams the papers down on my desk.
"Doug, you cannot barge in here while I’m having a meeting with your soon-to-be ex wife. Whatever proof you have, give to your lawyer." I say, standing from my chair, but Doug isn’t listening. His eyes are trained on Dani.
"Who’s this gorgeous creature?" Doug asks with a slimy smile on his face. I grind my teeth to keep myself calm, but I don’t like how he’s looking at Dani. Like she’s something to use for his own sick and twisted pleasure.
Dani lifts her head; eyebrows rise in question. Doug leans on the desk and eyes Dani. My palms itch to grab him by the neck and throw him out of my office.
"Hey sweetness, wanna show me what you’ve got going on under those clothes." Doug says licking his lips.
Dani smiles and curls a finger at him. "You’ve got big dick energy for a man with a tiny pecker." Dani says leaning back.
Doug chuckles and grabs Dani’s face, gripping it with his hand and making Dani whimper in pain. "Sweetheart, my dick would make you gag as soon as it was in your mouth."
That does it.
Rounding the desk, I grab the back of Doug’s neck and haul him out of my office, towards the main door.
"Luke! What the fuck!" Doug yells.
I shove him into the hallway. "What the fuck gives you the right to not only barge into a meeting that doesn’t involve you but also speak to my assistant the way you did?" I demand.
Doug looks over my shoulder. I know we have an audience, but I don’t care. I push him towards the elevator.
"Come on, Luke. You can’t say that you haven’t thought about getting all up in that," Doug says. "Bending her over your desk, fucking her stupid then getting rid of her because women over thirty are only good for a fuck and chuck."
My temper overthrows my self-control and I cock my arm back and swing, connecting with Doug's jaw. I've had enough of Doug and his fucking mouth.
"The fuck Luke!" Doug hollers, blood dripping down his chin.
A throat clears behind me and my body stiffens. I'm a dead man. I turn and meet Dani’s death glare as well as everyone else’s stunned looks.
"We need to talk." Dani spits out between clenched teeth before pivoting on her heels and marching towards my office.
I stand there like a jackass.
"Now! Luke!" Dani hollers over her shoulder.
I straighten my back, swallow my dread and head for my office; this is not going to end well. I step in, shutting the door behind me. "Daniella—"
She holds her hand up and shakes her head. "I’m going to pretend that what you did is due to the fact that you are under an extreme amount of stress right now."
I open my mouth to defend myself, but she continues.
"What you did was extremely out of line and inappropriate." She says and steps closer, lifting her chin to look at me. "Why would you think punching the asshole was okay?"
"He deserved it for the way the spoke about you." I admit.
Her face softens. "I can handle myself."
"I'm sure you can."
"Then why did you do it?"
Taking a deep breath, I put it all out there. "From the moment I saw you sitting by Carrie’s desk, you undid me. I think about you all hours of the day and night. Of all the dirty things I want to do to you with my mouth, fingers, and dick. Here and in my bed." I close the gap between us. "Has me wanting you in a way I have never wanted any woman before. You burrowed under my skin and made camp there."
Dani’s eyes go wide, her breath hitches, and a flush works its way up her neck and spreads across her beautiful face. "Luke, I um—" she runs out of my office without finishing what she was saying, swiping her purse as she passes her desk.
My lungs constrict. Once again, I fucked it up.
Carrie tries to stop her, but Dani shakes her head not saying a word and leaves.
Fucking hell.
I just lost the best thing that ever happened to me before I got the chance to make her mine.