Chapter One #2
Management? Her project managers were in the thick of the mix. They—
The aluminum can crinkled under her grip when her muddled brain processed what he was telling her. He wasn’t talking about project managers or account managers.
He was going after her family members.
“We both know the source of this company’s problems,” he said softly, mercilessly. “And it’s time they were addressed.”
Her heart sank even as it began to pound a little faster. The hum of her computer suddenly seemed too loud and the city lights outside her dark window blinked too brightly.
Were her siblings finally going to be held accountable?
The moment the traitorous thought hit her, her stomach clenched. No, she couldn’t think like that. Shouldn’t. Besides, Julian would never have brought Rowe onboard if he’d thought he’d do something like that. “My father won’t allow it.”
“He’ll have to, or he’ll lose his company.”
Were things that bad?
Of course, they were. She knew they were.
She began worrying the pop tab with her thumb.
She should defend her siblings, but she couldn’t muster up the words.
Besides, she’d learned long ago that in her father’s eyes, her brothers and sisters could do no wrong.
Julian Underhill loved his children to a fault.
They didn’t need her to defend them. He’d put up a nasty fight to save them. Still…
“Which one?”
A muscle in Rowe’s jaw twitched. “Like I said, you make my job difficult.”
This time, her stomach dropped out completely. Dear God. Was he coming after her?
Because she’d done a good job? Because she’d worked her fingers to the bone?
Because she wasn’t like the others?
He was quiet as he watched her. Intense. Her goose bumps pulled tighter, and her pulse pounded in her ears. She was more vulnerable than the others. She knew it, and so did he.
Would her father stand up for her?
She pushed back from the desk, and her chair rolled off-kilter.
She stood before it could fall over, but her ankles tilted inside her unstrapped shoes.
The sharp pain made her wince, and she kicked them off.
Not caring what he thought of her, she walked barefoot towards the bank of windows.
The darkness outside played tricks with her depth perception.
The view was pretty, in the way fire was pretty.
She couldn’t forget how far one could fall.
It was impossible to think. She turned back. Then spun to face the windows again and raked a hand through her hair. The blinking lights outside burned her corneas.
It didn’t make sense. Cameron Rowe was nationally known as a restructuring specialist, and he wasn’t afraid to do the dirty work. He went from one company to the next, slicing and dicing. If companies survived, they came out stronger.
But if they didn’t…
“Why?” This wasn’t what needed to be done. She wasn’t the weakest link here.
Was she?
He stood. “It’s not good for a company to have one person carrying all the weight.”
“So you get rid of that person?”
He walked towards her, his heavy footsteps silenced by the plush carpeting. The wolf was coming in for the kill. “Have you ever thought about going somewhere else? Striking out on your own?”
She rubbed her bare arms. “Of course I have.”
But never seriously.
“Then why do you immerse yourself in the middle of all this chaos? You could get a job anywhere. Why do you stay?”
“Why?” she said incredulously. “Because they’re my family.”
“But you’re—”
“I’m what?” she fired back. “Adopted? Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think that everyone knows that?”
She spun away, her fingernails biting into her palms. It was the story of her life.
She was forever the square peg trying to fit into the round hole.
She didn’t look like the rest of her family, and she didn’t act like them.
In personality, she might as well have been from another species, yet the Underhills were hers.
As disparate as they were, they were the only family she’d ever known. She loved them. She was loyal to them.
But it always came back to those differences, didn’t it? Her nails cut so deep into her skin, they nearly drew blood.
Enough. She’d had enough. “I’m going home.”
She darted towards her desk, but Rowe followed hot on her heels.
“That’s not what I meant,” he growled.
He moved with such fluidity, it made her wonder if her wolf comparison was that far off. He certainly was a predator.
Shaking, she picked up one of her shoes and lifted her foot behind her to slip it on. She gasped when he caught her hand before she could tug the elastic strap over the back of her heel.
His dark eyes were hot as he looked down at her. “If you’d let me finish, I was trying to say that you’re wasted here.”
She glared up at him, not believing him, but found him closer than she expected. Too close.
She froze.
His size wasn’t as big as his reputation portended, but he was a presence. His shoulders were wide and his body was muscled. He didn’t tower over her, but he had a good six inches on her. It put her on eye level with his hard lips.
Lips that suddenly didn’t seem so hard after all.
As she watched, a soft expulsion of air left his mouth, and he went stock-still.
Too late, Lexie realized the sexual pose she presented.
With her foot lifted behind her, her back was arched and her breasts were pressed tightly against the silk tank she wore.
The slit in the side of her skirt split wide, showing a generous amount of thigh.
He was standing so close, his pant leg brushed against that tender vee of skin.
Yet all that paled in comparison to the feel of his fingertips against her vulnerable Achilles tendon.
Firm, hot and intimate, it startled her.
She grasped for the chair to steady herself. She clutched his arm instead. He’d reached for her, his free hand catching her waist.
Tension still crackled in the room, but its focus had shifted.
He was touching her.
He cleared his throat, the sound rough. “You could do better than this, Lexie.”
Her mouth went dry. She didn’t think so.
The thought pinged around her head like a snapped rubber band, and her cheeks heated. She fumbled with the strap of the stiletto but lost all remaining air when his caress slid down to her heel.
“Let me.”
His touch traveled over the side of her foot, searching for the spot where the strap had gotten trapped underneath.
Her toes pointed reflexively when an inquisitive finger stroked her arch.
Her hold on his arm tightened, but he managed to hook the strap.
He gave a tug and it popped loose. Slowly, he retraced his path, guiding the elastic band into place.
“Breathe,” he whispered.
Her lungs caught fire when she remembered to inhale. Oh, dear Lord. She’d known he was dangerous to her, but she’d had no idea in how many ways. Heat blazed up her leg, settling in her core. The tingle she’d felt before in her toes was nothing compared to this. Nothing.
His caress circled her ankle, his thumb still tracing that mischievous strap. His dark gaze hadn’t moved from her face. “I’m trying to do what’s best for everybody.”
And what was best for her was apparently tossing her out on her rump.
The surprising arousal she felt was quickly doused.
Talk about an Achilles’ heel. What was she doing?
The mush in her leg hardened back into muscle. Breaking his hold on her, she set her foot firmly back on the carpet. Why? Why did she have to react to this man, of all people? He wanted to toss her out like a toy that had been used and abused but was no longer shiny enough for show and tell.
She sidestepped away from his touch on her waist. “It sounds to me like you’re taking the easy way out.”
“You think this is easy for me?”
She needed to get away from him. She had to get somewhere she could think. Snatching her other shoe, she dropped into her chair to put it on herself. There was no way she could take another Prince Charming performance—only her hands were unsteady and her fingers were clumsy.
“Lexie.”
The sound of her name coming from his lips rubbed just a little too raw. The strap of the shoe was twisted as it settled into place, but she ignored the discomfort and popped out of her chair. She grabbed her jacket and jerked it on.
“Listen to me,” he said.
She’d listened enough.
She powered down her computer and snatched her purse out of her desk drawer, but paused as she looked at her stack of proposals.
“Leave them,” he nearly growled.
But…
Her chin snapped up. That might be the answer. Her idea. If it had any merit whatsoever, it could bring in more sales and a new target audience. Staff would be needed, and marketing would have to kick in immediately. She reached for the proposal, realizing it was more important now than ever.
She gasped when he caught her hand.
“No. You need a break, and we need to talk.”
She stared at her hand in his. One touch. One touch was all it had taken. For months, they’d barely spoken. Now her personal space was gone. “I just want to go home,” she said hoarsely.
“After dinner. You need to let me explain.”
Oh no she didn’t. She was a bright girl. She got it.
She tugged at her hand. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”
“Just a bite. We’ll—”
“I don’t trust you,” she said, hating it when her voice shook.
He went silent, and the tension in the room shifted once again. He glanced away, and that muscle in his jaw clenched. This time, it didn’t let loose. “Fine, but I’m walking you to your car.”
“I can get there.”
He turned a look on her that burned her right down to her toes that were squished back into her uncomfortable shoes. “I’m walking you to your car.”
There was no arguing with him. She didn’t dare.
He took her silence as acceptance but still didn’t look happy. He never looked happy. She knew why now.
The bastard had a bitch of a job.