Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Sorry, sir.” He trembles, vibrating as if he wishes he could dive and hide behind his cart. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“Leave. Now.” I order, and he nods, keeping his eyes downcast as he presses the button to descend.
“Wait.” I slap the side of the door to make it roll back and fix Jerry with an alpha glare. “You never talk about what goes on here, right?”
“No, Alpha.”
“No colleagues. Not even an executive.”
“Never, sir,” Jerry rasps, sounding close to hyperventilating.
“Good.” I let the doors close.
Fuck. I’ve been stupid. I’ve lost my mind over a human.
Just to be extra sure, I call down to security. Within minutes, I have the best cleaning crew in the city on their way to deep clean the entire fifty-fifth floor. The cleaning company prides themselves on discretion, and what’s more, they’re all human. After they blast this place with industrial strength chemicals, they’ll destroy any trace of our combined scents. No one will be able to smell what went on here.
But I’d be a fool not to realize how obvious my interest is in Madi. I’ve used the stress of closing the deal as a cover. I haven’t outright lied to my pack, but I’ve lied to myself, telling myself my interest in Madi is because she’s smart and capable and smells incredible.
I need to work her out of my system.
Madi is unlike anyone, shifter or human, I’ve ever known. When she sways into the room, my senses come alive. Every day has been gray and unending, a relentless climb to the summit to achieve dominance and safety for my pack. My family. It doesn’t matter how hard I work, how high I climb. Every morning, I’m back at the bottom of the mountain, and I start the ascent again. That is my job as an alpha, my inheritance and my right. But until Madi came along, I didn’t realize how much I craved a moment to stop, to breathe, to take in the view.
Time with her isn’t gray and unrelenting. It is in technicolor. But she’s a weakness I can’t afford.
I call Billy. “I’m flying to California.” I need to be out of this office, away from the temptation of Madison Evans.
“Thank fuck,” he says. “I just found out things have gone sideways. Benson Junior is missing. They’ve searched all his usual party spots from here to Cancun and none of his friends have seen him. Benson Senior is distraught. He’s ready to throw his company away. Give it all to Adalwulf Associates and call it a day.”
“I’m coming. I’ll fix it,” I say. It’s a worst case scenario, but I’m grateful for the emergency. When my father died, focusing on business kept me going. Stay focused, close the deal, protect our pack. Nothing else matters.
Nothing else can matter.
Not even the human who turned my world upside down.
Three thousand miles of distance might not be enough to cool my longing for her, but it’s a start. In a week, the Moon Co. office closes for Thanksgiving.
Distance and time. That’s what I need to forget her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Madi
I’m humming in the limo on the way to work. Even the sight of the Maserati parked in front of the fire hydrant doesn’t phase me although I wish I were a meter maid, so I could ticket it myself.
But when I walk through the doors, the security guard does a double take.
”You’re here? Top floor is closed. We just got word. Special deep cleaning.”
I open my mouth. Close it. “Oh, yes, of course.” I act like I know all about it. “When will it be back open?”
“Should be a few more hours. Until then we have a temporary office for you to work in. Mr. Blackthroat specified this before he flew out.”
“He left?”
I’m his assistant. His only assistant. I should be the first to know. Instead I’m the last.
“Headed out to California last night. He told us he’d be back after Thanksgiving.”
“Right.” Next week is Thanksgiving. The offices are closed.
The security guard ushers me to my temporary office. I keep a smile pasted to my face and thank her. For the rest of the day, I’m going to have to pretend my boss didn’t just ditch me.
I was wondering if we could bridge the gap between a workplace fling and something real.
Today, I got my answer.
My new temporary office is quiet. The only sound is my typing. The phone blares, making me jump in my seat. I grab it, hoping it’s Brick.
It’s not. It’s Billy, ordering me to send over a report. “ASAP. Mr. Blackthroat’s orders.” He sounds smug. Does he know what’s going on? I bite back my snarl. “It’s on its way.” I’d already compiled it the way Brick likes. Billy doesn’t give me the satisfaction of surprise at my speed and efficiency. He just hangs up.