Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“I would kill for anything cold,” Dash says.
Debbie laughs. “Well since you’re ex-FBI and write about an assassin, I think that means I better get you something cold to drink.”
“Just make sure it’s not diet,” Dash says. “Then I really will have to kill you.”
She laughs like a schoolgirl, pink on her cheeks. My brother does that to people. It’s hard to watch when I’m in sister mode. Amazing when I’m in agent mode. I glance at my watch and realize the café is closed. I’m just not getting my latte. “I’m good,” I say. “And bring him diet. I like to irritate him and I won’t let him kill you.”
She laughs again and looks at Tyler. He waves her off for himself. “I’m fine, too. Thanks, Debbie.”
I don’t remember him saying thank you to people in the past, but maybe he did. Maybe I just notice everything about Tyler now. Lord knows, I’m hypersensitive to his every move, which is why I turn my attention to the contract and put my lawyer hat on. Two revisions later, we have a deal, and my brother will start filming in three months.
“We’re done,” Tyler says. “Go grab Allie and take her out to celebrate.”
The two of them exchange a few words, no awkwardness between them over me, but they have known each other forever. They are friends. They seem to compartmentalize things between work and personal.
We chat a few minutes more and nerves jitter about in my belly, with my worry that I’m going to end up in a confrontation with Tyler after this that I won’t handle well. Not in my present state of mind.
When Dash finally heads for the door and I would follow, Tyler says, “Wait, Bella.”
My heart thunders in my chest and I turn to face him. The room is hotter now. Maybe it’s me who’s hotter now, but I can feel the tremble of my knees that’s pure adrenaline.
“Shut the door,” he orders.
The problem is that I know what happens with us behind closed doors, and it doesn’t work in my favor. But he’s also my boss. I can’t say no. I shut the door and say, “If this isn’t business, don’t say anything to me right now. I need space. I need to think.”
“I won’t apologize for protecting you.”
He’s closer now, but apparently, I don’t care. I push off the door, step into the room and swipe at the air. “Are you kidding me? He’s a future client. You were going to…I don’t know what you were going to do, but it was wrong and foolish. And I’ve never known you to be foolish.”
“He wants to fuck you.”
“Because men always want to fuck everything that moves. Case in point, you.”
He steps closer. I back up and point at him. “Stay back.”
“That’s not true, Bella.”
“It is true, and all I did was lay down and spread my legs like every other woman does for you, and you have no idea how ashamed I am of that. Because apparently, you think I do it for everyone.”
He flinches, almost as if my words really have the power to hurt him. “Come on, Bella. You know—”
“Is this business or can I go home to my new puppy?”
“Let’s go somewhere—”
“No,” I bite out. “No, and no again. In case you didn’t hear me, no. That’s your thing, right? I have to say no. Can I go now, boss? Or do I even have a job?”
His jaw tics and he steps backward as if pushed. “I would never let our personal relationship affect your job. Never. And now that you said that, as much as I want to pull you close and kiss you and keep you here, I feel like I can’t. I have to let you go, but I don’t want to let you go, Bella. Don’t go.”
“It’s now or in fifteen months. I choose now.” With that, I turn and exit the office.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Bella
I can’t get to my office and then out of this building fast enough. I also have to face the fact that I don’t know how I keep working with Tyler. I’m fighting to save my career and I’ve ended it. And this is exactly why I need out of here to think. But when I step into my office, my brother is there waiting, which, of course, he is. We have a lot to celebrate. We have plans.
“Hey,” I say, trying to put on a brave face, but I’m pretty sure I’m trembling from my encounter with Tyler. “I just need to grab my things.”
Dash pushes off my desk where he’s leaning. “Do I need to talk to Tyler?”
I hold up my hands. “I beg of you, do not. This is between me and Tyler.”
“That’s up for discussion. You’re going to talk to me over dinner?”