Lib Novel Page 40
I take a deep breath and exhale. “Yes, you just startled me.”
His lips press together as his eyes meet mine. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”
I cross my legs and hold my hands in my lap. Fucking hell.
“What happened in the break room, Madison?”
“Nothing,” I blurt. While I don’t want them to think I’m a slut, I don’t want to be a victim in their eyes, either.
He sits up and puts a hand on the table. “This whole situation between us is about trust. It goes both ways, sweetheart.”
I take a breath and meet his eyes. “I don’t want Hunter Adams. But he’s persistent.”
Cooper nods. “Is this the first time he’s tried to get you alone?”
I shake my head, feeling the prick of tears again, but I choke them down.
Standing, he reaches down to take my hands. When he draws me up, he pulls me into his arms and hugs me. My cheek rests on his heart as his clean, crisp scent envelops me.
“It’s been a long week,” Cooper murmurs in my hair. “If you need me to step in?—”
“No.” I shake my head, not releasing my arms from around him, taking solace in his hug. “I can handle it.”
I hope. But Hunter is a client, and this is my new job. He caught me unaware twice. I’m going to make sure it doesn’t happen again, even if I end up on his turf.
Cooper releases me and steps back. Reluctantly, I let him go. He brushes my hair out of my face and smiles. “This afternoon should be easy. We have our weekly meeting. Then it’s the weekend. You can unwind from this crazy place.”
I smile, but I can’t help feeling a little sad. A weekend where I won’t see them for two days. I’ve gotten used to them being around and touching me in small ways.
He brushes his finger over my lower lip and leaves me standing alone in the conference room. Does he believe me about not wanting Hunter?
They don’t know me. But I’ve given them carte blanche over me without knowing them. What kind of woman do they think I am? My hand touches the conference table where Blake held me down and finger fucked me.
My eyes dart to the door Cooper left through. I don’t know if I would believe me.
Chapter 14
Weekly Meeting
Cooper
She’s hiding something. I can tell she doesn’t want to talk about it.
I’ve seen the way Hunter watches Madison. A lot like we watch her. But his gaze feels more predatory. I don’t want to alarm the others, but I’m not sure if some of those advances from Hunter might be wanted. She didn’t call out for help, but she seemed frightened.
Was that because of Hunter or the fear of discovery?
Madison said they weren’t wanted. For now, I have to trust her, but Andrea made us all a little warier. She used us to get what she wanted and started to try to work us against each other. She dug her red claws deep into Blake and the others, but I always saw that calculating look in her eyes.
You don’t grow up wealthy without learning that look. The one that says, How much can I make you give me? Madison doesn’t have that look. She has a heated look that she gives all of us. I can almost believe she really does just want us and not our money. But the two go hand in hand, so I can never be one hundred percent certain. We’re young, attractive, and very wealthy men.
Many women have looked at us like a payday waiting to happen. I hope that’s not Madison.
I’m early to the weekly meeting. I sit at one end of the long conference table. Will we actually go through with the “initiation” we planned for today? My dick twitches. Fuck, I hope so. We’ve all been good boys and kept our hands to ourselves after Monday.
Madison needed to focus on training. As much fun as it was to turn her on, we need a properly trained assistant too. She put her all into learning everything, and it seems like she’s getting up to speed quickly.
Speaking of the devil, she strolls in. Her blue eyes immediately find me and she smiles. Not that weak smile from before. I wanted to deck Hunter Adams when I found him with Madison cornered. But our deal with her isn’t complete until we have our signed agreement. Until then, Madison is free to do what she wants with who she wants.