Did he speak to Titan like this all the time? That would drive her crazy after the first thirty seconds.
“It seems like you care more about Titan than you should.” He stared me down with his crystal blue eyes, appearing threatening without changing his expression. He rested his fingertips against his chin.
I didn’t respond because I had nothing to say to that statement.
“Women like Titan don’t exist. She’s the only one of her kind, a special breed. But make no mistake—she’s mine.” He pointed his fingers at his chest.
My blood started to boil.
“I’m not fucking her. I’m not in love with her. But she’s mine. She’s going to be my wife and the mother of my kids, the ultimate business partner. I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’re just a genuinely nice guy that sticks up for the underdog…but I don’t want there to be a misunderstanding between us.”
I hadn’t minded Thorn initially.
He didn’t seem like a threat.
But now I hated him. I hated him, and I didn’t understand why.
“When your arrangement is over, that’s it. You move on.”
All I could do was stare.
Thorn waited for me to say something, and when I didn’t, he spoke again. “Tell me I’m wrong, Hunt. I want to be wrong.”
“I think marrying her is a mistake.”
“For her or for me?”
“Both of you,” I said simply. “She deserves something real.”
“I am real. Other than my fidelity, she’ll have everything else. I’ll be the one to take care of her when she gets sick. I’ll be the one to grow old and gray with her. I’ll be a great father. I’ll love her every single day—in my own way.”
“Titan deserves the best. We both know you aren’t it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you saying my assumption is correct?”
I understood the parameters of our relationship. I wasn’t looking for anything more than good sex. What we had was good enough for me, and like all things, I would eventually grow tired of it. But Titan had changed my life in many ways—for the better. I gained a friend, a confidant. “No, your assumption is not correct.”
Thorn leaned back into the chair, visibly relaxing.
“I respected Titan the moment I looked at her. I even admired her. I feel my fondness grow for her.”
A smile formed. “She has that effect on people.”
“And I hope to be a good friend of hers as time goes on. But no, I’m not trying to keep her.” At the moment, I didn’t want anyone else. She was the only woman I wanted to be with, the sex absolutely incredible. She pleased me in a way no one else ever had. But like all things, I would grow tired of it. That was just how my personality was, as much as I wished I were different. My high would wear off, and I would crave someone else—no matter how amazing as Titan was. The only time someone stayed in my life was if they were a friend. And if Titan became my friend, I would keep her a lot longer that way.
Thorn looked satisfied with that answer. “Then we don’t have a problem.” He rose to his feet and walked to the edge of my desk. He extended his hand.
I almost didn’t shake it. While our conversation had ended positively, I still despised him. I didn’t like the fact that he got to keep Titan for the rest of his life, that he somehow had talked her into this idiotic arrangement. “Why does she want this?” I stood up but didn’t shake his hand. “Is it because her boyfriend died? She thinks she could never fall in love again?” Had she given up on that kind of happiness?
Thorn’s face turned as pale as milk. Slowly, his hand went down until it returned to his side. He didn’t blink once as he looked at me, neither angry nor upset. He was stoic, having no visible emotion at all.
I’d never seen him react that way. He had expressive eyes and a distinctive body language, but now he wasn’t giving any signals at all.
“Don’t ever mention that to her.” His voice barely came out as a whisper. “This is something you don’t comprehend, so don’t bother trying to understand it. It’s none of your business, so stay the fuck out of it.”
I’d crossed a line with the question—making Thorn angry in a way I’d never seen. Both of his arms were shaking slightly, barely noticeable tremors. He hadn’t blinked yet, his eyes wide open like an owl.
“Bring it up to her, and I’ll fucking kill you.” He left my office and walked to the door. He gave me one more violent look before he walked out. “Fucking kill you.”
* * *
I’d just finished with a call when Titan’s name appeared on my phone. She was calling me directly, skipping the office phone because she had access to me in ways most people didn’t. When I saw her name, I naturally smiled. But that smirk faded away when I remembered my final conversation a few hours ago. I answered. “Titan.”
Her smile was loud through the phone. “Hunt.”
She never called me by my first name. I was certain I hadn’t heard it on her lips before. Most people didn’t, so that wasn’t unusual. “Have I ever told you that you have the sexiest voice?”
“If you think my voice is sexy, you should see my panties.”
My hand immediately formed a fist at her quick comeback. It was witty and sexy. Now I pictured her in the black lingerie I’d last seen her in, her tits pushed together, hard and perky. She took control and dominated me, making my fantasies come true. While I enjoyed every second of it, my submission was beginning to wane. I wanted to be the one to conquer her, to order her to her knees every time I walked in the room. Her need for control was simply about her need for power, to issue the orders. My need for control was something completely different. I wanted to master her in the sexiest way possible, to bring the most powerful woman to her knees with a single command. I wanted to own her in a way no other man had—including Thorn Cutler. “I would love to see your panties.”
“I thought you might. We should discuss our plan for Bruce Carol. Come to my office.”
Her bossiness was sexy, but also irritating. I put up with it because I would be rewarded in the end. Obeying her would all be worth it just to watch her obey me. “Let’s talk over lunch. I haven’t eaten.”
“I can have my assistant run out and pick up something.”
I’d never eaten with her in a restaurant—alone. There was always someone joining us. I could try to override her, but since she was in charge, I yielded. “You have glass doors on your office.” I didn’t need to be more specific to explain what I was thinking.
“We have the rest of the day, Hunt. I’ll see you soon.” Like our conversation was over, she hung up.
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I set my phone down. That woman owned every room she walked into—even if she wasn’t physically in the room.
* * *
As soon as I arrived at her office, her assistant ushered me through the glass doors.
Titan was at her massive white desk, writing with a matching white pen. A vase of peonies was sitting on the corner, bright and pink. They were the very ones Thorn’s mother sent her.
I swallowed my annoyance.
“Hello, Hunt. Take a seat. I’m just finishing something up…”
I eyed the table that had been rolled inside. Lunch was set up, two salads, sandwiches, a bowl of fruit, and two Old Fashioneds. She balanced her liquor addiction with low-calorie options. She watched her weight, which was how she looked so sexy all the time. But she couldn’t give up her poison altogether.
I respected that.
I took a seat and waited for her to finish.
When she was done, she walked up to me and extended her hand to shake mine.
I eyed it, refusing to give the gesture. “Shaking hands is beneath us, Titan.”
“Anytime we aren’t alone, we’re being watched.” She narrowed her green eyes at me. “So shake my hand.”
I finally did as she asked, controlling my smile the best I could. But I squeezed her hand a little tighter th
an I usually would, silently telling her I wished I were squeezing something else.
After she achieved my cooperation, she took the seat across from me. She was in a black dress with a V neck in the front, along with a white gold chain around her throat. Her nails were painted with French tips, and the delicate muscles of her arms showed her body’s tightness. She set her cloth napkin on her lap then dug into her salad.
I studied her, watching her painted lips open as she placed the food into her mouth. Whenever I saw her, I was always greeted with a kiss—on my mouth or my dick. I didn’t like the professionalism of this meeting, being treated like I was a business associate instead of her lover.
If we were in my office, I would be fucking her right now.
“I haven’t scheduled a meeting with Bruce yet.” If she knew I was staring at her, she ignored it. She must be used to my intense gaze by now. And I probably wasn’t the only man who stared at her intently.
“You want me to handle it?”
“That’s not what I said.” She picked at her salad, eating a few bites here and there. But most of her energy went to her Old Fashioned.
I didn’t mention Thorn stopping by my office that morning. It would probably make her angry with him if she knew he’d pulled that stunt, but I still kept it to myself. I’d feel like a rat if I said anything. “Bruce Carol knows he doesn’t have any options now. No one else will make a move—fearful of my wrath.” I’d basically dropped my pants and told the world I had the biggest dick.
“Maybe we should stop by together—without a meeting.”
It wasn’t professional to stop by unannounced, but it also wasn’t professional to talk about making a woman suck your dick either. He didn’t deserve our respect. Titan and I only wanted to conquer, to take him for everything that he had. “No warning. I like it.” I grabbed my fork and took a bite.
“We sweep him clean. He’ll take whatever we offer because he won’t have much of a choice.”
“Exactly.”
She took a bite of her sandwich, her small lips moving slowly as she chewed.
I watched every move she made. “You want to do this now?”
“The longer we wait, the worse our deal’s gonna be.”
“True.” She threw her napkin on the table, her plate just as full as when it arrived.
Come to think of it, I’d never seen her finish a meal. The only thing I ever saw her complete was an old-fashion—several of them.
“Let’s get going.” She rose from her chair and grabbed her clutch from her desk.
I stared at her ass, noticing how tight it looked in her skirt. I almost couldn’t blame Bruce for his asshole comment. Now I was staring at her ass just as hard. But the difference between us was I had her explicit permission.
She turned around, catching my gaze as it shifted back to her face.
She didn’t care at all. “Unless you have a busy day.”
I got out of my chair and set the napkin on the table. “I always have a busy day. I’ll tell Natalie to cancel everything this afternoon.”
“So you’re ready to do this now?”
I slid my hands into my pockets, hating the glass doors right behind me. I didn’t like being in public. This woman turned me into a different man, but I couldn’t let that man come out when there were so many witnesses. “Absolutely. But are you sure you want to do business with a jackass like him? Wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”
“I don’t care what he thinks of me. He can continue to be the egotistical, sexist pig all he wants. I’m laughing all the way to the bank.”
* * *
We waited in the lobby ten minutes before Bruce would see us. He’d had a short warning, but not enough to truly prepare for our meeting. Besides, he had no way to prepare for what was about to happen. His empire was slowly sinking into the ground, and he was desperately trying to jump ship—but there was nowhere to land.
I sat beside Titan with my hands in my lap. My ankle rested on the opposite knee, and every time I looked up, Bruce’s assistant was watching me. She held my gaze for a split second before she looked down. Red cheeks followed afterward, along with a smile. She was a pretty girl, but she didn’t command my attention the way Titan did.
Titan sat beside me with her legs crossed. She sat perfectly straight, her back as rigid as a flat piece of wood. Her hair was in soft curls, and she wore dark makeup around her eyes. Instead of looking like a CEO, she looked like a model.
Anytime I was beside her, I was conscious of our proximity. I was more aware of my lips than usual, feeling their softness and plumpness with my tongue. They felt lonely when they weren’t pressed to Titan’s mouth—or any other part of her body.
I’d worked with beautiful women on a daily basis, and I never experienced this kind of struggle. As natural as it was to breathe, I felt the need to place my hand on her thigh and let it rest there.
I’d never done it to her before, but the urge was so normal that it felt like I’d done it a hundred times.
I wanted to drape my arm over the back of her chair and lean toward her to whisper something in her ear. The words didn’t come to mind, but maybe I didn’t need words at all. I could press my lips to the shell of her ear and just remain there, listen to her breath as it quickened in anticipation of my touch.
I was just about to land a huge business deal—but all I could think about was Tatum Titan.
Did she feel the same distraction I did? Did she feel the magnetic pull between us?
When I glanced at her legs, I saw them reposition, rubbing together.
I had my answer.
Bruce’s assistant came to us in the waiting room. “Mr. Carol will see you now.”
I buttoned the front of my suit as I stood, ready to tango with the devil. I hadn’t considered how I would feel coming face-to-face with him after the last time he spoke to me. I wanted to murder him for insulting Titan so inappropriately. Just because I was making a deal with him now didn’t mean my feelings had changed.
I was glad Titan was going to walk in there with her head held high. She seemed less affected by the insults than I was. She took them in stride, refusing to let them drag her down. She was too powerful, too pure for that. Unlike most businessmen, she didn’t have time to feel hurt. She just wanted to get the job done.
We walked together down the same hallway we’d both taken before—but this time together and not separately. When I saw her walk out of Bruce’s office initially, I was both shocked and unsurprised. I didn’t know how she’d figured out Bruce was ready to be bought out, but it didn’t surprise me how quickly she jumped on the opportunity. In fact, she’d beat me to it.
Just before we reached the door, my hand moved to the small of her back, and I pressed my mouth to her ear. “I’ll let you lead. I know you’ll give him hell.” I pulled my arm away just before we stepped inside, returning to a mere business partner and not a lover.
Titan brushed it off like it never happened. “Mr. Carol.” She walked up to the desk, set down her folder, and took a seat. She didn’t bother walking around the table to shake his hand. Her hands came together in front of her, staring him down like he was something beneath her.
I took the seat beside her, my allegiance abundantly clear. I rested my hands on my lap, looking at the puffy old man sitting across from us. He wasn’t as jolly this time around. His eyes kept moving to Titan, ignoring me altogether.
“Mr. Hunt and I are here to make you an offer.” Titan opened her portfolio, pulled out the sheet of paper that we agreed to hand over, and slid it across the table.
Bruce didn’t reach for it, letting it sit in front of him.
“Unfortunately,” she said, “there will be no blow job as part of the deal.”
I did my best not to smile.
“You’re going to sell it to me anyway, at half the price I initially offered you. Take what you can get and walk away.”
Bruce took a breath before he pulled the paper toward him. He hadn�
��t spoken the entire time, too cowardly to say anything. He browsed through the paper before he set it down again.
“Do you accept our offer?”
Bruce looked at me when he spoke. “No. I want—”
“I don’t give a damn what you want.” Titan didn’t raise her voice, but her presence suddenly felt larger than it had before. She took up most of the room, even making me feel small. “We’re the only offer you have. And just for the hesitation, I’m taking it down by ten percent.”
Don’t smile. Don’t smile. Don’t smile.
Bruce’s jaw nearly dropped. “Are you out of—”
“It just turned into twenty percent. Think wisely before you speak again.” Titan didn’t need me to say anything at all. She had this deal in the bag. She could run a meeting better than a drill sergeant could hustle his soldiers.
Bruce’s mouth opened, but he abruptly closed it again, thinking to himself. He rubbed his jaw, his fingers tracing his mustache. He said something under his breath before he looked at Titan again. “Fine.”
Like the lady she was, she didn’t gloat about robbing a man with his eyes wide open. She opened her folder, pulled out the paperwork, and crossed out the incorrect numbers since the offer had spiraled down. She pushed it toward him. “You know where to sign, Bruce.”
Bruce grabbed his pen and took his time signing, his hand shaking slightly.
Titan watched him with her hands on the desk.
But I watched her. Titan worked him hard—like a boss.
When Bruce finished signing the paperwork, he pushed everything back to her.
“Great.” Titan gathered everything before she stood up. “The money will be in your account shortly. I expect all of your things to be removed by tomorrow morning—your employees can stay.”
I pulled out Titan’s chair as she stood before I did the same.
She walked off first but turned around when she reached the door. “I don’t have an ass like a nectarine, Mr. Carol.” Her green eyes looked terrifying as she stared him down, her soft hair unable to make her look more feminine because she was so hard in that moment. With a rigid posture and a queenly authority, she took control of the room. She even took control of me because I couldn’t take my eyes off her. “But I do have an ass that won’t quit.”
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