by Katie Ashley
Most of all, I loved waking up next to him, being wrapped in his strong embrace. I loved feeling his rock-hard erection pressed into my ass and the gentle touch of his callused hands.
One day after our usual morning quickie, Thorn and Conan went for their morning run, and I got ready for work. Since I wanted to get a jump on a new account, I decided to head in early.
When I got there, Cheryl motioned me over. “Mr. Moskowtiz asked to see you at your earliest convenience.”
“With Murray, my earliest convenience means ASAP.”
Cheryl grinned. “I’ll man the fort while you’re gone.”
“I appreciate that.”
After I made my way upstairs to Murray’s office, his secretary waved me right on in. As I opened the door, I asked, “You wanted to see me?”
Appearing all business-like, Murray nodded as he motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”
Unease pricked its way up my spine. “I can’t help but get the funny feeling I’m about to get some bad news.”
When Murray gave me a tight smile, my stomach twisted into a knot, and my breath hitched as I eased down into one of the leather chairs in front of his desk.
Fuuuuck. Had Murray called me in here because he realized what had been going on in my office? At that prospect, mortification rocketed through me so quickly I shuddered. My lips had run dry, and I had to lick them before I could speak. “This must be about the no fraternization policy among executives. I know it might seem like there’s something going on between us, but Thorn and I are just good friends.”
Murray crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t bullshit me, Isabel.” He was right. I’d never done that before, and I wasn’t about to start now.
“Fine. There is something going on between us. We’re dating.” And for once, everything feels right.
“I thought as much, but my concern isn’t specifically about the fraternization policy.”
“It’s not?”
He shook his head. “I’m more concerned about your career right now. You’ve worked so hard and come so far since you first started here as an intern. Until Thorn needed a job, I was fully prepared to give you the vice president position.” Murray surprised me by popping out of his chair, his expression suddenly turning remorseful. “You know I see you as one of my own children.”
“Yes,” I said tentatively.
“After talking with some of the higher-ups, I don’t like the vibe I’m getting.”
“The executives were discussing me?”
“Yes. More precisely, they were discussing your relationship with Thorn.”
I swallowed hard. “What about it?” We’d only been a couple for a week; how was it possible for the executives to be concerned about it? We’d been working together for months.
Murray exhaled painfully. “They don’t think it bodes well for any future promotions for you.”
“Excuse me?”
“They worry if you continue this relationship with Thorn, it will appear you’re only being promoted out of nepotism.”
I clenched my hands into fists as I saw red. “That’s bullshit.” I shook my head. “I mean, that’s ridiculous.”
“No, you were correct the first time. It’s positively absurd, but they fear it will cause contention among the other vice presidents in this department.”
“None of my prior work experience counts? The countless hours I’ve put in here, the money I’ve made for this place?”
“In their eyes, no, it doesn’t. It’s unfortunate that it’s an unprecedented issue. No executive has ever had the opportunity to date the president’s son, not to mention the grandson of the starter of the company. While this is a family-owned company, it’s still a publically traded one with shareholders to answer to.”
“Lucky me that I get to break the mold,” I mumbled.
Murray exhaled a pained sigh. “I’m sorry, Isabel. I could have kept this silent, but I felt you had the right to know.”
“No, I’m glad you told me.”
“But my words have left you with a very difficult decision to make.”
Tears burned behind my lids, but I wouldn’t allow myself to cry—not now, not in front of Murray. On shaky knees, I rose to my feet. “If that’s all, I need to get back to work.”
“That is all.”
“Thanks for meeting with me.”
“You’re welcome.”
With unsteady feet, I turned and made my way to the door. Murray’s voice stopped me. “Isabel?”
I slowly turned around. “Yes, Mr. Moskowitz?”
He gave me a tight smile. “For the record, I think the two of you look wonderful together.”
Fearing I would come apart right then and there, I merely nodded before hurrying out the door. With a shroud of uncertainty hanging over me, I trudged down the hallway. When I got onto the elevator, the tears I’d been holding back began to flow. I realized there was no way I could go back to work in the shape I was in. Most of all, I couldn’t face Thorn.
Not now. Not yet.
Seeing him would distract me from the decision I had to make. Instead of getting off on my floor, I took the elevator down to the lobby. With a determined stride, I made my way outside the building. If my life were a movie, this would be the part where I did some soul-searching as I walked purposefully around the city with a melancholy song playing in the background—but this wasn’t the movies. This was real life.
I still walked around the city as I did my soul-searching. Feeling emotionally bereft at the choice before me, I picked up Dani and took her to Central Park. As we walked around, my mind spun frantically.
I thought of my parents and all they had sacrificed to get me where I was today. I thought about how I’d been able to better their lives with my job. I thought how I’d scraped by while getting my undergrad degree, the countless containers of Ramen noodles I’d dined on. I thought of the epically long days and sometimes long nights in my first days at the company.
I’d come too far and fought too hard to throw it all away. The solution before me was agonizing. Thorn had been wrong. Perhaps he could simply think fuck them all, but I couldn’t, because as Murray said, the higher-ups had already made their decision.
“They don’t think it bodes well for any future promotions for you.”
Despite my efforts, despite my time there, despite my sacrifices, it wasn’t enough, and it would never be enough. It wasn’t enough for me and my future, which left me without any comeback, without any future, unless I did the one thing I was loathe to do. We were so new, and I had no idea where we were going to go, but I couldn’t throw everything away.
I had to break things off with Thorn.
Chapter Thirty-One: Thorn
After Isabel’s radio silence the rest of the afternoon and evening, I barely slept Monday night, and Conan didn’t either since he could tell my emotional grid was all fucked up. When she didn’t come back to work or answer my calls or texts, I decided on an ambush approach and went to her apartment, but she still wasn’t there.
Next I stopped by the doggy daycare to see if she might be there, and they told me she’d picked Dani up around three. I couldn’t imagine what could have possibly happened to cause her to flee work and then give me the silent treatment. It wasn’t something I was accustomed to after making a woman orgasm twice in the middle of the day.
All joking aside, it sure as hell wasn’t something I was accustomed to with a woman I had such an emotional connection with. After the last week we’d had together since the wedding, I couldn’t imagine Isabel giving me the cold shoulder. I couldn’t help thinking that as loveably neurotic as she was, there had to be something she was freaking out about.
Considering how much I cared for her, I wasn’t about to let go without a fight. I’d finally found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, someone who proudly supported me and unselfishly gave her whole self to me. She challenged me to be the best man I could possibl
y be—the type of man I’d been when I was leading my men.
When I finally said fuck it to sleeping and got up to run at five instead of my usual six o’clock, I didn’t bother texting Ty. Instead, I hit the predawn streets with Conan along with the jumbled voices in my head. Of course, it didn’t take Ty’s spidey senses long to find me. After exiting the car he’d used to catch up, he fell in step at my side. He didn’t question me during the run. Instead, he just lent me his silent strength, which I appreciated the hell out of.
Once I got back to my apartment, I called Isabel two more times before I got ready for work. Frustratingly, she didn’t answer or text me back. I debated going by her apartment once again, but instead, I decided to try work first.
Upon arriving on our floor, I power walked down the hall to Isabel’s office. Without even stopping to ask Cheryl if it was a good time, I burst in. Startled by my appearance, she shrieked and clutched her chest. “Thorn, what are you doing here?”
“Cut the bullshit. You know exactly why I’m here.”
Her eyes widened. “I do?”
I jabbed a finger at her as I started around the desk. “You’re avoiding me, and I want to know what the hell is going on.”
“I’m just busy with work.”
“Bullshit. You’ve got the same workload as before, yet you can’t seem to text or call me back. You ran out of here yesterday and didn’t even tell me you were leaving.”
“I just needed to take some time away from work.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “You just had a weekend away a week ago. It would seem to me that you suddenly wanted time away from me.”
Isabel paled slightly. “Fine. You want me to be honest?”
“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. I think it’s past time you were honest with me.”
She exhaled what appeared to be a pained breath. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”
What the hell? “Excuse me?” I demanded.
“You heard me.”
“Yes, but excuse me for being fucking floored that after the week we’ve had you would all of a sudden say you don’t want to see me.” I tapped my finger on the desk. “Not to mention what happened right here.”
“In spite of what happened over the weekend and in here, I think it’s just the best thing for both of us if we don’t continue anything but a friendship.”
“That’s bullshit because I know the best thing for me is being with you.” I placed my hands on her shoulders. “While Conan has made a big difference, it’s you who has made the biggest difference. Being with you these last few months has saved me.”
Isabel’s eyes shuttered in pain. “I can’t,” she whispered.
“What happened to make you change your mind? Did you read some bullshit article on the internet, or did someone say something?” When she bit down on her lip, I shook my head. “Honesty, remember?”
“If you must know, it appears we have already been the subject of discussion among some of the higher-level executives.”
“You’re throwing away a chance at happiness because of a few gossipy execs?”
“It’s not about gossip. Apparently, word has gotten out that if I pursue a relationship with you, I will never be promoted without it causing contention or appearing to be nepotism.”
“That’s just stupid. No one who has worked with you would ever think you got a promotion just because you were sleeping with me.”
“It isn’t stupid. Murray thought it was important enough to warn me.” Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I care about you very much, Thorn, but I’ve come too far and worked too hard to throw everything away for a relationship that might not work out.”
“You know there are other jobs and other companies you could work for.”
“But this one is like home to me. Besides, who’s to say I wouldn’t get blackballed by the executives when it came to references?”
Panic rose in my throat when it appeared I wasn’t going to be able to change her mind. I couldn’t let her go, not when we had finally come together and things were so perfect.
“To continue with this relationship, one of us would need to no longer work here for the executives not to bitch, right?”
She furrowed her brows. “I guess so.”
“Fine.” I whirled around and started for the door.
“Where are you going?”
I threw a glance at her over my shoulder. “To Murray’s office to quit.” If I hadn’t been a fucking mess, I would have found the expression on Isabel’s face hilarious. It was apparent she hadn’t seen that one coming.
Rising from her chair, she sputtered, “B-But y-you can’t q-quit!”
“I’m a grown fucking man—I can do whatever I want.”
As I left her office, she was right on my heels. “Thorn, have you lost your mind? You cannot quit over me.”
“If the only way we can stay together is for me to quit, that’s the only option I have.”
“And what if we don’t work out?”
“We will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I brought my feet to a halt, which caused Isabel to run into me. Taking her by the shoulders, I stared intently into her eyes. “I know because I love you.”
Isabel’s eyelids fluttered in disbelief. “You love me?”
“I sure as hell do. I think I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you outside the building.”
“But haven’t you been in love before and it hasn’t worked out?”
“You’re right. I thought was in love lots of times over the years, but it’s nothing like what I’ve experienced with you over the last few months. You’ve given me a purpose I didn’t know I had. I have never, ever connected with a woman the way I have with you.” I slid my hands up her neck to run my thumbs along her jawline. “I love you in a way I’ve never loved any other woman.”
Tears pooled in Isabel’s blue eyes. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, with all my heart.”
“I love you, too,” she murmured.
My heart threatened to beat out of my chest at her words. “You do?”
Smiling, she nodded. “Yes, I do. Unlike you, it came on gradually once I got to see the real Thorn. That Thorn is the best man I’ve ever met.”
With my heart threatening to explode at any moment, I crushed my lips to hers. Her arms came around me, her fingers twisting into the fabric of my suit. I don’t know how long we were kissing before applause broke out around us. When I jerked back, I saw the analysts around us had risen up from their desks and were clapping for us.
While she flushed under their attention, I laughed. “I guess that means we have their blessing?”
“Or they’re elated because they think I’m going to get fired and they’ll be able to move up to the next level,” Isabel replied with a wry smile.
Winking at her, I said, “There is going to be one position open.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re actually going to quit?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Just for me?”
I shook my head. “No—for us.” When tears shimmered in Isabel’s eyes, I reached up to cup her cheek. “Don’t cry.”
“These are angry tears.”
“You’re still angry I’m going to quit to enable us to have a relationship?” I demanded incredulously.
“I’m angry because you keep insisting on doing it without a second thought about how it might affect your life or your family’s life.” Gesturing around, Isabel said, “What do you think your Dad is going to say when his firstborn quits the family business?”
I shrugged. “I guess the same thing he said when I refused it at eighteen years old to go into the Army.”
“That was then, but what about now?”
“For him, it won’t change. All he’s ever wanted for his kids is for them to be happy.”
“There’s being happy, and then there’s him thinking some woman barreled into your lif
e and screwed everything up.” She tapped her chest. “The last thing I want is for your dad—or, for that matter, your mom—to hate me.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“How do you know?”
“Well, first of all, both my parents know I’m my own person and no one influences what I do, not even a woman.” Before she could protest again, I said, “Dad knows I’ve struggled in this job because my heart wasn’t in it so he’ll support this, and my mom will feel the same way. Besides, Barrett isn’t going anywhere, so Callahan still has a family connection with him. Not only that, Isabel, if I have my way, you will become a Callahan. You are the best person for this job, and I believe my parents will completely agree. They’ll be glad to know the company is still very much in the family.”
As she took my words in, the wheels in Isabel’s head seemed to be spinning in overdrive. Finally, she seemed to have reached a conclusion. “As long as you’re sure they won’t hate me.”
I grinned. “I’m not sure it would be possible for them to hate you considering how happy you’ve made me.”
“I want to believe that.”
“They already like you, and I highly doubt their feelings are going to go south once I tell them we’re dating.”
A slow smile curved on her lips. “It still seems so weird to be using that word with you.”
“I think the d-word you associated with me most was dick.”
“Or douchebag.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, that one, too.”
She slid her arms around my neck. “I guess from now on I should associate darling or dearest with you.”
“I can hardly imagine you ever calling me either of those two words.”
Tilting her head, Isabel retorted, “My dearest darling, you should have learned by now to never underestimate me.”
As I laughed, I couldn’t resist planting another kiss on that sassy mouth of hers. If we were together fifty years, I would never tire of her mouth. Most of all, I would never tire of the woman attached to it—the one who believed in me and challenged me to understand I still had value, even though I wasn’t in the military anymore. My dad was who he was because of Mom’s unrelenting and unshakable love, and I knew I could be a man of value and valor because of Isabel’s love.
