Obession by Design

by Ravenna Tate

  She’d never know whether she was right. All that had been snatched from her hands in a matter of minutes, and ice blue eyes coupled with a sexy grin couldn’t bring it back or take its place.

  When Emmett finally left her office, she stood with her back against the closed door until her breathing was under control. It took some time because of the erotic images dancing through her head, and Liane jumped slightly when someone knocked.

  Thinking it was Emmett again, she opened the door quickly. “Oh…” It wasn’t Emmett. It was a woman with short jet black hair and dark eyes, dressed the same way Tania had been. “You must be the assistant.”

  The woman actually gave her a warm smile and stuck out her hand. “I’m your personal assistant, Miss Peyton. My name is Stacie Baxter.”

  Liane shook her hand, thrilled that at least one person in this organization knew how to properly greet someone for the first time. “It’s nice to meet you. Please call me Liane.”

  “Let’s get you to HR for the proper badges, and then I’ll help you set up your office and show you the nuts and bolts of this empire.”

  Liane mentally chuckled at the way Stacie called the organization an empire. She knew she was going to get along very well with her personal assistant.

  An hour later, Liane had all her necessary access badges, had her office in working order, and knew where to find nearly every piece of information she needed on the structure of the company. Stacie had helped her set up her laptop and then shown her the Intranet and how to access anything she could possibly need on it.

  As Liane had already known, the Software and Web Design division was only part of Radcliffe Enterprises. The remainder of the corporation had its hands in communications and the antiquities market, which really intrigued her.

  When she asked Stacie how there could still be a market for antiquities, she brought up that division’s website. Liane spent an hour reading the fascinating stories of men and women who braved the storms above ground to travel the globe, procuring everything from artwork to antique pottery, all for a hefty price.

  “Surely some of them die doing this,” said Liane.

  Stacie nodded. “More often than the Storm Troopers do from what I’ve heard.” The Storm Troopers were funded by Radcliffe Enterprises, in addition to receiving funding from several other multi-billion dollar corporations, including ACE Communications. They braved the powerful, unpredictable storms ravaging Earth’s surface as a result of the Tommy Twister virus, collecting data. The hope was that this data could be used to take back control of The Madeline Project.

  “It’s hard for me to picture,” said Liane. “Everything we knew on the surface is gone.”

  Stacie nodded. “Seeing it firsthand changes your perspective on everything.”

  Liane stared at Stacie. “You’ve seen it?”

  “Not me. Your new boss. Emmett Radcliffe isn’t the kind of man who sits behind his beautiful desk, which by the way was procured from Brazil, no less, and dictates orders. He’s been to the surface more than once, and nearly died the last time when a tornado formed just as he and his team were trying to make it to a shelter.”

  Liane had misjudged Emmett. The image of him risking his life in the midst of such a storm sent a shiver down her back. “I didn’t realize there were shelters above ground.”

  “They were constructed when the underground cities were built. BrentCait Enterprises proposed above-ground shelters in addition to the underground system, for those unable or unwilling to go underground. But the majority of the shelters weren’t finished until after The Madeline Project was hacked into.”

  “And these procurement teams use them?”

  “They do, and so do the Storm Troopers when they can’t get out of a storm’s path. There aren’t enough of them and they aren’t very large, but they’re the only buildings left standing up there.”

  Liane clicked through the site a bit more, until she came across the sidebar article that described how The Madeline Project was named after the description of the house where Madeline lived in the books by Ludwig Bemelmans. The article also contained a timeline of events that led to most of Earth’s population moving underground. It still didn’t seem real, even when she came face to face with it like this. She’d talked to many people who felt the same way. Their entire lives had changed, and yet they were unable to accept it had happened.

  There was also an article about Emmett, featuring a picture of him standing with other men who each exuded power and wealth. All were smiling and had the aura of confident men who were used to getting what they wanted, when they wanted it. She frowned at the caption, which identified them as the Weathermen. “The Weathermen?”

  Stacie chuckled. “You’ve never heard about this? Emmett and these men have all been friends since high school or college.” She pointed toward the screen. “That’s Ace, otherwise known as Arturo Charles Easton. He owns ACE Communications. Next to him is Kane Bannerman, who owns Bannerman Investments. His great-great-great-great grandfather or something started it. Strictly a family business. That imposing man is Dominic Greco, who owns Greco Communications. His and Ace’s companies were actually rivals before the world moved underground.”

  “Are they still not rivals?”

  “Now it’s more like they’ve joined forces.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  “No, just smart business on their part. Because most of the traditional business relationships changed in a short amount of time once everyone moved underground, Ace and Dominic jumped on the opportunity and drew up an agreement. Between the two of them, they serve over ninety percent of clients in the western hemisphere who need their services. They split up the clients according to market share. If they could have figured out how to get the clients from the other side of the planet under their control quickly, they would have taken them, too.”

  “Do they live in the same city?”

  “No. Dominic lives in CentralWest and Ace lives in NorthCentral.”

  Liane scanned the other names in the article. She’d heard of each of them, but this was the first time she’d seen a picture of some of the men. “So they’re friends, each is as rich as Croesus, they’re all sexy as hell, and they own most of the planet.”

  “That pretty much sums it up.”

  “Why do they call themselves the Weathermen?”

  “Because they control the funding for the Storm Troopers, and they each have people at work on special teams, looking for ways to take back The Madeline Project, or find the hackers, or both.”

  Liane nodded. “Ruthless men who are out to save the world.”

  Stacie smiled. “Between you and me, I think they just like everyone to believe they’re ruthless.”

  Liane hoped that Stacie was right. “Thank you for showing me all this, and for all your help.”

  “That’s why I’m here.” Stacie pointed toward a door on the far left wall “My new office is being set up right through there. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

  Once Stacie left, Liane clicked off the website and started work on the database that Emmett wanted. She’d already had several ideas in mind, so she began working on a preliminary outline using each one, until she found the one she thought would work best. She saved the others, just in case, and then she was about to call her apartment manager to check on the progress of the move, when he called her.

  “You’re all moved in.”

  “Thank you. That was easy.” He explained where she could pick up her keys, and once Liane disconnected the call, she wondered if Emmett had been serious about allowing her to go home and take care of this. She sent him an email, attaching the databases she had in mind as well so he didn’t think she’d been sitting here all morning doing nothing. He replied in under five minutes.

  I trust your judgment. Use whichever database you feel will be best. I’ve attached a sample of the kinds of information we will need to enter into it. Now go home and get your apartment in order. Take your la
ptop with you and work from home tomorrow if you need to. Be at my apartment with your laptop to show me your progress by six tomorrow evening, and dress for dinner. We’re having shrimp scampi. Don’t even ask me how I obtained them. Well, all right. You may ask, but I’ll want something very special in return for divulging such classified information.

  Liane read the email twice, just to be sure she wasn’t misinterpreting any of it. Everyplace else she’d worked, an email like this would have earned the person who sent it a trip to HR, at the very least. Then again, he was part owner of the entire organization. He could send anything he wanted by email.

  Dress for dinner. She hadn’t planned on that. She’d assumed she’d show up, go over the progress with him, and then leave. We’re having shrimp scampi. She hadn’t had that since before moving underground, and she imagined he’d obtained them the same way Stacie showed her earlier this morning. At least they’d have something to talk about at dinner.

  Well, all right. You may ask, but I’ll want something very special in return for divulging such classified information.

  What the hell did that mean? What do you think it means, genius? Emmett Radcliffe intended to seduce her.

  Liane read the email one more time, taking note of the intimate tone. She’d just met the man. He knew most of her past, and she knew his reputation. This was the perfect job for her, but she didn’t want to become another notch in his belt. Why couldn’t he simply let her do her job and bother some other woman? Surely he had no trouble filling his bed.

  She pulled up the article once more on the Weathermen and studied the faces of each man. There was no doubt they were all handsome and charming. They used their wealth and power for good, but did that make them saints? Was that a reason she should let one of them fuck her for sport?

  Liane slammed her hands on the desk and then closed her laptop. It was time to go home and organize her apartment. She had over twenty-four hours to figure out how to handle Mr. Emmett Radcliffe, her new boss.

  Chapter Four

  Emmett had just finished pouring the wine when his valet, Jeremy Underwood, poked his head into the dining room to let Emmett know that Liane had arrived. “Show her in here.”

  She walked into the room, and Emmett told Jeremy he’d ring if he needed anything. Then he surveyed Liane from head to toe. She’d pinned up one side of her hair with a comb that looked to be made of mother-of-pearl. He hadn’t seen that in a long time, and he wondered if she’d been able to save it when her town was destroyed.

  Her dress flattered her curves, hugging her body in soft lime green folds. On anyone else the color would be all wrong, but on her it was perfect. Her toenails and fingernails matched, and she wore sandals that matched her earrings. He grinned. “You look amazing.”

  A soft blush crept up her neck and face. “Thank you. So do you.”

  He was still in the same suit he’d worn to the office, but had changed his shirt and tie. Emmett pulled out her chair. “Have a seat. I’ll put your laptop case over here for now.” She handed him the bag and then sat in the chair he’d indicated. Emmett placed the case on the sideboard. “We’ll work later. The smell of this food is making my stomach growl.”

  “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”

  “It’s no trouble.” Emmett took his seat across from her and raised his wine glass. “To what I hope will be a mutually satisfying relationship.”

  She looked a bit unsure as she raised her glass and drank a toast with him, but that was okay for now. Surely she knew how attractive she was, and it couldn’t be a secret that this was more than his wanting to see the progress on her project. He’d made sure his intentions were clear in the email he’d sent her yesterday afternoon.

  Then he remembered she’d lost both her husband and daughter in a storm, six years earlier. Her entire town had been wiped out. Had all her relatives died or were some still alive? The news stories were sketchy at best from events like that all over the planet, because the storms had begun occurring simultaneously. Many records were lost in the confusion, and some stories had never made it into electronic or print form.

  He knew plenty about her already, but not enough. Emmett liked to get to know his women very well. “Did you get your apartment all settled?”

  “Yes, thank you. Working from home yesterday helped a great deal.”

  He filled a plate with salad and passed it to her. “Kim makes this dressing. She’s my housekeeper and cook.”

  “Thank you.” She tasted it. “It’s delicious.”

  “I do my own cooking most of the time when I’m home, but since this is a special occasion, I didn’t want to screw anything up.”

  She put down her fork, and her gaze grew wary. “Why is it a special occasion? You told me you don’t hire anyone to get them into bed, yet this feels like a seduction.”

  His pulse raced, but not because what she’d just said angered him or was untrue. It was the challenge he loved. That spark in their eyes that told him they were interested but far from easy.

  When he didn’t answer right away, a look of horror crept into her eyes. “If I’m wrong, please tell me so, and please accept my apology.”

  Was she kidding? What man wouldn’t want to seduce her? “You’re not wrong.” He didn’t want the women who threw themselves at him. If Liane had flirted with him yesterday or had answered his email with anything other than a non-committal assurance she’d be here tonight, his interest in her would have collapsed.

  “So why did you tell me otherwise?”

  “I didn’t,” he said quietly. “I told you I didn’t hire you just to get you into bed, not that I wasn’t going to try.”

  Several emotions crossed her face, and he resisted the urge to pump his fist in the air when not one of them was anger or disgust. She wanted him, too. He could feel it coming off her in waves.

  “You said dinner.”

  He moved his hand in a sweeping gesture over the food between them on the table. “Here it is, but yet you wore that dress, and you have a new mani and pedi.” He knew it was new because her nails had been bare yesterday.

  Emmett had sensed an undercurrent of trepidation in Liane from the moment she’d walked into his office. He wasn’t sure if it stemmed from her tragic past, or if there was something she’d experienced that he hadn’t yet discovered. And that’s what had excited him. She wouldn’t be an easy conquest, but then, he didn’t want one. He wanted a woman he could seduce. He loved to watch their excitement build, and he loved to discover how far he could push before they begged him to fuck them.

  “I meant you said dress for dinner.” Her voice came out breathy now, and he knew at that moment he had her.

  He didn’t consider what he did disrespectful to women. Far from it. Emmett adored women. He loved everything about them. The way they smelled, the softness of their skin, and the sweet surrender that came when they gave their bodies to him in complete submission. “Yes, I did, and you seem to have gone out of your way to look nice tonight. Where did you get that comb, by the way?”

  A slight smile played at her lips as she reached up to touch it. “I found it in a shop in CentralEast.”

  “I see. I thought perhaps you’d salvaged it from your belongings.”

  Her entire aura changed, just like that. So she was still grieving. He could totally understand that, and it meant he’d need to work extra hard to get past those barriers. Emmett didn’t mind. It was the chase he loved.

  “There was nothing to salvage. I only saved what I wore that day.”

  He lifted the top off the serving dish with the shrimp scampi and wild rice, then filled a plate and passed it to her. “If you can’t talk about it, I understand.”

  She tasted the food. “This is amazing. Thank you.”

  He waited, savoring his own dinner slowly so he could study her face and body language.

  “I haven’t talked about that day in a long time.”

  “Liane, I’m here to listen.”

&nb
sp; She met his gaze. Her own was less wary now, but curious. “Why do you care so much?”

  “Because you’re a human being who has suffered in the same way we all did.”

  “What about you? Did you leave family behind or lose anyone in a storm?” She wasn’t asking to challenge him. He could hear that in her voice. She was asking to avoid having to tell him her own story.

  He grinned. “I asked you about your past life first.”

  That did it. The smile that had played close to her mouth earlier slipped through. “Fair enough, but it’s not a pretty story.”

  Emmett’s heart went out to this beautiful girl with the big green eyes. He couldn’t imagine having gotten a girlfriend pregnant at such a young age. Then again, perhaps Keith hadn’t been unhappy about it? But surely they both had wanted to finish their degrees and knew it would be a challenge with a baby. Maybe she’d talk about that, too.

  He reached across the table and covered her free hand. Her skin was warm, and he loved the tiny jolt that touching it sent up his arm. He could only imagine the heaven it would be once they were skin to skin. “Pretty story or not, you look like you need to get the rest of it out.” She’d told him only the surface details. He realized that now.

  She put down her fork and sighed out loud. “It’s not usual for me to trust someone this quickly.”

  “It’s not usual for me, either, but there’s something about you that tells me I can put my faith in you. I have very good instincts about people, Liane. I know we just met, but I assure you I will not betray any trust you place in me.”

  He watched the emotions cross her face, from fear all the way through to acceptance, and then he waited again. He wanted this woman. All of her. And that included whatever was in her past.

  ****