Opportunity (Office Roulette, Book Three)

by Kennedy Layne

  Gareth didn’t have a chance to respond to her accusations. It might have very well been for the best, because her emotions were starting to get the best of her. And if there was one thing she’d learned in her time at Manon Investments as their compliance officer, it was that she shouldn’t let others see her sweat.

  A light tap was heard on the door.

  “Don’t answer that,” Gareth warned, taking a step forward in an attempt to stop her from answering whoever it was at the door. “We’re not done.”

  “You once told me that you admired my work ethic, Gareth.” Cynthia smoothed down the edges of her jacket after willing her fingers to let go of the chair. She needed a break before either one of them said something they’d later regret. If he were going to stay on as a client when Smith Gallo took over as portfolio manager, then she and Gareth would undoubtedly continue working together. “Or were you lying then, too?”

  Okay.

  That was unfair.

  As a matter of fact, that was downright bitchy.

  Cynthia didn’t wait for his reply, because she didn’t want to hear it. Honestly, she was afraid she’d cave under any excuse she was willing to latch onto.

  Yes, she’d been the one who’d called him while he was out of the country to tell him that they should take a break. She’d done so before she’d ever found out that he’d lied regarding his relationship with Brad. There had been a damned good reason for her decision.

  She was falling for him with all her heart and soul.

  Who was she kidding?

  She’d already fallen for him and desperately needed time to come to terms with what that meant for her future.

  “That was pretty far below the belt, Cyn. Even for you.”

  It was, but he wasn’t going to get an apology from her now.

  She was in her early thirties. She’d been set in her ways by the time she was twenty-three. Space was essential to her mental wellbeing, and she needed it now more than ever.

  Unfortunately, the woman standing on the threshold of her office told Cynthia that she wasn’t likely to get it.

  “Meredith.” Cynthia wanted more than anything to turn around to witness Gareth’s reaction to his sister-in-law. This visit was a total surprise, and there was an unspoken rule when it came to two self-assured women—never turn your back on the other. Self-preservation won out over curiosity. “What can I do for you?”

  Numerous questions ran through Cynthia’s mind.

  What was Brad’s ex-wife doing in the office? Why had she sought out Cynthia specifically, and where was Marilyn? She was the company’s watchdog, and yet Cynthia had been caught unaware by an unannounced visitor.

  Cynthia didn’t miss the way the Meredith’s gaze drifted past the door to Gareth.

  “Gareth. It’s been some time.” Meredith seemed to wait for him to say something in return, but the tense silence stretched out until even Cynthia couldn’t take it anymore. She purposefully shifted so that she was able to cut off Meredith’s view of Gareth. “Cynthia, I was hoping I could speak with you in private.”

  There was absolutely no reason for Meredith to come to Cynthia for any reason.

  “Meredith, can it wait?” Gareth asked, stepping in and attempting to take over. He might very well be used to getting his way in his own life, but this was Cynthia’s office. He had no say in who or how she conducted her business. Besides, she needed some type of win today or else she’d be crawling to Laurel’s office begging for that hidden bottle of wine her friend had stashed in her credenza. “We’re—”

  “Just finishing up,” Cynthia smoothly replied for Gareth, deciding a moment away from him wasn’t such a bad idea. He made her want things that weren’t necessarily hers for the taking. “Gareth, I’m sure you can find your way out.”

  Cynthia tensed when those gold flecks in his eyes started radiating once more. He had a tendency to be unpredictable when that happened, but she slowly breathed a sigh of relief when he slowly nodded his acceptance of her decision.

  Her relief was short-lived, however, when he took a small step toward her and whispered temptation in her ear.

  “Tonight. My usual suite.”

  The message he sent with his profound stare when he pulled back told her that she’d better come prepared. She wasn’t sure she was ready to bare her soul any more than necessary, especially considering the wound already administered by his knife.

  Gareth didn’t wait for a reply. Meredith stepped to the side and gave him the ability to cross the threshold and walk confidently away, leaving behind the faint scent of his cologne.

  Why did she have a sudden urge to call him back?

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Meredith said sincerely, finally joining Cynthia in her office.

  She was still at a loss as to what her boss’ ex-wife could want to discuss that hadn’t already been covered by Human Resources.

  “It’s fine.” Cynthia managed to smile before closing the door. It didn’t surprise her that Meredith didn’t take a seat, but Cynthia was still reeling from the confrontation with Gareth. She walked around to her side of the desk and gratefully sank into the comforting leather of her desk chair. “Although I’m not sure I can help you. Paul mentioned the other day that you wanted to sell Brad’s personal shares back to Manon Investments. That’s perfectly legal and you’re within your right to do so.”

  “Actually, I stopped by because of this,” Meredith said with a bit of hesitation before pulling an envelope out of her purse. “I was going through Brad’s belongings when I came across a letter he’d received from a man by the name of Kurt Langston.”

  Cynthia hadn’t thought her day could get any worse. Wasn’t it Laurel who was always going on about karma? This was all her fault. Cynthia had done a fine job of staying out of karma’s way, but it appeared that a collision was unavoidable.

  Nausea came in waves and it took every ounce of strength Cynthia had not to bend over her wastebasket. It was damned good thing she hadn’t taken a drink of that smoothie she’d left on Laurel’s desk.

  “I’m confused as to why you would come to me with this.” Cynthia’s hands were no longer cold—they were completely numb. She’d lost feeling in her fingers altogether, and she didn’t even bother to take the envelope from Meredith’s grasp. All Cynthia could hope for was that the letter had to do with a compliance issue and that her name wasn’t mentioned in the body of its contents. “From my understanding, Kurt Langston is the CEO of a technology company located here in Minneapolis.”

  Cynthia tried to maintain hope that Brad had invested some of his personal money into the tech company, though it was doubtful considering that he’d been in debt to the point that his financial position had been a focal point for the police early on in the murder investigation.

  She still had faith that it wouldn’t be about the one thing she’d tried the last three years to forget. The right decision had been made for all involved…by her. The only regret she had was that she’d been naïve enough to believe in fairy tales.

  And then Gareth Nicollet entered the picture.

  He made her want to believe that this wasn’t the lesson she’d been supposed to learn. He made her want that elusive fairy tale of happily ever after.

  Karma was a bitch.

  “I’m sorry to tell you this, but Kurt Langston’s letter had nothing to do with business. At least, as far as I could tell.” Meredith leaned forward and gently laid the envelope directly in front of Cynthia. “This is just a copy. It was dated three years ago, but I felt compelled to give the original to the police. Did Brad or you have dirt on Kurt Langston? Could he have been the man responsible for Brad’s death?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Gareth stared out the living room window of the Executive WOW Suite at the W Minneapolis – The Foshay. The city lights had illuminated the streets below a few hours ago, and as always, the crowds had begun to invade the restaurants and bars to get a head start on their weekend. The chaotic scene below w
as his usual reminder that life’s forward momentum was unavoidable regardless of one’s own stumbling blocks.

  “I had an affair with Kurt Langston.”

  He’d heard the lock of the hotel door activate, so he wasn’t taken by complete surprise when Cynthia had spoken behind him. They’d both gotten used to the practice of him leaving a key at the front desk for her, although he’d recently been contemplating renting an apartment downtown for convenience sake. That would certainly make it easier to pack for these quick trips. Ever since meeting her, Minneapolis had come to be his second home.

  He was certain that nothing she said in the next few minutes would change his mind.

  “Did you hear me?”

  “Yes.” Gareth had shed his suit jacket a while ago, favoring a more comfortable ensemble of a loosened tie and rolled up sleeves. He tilted the glass in his hand, swallowing the rest of the smooth cool blended LaSalle whiskey he’d poured himself over a few cubes not five minutes ago. Even he could detect hints of dried fruits and honey. It was balanced against the spicy notes of Canadian rye with a round finish of raisins, cocoa, and brown sugar. He wasn’t much of a drinker, but he was certain that he needed a quality rare whiskey to take the edge off of what he suspected was about to transpire. “I heard exactly what you said.”

  Gareth shifted his gaze up from the colorful display below to the image of the woman who had captured his heart eight months ago. Her reflection was stunning, but it didn’t hold a candle to her form in the flesh.

  “And?”

  Cynthia had set her purse on the couch, tossing the cardkey along with it. There was an expectation in her tone that told him this wasn’t their average benign conversation. She obviously believed that he was going to cast aspersions on her character for getting involved with a married man.

  As a matter of fact, it seemed that she expected it.

  How Gareth handled the next two minutes would set the foundation for their future relationship.

  He finally turned around so that he could see every single emotion flash in those baby blues. Having the ability to gauge his opponent had been essential to his success.

  This?

  This woman standing before him was more about success than doubt. She had burrowed her way into his heart and had become a part of him that he could not deny himself. She’d somehow fused her soul with his in the short time they’d spent together.

  And he didn’t mind in the least.

  She was his addiction.

  “Your past liaisons have no bearing on our relationship, nor your reputation.”

  “Don’t be obtuse,” Cynthia snapped, taking a step forward on a pair of high heels without so much as a quaver. He’d never seen her wear them before, but the classic style suited her confident disposition. Right now, she was going on the offensive. She’d already made up her mind on how this confrontation was going to end. “Kurt Langston is married, and I had an affair with him. And yes, it matters.”

  Gareth had never met Langston, which was odd considering they had probably run in the same circles on more than one occasion. Either way, it was for the best the two men never came in contact with one another, because Gareth had no doubt that it would have ended in bloodshed now that he was aware of certain pertinent facts.

  Smith had given Gareth a courtesy call regarding Meredith’s recent visit to Cynthia this morning. To say his relationship with his sister-in-law was somewhat strained was an understatement. Technically, ex sister-in-law. He hadn’t thought it was a good idea to stay around when he and Cynthia hadn’t resolved matters concerning his familial connection with the Manons.

  That didn’t mean he wasn’t worried about the reason Meredith had paid a visit to Cynthia. To find out that it concerned a past association that Cynthia had with Langston over three years ago took him by surprise at first.

  “Are you still sleeping with him?”

  Gareth knew damn well she wasn’t still involved with the asshole, but it was clear that she needed to witness his unwavering support. He’d give her whatever the hell she needed, because he refused to watch her capitulate to a man who literally had no moral ethics.

  “No, but that’s not—”

  “What matters?” Gareth began to walk toward her, taking time to set his empty glass of melting ice on the coffee table. He absolutely refused to allow a man of so little worth to strip Cynthia of hers. He stopped a foot from where she stood, her perfect posture giving away the fact that she’d steeled herself for his verdict. “It certainly does matter, Cyn. You just said so yourself. You practically have the scruples of a saint. You hold others accountable to relatively the same degree, so I can without a doubt stand in front of you firmly trusting that you had no idea Langston was married when you became involved with him three years ago.”

  Cynthia’s quick inhalation was followed by noticeable relief when she slowly released the air from her lungs. He should be downright pissed that she thought so little of him that she expected his reaction to be one of revulsion. He had kept in mind that he, himself, hadn’t been completely honest with her. That alone would be hypocritical of him to make that kind of judgmental assessment.

  “I can even guess how the end played out,” Gareth continued, slipping his hands in his pockets to prevent himself from touching her. “You discovered he was married, you walked away, and his ego took a massive blow from which he had great difficulty recovering.”

  “A massive hit doesn’t begin to cover it.” Cynthia searched his gaze, though he wasn’t sure what she was looking for after he’d clearly spelled out his stance on the subject. She then surprised him when she slipped her hands through his arms until she was able to lay her cheek against his dress shirt. Her heat immediately soaked into his. “Can we just take a moment?”

  Gareth slowly pulled his hands from his pockets and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

  He inhaled her intoxicating fragrance as he pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. Honestly, this was the first time he’d allowed himself to truly breathe. He’d been on edge ever since receiving her voicemail in Dubai.

  They still had a lot of ground to cover, but he was grateful she’d lowered some of her barriers. She was a complex woman on a lot of levels. She made his life interesting in so many ways, from their in-depth conversations to her ability to keep up with him in a race. Their morning jogs when he was in town always invigorated him, especially when she would push herself to the finish line as if they were in a race for their lives.

  How many times had they stayed up until two o’clock in the morning arguing politics, religion, or business? They’d even ventured into personal territory, but both of them had their reasons for being cautious in that particular area. It was time to go outside their comfort zone.

  “What did the letter say that Langston wrote to Brad? Why would he involve your boss?”

  “You’ve spoken with Smith, haven’t you?”

  “Possibly,” Gareth countered with a half-smile, not wanting to throw Smith under the bus. The man had enough aggressive matters being hurled his way as he navigated a path for his new firm. “Is there anything I can do?”

  Cynthia sighed as she stepped to the side, all but forcing Gareth to drop his arms. The imprint of her heat remained with him as she walked over to the small bar. This wasn’t the average hotel room with a mini refrigerator posing as a minibar. The fully stocked shelves contained one of her favorite bottles of red wine, though he’d put in that request long ago. The label was now kept on hand, as well as his preferred Crown Royal XR.

  “It appears that Kurt has found himself the center of attention recently.” Cynthia poured herself a glass of the merlot from the bottle he’d let breathe for the last half hour. Some routines were rather soothing. “It wouldn’t surprise me to find that our past relationship makes the morning headlines.”

  Smith’s call had informed Gareth of the fact that Meredith had gone to the police with the letter Langston wrote. A threat was a threat, no matter how many yea
rs ago. It did beg the question, though—why involve Brad at all?

  “I would think that is Langston’s problem.” Gareth joined her over at the bar, having grabbed his own rocks glass along the way. He began swirling the cubes. She was already holding the decanter up, anticipating his desire to join her in their traditional evening routine after she’d finished her workday. “You haven’t spoken to the ass in three years?”

  Cynthia couldn’t hide her smile—the first one he’d seen since arriving back in the country—as she set the top of the crystal container back in its place. She picked up her wine and took a healthy sip. She closed her eyes to relish the taste, reminding him of other wayward moments. Now wasn’t the time to partake in those thoughts.

  “How do you know I haven’t spoken to Kurt in three years?”

  “I know,” Gareth replied with confidence and a wink. He walked over to the couch, removing her purse from the cushion so that they’d have room to relax. “As a matter of fact, I’m surprised you didn’t put the man in a hospital back then.”

  “I thought about it, but I ultimately decided he wasn’t worth the time or effort.”

  Gareth didn’t doubt that she’d considered physically assaulting the man who’d lied to her in such a fashion. But it was more in her nature to allow karma to handle such matters.

  “So, is this where we share each other’s sordid sexual history?”

  Gareth had waited for Cynthia to join him, who kicked off her heels in her usual manner. He held up an arm, waiting for her to slip her bare feet onto his lap.

  He didn’t fool himself into thinking that this conversation wouldn’t turn on him and his own history. He’d known from the moment he met her that she had issues with trust, and now he understood the reason why. The thing of it was, he didn’t mind opening up to her after having made a decision that this was it.