Ropes of Lies

by Kathy Noumi

  I held my breath for his answer. I prayed he’d be stupid enough to fall for this. He certainly was arrogant enough to think himself invincible. Or maybe he never dreamed I’d turn him in. The adrenaline pumped in my blood, my hands shook, and my tie felt so constricting I wanted to vomit. Say it, dammit!

  He wobbled two steps, standing only an inch from me now. William yanked my lapels. “Who da fuck do you think you are? I’d frame you, blame you, frow you under a bus! I—I would do any fuuuucking thing to keep ma company!”

  “Like paying off anyone and everyone on the zoning board?” I probed, egging him on.

  He squinted and then chuckled an eerie laugh. “I’d do that and much, much worse.”

  I blinked. Holy fuck. A wave of disgust rolled in my stomach. Examining his wrinkly, freckled hands, I swallowed back the urge to punch him. Again.

  In the most even tone I could gather, I said, “I told you if you didn’t give me the company willingly I’d take it from you.”

  William released my lapel and mumbled, “Mine.”

  As the last syllable slipped past his lips, a team of uniformed men came running down the hall, each one shouting a different command.

  “Hands up!” the first one barked.

  “Don’t move!” his partner rattled after.

  “Put your hands where I can see them! Now!” the last one snarled in a jarring bellow.

  The first sigh of relief came out in a huff. The hell we’d endured was irrevocably over. All I could think of was Eden: my brave, beautiful, sassy wife who was waiting for me outside. We could finally begin our life together, side by side.

  Co-CEOs.

  Has a nice ring to it.

  Epilogue

  Jameson

  “Enjoying the view,” I said into her hair, snaking my arms around her waist from behind.

  There it was, her heart stopping smile, reflexed in the window of our new office. My chest tightened, and I placed a kiss on her neck.

  Eden faced me, looping her hands around my nape. “Now I am.”

  “I think my new-found cheesiness is rubbing off on you,” I joked, kissing her nose.

  “Maybe,” she chuckled, joy glinting in her deep blues. “So much for no PDA in the office.”

  “I think we both knew we’d never be able to keep our hands off each other.”

  She tilted her head to the side, “Touché.”

  “Show me the files for Fulton,” I ordered, knowing full well it would drive her nuts, inwardly awaiting the eye-roll.

  Oh, so predictable. Beautiful wife…I know you well.

  Her full-on exasperated huff coincided with the best eye-roll she’d ever shot me.

  “They’re on my desk, fetch it yourself,” she countered, annoyance lacing her words. This game we played never got old. I pressed her fucking buttons just as much as she pushed mine, and I prayed we never stopped.

  “Are you giving me sassy?” I smirked, crossing my arms over my chest.

  She bit the insides of her cheeks, raising a brow. “Don’t act like you don’t love it.”

  “I wouldn’t dare.”

  Epilogue

  Eden

  My distractingly gorgeous husband leered at me from across the room, looking content behind his big, sleek desk, in our dream office. The damn thing was larger than my mother’s apartment in Brooklyn, but Jameson insisted we have a joint space. Equal and ample space to be bosses together.

  The last few months I’d stopped counting and tallying. Jameson was mine, and I would never let him go again. Taking down William had freed us from all the bullshit. In all my adult years, I’d never been happier than right now, with him.

  Today we were signing over all the money my father had left me to a charity, a cause both Jameson and I thought fitting. The few million dollars would pay for brand new low-income housing in Chicago. A place, families could live, thrive, even work if they needed a job. It would be one-hundred percent run by families in need.

  I never wanted my father’s money. A weight lifted off me as soon as we decided what to do with it. All because of this man…this incredibly kind, demanding, stubborn as all hell, goofy man.

  He caught my shit eating grin and ran his tongue over his teeth. “Are you thinking about dirty, filthy things, Mrs. Winthrop?”

  I tugged at my bottom lip. “No.”

  “Open your top drawer,” he said, his voice rumbly and loaded with eagerness.

  More games. I sincerely hoped Jameson never stopped toying with me because god did I craved his—tormenting, tempting, titillating—games. Sliding the drawer open the blue rope peeked out from beneath a pile of white flower petals. “What—”

  “We have about an hour before the staff meeting,” he practically growled. “Lock the door and come over here with that.”

  A shudder spread across my already heated flesh. My panties were beginning to dampen under my tight dress. The one Jameson had picked out himself, this morning, and now I knew why. Devilish man.

  Lowering my voice, I said, “You’re going to tie me up in here?”

  “We didn’t install soundproofing for no reason, princess. Now go lock the door and get your sexy ass over here,” he demanded, interlocking his fingers atop his desk.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  His jaw ticked. “Good girl.”

  I lazily drew the rope out of my desk, slinking it over my shoulder, then made my way to the door, twisting the latch. Sauntering over to the bossy devil seated in a plush leather chair, I said, “We are never going to get all this work done.”

  The corners of Jameson’s mouth curved up. “Play first, work later.”

  I straddled him, and he nuzzled my neck, sucking in deep breathes. With his lips on my skin, I could barely think. I attempted to maintain sanity. Between groans, I whispered, “I think the saying goes…work first, play later.”

  “The asshole who made that up wasn’t married to you.”

  THE END

  Prequel Info

  If you haven’t gotten your full filthy fix of Jameson and Eden there’s a Prequel! Yes. I said it. A prequel called Tempted by Lies. Get this bonus story FREE— right now— when you sign up for Kathy’s mailing list. Just go to www.kathynoumi.com and sign-up now.

  Acknowledgments

  It took me about six weeks to write the first draft of this book, but nearly two years and ten other drafts to get it right. If it hadn’t been for my amazingly supportive Trifecta Tribe and writing pals, I’m not sure I would have made it this far. So, thank you Chandelle, Megan, Mara, Mickey, and Lynn for constantly pushing me to keep going.

  And to my editors, you guys have transformed my jumbled mess into an actual story worth reading. Andrea Robinson and Tera Cuskaden, both of you deserve a case of wine each for putting up with my antics. Because well . . . shit on toast!

  To my cover designer, Jessica Siegfried, I’d like to take a moment and bow down. It’s everything I never knew I wanted and then some. Bravo.

  Crystal Collura, your photography skills have no rival! I look awesome in my author picture! And don’t forget that you promised me more of those bourbon cherries at the next Christmas party.

  Then there’s my crazy family. You guys have filled my already twisted mind with more material than I need for a lifetime. Not sure I’ll ever be able to decide if we’re weird or just typical.

  Last but certainly not least, there’s my loving husband, who refuses to read any of my books but cheers from the sidelines harder than anyone else. You always knew I had it in me. I love you now more than I did yesterday, and I will love you even more tomorrow.

  I cannot say this enough, but THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I could not have done any of this without all of you.

  About the Author

  While growing up in suburban New Jersey, I spent a good chunk of my time agonizing over what to wear and reading about happily-ever-afters. Although I commuted to New York City for design school, I spent my two-hour travel time devouring every romance
novel I could get my hands on. After college, I met a nice boy whose ambitions were just as oversized as mine, and he miraculously elected to put a ring on it.

  We’ve moved six times in seven years, adding a little munchkin to our ranks. My husband, seeing the staggering number of book orders I placed, quickly realized that one, he needed a larger library for me, and two, I had a heady obsession with romance. The day before our son's first birthday, he suggested I write a book of my own. The seed had been planted, and the roots took hold. Little did he know what he’d done . . . cue an evil chuckle.

  I’d love to hear from

  my readers. Email me and tell me what you think of my books at: kathynoumibooks@gmail.com.

  For more information about current works in progress visit: www.kathynoumi.com