“You’re welcome. I’ll stop in tomorrow night, but I’m sure you won’t need me.”
He gathered the items he’d brought for the meeting and started to leave but suddenly stopped and turned back to face me. “You know, Sabrina, I have a confession to make—I didn’t think I was going to like you.”
“I’m listening.” I straightened, bracing myself for what he’d say next. The rest of the room had emptied, and it was just the two of us now. This could go anywhere, and this wasn’t starting out very promising.
“Especially after I found Donovan Kincaid trying to get cozy with you that night we were working on the Phoenix campaign. I was sure that must have been why you were hired.”
“What do you mean? Like you were sure I was sleeping with him?” I hadn’t been at the time. But hadn’t I gotten the job by sleeping with Weston?
Guilt knotted in my stomach. I’d deny it. I was qualified to be here. I might have gotten his attention by taking my clothes off, but that didn’t mean I didn’t deserve my position.
At least that’s what I told myself.
“It’s shitty,” Tom said, regretfully. “I’m sure that sounds sexist, but it was how it looked. You know?”
I nodded because I knew exactly how it looked, and yes, it was sexist. But the truth wasn’t much better, so I couldn’t say a lot to defend myself.
Tom, however, could. “You’ve really proven yourself, though. You put a lot more time into the team than I expected you would. I know I’m not the only one who appreciates it.”
“Thank you.” The knot loosened slightly in my belly. “I appreciate the compliment as well.”
Again, he started to go, but with my anxiety a bit settled, I realized things didn’t quite add up. “Wait a minute, Tom. I’m confused. Didn’t you put in a good word to Weston about me back then?”
He scratched at his neck, his eyes averted. “Yeah, but that was just because Kincaid threatened my job if I didn’t.”
Um. “He did?”
He looked up, studying my reaction, which was utter shock. “You didn’t know. I wasn’t sure.”
No, I absolutely didn’t know that Donovan had talked to him about anything. “What did he say to you?”
“He said that he was the one who had come on to you and that he had been out of place for doing so. Then he said you deserved to be respected for all your hard work, and he made it clear that spreading rumors about you would not be respectful. He suggested I get the rest of the team to support you if I wanted the department to continue running smoothly.”
My heart was beating rapidly, my hands shaking. “And he said he’d fire you if you didn’t?”
“Not in those exact words, but I knew what he meant.”
My cheeks flushed. “Oh my god, I had no idea. I’m so sorry!” It was so unfair for him to threaten my employee. Tom was innocent. I was mortified.
But at the same time…
What did it mean?
I ran my hand along my forehead, wiping the bead of sweat that had gathered along my brow. Why would Donovan have done that? Was he worried that Tom could make my job hard for me? Had he been concerned about my reputation?
“You didn’t know,” Tom said consolingly. “Why are you apologizing? I should apologize. I assumed I understood the situation, and I never even asked to make sure you were okay.” He took a cautious step toward me and lowered his voice. “I don’t want to cross the line, but do you need any help with him?”
“No,” I assured him. It was almost laughable, thinking I needed rescuing from Donovan. “No, I’m fine. We’re fine.” I shook my head, wishing I hadn’t said we.
And because I had said it, I felt the need to say more. To explain the situation so that there was no doubt in Tom’s mind that there was absolutely nothing to be concerned about. “It was a strange night you walked in on. Donovan and I have known each other since college, and…”
I trailed off. How the hell did I think I could explain any of this? It wasn’t something I even wanted to explain.
Just then, I looked out through the glass walls of the room, and my eyes caught sight of someone familiar on the other side of the floor. Someone who, after this most recent information, I was desperate to speak with.
“I’m sorry. Can you excuse me? I see someone I need to talk to.”
I picked up my files and brushed past Tom, running out into the hall to catch Donovan. He’d disappeared around the corner, and when I followed after, I saw he’d gotten on the elevator. He looked up as the doors started to close.
“Wait!” I called.
His eyes met mine, but he didn’t hold the doors.
I chewed my lip for several seconds, trying not to jump to conclusions. Donovan was not transparent, and there were so many possibilities of what was going through his mind. But I had to get this sorted out. I wanted to talk to him about Tom Burns, and I wanted to know for sure if he was evading me.
I caught the next elevator and went to my office and called Donovan’s secretary on the company line.
“Who may I ask is calling?” Simone asked after I requested to speak to him.
“Sabrina Lind in Marketing.”
“And what is it regarding?”
“An employee in my department who I’d like to speak with him about.” He was in charge of Operations. If he wouldn’t talk to me about our non-relationship, he should at least talk to me about work.
“Hold just a moment, please.”
I waited for several long seconds, tapping my foot nervously to the company’s nineties-era hold music.
Eventually, Simone returned. “Mr. Kincaid asked if you’ve spoken to HR about the matter.”
“No, I haven’t spoken to HR,” I snapped. “It’s not an HR matter. It’s a Mr. Kincaid matter, I assure you.” I knew Simone was just doing her job, but I was getting angry, and she was the one keeping me from talking to the person I was angry with.
“Of course, Ms. Lind. Just a moment, please.” The hold was shorter this time. “I can schedule an appointment for you to see him if you’d like.”
“Yes, please.” Finally!
“His first opening is next Thursday at two.”
My chest felt tight. “He doesn’t have anything sooner? All I need is a phone call. Can you tell him directly that I just need a few minutes with him?”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Lind. I already did. He said to give you his first available.”
“Never mind.” I hung up before she had a chance to respond.
Well. There was my answer. Donovan was definitely avoiding me. I’d known he was an asshole, but this had gone too far.
I sat back in my chair and pinched the inside corners of my eyes, refusing to cry at work. I could understand why he’d want to treat me like any other employee, making me wait until he had an opening in his schedule so that it didn’t look like I had preferential treatment. But it sure hadn’t seemed to be a concern of his the day I’d walked in and let him shove his cock down my throat. Why was it protocol he was all of a sudden interested in following now?
Playing with my emotions in the bedroom was one thing. At the office was a totally different story. Especially when I had so much more to lose than he did.
In fact, he didn’t have anything to lose at all.
Was that why it was so easy for him to blow me off?
Whatever the reason—whether it was because he wanted to play a game or teach me a lesson or because he was over our tryst—it didn’t matter.
I was done with him.
Chapter 26
The next evening, I rushed home after work to change into something appropriate for the Think Expo. Tom and his team didn’t need me, but I wanted to show my support and make sure that everything ran as planned. I chose a simple black ruched body-con dress and some strappy heels and headed to the Financial District.
I took a cab to the hotel and followed signage to the Expo, which was conveniently being held in the ballrooms on the first floor. All day, innovators
had presented new ideas in the world of technology to investors and tech enthusiasts. A cocktail party in the ballroom topped off the evening. The hallway leading to the event was set up with major exhibiters displaying their products. Large screen TVs battled for the attention of guests dressed in tuxedos and fancy dresses as they made their way to the party. Our client was among these competitors.
I found SummiTech’s exhibit quite easily, the bold media production easily drawing my attention to their display. Employees for the company handed out brochures and spoke to guests as they passed by. I spotted a couple of my team members hanging back to monitor the situation and checked in with them to make sure they’d brought enough marketing materials and to gather some initial feedback on the items Reach had put together.
After I was satisfied that the event was running smoothly and that everything we’d provided was working as intended, I set out to locate Tom.
“Here you are,” I said, when I found him inside the ballroom with a flute of champagne in hand. “I was looking for you.”
His brows rose. “Am I in trouble?”
“Of course not. I watched SummiTech’s presentation on my way in. The entire setup looked great. How do you think it’s going?”
His shoulders relaxed visibly. “I spoke to Munns about fifteen minutes ago, and he was pretty stoked, so I’d say it’s going great.”
“Excellent.” Robert Munns was our client, the CEO of SummiTech. “As long as he’s happy then Reach should be happy.”
“Exactly why I’m drinking.” Tom held his glass up for emphasis. “You should join me.”
A glass of champagne didn’t sound like a bad idea. It had been a long day. Correction—it had been a long week. While my workload had been pretty manageable, there had been mental and emotional stress that had worn me out, and I longed for an escape.
Alcohol wasn’t the kind of escape I had hoped for, but since I’d banished my non-relationship from my life the day before, I had to take what I could get.
“I will definitely join you if I can find a server.” I scanned the ballroom for the closest waiter.
“I’ll find one.” Tom, who was much taller than me, even as I wore heels, did his own survey. “I didn’t know Kincaid would be here.”
My heart stopped. “He is?”
“I just saw him talking to that Hudson Pierce guy.”
As soon as I turned, I saw him. He was impossible to miss. He’d obviously come straight from the office because he was still wearing what he’d been wearing when I’d glimpsed him from across the hallway earlier in the day. And damn did he look good. Donovan Kincaid wore a suit better than a room full of men in tuxedos.
Which was not a good thing considering my whole resolution to be done with him.
Suddenly I wished I’d chosen my outfit better. Black was so boring. I hadn’t even added jewelry. My underwear was fine but nothing fancy.
And none of that mattered because I wasn’t sleeping with him.
What the hell was he even doing here anyway? There was no reason someone of his level needed to attend this sort of thing on behalf of Reach. He wasn’t even dressed for the event. He’d obviously come here last minute. Had something gone wrong? Was he checking up on my team?
Was he coming here for me?
“Oh, god.” I turned my back toward him. I couldn’t settle the flutters in my stomach. I wanted him to be here for me, despite everything he’d put me through, and not only was that setting myself up for the worst kind of disappointment tonight, it was setting me up for the worst kind of disappointment in the long run.
I had to get out of there.
“Do me a favor, will you?” After our talk the day before, I was pretty sure Tom would help me out. “If he asks about me, tell him you haven’t seen me.”
I was already mentally mapping my escape. The ballroom was small, and I’d have to go past Donovan to get to the front doors, but I had to go that way because the coatroom was down that hall.
“Yeah. Sure. But…” Like he had the day before, Tom’s voice filled with concern. “Is there some sort of problem that you need help with?”
“No. I promise. And you’re a great guy for asking. Just, like I said, Donovan and I have a complicated…” I searched for a word that wasn’t relationship. “Acquaintanceship, and I’m just not in the mood to deal with him tonight, so I’m going to slip out before he notices me.”
“Ah. Got it. I had one of those myself.” He lifted the champagne flute again, but this time he tapped the finger where he wore his wedding ring indicating the courtship with his wife had been complicated.
“I think I’ve given you the wrong idea,” I said, dismayed by the conclusion he’d settled on. “Donovan and I are barely friends.”
“I get it, Sabrina.” But he was grinning like he had a secret. “Now go before he sees you.”
“Okay. Thanks, Tom.”
Still unsure about leaving my employee with the wrong impression, I hesitated a moment longer. Then I got my priorities straight and took off.
I hurried out, a woman with a mission, racing down the exposition hallway as fast as I could to get to the coatroom. Luckily, there was no one in line when I arrived, and I was able to present my ticket and get out of there quickly. But as soon as I turned around, I saw Donovan had also left the party.
He still hadn’t seen me, but there was no way that I could get out the main entrance of the hotel without crossing his path, so I slipped down a smaller corridor beyond the coatroom and discovered a side door. I pushed through the exit and found myself in an alleyway.
Perfect.
Except, once the door closed behind me, I realized how dark and narrow the alley was and immediately regretted the decision to come this way. I turned back and pulled on the handle of the door. It was locked. Of course.
I sighed, kicking myself for not having my Mace and looked in both directions, searching for the best way to get to a main street. Several garbage dumpsters lined the wall to one side of me, but the streetlight seemed to be out on the other side.
I started on the path past the dumpsters.
Something rattled along the pavement to my right—like the wind blowing a pop can or something inane, but it was eerie nonetheless. I pulled my coat tighter around myself and walked faster. More sounds behind me begged for my attention. The sound of a door? Footsteps? My imagination running wild?
I was too scared to look.
No, there was definitely someone behind me.
The steps got louder and nearer. I hurried my pace, but my heel caught on a crack in the gravel, and just as I started to go down, someone grabbed me at the waist.
I inhaled sharply, preparing to scream.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Donovan asked crudely before I could get sound out.
“Oh my god, it’s you.” I crumpled into his arms, relieved to find my stalker was someone familiar.
“But it might not have been,” he said, roughly. His grip on me was both warm and possessive. His fingers dug into my waist as though he’d had to lurch to reach me. Or as though he didn’t want to let go.
It felt good.
So good.
Then I remembered everything from the week. How he’d been a complete ass. How I’d vowed I was done with him.
“But it was you. So let me go.” I wriggled out of his grasp, missing him instantly.
“Seriously, Sabrina. What were you thinking coming out here alone? If you wanted to get raped, you could have just called me.” Even with the dark, teasing words, his delivery was a lecture.
“Actually, I couldn’t. Since you aren’t taking my calls or answering any of my texts. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll—” I started to turn away, but he grabbed my arm, digging his fingers into my skin painfully, even through the thick material of my coat.
“You aren’t going anywhere out here alone.” His eyes were black in the dimly lit alley, his tone final.
I yanked my arm away. After a week of avoidance, now
he was going to give me his two cents? No fucking way. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
He put his hands in his coat pockets and scoffed. “I don’t know about that. I have a pair of panties in my nightstand that says otherwise.”
I stared at him incredulously for half a beat. None of this was serious to him. This was just like college when he fucked with my grades for his own amusement. “You goddamn asshole, Donovan,” I seethed. “Don’t talk to me. Don’t touch me. Don’t stick up for me at work.”
His eyes narrowed. “You’re so angry. It’s making me need to fuck you.”
Fury bubbled up inside. Before I could think about what I was doing, my hand flew up to slap him.
He was too quick. He grabbed my forearm before I reached his cheek. A smile spread devilishly across his face. “Save it for the bedroom. I like it when you struggle.”
“This isn’t foreplay!” I pulled my hand free. “You can have your non-relationship rules, and I’ll follow them, but you don’t get to avoid me like I’m nothing and still expect me to walk into your arms the minute that you’re in the mood.”
“I don’t expect that at all. I’d much rather you crawl.”
There was nothing to say. He wasn’t listening. He never did, or when he did, he didn’t care. Words meant nothing to him. The only thing he cared about was his goddamned games.
With my eyes burning, I spun away from him once more.
“Sabrina, you’re not walking out here alone.” He followed right behind, but when he tried to reach for me, I snatched my hand away.
I heard him sigh. “I wasn’t avoiding you.”
“Like hell you weren’t,” I grumbled, pissed that he’d gotten me to engage. I kept walking though, only yards now from the street.
“I wasn’t exactly avoiding you. I had a major deadline this week. It required my full attention.”
I couldn’t help myself. As angry as I was, as done with him as I was, I couldn’t stop myself from reacting. That’s what he did to me—that’s what he always did to me—he made me feel.
I pivoted toward him. “Then you act like a decent person—remember how you said that’s what we both were? And you take ten seconds to explain that to me in a motherfucking text.”
Need you Now (Top Shelf Romance Book 2) Page 23
