Chapter Nine
The boardroom erupted in a frenzy of confusion as everyone started talking at once.
“Please,” she said, trying to calm the crowd by raising her voice. “Everyone, please take a seat.”
“This is ludicrous, Melissa. I will not accept your resignation,” Mr. Marshall said.
No one noticed the man and young woman who slipped inside the room until Melissa lifted her eyes and her heart stopped.
The petite blonde moved toward Mr. Marshall and slipped her arm through his, taking his attention away from Melissa for a moment. “Let me handle this, Daddy.” She moved toward Melissa and stopped by her side. “You don’t have to do this, Melissa.”
With a frown, she looked at Becky and said, “What are you doing here, Becky? You shouldn’t be getting involved in this.”
“I’m in up to my ears in this. Jonathan will be stopped. Mark my words.” She motioned toward the back of the room and Melissa’s had to suck in a ragged breath to calm the shivers rolling down her back when Drew approached.
“Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you who don’t know me, I’m Becky Cockrill.”
With a sharp hiss echoing around the room, she raised a hand to quiet the group.
“My maiden name is Marshall and this wonderful, grey-haired man,” she motioned to Arthur Marshall before she continued, “is my father. I am married to Jonathan Cockrill, who has set his sights on taking down this company.” A small hand waved toward Drew. “This is Andrew Novak and he’s been helping me over the last week to gather information on what Jonathan planned. And, I know who is behind the leak within the company.”
Melissa let her gaze skim over his face for a moment, afraid to read what shone in his eyes when it met hers.
Becky tipped her head toward the back of the group and two hefty police officers slid into the room, moving toward where Jack and Caroline sat.
“The leak within the corporation and the person who has been telling Jonathan how and where to strike in order to bring this company down in none other than Jack Sommerfield.”
Jack jumped to his feet. “That’s absolutely ludicrous. I’ve worked my ass off for this company and given everything to it.” His hand waved toward Melissa as he continued. “That bitch took what rightfully belonged to me.”
“Jack, I would suggest you keep your mouth shut. You are already in enough hot water to put you in jail for a long time to come,” Becky said, opening the manila folder Melissa hadn’t noticed before. “I have cell phone records, recordings of conversations you’ve had with Jonathan at the our house concerning information on buyouts Marshall was working on and we have proof that you are the one who shot Melissa in Flagstaff. Your prints have been matched to a rifle Jonathan owns and the bullet casing found in the woods near the cabin. The medical center also helped the police match the bullet taken out of Melissa’s shoulder to the gun.”
Melissa’s wide went wide as she looked at the now screaming man at the other end of the room while he moved toward them with rapid steps.
“You’ll pay for this, bitch! This is my company,” Jack yelled as he lunged at her.
Drew stepped between her and the irate man, pulled back his fist and hit Jack, knocking him out cold. He hit the floor with a dull thud and didn’t move.
The officers quickly handcuffed the man and picked him up. Jack mumbled as he regained consciousness. After a moment, he began fighting the two men and the restraints as the pushed him toward the door.
Melissa stood with her mouth open, watching the entire scene with almost a surreal feeling.
Drew’s here. How can he be? Why?
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts before she faced Becky and Arthur Marshall. “I still can’t stay on as the CEO. I failed to protect this company from outside predators. I let my personal life interfere with what is best.”
“Can I talk to you?” Drew asked, stepping in front of her.
“No.” She moved closer to Arthur and said, “I appreciate your faith in my abilities, but I’m sorry. I want what is best for Marshall Enterprises and my continuing on as the CEO isn’t what is best.”
“Melissa. I need to say something,” Caroline said, stepping to her side and taking her hand. “There is no one in this company who denies you a personal life. You’re the best thing to happen to this company since Mr. Marshall retired. You’ve taken on more work than three people and the profits have doubled since you took over. This occurred while you’ve managed to keep everyone employed with the economy having such a rough time. Jonathan wanted this company and it had nothing to do with you other than you control the reins.”
Melissa hadn’t noticed in all the commotion going on the large group of employees that filtered in the room and now stood at the back. When they all started talking at once, her head swam until Andrea stepped forward.
“Melissa, you can’t leave. Everyone here, except for Jack of course, has your back.”
A loud chorus erupted from the back of the room.
“I appreciate everyone’s support, but…”
“But nothing. We will not let you walk away from the company,” Mr. Marshall said. “You’ve done nothing but good things for Marshall Enterprises since you came on board. It is impossible to protect the company from every angle. If I had to admit it, this whole thing is mostly my fault. I hired Jack in the first place. I knew he wasn’t happy when you were given the position of CEO above him, but I never felt he had the best interests at heart, which is why he’s continued to be held in the position he was.”
She chewed her lip as her gaze swept over the group. Silence prevailed while she debated on what to do. Her eyes met Drew’s for a moment. He stood against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest and stared, eating her up with his gaze.
God, he looks good.
Enough. He walked away without even a backward glance.
“All right. I’ll stay.”
Cheers erupted loudly and she had to smile. Most of the employees of the company had known her since she’d started there five years ago as a department director.
Caroline hugged her and whispered in her ear, “Don’t walk away from him.” When she stepped back, she nodded slightly in Drew’s direction and then turned to head back to the rear of the room.
“Welcome back,” Mr. Marshall said, taking her hand in his. “You need to hire another Vice President of Marketing. I have a sneaky suspicion Jack won’t return.”
Melissa laughed and hugged him. “I’ll take care of it.”
When they separated, Mr. Marshall said, “Lunch is on me today folks. I’ll have it catered in after while here in the conference room.”
A loud roar of laughter and clapping almost had her covering her ears as she laughed right along with everyone else.
“Now. Get busy, Ms. Gordon. You have a company to run.”
“Yes sir,” she replied, laughing as the group starting filing out.
Her heart dropped to her toes when Drew headed for the door along with everyone else, but it sped up again when the last person filed out and he shut the door, locked it and pulled the blinds on the windows that peeked out into the offices on the other side.
Propping himself against the door, he folded his arms over his chest and cocked a questioning eyebrow in her direction.
She stood on the opposite end of the table and bit her lip. This is crazy. I can’t let him get to me. This is my turf — my office. Taking a deep breath, she headed toward him.
When she reached his side, she said, “Excuse me. I’ve got work to do.”
“Too bad.”
“What?”
“You heard me. You aren’t going anywhere until we talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Bullshit.”
A battle of wills commenced for several moments until she turned on her heel and walked toward the large windows facing the Phoenix skyline.
Goose bumps skittered across her flesh and she w
asn’t sure if it had to do with Drew being so close or the air conditioning in the room. She wanted to think it was the cold air, but that didn’t explain the way her nipples puckered to hard nubs under her silk blouse.
Damn it! Why do I have to react to him this way? He fucking deserted me, for God’s sake.
Get a grip, Melissa.
“Don’t pull your Dom shit with me, Drew. I’m not doing this anymore.”
She knew the moment he stood behind her. Her body went on high alert, tingling and flushing in response to his nearness. His cologne met her nose and she fought the urge to groan and throw herself against his chest and beg him to love her.
He didn’t touch, but he didn’t have to. His warm breath flittered across the back of her neck and she closed her eyes.
“You can’t deny what’s between us, Liss.”
Fuck! Why does he have to call me that!
“There’s nothing to deny. We had a quick fling. It was fun, but it’s over.”
“Then why are your nipples hard just thinking about what it felt like having my mouth there.”
“Physical reaction, nothing more.”
“Are you hot? Is your pussy clenching thinking about me sucking on your clit?”
A small moan bubbled from her lips and he chuckled behind her as he slid one arm around her waist. One hand hiked up her skirt to dive between her legs, slip across her clit and spread the moisture seeping from inside, across her thigh. His unspoken way of telling her she wanted him no matter what he’d done.
“I didn’t desert you, Melissa, but you obviously don’t believe me.”
He stepped back and took the warmth of his body with him.
“I love you. I’ve never loved another like I love you. Trust has to work both ways here, babe. You don’t trust me and I don’t know how to convince you.”
The urge to throw herself in his arms overwhelmed her, but her head overruled the reaction.
“If you decide to trust your heart, Liss, call me.”
He walked out quietly and shut the door behind him as she felt a hot tear slide down her cheek.
* * * *
Two weeks later, she stood inside Leathers with Mandy and Brad, the door of their private suite open and waiting.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Mandy asked.
Doubt flickered across her heart for a moment before she answered, “Yes.”
Mandy hugged her before she backed toward the door and with a quick backward glance, smiled and shut it behind her.
Air rushed from between her lips as she stood in the middle of the room, hoping she wasn’t doing the wrong thing. With a fortifying inhalation, she worked the buttons loose on the front of her blouse. She quickly striped down to nothing and took a submissive position on the floor, on her knees with her head down. Then she waited. Anticipation rolled down her back as she closed her eyes and tried to remember being held in his arms. A single tear rolled down her cheek as flashes of their last time together rolled across her mind. He had forced her trust with the anal plug. No one had ever been there before, but his considerate love had made the experience one she would forever hold in her heart. Capturing her bottom lip between her teeth, she remembered how he’d been there in the emergency room after she’d been shot.
Why did I ever think he’d left me? He said he loved me even then and I should have believed him.
Three days after the scene in the board room, Becky had stopped at her house and now as Melissa waited, the scene whipped across her mind.
“Why did you push Drew away?”
Melissa retreated into her living room and said, “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“The hell it’s not.”
“I appreciate everything you did for the company and I hope things haven’t completely fallen apart with Jonathan, but my personal life is my own.”
“Let me tell you something, Melissa. You are the smartest woman I know in the business world, but when it comes to men, you don’t know shit.”
“Excuse me?”
“Drew did what he did for you.”
“How the hell do you know what’s between me and Drew?”
“He told me. During the long hours him and I spent together, he confided a lot in me.”
Jealousy reared its ugly head when Melissa thought of the petite blonde spending hours and hours with Drew.
“Nothing happened between him and me, Melissa. He loves you.”
“Whatever. He left me at the hospital in Flagstaff without ever saying good-bye. He walked away from what we had without a backward glance.”
“He didn’t have a choice.”
“What the hell are you talking about? He didn’t even call me.”
“He went out to the cabin to find clues as to who shot you. One of Jonathan’s goons hit him over the head and locked him in a cell under our house for a week. I’m the one who helped him get out so we could stop Jonathan.”
“Locked up?”
“Yes. Jonathan beat the hell out of him. When I helped him get out, his eyes were almost swollen shut, his lips were cracked and bleeding. Bruises covered his chest and arms where he’d fought the men who’d stuck him in there. He wanted to come to you then, but I convinced him I needed him to help me, and in the process, help you.”
Tears flowed freely now as Melissa sat on the floor in Brad’s suite. Thinking of Drew being hurt tore her heart to shreds, but the fact that it happened partially because of her, made her sob almost uncontrollably. She cried so hard that she didn’t hear the door open.
* * * *
The entrance to Leathers loomed in front of Drew when he stepped out of his truck. Pain had become a constant companion these days. He couldn’t seem to move on without the stubborn woman who’d tamed his reckless soul. Tonight, he needed a diversion.
Maybe I can find a submissive to top without any kind of commitment. He ran his fingers through his hair. Who the hell am I trying to fool? There is only one sub I want under me.
Loud music met his ears when he pulled open the door. The normal atmosphere surrounded him as he stepped inside. A few of the regulars waved when he moved further in and looked around. Surprise widened his eyes when he spotted Brad and Mandy in their normal spot in the corner, but he headed that way anyway.
“Hey, Brad.”
“Drew.” The tone of his former boss’ voice gave him the impression he might not be welcome around them anymore.
“Listen. I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you while all of that shit was going down, but …”
“I’m not mad at you because of that, Drew. I’m pissed because you hurt Melissa.”
Mandy shot him a furious look too and he almost said something to Brad at her behavior, but he decided he probably deserved it.
I should have called her even though Becky and I were working together to stop the takeover.
“I know.” He slumped in the chair next to them.
“May I speak, sir?” Mandy asked Brad.
“You may, but mind your tongue, sub, or I may have to let Drew take the crop to you,” Brad answered.
“Yes, sir.” She turned toward Drew and asked, “May I speak freely, sir?”
He cocked an eyebrow, wondering what the hell she was up to before he answered, “You may.”
“You are a fucking dumbass!”
He blinked a couple of times, but didn’t say anything. Several of the Dom’s around them snickered, crossed their arms over their chests, waiting for the fireworks to start while their subs gasped behind their hands.
“You can take the crop to me or whatever later, Sir,” she said, addressing Brad before she turned back to him. “How could you do that to her? She gave you her heart and you threw it away without so much as a backward glance. You don’t deserve her.”
“Enough, sub,” Brad growled, tugging on her leash to bring her back to her knees at his feet.
Drew dropped his gaze to the floor for a moment before he looked at Mandy again. “You’re
right. I don’t deserve her or her love, which is why I haven’t tried to contact her in the last two weeks. She doesn’t trust me anymore and God knows, I wish I could convince her of how much I love her.”
“Lord only knows, Drew, but for some reason, she’s decided she still loves you,” Brad answered, pinning him to the chair.
“What are you talking about?”
“She’s waiting for you upstairs in my suite.” The anger in Brad’s gaze, made him pause when all Drew wanted to do was race up the stairs. “Be the Dom you were meant to be and cherish her like she needs to be. Take care of her because if you don’t, you’ll answer to me.”
His breath rushed out on a deep sigh before he rose on shaky legs and headed for the stairs. Fighting the urge to rush inside, he stopped at the outer door and listened. Hearing deep, heart-wrenching sobs coming from within broke down his calm. He wanted nothing more than to push open the door, gather her in his arms and soothe the pain he heard in her tears, but he knew he couldn’t do that, not yet.
The quietly opened the door, slipped inside and shut it behind him before he took in the scene waiting. Melissa sat on the floor on her knees, completely naked in the pose of a submissive. Her sobs rocked her body and he knew she hadn’t heard him come in.
“Liss?” he said softly as he approached.
Her head snapped up and the pain he saw in her eyes drove home the torment he’d caused her. Without saying a word, she dropped her eyes to the floor again.
“You didn’t trust your Dom.”
“No Sir,” she whispered.
“Are you prepared for punishment that goes along with that admission?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Stand.”
She stood on legs he wasn’t sure would hold her when she swayed slightly.
“Follow me,” he said expecting her to follow without question as he headed for the Saint Andrew’s cross in the corner.
I have to push her to make sure she does trust me.
Without a word, he positioned her where he wanted her and slipped her wrists into the cuffs at the top before he bent at the knees, pulled her legs apart and fastened her to the bottom so she faced the cross. Checking quickly for circulation, he paused with the fear in her eyes when he went around behind and looked in her face. He almost changed his mind, but he had to know.
Professional Liaison [Between the Sheets] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 12
