I stood on the sidewalk of Manhattan’s financial district, peering up at the glass building before me. It was thirty floors high, and if Google hadn’t let me down, the top three floors housed the New York branch of Theo’s law firm.
I shielded my eyes with a hand as I looked up towards the sky. If this was his branch office, his main office in Seattle had to be crazy snazzy.
It’s been a week since my catastrophic lapse of judgment at Berling Straits that left me burying myself under my covers in horror every time I recalled it—which was constantly.
I had let Theo seduce me. I lost my mind and begged my nemesis to screw me, and the worst part?
He had lied to me again.
I chewed my thumb, thinking furiously. I needed to get a grip more than ever. Time was ticking, and Allie’s video call from Paris earlier this morning only made that fact clearer.
Because she and Ryland had just gotten engaged.
While she had been glowing with happiness, we both knew the wedding wasn’t coming anytime soon. Not when the problem with Estelle was still hanging over our heads like a guillotine.
I needed to get the recording, or better yet, Estelle herself. It was crucial now. Imperative.
You can do this. I hoisted my satchel high on my shoulder, tied my blue scarf tighter about my neck. You will walk up to Theo and use your words. You won’t take no for an answer.
I took a minute to psyche myself up, running through different scenarios of how I was going figuratively grab Theo by his collar and make him surrender.
But just as I was about to charge through the revolving doors of the building, I caught a glimpse of a familiar form emerging from within.
The woman was short, around the same height as me, with the kind of soft, generously rounded form that was comforting to hug. Her face was weathered and her hair was nearly all gray now, but I would never forget that motherly figure and its liking for matching floral blouses and skirts.
“Mrs Smith!” I stared in shock. “Oh my god, it’s really you!”
“Miss Karin?” Mrs Smith’s mouth fell open. “My dear girl, you’re all grown up now—”
Our greetings were smothered by fervent hugs and exclamations.
“How are you?” Mrs Smith ran her hands down my arms, taking me in with a pinched expression that said she was about to cry. “We heard you went to New York, but your sister and you left no note. I tried to find you for years.”
I squeezed her hands, feeling tears prick at my own eyes. Mrs Smith had been the closest thing we ever had to a mother, and I missed her horribly the first few years away from San Juan.
“We’re doing fine. I meant to call, but for some reason I—"
I broke off, unsure of how I was to explain my sudden disappearance. I had been too heartbroken when I first left, from Dad’s death and from Theo’s inexplicable change of heart towards me. I had wanted nothing more than to forget that little town that had held so many bad memories for me.
“I didn’t mean to worry you,” I managed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Mrs Smith patted my cheek. “Don’t be. You were going through so much, and I’m just glad to see you healthy and all grown up. How’ve you been?”
I told her about our years since we left, how Allie had scraped together a new life for us in New York, how things were finally looking up.
But in my excitement, I didn’t forget to leave out the part about Estelle. It had been classified as an accident thanks to Estelle buying out the coroner and the cops, and knowing Mrs Smith, she would blame herself for not realizing the truth. There was no need to drag yet another innocent person into the mess.
“I’m so glad you’re well,” she beamed. “My prayers were answered after all.”
“What about you? I didn’t know you moved to New York too.”
“Oh, I’m only here on a work trip.” Her smile faltered. “But not for long. I’m retiring.”
Her troubled tone surprised me. “That’s good, isn’t it?”
“It should be, except the man I work for is giving me such a headache.” The worry on her face grew. “It’s been a long time, but do you remember the boy who came to live with us? Back when the terrible accident happened with your father, God rest his soul.”
I blinked. “You mean Theo Valentine?”
“Yes, him.” Mrs Smith exhaled wearily. “I am his secretary now.”
“What?” I yelped. “How? When? He didn’t tell me that!”
Mrs Smith’s mouth was a perfect O. “You’re in touch with him? He didn’t tell me that!”
“I looked him up three weeks ago.”
“Well, I’ve been working for him for seven years!”
We stared at each other in shock.
“That man,” Mrs Smith growled. “He thinks he owes no one an explanation. I’ll be having words with him when I next see him.”
“So will I, in a few minutes.” I glared up at the highest floor of the building where I imagined Theo to be.
“Are you meeting with him? I don’t recall an appointment.”
“Oh, it’s just a visit to catch up. A nice chat between old friends.” It was kind of the truth.
“I’m glad to hear that, dear, a visit would be good for him.” Mrs Smith’s penciled brows drew together. “I wouldn’t share this with outsiders, but I’ve always seen you as almost a daughter…”
My heart warmed, and I impulsively pulled her into another hug. “You can trust me, Mrs Smith, I swear.”
“Well, I don’t want to talk behind his back, but…Theo’s behavior is very worrying.”
I sobered instantly at her words. “What do you mean?”
“After you left town, Theo went to college and then law school. That was when he called me up. He had this plan to start a firm, and he needed someone he trusted to help.” Mrs Smith frowned at the memory. “He threw himself into work—he was going wild with the parties a fair bit too, mind you—but he put everything else into the firm. He worked like he had something to prove.”
I hadn’t known that. The idea of Theo alone, trying hard to carve out meaning in his life made my heart ache. “And so he built this?”
“He did, all by himself,” Mrs Smith said with a bittersweet smile. “But he’s not happy. I don’t think he has ever been, and he’s only getting worse. Theo’s always been on a shaky path, but it was a slow path.” Her voice quavered. “But now I’m not so sure. He’s gotten so terrible the past few years.”
Because he’s reached the top, I thought. There was nothing else to distract him now.
“I just hate the way he doesn’t care,” Mrs Smith burst suddenly. “Like nothing matters to him, or like he wants to… I can’t say it, Miss Karin. I’m just so afraid he’ll hurt himself one day, or worse.”
My blood ran cold. I hadn’t realized it was that bad. “Do you really think that’s gonna happen?”
Mrs Smith shook her head in a complete loss. “I don’t know, I really don’t. Do you think you could talk to him, as his friend? He doesn’t listen to a word I say. And just between us… he plans to sell the company and go back to London. For good.”
I was stunned. “He is? When?”
“In two weeks. There’ll be nothing to occupy him there, and I won’t even be there to look out for him. He’ll be all alone. Karin, please talk him out of it.”
“I’ll try,” I said, feeling increasingly anxious.
What Mrs Smith revealed was worse than I thought, but it fit what I had seen of Theo. He had been walking on a razor’s edge for god knew how long. I didn’t know how I was going to pull him back, but I knew I had to try.
After saying my goodbyes to Mrs Smith and promising to meet again soon, I headed into the building with renewed determination. I took the elevator to the top floor where the doors opened to a minimalist but expensive reception area.
The blonde lady behind the desk gave me a thorough full-body scan as I headed over. She was gorgeous, kind of what Lola Bunny would look like if she were human and wore a suit dress.
“Hi! I’m looking for Mr Valentine.”
Lola Bunny’s cool expression didn’t change. “Do you have an appointment?”
“Uh, no, but—”
“Please leave your name. I’ll let Mr Valentine know you came by.”
“I’m Karin. Karin Beckett. If you tell him I’m here, he’ll definitely come out of his office.” Granted, he might come just to throw me out himself, but anyway.
“Mr Valentine doesn’t entertain walk-in clients.”
“Oh, I’m not a client, I’m a friend.”
The elevator doors behind me slid open then, and out strode none other than Theo Valentine. He was in shirtsleeves again, except this time he wore no jacket and had swapped out his black shirt for a white one. His sleeves were rolled up to show his muscled forearms, which meant Theo looked very delicious.
But what was new?
I waved. “Theo!”
“Mr Valentine,” Lola Bunny greeted as he drew nearer. “This lady is here to see you, but I wasn’t aware that she had an appointment.”
Theo didn’t break his stride.
“You’re absolutely right,” he called as he walked away, his shiny shoes clipping on the marble. “She doesn’t.”
Ass.
Lola Bunny gave me a patronizing smile. “Ms Beckett, I’ll have to ask you to leave—”
“Thanks Lola,” I assured her, “but I got this.”
I headed after Theo, catching up with him as he strode through his office floor.
“You can’t chase me away,” I panted, jogging backward to face him. “I’m here on official orders of…drumroll…Mrs Smith.”
Theo stopped dead in his tracks and leveled me with a murderous look that promised a slow death. “What did she tell you?”
“Everything.” I lowered my voice to a loud whisper. “If you want me to leave, you’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming out of here. And I can’t control the things that come out my mouth when I’m agitated, like how you’re planning to sell this co—”
Theo snarled, grabbing the back of my hoodie like I was a kitten he was holding by the scruff.
I held my tongue and grimaced at the dumbstruck employees as Theo dragged me along with him. The long skirts of my peach maxi dress tangled in my legs and nearly tripped me, but Theo didn’t slow down as he strode to his office at the other end of the floor. There, he shoved me in and slammed the door behind us.
His expression was pure fury and disbelief as he rounded on me. “You little…”
I held my hands up. “I come in peace.”
Theo ground his teeth, taking deep breaths to calm himself. “Wasn’t that night warning enough for you?”
“Oh, I’m still pissed, trust me,” I threw back. “But it’s not like I have a choice. First, I’m going to talk you out of going to London. Next, my flash drive. Do you notice that my purpose of seeing you changes every time? It’s to keep you on your toes.”
“Nothing you say is going to change my mind, so sit this one out, princess.” Theo’s jaw ticked as he looked away. “What does it matter to you if I leave or stay anyway?”
“It doesn’t,” I shot back, “but you’ll be taking the flash drive with you, and it’ll be harder to get hold of it once it’s all the way in London!”
“It won’t be any harder because the likelihood of that happening remains at zero. Give up, Karin. Just accept that I’ve bested the lot of you.”
“The words ‘give’ and ‘up’ are not in my personal dictionary. Do you think Allie and I survived this city by waving a white flag when things got hard? And let me tell you, things were really hard. At my peak, I worked two jobs while in college. Allie worked three, and she didn’t even get to go to college.”
I made a big show of taking off my satchel and leather jacket and laying them on the arm of his sofa, as if to say I’m gonna be here for a while.
The muscle in Theo’s jaw ticked. “I didn’t intend for that to happen,” he said tightly. “I thought you’d have a trust fund.”
“We did, but surprise, surprise, Estelle took that too.” I exhaled, folding my arms. “You’re protecting her because she’s your family, but the thing is, family isn’t decided by blood. It’s the people who do life with you—”
“And who might that be?” Theo cut in, his tone sharp as a knife. “I’m not you, Karin, I don’t do life with anyone. My blood relation might be utter shit, but it’s the only one I have.”
“You have people who care for you,” I insisted. “You just need to open your eyes and see.”
Theo cursed softly under his breath. He went to the window and braced a forearm on the glass, leaning his forehead on it.
“I can’t escape you, can I?” he muttered. “You’re always barging your way in, always so bloody patient. The best I can give you is my assurance that Estelle will never blackmail anyone for her crime again.”
“Not good enough. I guess I’m just gonna have to sit outside in silent demonstration.”
“I very much doubt that. ‘Silent’ isn’t in your personal dictionary either.”
“Oy, no need to be mean—” My eyes widened when Theo headed to his desk and reached to press the intercom button.
I lunged and grabbed his hand with both of mine before he could do it.
“Don’t call security,” I warned. “You’re right, I’m not quiet at all, and I’ll scream the whole time I’m dragged out of here. How would your employees like to hear that their company is going to be sold, hmm?”
“They’ll keep right on working like I paid them to,” Theo smiled coldly. “Whereas you would be making a fool of yourself as you’re thrown out on your ass.”
His gaze dropped to my hands which were still clutching his.
“But what if I could simply tire you out?” he wondered aloud.
Before I could blink, Theo picked me up by my waist as if I weighed nothing and settled me on his desk.
My heart began to pound. “What are you doing?”
“Use that imagination of yours, princess,” Theo drawled. “What have we been getting up to recently?”
Without waiting for my reply, he grabbed my skirts by the fistful and flipped them up to my waist.
He raised a brow when I didn’t protest. “Not going to stop me?”
“It depends.” I swallowed, desire slowly heating every inch of my skin. “What are you going to do to me?”
In answer, Theo took my knees and pushed them apart, coming to stand between my legs. Then he grasped my hips and dragged me to the edge of his desk, nestling his erection right against me.
I gasped at the delicious contact, sinking my nails into the muscles at his shoulders.
“If you stay, you know what’s going to happen.” His voice was raw velvet in my ear, promising sex and sin. “So why don’t you run along now like a good little girl?”
I swallowed hard, but somehow my protests were not coming.
This was what I had come for after all, I realised. Deep down, past the troubles with Estelle and my family, past my confused feelings about Theo, I wanted this. I wanted him.
I tipped my chin. “Not going anywhere.”
“Haven’t you learnt your lesson yet?” Theo thrust lightly against me, his gaze heavy-lidded. “You threatened to scream earlier, so why don’t you do it for me now?”
“I don’t…” I licked my lips. “Don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Theo held my hips to him and began to grind against me leisurely. Our flesh met in the middle, hard against soft. It made it difficult to think.
“But I want to hear you,” he said softly. “Make that sweet sound for me.”
“T-the whole office will know—”
“Let them.” His fingers tugged the hem of my thong aside, slipping past the thin fabric.
“Oh god…” My head fell back as his fingertip glided over my clit. “Theo...”
Theo’s lips tipped at the corner in a knowing smile. He watched my face as he petted me, stroking me to a fever pitch.
I grew wetter for him, and Theo used my slickness to pleasure me harder. He teased my clit before sliding a finger into me, working me until every nerve in my body was in bliss.
My head fell back helplessly, and my hips began rocking on his hand, shamelessly demanding more. I clenched around the finger he had put inside me, greedy for him.
Theo made a hum of approval. “You’re so damned responsive. So clean and innocent.” His smile was pure sin. “It makes me want to dirty you up.”
“Yes,” I gasped. “More…”
“As you wish.” His voice had gone raw, his gaze dark with lust. He slid another finger into me, filling me completely. I bit down on my lip hard, but I couldn’t stay quiet.
Theo had finally gotten his way. I was so overwhelmed with lust that I didn’t care if anyone outside heard.
“Don’t you dare stop,” I said hoarsely, hanging on to his neck and rocking my hips shamelessly. “I swear I’ll kill you if this is another of your stupid lessons—oh, right there. Oh my god, Theo!”
Theo never took his eyes away as he pleasured me mercilessly with his hand, watching me like my body was his to command.
The sheer pleasure of my orgasm soon crashed over me, hot and blinding. I arched my back and ground myself on Theo’s hand as I cried out his name. I felt his sharp gaze on me, drinking in the sight of me.
The thought that Theo was watching me made me come even harder, and I tensed in a final wave of climax before I tipped forward weakly.
“Holy heck,” I breathed, resting my forehead against his chest. My arms and legs were boneless from pleasure.
Now that the worst of my lust had been sated, I was horrified that the entire office outside had heard my cries.
My eyes squeezed shut. “Kill me,” I groaned.
Theo made a sound of amusement. “Before I do that, you should know that my office is sound-proof.”
I gasped. “You lied to me!”
His mouth tipped with rare humor. “Some of the information exchanged in this room can ruin a person’s life, Karin. My clients wouldn’t step foot in here unless it was secure.”
“Argh.” I beat his chest half-heartedly with my fist. “You’re the worst.”
Theo rearranged my thong, taking the chance to fondle my trembling thighs. “The evidence clearly suggests otherwise,” he said lightly.
“Don’t talk law with me, it’s not going to save you.” I bit my lip and stared at his obvious erection behind his pants. It was so large that I felt myself aching in anticipation again. “Should we take care of that…?”
Theo looked down in question, then smiled wryly. “You know I can’t fuck you.”
“You could sleep with me,” I countered. “There’s just something else you have to do first.”
Theo exhaled. “Are we bartering sexual favors now, Karin? Because I’ve a long list of things I want from you if we were to start.”
Hmm. He had a point.
Theo said nothing more as he busied himself with rearranging my long skirts and combing his fingers through my hair. He seemed to take quiet pleasure in the task, and the intimacy of it warmed my cheeks.
“You have impeccable timing as always,” he murmured, focused on untangling a knot in my hair. “I needed my wits about me for my meeting, but that’s all gone now thanks to you.”
I shrugged. “You’re the one making things hard for yourself. Just give me the flash drive, or better yet, Estelle, and I’ll stop bothering you. Hold up…” I narrowed my eyes. “A meeting? Does it have anything to do with the sale of your firm?”
“It’s precisely that, and it’s also in ten minutes.” Theo smiled and gave me an insulting chuck under the chin like I was some kid. “Have a good day, Karin.”
“You jerk, you tricked me again!” I slid off his desk to hurry after him, nearly stumbling on my legs that were still unsteady from my orgasm. “Theo Valentine, I swear I’ll kill you if you leave!”
“I’ll take my chances. You don’t exactly inspire fear in a man.” Theo snatched his coat off a stand and swung it over his shoulders. “Let this be a—”
“Don’t say it,” I warned.
“Lesson. Take this time to recuperate, princess, I’m sure you’ll need it.”
With that, Theo smirked and shut the door in my face.