Jude was in there as well, and it seemed they’d been going back and forth for a while now. Janelle seemed irritated at that point while Mrs. Clement was trying to uphold her patience.

I placed my things down on my desk and sat, but as I turned my computer on, Janelle came marching out of his office, cursing “Fuck this” beneath her breath. She was about to go straight for the elevator, but then she stopped, coming back and standing in front of my desk.

“I hope you’re happy, Jenna. You’ve cost us a big deal,” she growled lowly.

“I—I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“Oh, please. Yes, you did. Every time I saw you, you made googly eyes at him. You’ve wanted my brother ever since you laid eyes on him. Don’t pretend you weren’t after his heart.”

Well, shit. Maybe I was. Maybe I did want his heart. Was it so bad to love him? For him to love me? These are questions I wanted to ask, but I kept my mouth shut and watched the anger radiate off her.

Janelle rolled her eyes and walked away from me, stalking toward the elevator. When she got into it, I could hear her jam her finger into the button. The doors closed right away. I was glad she was gone.

One down, one more to go.

I could hear Mrs. Clement talking. Her voice was getting louder by the second. I stood from my desk and walked to the filing cabinet, pretending to sift through it. From there I could see her very clearly, as well as Jude, who was sitting on the edge of his desk with his arms folded and an aggravated look on his face.

“Since she can’t keep her hands to herself, I think it’s safe to acknowledge that she needs to be fired,” Mrs. Clement said.

“No, Mom.” Jude stood up, squaring his shoulders and clenching his jaw. “She’s not fired. I told Michaela this yesterday morning and now I’m telling you.”

Mrs. Clement looked at him with wide eyes, appalled. “Excuse me?”

“Jenna is my secretary,” Jude continued. “I’m the C.E.O of Clement Architecture, so that means I make the decisions. I control what goes on here. Dad gave this place to me, not you or Janelle. Unlike you two, I don’t react emotionally. I think things through. Being with Jenna doesn’t affect the business. It doesn’t ruin anything and nothing will change. She is not fired. In fact, I’m thinking about giving her a raise for working so hard and putting up with the hell she received from all three of you.”

I smiled at that, but kept listening.

“You mean working so hard to get in your pants.” Mrs. Clement shook her head, taking a few steps closer to him. “Judas, you will fire that girl and be with Michaela. She’s already agreed to forgive you and to make it work. She hasn’t told her father yet but I’m sure she will if you don’t make amends with her. That secretary can easily be replaced and we can get you one that will be less of a distraction for you.”

“I don’t want her to be replaced,” he snapped. “I want her as my secretary and that’s what she’ll be. And you know what?” Jude walked around his desk. “I’m sick of this arranged marriage bullshit. I couldn’t give two fucks about Michaela. She’s not the woman I want to be with and she isn’t my type.”

Mrs. Clement gasped, stunned.

Jude continued. “We don’t need her or her father’s investment anymore, Mom. I worked out a deal where our futures and the future of the company will be safe. The Joles are offering way more than Mr. King is even willing to put up. Why put ourselves under someone else’s thumb when we can do it ourselves?”

Mrs. Clement was about to speak, but the words failed her.

“You fail to realize that we don’t need them—that I don’t need them,” he said. “I am good at this and you know it, so stop treating me like a child, stop trying to force me to date selfish women who you know aren’t good for me, and let me live my life the way I want to live it.”

How could I not smile? I bit my bottom lip, grabbing a folder and walking back to my desk. From there, I could still hear their heated debate.

“You love this girl,” Mrs. Clement said, her voice flat, like she was just now coming to the realization. “Why?” The question was incredulous.

“Because she treats me like a man and doesn’t expect me to eat out of the palm of her hand. She treats me ten times better than Michaela ever would. She loves me just as much as I love her and I’m not about to sacrifice my happiness just so you and Janelle can have your way. I’ve worked out a deal with the Joles. The contracts have already been signed and Dad has seen them. He’s okay with it. In fact, he said I did a superb job of landing such a large investment. Go ask him yourself. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it.”

“I just…I can’t believe you’re doing this.” She sighed, and I saw her take a step back. “You deserve better than this, Judas. You know it.”

“She’s everything I could ask for in a woman, Mom.” Jude met up to her and held her shoulders. “I’m happy—truly happy for the first time in my life. I…I feel like I can’t live without her. I see her and I feel my heart beat a little faster. I have never experienced that with a woman.” He paused and my heart was booming, my breaths shallow. I didn’t want to breathe too loudly, for fear that I’d miss what he had to say next. “You always told me not to kiss until I was sure—not to fall for a woman unless she deserved my love. Well Jenna does. She may not be what you expected, but she’s who I want. Am I not allowed to be happy?”

She inhaled deeply and then let it go. “Of course, you are, Judas. I only want you to be happy. I just…” She sighed. She had nothing more to say on the matter. That, or Jude was giving her a stern look.

Mrs. Clement stepped back and straightened her back. “I want the contracts sent to me so I and the attorney can look over it too. Make sure there aren’t holes in it.”

“Sure.”

I heard her heels click on the marble floor. “I’ll see you for Christmas,” she murmured, and then she turned quickly, walking out of his office, trying so damn hard to cling to her pride.

She was coming my way and I panicked, keeping my eyes down, focusing on the words on the paper below me. She stopped for a brief moment, clearing her throat.

I looked up, meeting hard blue eyes.

“I expect to see you for Christmas too,” she insisted. “You and I have a lot to talk about.” She trotted away and was on the elevator, going down in no time. I let out a small sigh of relief.

“Think I got through to her?” I looked up and found Jude leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

I grinned, pushing out of my seat and walking around the desk to meet up to him. He dropped his arms to wrap me up in them and I leaned in, kissing his lips.

“I’ve never spoken to her that way,” he confessed. “But I was tired of them treating me like a child. I should be able to be with whomever I want to be with. Love whomever I wish to love.”

“You should,” I agreed. “You did good.”

“Thank you, Miss Taylor.”

I smiled. “You think I should show for Christmas? Feels a little too soon…”

“The sooner they realize this is real, the better.”

“I guess. I can’t believe you said all those thing about me. You’re…happy with me?”

“I am.” He smiled, showing off his beautiful, pearly teeth.

“Michaela will be so pissed,” I teased. “Losing Judas Clement to a secretary.”

He chuckled, low and deep. “The best secretary on this earth.”

He wrapped a hand around the back of my neck and brought his face closer to mine. It seemed that after that first kiss, he couldn’t get enough of kissing me. I couldn’t blame him. I couldn’t get enough either. I melted in his arms, letting him take charge. Letting him devour me, making up for all the months we hadn’t kissed.

I loved this man.

I loved him so much.

Now, nothing would stand between us, and that thought alone made me the happiest girl in the world.