Twenty-three

LILAH

“Andrew, what are you doing here?” I sputter only after making sure my door is closed behind me.

The foreboding look on his face tells me that he isn’t here for friendly banter and I don’t want the conversation to leak out into the halls. No one around here needs to know my business.

On quivering legs, I make my way over to my desk. When it’s time for me to pass his station in the center of the office, I skirt the edges of the room to avoid him.

Andrew’s mouth lifts to give way to a dangerous smirk as he watches me with dark eyes. His face tells me that he’s on to my antics but is choosing to be merciful instead of pouncing on me right away.

Behind my desk, I feel a little bolder and cross my arms over my chest.

“You haven’t answered my question,” I attempt at being bold. Luckily he can’t see my knees knocking furiously under the desk.

It makes me absolutely livid that my traitorous body is responding to him like this after the way he ditched me.

Andrew is looking even yummier than usual in a slate-gray tailored suit. The garments would look ordinary on anyone else but there’s something about his unique swagger that makes it mouthwatering.

The pants fit the length of his long, powerful legs perfectly and the deep purple button-up he’s wearing complements his tanned skinned beautifully. There is no tie, but the top two buttons on the shirt are undone, fully exposing his strong neck and just a peek of his expansive chest.

Without uttering a word, Andrew drops down into the chair across from me and fixes me with his deep blue orbs.

His presence permeates the office effortlessly as I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

Did he really come here to give me the silent treatment?

I count backwards from ten and get to four before having to start over. My nerves are in a super delicate place following the events of this morning and here he is shaking up things even more.

Breathe, Lilah.

Finally, I collect my courage and speak again. “Mr. Knight, I assume you’re here to discuss your account.”

I shuffle some papers in front of me, before tapping at the keyboard to wake up my state-of-the-art mammoth of a computer. When the screen comes to life, I punch in my access code with shaky fingers.

“I was actually planning to contact you today to get your signature on a few things, so I’m glad you dropped by.”

Hopefully, he still plans to sign off on the investment. It occurs to me that maybe that was just another thing he agreed to in order to get me in his bed.

Christ.

If he pulls out, I’m screwed in more ways than one and I don’t know what I’ll tell Edward the next time he comes barging in here.

Meeting Andrew’s intense gaze, I gulp and ask the question that needs to be answered. “You do still plan to invest, right?”

I occupy my hands with papers to veil their shaking as I wait for his answer.

“Who the fuck dropped you off this morning?” he says quietly.

I knew this was coming, but I’m still aggravated at his tone.

Like I’m the one who has some explaining to do. I’m not the one who used the other for sex just to disappear in the middle of the night.

“Mr. Knight—” I attempt only to be cut off.

Andrew sits forward alarmingly fast.

“Cut the shit, Lilah.”

Bristling at his accusatory tone, I cut my eyes at him. “Keep your voice down. This is a place of business.”

“I don’t give a fuck if it’s a monastery. Answer my question.”

The anger in his voice is undeniable. And the tight set of his jaw would lead one to believe that he’s been betrayed.

Rolling my eyes, I wonder how my summer devolved into me trying to pacify not one but two spoiled grown ass men. I’m telling you, teaching a room full of twenty kindergarteners is nothing compared to men and their withering egos.

“A friend gave me a ride after I experienced some car trouble,” I supply generously. It’s really none of his business how I got here after the way he’s treated me.

“Was it your ex?” he questions, sitting back in his chair to study me. With his legs sprawled in front of him, he looks like he owns the place and I’m clenching my teeth to hold in my snide remarks. How dare he march in here like he rules the world after tossing me aside like a disposable trinket?

“I really don’t see how that’s any of your business, Mr. Knight,” I say coolly. My eyes pierce into his and I make sure my face is a mask of indifference.

“Don’t test me, Lilah. You are my business,” he cuts out, lifting his hand to rub at the scruff forming on his chin.

“Could have fooled me,” I say lowly.

Andrew just stares at me with narrowed eyes, spurring me on.

Hackles raised, I stare daggers of my own at him. “Don’t test you? You made it very clear that you were only after one thing. You got it, so I don’t see the big deal in me moving on.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he warns, looking peeved.

“No, you don’t be ridiculous. You won. I slept with you, knowing that this was bound to happen. You weren’t looking for anything real. I was just another conquest and I was naïve enough to believe I meant more to you. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again,” I assure him.

I say this all without blinking because I know the second I do, the tears gathered in my eyes will betray what I’ve just said. His rejection cut me deep. A painfully blaring reminder that I should have never let him gain so much power.

Andrew clears his throat across from me. His actions are blurry because of the moisture in my eyes, but I see him shift uncomfortably.

“You should have called a cab. Or me. You knew that letting him bring you to work would get under my skin and I suspect that’s exactly why you did it,” he states calmly, conveniently ignoring all the information I just dumped on him.

Is he serious right now?

He didn’t contact me once since he rocked my world. Then, my car got repossessed. Where the hell am I supposed to find money for a twenty-minute cab ride in rush-hour traffic?

His high and mighty attitude is starting to wear on me. He can’t even step down from his high horse because he won’t take off his overpriced blinders.

And did he really just say I should have called him? The same man who fucked me and fled like a thief in the middle of the night?

A delirious laugh escapes me before I can control it. This morning just keeps getting better and better.

“Why the hell would I call someone like you to help me? I’ve received nothing but silence from you for the better part of a week and you want me to run to you when I need help? No fucking thanks.”

He watches me as I tear into him with my carefully crafted words. So cool and unfazed by my tirade as usual.

I scoff at his cool demeanor before putting the final nail in the coffin. “With all due respect, Andrew, you can go fuck yourself.”