The elevator pinged; I pushed her on. With every step Tess lagged. Her back was stiff, movements jerky.

I frowned, watching her as the doors closed, imprisoning us in the small space—alone. Pressing the floor I needed, I touched her cheek. “It’s just a lift.”

She flinched away.

Goddammit, I hadn’t done everything I’d done to have it all be for f**king nothing. I pushed her shoulder, forcing her to face me. I had every intention of slamming her against the wall and demanding she focus on me and only me.

But she took me completely by surprise.

Leaping into my arms, I stumbled backward. The mirrored walls bruised my shoulder blades as Tess’s mouth pressed against mine. Her breathing was still shallow but now for an entirely different reason.

Her fingers disappeared into my hair, jerking my lips harder onto hers. Ah, f**king hell. My c**k reacted straight away.

My arms shot up, gathering her curvy form.

She dropped her fingers to my face, deliberately scratching me—driving me beyond interested into insane.

Pushing off from the wall, I spun around, crashing her against it instead. Her mouth opened wide, and my tongue plunged inside, taking, tasting, owning, devouring.

Our hands were separate entities as our mouths slipped and licked. I grabbed her breast through her grey jumper. Wanting my flesh on hers, needing my c**k driving into her tasty warmth.

I wasn’t sated. I needed more. I wanted her to bow to me and fight at the same time. I wanted so much from her—I wanted it all.

The doors opened.

A feminine cough wrenched my head up; I locked eyes with Helen. Red hair, vivid green eyes—attractive with freckles dotting her nose.

My receptionist of three years.

Releasing Tess, I grabbed her shoulders, and positioned her in front of me—trying to hide the raging hard-on in my trousers. Running hands through my hair, I made sure the white shirt I wore wasn’t too crumbled and quickly inspected Tess.

Her jumper was mussed but her black jeans looked presentable. The disarray of curls made me want to drag her back into the lift and press the emergency button until I finished what she’d started.

“Mr. Mercer. Bonjour.” Helen smiled, eyeing Tess with a professional coolness. If I hadn’t been around women—in all states of mental health—I would’ve missed the flash of competition in her gaze. And I would’ve definitely missed, and not enjoyed, Tess’s answering glower full of possession.

She was fierce, my Slave Fifty-Eight. And I had no doubt she’d scratch out any female’s eyes who made any move to encroach on what she considered hers.

And good. That made me f**king happy. And hot. So damn hot.

Hoping my depleting erection wasn’t too obvious, I strode in front of Tess. “Bonjour. Est-ce que M. Roux est là ? J’ai besoin de le voir.” Hello. Is Mr. Roux in, I need to see him.

Tess stayed glued to my side, a smile on her lips, but her eyes shrewd and assessing.

Helen smiled at Tess, acknowledging whatever woman code they shared, before finally giving me a look I recognised as defeat. “Oui, il est dans son bureau.” Yes, he's in his office.

“Merci.” I grabbed Tess’s hand, dragging her away from the sterile first impression of the manager’s level. The only things visible were Helen’s desk, a large matching mosaic sparrow behind her, and some comfy chairs in the adjoining room for early appointments to wait.

Tess tugged on my hand as I strode through the floor, nodding at passing workers. I didn’t have a f**king clue who they were. I only needed to know the top of commands; the rest of the workforce was their problem.

“We’re not going to your office?” Tess asked, dodging a woman carrying an armful of files. Her eyes danced around the floor, taking in the large windows that let washes of natural light and the amazing view of Paris inside. Plants and paraphernalia gave the place a homely feel. No partitions separated workers—everyone had free reign on where they wanted their desk to be. Some were clumped together in a circle, others with lined up neatly. But all surrounded a large break area with a big TV, gourmet coffee and food, and a fulltime masseuse to work out any kinks.

“We can’t,” I said.

“Why not?”

“It’s gone.” I waved back at a man I distantly remembered, who’d helped with a local merger. Frederick’s office was at the end, next to mine—or rather my temporary one.

“Gone?”

I looked into her blue-grey eyes—looking more grey thanks to the colour of her jumper. “You seriously didn’t think I’d be able to let it stay standing after what happened.”

Tess shook her head. “You destroyed it?”

I nodded. Just like the room where I’d let her hit and scar me. It was demolished. Forever. Good f**king riddance.

The moment I saw her hair on the bathroom floor and the empty syringe, I knew I couldn’t let the diabolical thing remain. It was empty rubble up there now. “I’ll convert it to a helipad eventually, but right now, the birds can have it.”

She pulled on my hand, yanking me to a stop. Her eyes locked onto mine. “Thank you.”

My forehead furrowed. “For what?”

“For getting rid of it. I can handle a lot of things but I don’t think I could’ve stepped foot in that space again.”

I looked around to see if people were watching. People pretended to be busy, but I knew we were the entertainment. But—oh, f**k it. I dragged her close and kissed her. Her fingers squeezed my chest. Pulling back, I whispered, “Don’t you think I know that?”

Stepping back, I added, “And I didn’t do it just for you, Tess. I couldn’t go back there either. I would rather my entire company came crashing down than ever go back into a room where I failed to protect you.”

Tess’s eyes swam; her cheeks pinked as she blushed. Blushed? What the hell was she blushing about? I’d had her hanging upside down with my tongue as far as it could go inside her while I drove my c**k into her mouth. That was blush-worthy. Having me admit I tore down an office in her honour was not.

“You’re far too good to me.”

I shook my head, hating the twisting in my gut. I wasn’t. I was the opposite. Complete f**king opposite.

She lowered her voice. “Q…I’ve been so wrapped up in me, I haven’t asked what’s going on with your business. Did everything that happen ruin your company’s reputation?” Her shoulders stiffened. “I didn’t cost you your livelihood, did I?”