Jasper Pace is definitely not the older man I’ve seen in the papers representing this evil empire of a company. In fact, he’s not an older man at all. 

He’s young, and he’s hot as hell.

When he stands up from behind his desk, I get an eyeful of an expensive suit so closely tailored to his body that it doesn’t leave much to the imagination.

Under any other circumstance, I’d be into the view, because Jasper Pace—that’s the name on the office door—is a living Greek statue, all hard muscle and chiseled jaw. And those eyes—a vivid blue that makes me want to get closer, much closer, so I can stare into them—send an electric charge tripping down my spine straight between my legs.

That doesn’t make him any less of a scumbag.

An amused grin plays over his face, and I hate him a little more. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Jasper Pace.” His secretary is practically breathing down my neck. I wish she’d sit down in her pretty little suit and let me take care of business. Jasper looks past me. “We’re all right, Christine.”

She sniffs, and I keep my eyes locked on Jasper’s face while she walks away. He’s not going to throw me off my game with his slick, charming manners. Screw that.

“No, we haven’t met, but that hasn’t stopped you from turning a great day into a shitty one.”

His eyebrows go up an inch, but the smile stays in place. “Why don’t you have a seat?” There are two leather armchairs in front of his massive mahogany desk. I’m sure that’s where people come to sell their souls along with their real estate.

“I’d rather not.”

He shrugs, and even the shrug reeks of all the power he thinks he has. He might be one of the billionaires of Pace, Inc., but he doesn’t know me. If I’d met him a week ago, I might have been impressed. Now, the sight of him has rage boiling over in my gut…and a heat between my legs, but I’ll never admit that. “Your choice. You could at least come in, though. I have a feeling you might want this conversation to be private.”

“I don’t care who hears.”

His grin gets wider, and he moves out from behind his desk. “All right. I’d prefer if we kept things to ourselves.” He strides across the office and steps into the doorway, leaning close so that he can reach for the open door’s handle. I can’t help but inhale his scent, and damn it, he smells good—like the kind of cologne you have personally made, underneath a pure clean scent that clings to his skin. “If you’ll excuse me—Ms. Gabriel, wasn’t it?”

I stand my ground, glaring at him from close range, but he doesn’t falter, that infuriating smile still wrinkling the corners of his eyes. My heart beats hard against my ribs, the tension going taut in the air between us.

This is ridiculous. There are bigger battles to be won.

I step into the office. Jasper pulls the door closed, then moves a few steps back toward his desk, crossing his arms over his chest. “Enlighten me. What exactly have I done to ruin your day?”

I grit my teeth to keep from slapping him. Or kissing him. The urge comes over me so strongly that it’s all I can do to stay in place. What the hell, Isa? Looking into the face of my mortal enemy shouldn’t be turning me on, but it is. 

Focus.

“You’ve gone far enough with your reckless destruction of the city.”

He raises one eyebrow. “Reckless?”

“Arrogant. Greedy. Rushed. These are all words I’d use to describe the way you and your company have been gutting buildings and shattering communities from the East Village to Harlem.” I shake my head in disgust. “When is enough going to be enough for you people?”

He considers me, his smile turning sly, and now he’s close enough for me to see that his eyes are blue with a shock of silver around the pupils. They’re breathtaking. Their only competition is from…the rest of his body. “One thing you should know about me, Ms. Gabriel, is that enough is never enough.” He shifts his weight, and his tailored suit displays a whole new dimension of his physique. His eyes burn into mine. “The other thing you should know is that I disagree with your assessment.”

“I’m shocked,” I deadpan.

He goes on as if he hasn’t heard me. “This firm doesn’t shatter communities. It improves them. We’re taking buildings that are out of date, most of them with serious infrastructure issues, and turning them into homes that anyone would be proud to live in.” He cocks his head to the side. “I can’t see how you’d have a problem with that.”

“It’s not improvement I have a problem with.” My face is hot with anger, and my hands tremble at my sides. “But you’re only in it for the money, clearly.”

“It is an incredible side bonus.” 

I hate him, but more than that, I hate my own body for wanting him so badly, in this moment of all moments.

I narrow my eyes. “I should have known this would be a pointless discussion.” I can’t keep my mouth from curling into a sneer. “I’ll be sure to explain to my mother—who’s losing her home because of you, by the way—that at least you’re getting an incredible side bonus.”

Before he can say another word, I turn on my heel and head for the door. My hand is on the handle, my muscles tensed to push it open, when— “Wait.”

“What?” I spit the word over my shoulder.

“I didn’t realize you were here to discuss a personal issue.” His tone is mild, but when I turn back around, his gaze is electric. “That changes everything.”