I looked up at the screen and tried to find my train. It was so annoying that my car was in the shop. There was something wrong with the engine and it needed to be repaired, so I brought it to the car service this morning. But I didn’t use the train often and I was afraid I’d get turned around. Directions weren’t my strongest skill.

I clutched onto the strap of my bag and shuddered when I thought about Grant’s bold move in the conference room.

I couldn’t believe him! I was shocked that he’d actually done that—in front of everyone! If anybody had told me that my boss would finger me under the table in the middle of an important presentation, I would consider them downright crazy. Now, I couldn’t get my mind off it.

My pussy instantly warmed, and I clenched my thighs together, feeling tense all over again. I had a super hot boss, who was skilled in sex and turned me on all the time.

He was so sly when he stopped fingering me! I was so confused then, because I wanted to come right there, but at the same time I didn’t want to. If I orgasmed, I wouldn’t be able to conceal it and all the people in the room would be perfectly aware of what had been going on. Jesus that would have been hard to explain.

My train arrived and I headed inside with other people, entering the crowded space.

I realized that Grant was playing with fire—he was playing with me, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it. His fingers on my thigh made my skin burn, and when he moved them upward, reaching my needy core, I was already done for—desperately yearning to feel his fingers on my pulsating flesh.

Then he moved my panties to the side and his finger entered my pussy...

I shifted my weight, regretting that I was in the train and not in my room where I could touch myself while replaying today’s scene.

All of a sudden, I froze—my senses on high alert as I felt like someone was watching me. Again.

I scanned my surroundings, seeing so many faces, but nobody was even looking in my direction. I shuddered, a heavy feeling filling my chest. Why did I feel like this again? Was someone actually following me? I hadn’t ever been the paranoid type, but I didn’t like feeling like this, so exposed.

I stared through the windows, not actually seeing anything outside, and waited to see if the feeling of being watched would return. Several seconds later, I felt it again, and my eyes skimmed over the crowd, desperately looking to find that person who was making me feel like this.

I wasn’t able to see anyone suspicious, and that just freaked me out more.

The train was slowly coming to a stop, reaching another station, and I realized this was Lauren’s stop. I decided to get off and go to Lauren, suddenly worried for my safety. My instincts were never wrong, and they were telling me someone was after me now. I didn’t want to risk it and go to my place where I would be all alone and on my own.

I got off and headed to Lauren’s apartment. I felt stupid showing up at her doorstep like this, but I didn’t have a choice. I would start panicking any moment and that wouldn’t help me.

Luckily, the streets that led to her apartment were well lit and there were a lot of people outside. I kept glancing over my shoulder, trying to see if anyone was following me, but there was no one. Damn, I was going crazy. Add that to the list of wild things in my life.

I reached Lauren’s building, refusing to think about the reasons why somebody would follow me, and climbed up the stairs until I reached Lauren’s floor. I rang the bell and waited, tapping my foot nervously.

A few moments later, Lauren opened the door and frowned when she saw me.

“Madison? What are you doing here? Is everything alright?”

I approached her and hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Lauren,” I spoke into her hair. “I had to come. I-I felt like someone was watching me and I didn’t feel safe... I couldn’t go to my place just like that...”

Lauren took a step back, eyeing my face carefully. “What do you mean ‘someone was watching you’? I don’t understand.”

I moved my hand through my hair and swallowed hard. “It’s hard to explain. Can I come in?”

Her eyes suddenly widened, like she’d realized just now she was keeping me in the hallway all the time.

“Oh! Of course, come in!” She ushered me inside and closed the door behind us.

I could hear the sounds of her TV in the living room, and it comforted me immediately.

I was safe now.

“I’m really sorry for coming here just like that. If it’s okay with you, I wanna stay with you for the night. I don’t feel like it’s safe for me to be in my place all alone right now.”

“Oh, flower. Of course, you can! Sit down. I’ll grab you a glass of wine. Okay?” She smiled reassuringly at me.

“Sure.” I returned her smile and sat on the couch. I was still trembling. Stupid fear. I took several deep breaths to calm myself down. This was weird I usually didn’t get so rattled.

Everything was okay, Madison. Nothing happened to you, so you can relax.

Lauren sat down, handing me a glass of red, my favorite.

“So, tell me. What happened?”

I heaved a long sigh. “Two nights ago I was driving back from my work, and I felt like I was being watched.” I shuddered, remembering that strange moment. “I didn’t notice anything unusual, though, so I shrugged it off. Now, while I was on the train on my way home, I got the same feeling. Lauren, I am sure someone was watching me. I couldn’t see anyone suspicious—actually, no one even looked at me—but my instincts were telling that person was there. They were there and they were watching me. You probably think I am over exaggerating or something.”

She was looking at me seriously. “No, not at all.”

“Maybe the stress of everything is getting the best of me, maybe not. I don’t know.” I gnawed at my lip.

“I think you should definitely be careful. If you see something suspicious, you better report it to the police as soon as possible.”

“I know,” I said and took a sip of wine.

After some thinking, I decided to tell Lauren everything about Grant. She was one of my best friends, and I would feel better if I shared this with someone. “You know, I really like Grant.”

Lauren raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yeah. You have no idea, Lauren.” I took my shoes off and put my legs beneath me. “He is perfect. He is a great lover, and he is so strong.”

I told her about every single thing that happened between us, even mentioning how Grant fingered me in the conference room.

“I can’t believe he would do such a thing! He is insatiable, and he drives me crazy! In a good way, of course.” I grinned, expecting Lauren to make some joke about it or something like that.

For some reason, her face became more somber, and I noticed there was something bothering her.

“What’s the matter?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “To tell you the truth, I’m shocked. I mean, I’m happy that you are happy, but at the same time I’m not convinced he’s okay.”

“Why not, Lauren? You don’t even know him.”

“I don’t know. Somehow, CEOs and people like them are more shady than not. Remember that I warned you about your company? Well, what if he’s one of those dangerous sharks who would do anything to get what they want?”

I twisted my hands anxiously, bothered that she felt this way about Grant without even knowing him. “Grant is okay, Lauren. He is not like that. He is honest, hard-working, and skilled businessman. He is not one of those people who would walk over others for the sake of his millions.” At least I didn’t think he was.

“I’m sorry. I get it. He sounds okay. On the other hand, if he is okay and you are in the inner circle then you are safe.”

I flinched, looking at her in surprise. “What does that mean?”

She took a sip of her wine and then she put her glass on the table. “Look, I wasn’t really sure if I should tell you this or not, because I didn’t want to freak you out.”

My hairs stood on my neck, and I felt afraid to hear what she was about to say next. “What?”

“I know that someone was killed on their job site last year.”

“What?”

“Yes. They were killed, and the details are unknown because the company covered it up. I heard it once from my boss. He knows some people in LQT, so the news reached him despite their secrecy.”

“Oh my God.” I paled, my whole body trembling in new fear. I put my glass next to hers, all of a sudden feeling nauseous. “Killed?”

She nodded. “Yes. I just know that he was a supervisor on the site.”

“Oh my God,” I repeated, completely shocked and terrified.

This changed everything. This was serious. There was a murder and the company swept it under the rug? I couldn’t believe this.

“I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. You were so happy when you got your new job, and I just didn’t want to spoil anything for you. I thought that you wouldn’t be involved in any kind of those shady things, but now you told me someone was following you, and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”

“I get it, but why would they target me? I didn’t do anything!” I couldn’t prevent my panic from showing in my voice, trembling stronger.

She took my hand into hers and squeezed it gently. “I don’t know, sunshine, but I just want you safe. Maybe you could take a few days off?”

I considered not going back to work, agreeing with Lauren that I should take some time off, but the big meeting was only a day away. We worked so hard for it, and Grant needed me. I couldn’t ruin it by not showing up. And maybe he had nothing to do with it. Maybe I was right all along.

“Ugh!” I growled. The back of my head had started pounding, and I doubted I would be able to sleep this night.

No, there was no way for me to focus on our project tomorrow—not after what I just heard. Besides, there was a real threat out there, and I knew they were after me. It was all the more reason for me not to go back to work tomorrow.

“You’re right,” I told her. “I shouldn’t work tomorrow. I need some time to think.”

“Alright. Now, you can sleep in the guest room. I’ll make up the bed and there’s towels in the closet. You know, if you want, you can stay here tomorrow all day.”

“Thank you, grumpy. This means a lot to me.”

“Don’t mention it.” She hugged me tightly. “Look, I really hope I’m wrong about your boss. I mean, maybe he wasn’t involved in it. I don’t know, but there is definitely something fishy about the company, so I would reconsider working there if I was you.”

“I will think about it.”

“Okay, then. I’ll be right back.”

She got up and went out of the living room, and I took my glass, drinking my wine until the last drop. I would call the company in the morning and tell them that I was sick.

Hopefully, everything would be alright.

13

Grant

I paced back and forth. I fucking hated being nervous. The meeting with the client was finally here. I gave my best to focus on the important points and how I would present our project and company to the client, but all I felt was panic, because Madison skipped work yesterday and she didn’t appear today either. She claimed she was sick, but somehow I wasn’t convinced that was true, and she made me confused as hell.

Why the fuck didn’t she come? Was there a problem? Even worse—did I do something wrong?

I was in the lobby, looking at my watch every few minutes. The clients were about to be here any moment, but Madison still hadn’t shown up.

I began pacing again, cursing myself for feeling this nervous when I was supposed to be calm and ready for the meeting, when I saw Madison entering the building in hurry.

She noticed me and rushed toward me.

Thank fuck.

“Where were you?” I asked her, feeling some of the tension release.

“I’m so sorry, Grant. I-I didn’t really feel well, but I knew I had to show up for the meeting. I apologize for leaving you all alone until now.”

She looked sincerely sorry, and I let a shaky breath out, relieved that she was here. It didn’t matter that she skipped work yesterday or almost missed this meeting. All that mattered was that she was here.

Something warm filled my chest and I wanted to hug her right here, but I had to hold it in.

The clients came soon after, and we took them out to one of the fancy restaurants I visited whenever I made some important business deals. It was a part of a famous hotel, and I considered it my lucky place, because I always managed to close the deals here.

We sat at one of the tables in the middle of the restaurant. This place was huge and screamed money—decorated with the gold chandeliers, marble floors and walls, and the breath-taking paintings that had probably cost a fortune. The classic music came from the speakers, fitting the luxurious atmosphere perfectly.

We did less eating than talking as we discussed the deal, but it didn’t matter, because my adrenaline was so high that I didn’t even have any appetite. It was extremely important for us to finish this meeting successfully, and I was more than glad whenever Madison jumped in with her helpful remarks, impressing our clients over and over again.

“I think you’ll find our plans meet your needs perfectly. The modern design, matched with the latest technologies with put you at the forefront of the medical community in this area. Breaking into this locale will broaden your business and create new opportunities for you and your investors.” The group nodded in agreement.

“And these figures? You believe these are accurate?” The one man asked her.

She sat up straighter, and I couldn’t be prouder. “Of course, we wouldn’t have brought them if we weren’t sure.” She smiled devilishly only further reeling them in.

“Well that settles it, I think the investors will agree that this is definitely something we’re interested in pursuing.” Heads around the table bobbed and smiled at us. We nailed it, or rather Madison did. I would give her credit for that.

“I’ll toast to that,” I added raising my glass.

“Cheers,” one of our new clients said and we clank our glasses. I looked at Madison, smiling with satisfaction, but the smile she returned to me was rather fake, and my insides churned for a moment. What was going on with her? We made a deal, why wasn’t she looking satisfied?

We spent another half an hour with the clients before they called for a town car and headed back to their office. I looked at Madison, who was staring at her glass of wine, unusually quiet. Actually, for the last thirty minutes she’d barely said a word, and now I really wanted to know what the problem was.

“Madison? Is everything alright?”

She flinched and looked at me, as if she’d been deep in her thoughts.

“Yes,” she muttered, not looking me in the eyes.

I frowned. Something definitely wasn’t right. “We managed to close the deal, and this meeting went really well, thanks to you, so what’s the problem?”

At first, I thought she wasn’t going to tell me—the insecurity and anxiety written all over her face.

Several moments later, she looked at me and pursed her lips into a thin line. “I-I heard something about your company, Grant.” She cleared her throat and continued, “I heard about the foreman who died on the job last year.”

Everything stopped. “What?”

She cleared her throat again, and this time she kept my stare. “I heard that he was killed last year on LQT’s job site and the company covered it up.”

I needed a few moments to fully understand what the fuck she was talking about, and then the anger settled in. “That’s bullshit,” I hissed, feeling hurt that she actually believed in rumors.

“Is it, Grant? You know, I was actually scared to come to work yesterday. That is why I called in sick. This is just too much, and it made me afraid, to tell you the truth.”

It bothered me that she felt this way, but I was also angry that such rumors existed and were spread about my company. That wasn’t what we needed at the moment. Hell, this was the worst moment ever.

“I didn’t know anything about it, Madison. In fact, the company wasn’t liable for what happened. We gave his family a nice settlement because he worked for us, but what happened at that site didn’t have anything to do with us. It was horrible. I felt terrible for everything that went down. But that is an old story and I’m angry that it came up just like that—at the most inconvenient time, and that you believed it.”

“I am sorry, but it sounded too terrible for me.”

“It is terrible, and it is unfortunate that such a thing smears our company’s name. What is past is in the past, and we must focus on the future and positive things. Who told you about it?”

“My friend Lauren. She heard it from her boss.”

“Damn it.” I took her by hands and squeezed them gently. “Madison, my company isn’t like that. We don’t do those kinds of things. Hell, I hate when people deal with problems in that way. From the moment we started our company, Oliver, Colten, and I swore we wouldn’t go down that criminal road. We have been always working hard and clean. Everything we accomplished so far we accomplished on our own—in an honest way. You have to believe me.”

I caressed her soft skin, moving my fingers over hers, and smiled reassuringly to her as I waited for her response.

Finally, she sighed. “I am so sorry, Grant. I really didn’t want to doubt you, but hearing that someone got killed was awful for me.”

“I understand, but please, believe me. I’m not that kind of man. I will never be.”

“I get it. I realize that you are a good guy after all. Now I know that Lauren was being paranoid and I made a mistake for not clearing this with you when she told me that. I should have talked to you immediately instead of running away just like that.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m glad that you talked to me about it now.”

Her face showed regret and shame, but I just felt relieved that she believed me. It actually hurt me a little that she’d doubted me like that, but I understood why she’d felt this way. I knew we still had to learn a lot more about each other.

“I almost made things worse by not coming to the meeting.”

“Hey,” I squeezed her hands again. “That’s okay. You came and nothing else matters.”

“Yes, and I am glad I made a right decision. I believe you, Grant.”

I was about to kiss her, but then I remembered she’d said she felt scared, and it just confused me. Why would she feel scared?

“Madison, why did you feel scared? That poor man’s case has nothing to do with you.”

She licked her lips, suddenly all tense. “Actually, I think there is someone following me.”

I tensed too, watching her carefully now. “Following you?”

“Yes. I noticed it for the first time a few days ago when I was driving back home from work. The second time was the night before last, also when I was returning home from work. I was in the train and I felt someone’s eyes on me... It was actually terrifying, and not being able to see that person freaked me out. Then Lauren told me about that guy getting killed, and I thought the same thing might happen to me...”

My heart rammed wildly against my chest, and I hated I had to admit her that in this way... “Actually, Madison, that was the company investigator who was following you.”

Her eyes widened immediately, and she pulled away her hands from mine. “What?”

I took a deep breath, feeling so guilty now. I didn’t want to scare her like this or make her feel like I considered her a bad person. “We had an investigator follow you to make sure you were who you were claiming to be, you know. Oliver and Colten had some concerns so I needed to make them feel more at ease. I knew that bringing you into this business deal was a big move and we needed to trust you. I couldn’t afford to take any risks. So that man followed you for several days to make sure you didn’t work for our competition.”

Her face twisted into anger, and for the first time I realized that this might push her away from me, and how much that would kill me.

Fuck, Grant, you really screwed this up.

“I can’t believe you would do this to me.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. This wasn’t anything personal, believe me.”

“It became personal when you started sleeping with me!” she hissed, her eyes flashing with hurt and embarrassment.

“I know. As the days passed and I saw how hard you worked and gave your best, I realized my mistrust wasn’t right. You proved yourself to me over and over again, and I started trusting you. That is why I called him yesterday and told him his services weren’t needed anymore. I believed you.” I growled in frustration. “I wanted to tell you this in a different way. I didn’t want you to find it out like this. I didn’t want you to feel afraid or think you are in danger. I’m truly sorry, Madison.”

For several moments, she didn’t say anything, staring at me with insecurity. She looked like she was having an inner battle, and I felt like a complete douchebag. She was a gem, and I didn’t want to lose her over this.

“Madison, I don’t want us to fight or for you to be angry, even though you deserve to me. I trust you. I do, and I won’t ever do anything like that behind your back again.”

Several moments later, she finally offered me a slight smile.

“Fine, I get it. Honestly, I’m a little offended, but I do understand. I realize this project is extremely important, and if I were you I would probably do the same. But I’m going to get you three back for this. Consider this your warning. And I want a commission on this project.”

I felt relieved and a smile spread across my face. Now that this thing with my investigator was out in the open, I could finally relax completely. Fuck, I wanted to tell her that, and I was feeling a little guilty for going behind her back like that, but now I wanted to kiss her like crazy because she was understanding.

“Ha! You know what? Done. The guys will deal. I’m really sorry it came out like this, so if you want a cut, take it.” I shook my head. “Damn, I want to make you happy, not hurt you.”

Her eyes filled with joy and the smile she gave me threatened to make my heart burst—for real. When the hell did I become such a softie?

I pulled her face to mine, desperate to kiss her, and claimed her lips with urgency that made me hard as rock in an instant. Our tongues stroked each other in hurry, both of us hungry for much more, and I realized I needed her right now. I needed to fuck her as soon as possible or I would explode.

What was she doing to me?

“I need you.”

“I need you too, Grant.”

“Good. Then let’s celebrate today’s success properly.”

“Properly?”

I smirked. “Yes. As in ‘Let’s get a fucking room’ properly.”