Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Devoured (Kindle Worlds Novella) (4 page)

“They’re expecting you.” The receptionist’s tone had become brusque again.

“Thank you.”

The receptionist made a show of ignoring her as she turned away from Vivian and started swiping on her phone.

Vivian knew she should be used to it by now, but the truth was…she didn’t think she ever could be. Turning away, she pushed her trolley back towards the elevator, wondering all the while why some people thought her job was demeaning. Was it better she robbed banks instead?

After returning the trolley to the storage area, Vivian went straight to her superior to let the older woman know about HR’s request to see her.

“You’re sure it’s your name you saw?” Beth asked, but her tone was more worried than surprised.

Vivian gulped. “It’s a bad thing, isn’t it?”

“Of course not,” the older woman said quickly. “It’s simply…unusual.”

An idea occurred to Vivian, making her pale as she asked, “Do you think it’s about the…
incident
?”

After a beat, Beth said firmly, “There is no use jumping to conclusions. Just go and meet with HR and see what they want.”

Right,
Vivian thought numbly as she again made her way back to the elevator.
No jumping to conclusions
, she warned herself. But it was easier said than done, and by the time she did make it to HR, she was an emotional wreck inside and secretly convinced that somehow
that man
had gotten her fired.

Knocking on the door, she said in a croaking voice, “It’s Vivian Day, sir.” She had never met the head of HR before, but the nameplate on the door at least clued her in on his gender.

When no one answered, she knocked again, and when nothing still happened on her third attempt, she finally tried the knob. It turned easily, and as her heartbeat sped up, she made herself open the door cautiously before taking one nervous step inside the office.

Closing the door behind her, she quickly scanned the room and saw that a man was seated behind the desk and facing the window.

“Sir?”

When the manager didn’t answer, Vivian was momentarily torn. What if she got into deeper trouble for waking the man up? But if she left, what proof did she have that she
had
tried to meet with him?

I’ll just try one last time,
she thought and slowly and nervously moved forward until she stood just a few inches from the table.

“Sir?”

The man on the chair finally swung around to face her.

Vivian stumbled back in shock.

Gian?

Blood rushed to her head, and a combination of too little sleep, too little food, and the fact that she had always been anemic had her swaying. A moment later, the world started to sway with her.

In her blurry vision, she saw Gian jerk to his feet, his voice abrupt as he demanded, “What’s wrong, Vivi?”

She wanted to yell at him to stop calling her that, anger rising up inside of her.

But it was a mistake.

She felt even fainter now, and her vision became even blurrier.

And now, the world was spinning too fast…until everything went black.

Chapter Three

When Vivian woke up, she found herself lying on a couch, staring up at a pale grey ceiling. For a moment, she was confused, unable to tell why she was lying down and feeling so weak. But then her memory returned, and she shot up to a sitting position---

Pain struck her temples, and Vivian groaned.

“As your medical history tells me you’ve been anemic for quite some time, you should know by now that any sudden movement will only make you feel worse.” The words were uttered in a cool but familiar tone, and her heart twisted with a love-hate sense of recognition.

Gian.

She knew she should acknowledge him, but she couldn’t – or at least not until she had figured out what was the proper thing to say. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt his gaze sear her, and mortification filled her at the way her body was starting to stir to life at his presence.

It had been so long
, she thought helplessly,
and all this time she had really believed she would never have to see him again
. But here he was, still gorgeous and sexy, and just having him so close was making it hard for Vivian to forget exactly why she was mad at him.

Luca’s lips twitched as he watched Vivian deliberately avert her face from his.
Beautiful stubborn Vivi,
he mused indulgently. It was good to know she was still acting as he predicted, and it was even better that she was just as exquisite as he remembered.

It had almost been a week since he had last seen Vivian, and it was the longest time he hadn’t laid his eyes on her since the first time they met. From the very first day, there had been something about Vivian Day that had called out to him. It could be her green eyes, which at times seemed as pure as his daughter’s. Or it could be her adorably tongue-tied awkwardness, the kind he had once thought impossible for today’s modern women to still show. Then again, it could also be something basic, such as the way the sight of her lush dark hair made him imagine countless times of how it would feel, to have those silky strands wrapped around his fist as he pulled her towards him and made her obey his bidding in the bedroom. And then there was the generous curve of her breasts, which even the androgynous fit of her uniform failed to hide – ah, those beautiful breasts of hers had always made Luca hungry to devour them.

It could be any or all of those things, but in the end, they all paled in significance after he found out how foolish she could be when it came to love.

She was possibly the biggest sentimental fool he would ever have a chance to meet
, he acknowledged in amusement, and that was a good thing.

Only Vivian Day would think buying an expensive coffin and burial plot was a valid reason for approaching a loan shark.

And only a woman who thought like that was someone Luca was willing to consider trusting with the care of his daughter.

A memory slithered into his mind, and his lip almost curled as he remembered the scene he had caught earlier. One of the reasons he had been willing to take things slow and easy with her was that he had believed he was the only one who had her in his sights.

He was clearly mistaken, but it was not a mistake he would ever repeat.

When she shifted on the couch to face him again, he asked in a teasing smile, “Are you done ignoring me?”

Vivian shrugged mulishly even as her cheeks turned pink at the realization that he knew exactly what she had been trying to do…unsuccessfully.

“How are you feeling?”

“Okay…” This time, she took great pains to rise slowly and carefully, and her efforts were rewarded when the world remained still and upright. She tried looking at him, but as soon as she did, her breath caught and she knew it was a big mistake.

Fudge.

He was really too good-looking for her to remain sensible
, Vivian thought morosely as she tore her gaze away. She should leave now, before he could sweet-talk her into---

“My full name is Gianluca Valencia.”

She didn’t speak, even as she wondered why he thought he owed her the truth now.

Luca wasn’t surprised when her face showed no recognition. It was also as he had expected, and he clarified softly, “I own LV.” Her head jerked up, and he met her shocked green eyes calmly. “As you have no doubt deduced, I am also the new owner of the company you’re working for.”

Vivian couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “But what were you doing---”

“In the photocopying room?” he finished for her when Vivian’s voice trailed off. At her nod, he explained, “It was right next to the conference room as you know, and the first day, my secretary had to suddenly leave for an emergency. Since I had time to spare and the meeting I had with your company’s board of directors had yet to start…” He shrugged. “I decided to do her bit and---” His gaze captured hers, and with his voice turning husky, he said, “That was when I met you.”

That was when I met you.

In his eyes, she could see the promise of something forbidden, something she thought was beyond her dreams---

But if he’s what he says he is, Vivian, then he’s way out of your league!

The bubble burst.

No matter what she saw – or thought she saw in those eyes of his – it didn’t matter. They were from two different worlds, and the sooner she got out of his life, the better. “I should go,” she mumbled as she came to her feet.

Even with her gaze trained on the floor, she sensed him standing up as well, and his voice was a pleasant drawl as he said, “Before you go, I was hoping you’d allow me to show you something.”

Her nails dug into her palms. “I don’t think---”

“Please don’t make me insist,” he said gently.

She quieted, his polite words working a subtle reminder that he was also her boss’ boss’ boss.
Or should she add one or two more bosses to that
, she wondered wildly. Meanwhile, Luca had already made his way to the desk and reached for a stapled set of receipts.

Walking back to her, he handed them to Vivian.

She took it unthinkingly, but her eyes widened when she caught sight of the header. The logo was on the same receipt she had from the loan shark she had approached.

“What does this mean?” she asked sickly. But in the back of her mind, in the deepest pit of her stomach, Vivian already knew. She just needed to hear him say the words.

He stared at her for a moment, his light blue eyes unreadable.

Vivian took a deep breath. “Gian---”

“Call me Luca,” he invited.

Ooooh.

She wanted to swoon at the way those words and his name rolled past his lips, and his Italian accent made everything a hundred times sexier. She just wanted to---

Focus, Vivian!

Lifting her chin, she blurted out, “What are you trying to tell me with this?” She raised the receipt in her hand in emphasis. When he didn’t say anything, she prodded unevenly, “L-Luca? What are you t-trying to say?”

Well played
,
Vivi
, Luca thought. She was trying to shame him into denying what they both knew he was doing, and he hadn’t expected it of her. This certainly made things interesting, but if she thought something like this could give her the upper hand?

You’re centuries too early to beat me in this game, cara.

He reached for her face and almost smiled as uncertainty flashed in her green eyes. She looked torn between slapping his hand away and leaning towards him. In the end, she did neither and instead kept herself still.

Luca’s fingers grazed her cheek.

Heat burst inside of her.

Do not melt, Vivian!

She quickly stepped back, stammering, “I think it’s time I---” But then she caught sight of the heat that had flared in his gaze, and her voice trailed off. The sexual tension in the air made her desperately drag oxygen into her lungs, but it didn’t help.

If she didn’t leave now---

She whirled around to leave.

But it was too late.

Unlike Taylor, Luca didn’t just catch hold of her hand.

Instead, he tugged her firmly towards him, catching her by surprise and causing her to fall.

“Aaah!”

She fell against him, and she gasped at the hard heat of his chest against her back.

“Did you seriously think I would allow you to go just like that,
cara
?” He turned her around to face him, his hands clasping her waist. “Do you know,” he murmured musingly, “I told myself I’d be patient with you. I told myself I’d be careful and gently rein you in---”

“Rein me in?” she echoed in outrage even as she fought to ignore the way her heart was beating so fast and hard at the way their bodies were in contact. She tried to pull away from him, but his grip only tightened around her waist, Luca pulling her even closer to him.

Oh.

“I’m not a horse---” Her words came out in a choking sound. It was so hard to concentrate, with her sensitive and suddenly swollen breasts flattened against his chest.

Luca’s lips curved in a devastatingly sexy smile. “Certainly not,” he agreed solemnly. His accent thickening, he murmured, “You’re more like a mare, gentle but untamed---” His eyes suddenly cooled. “And unfortunately, some other
ass
also has his eyes on you.”

Her gaze narrowed. “If you’re saying I can only attract donkey-looking guys---”

He cut her off, saying offhandedly, “Taylor Bainbridge does look like a donkey---”

Her eyes widened in comprehension. “You were talking about Taylor earlier?”

“You’re on a first-name basis with him? Isn’t that against company policy?”

Fudge.
It was. Only she had been too shocked to remember that. “We went to the same high school,” she mumbled defensively.

“Is that so?” His tone remained cool, but his gaze was anything but, and she could practically feel him bristling like a predator wanting to tear away from its leash. His barely contained aggression didn’t make sense. It was almost as if…as if---

“Are you jealous?” The words were out before she could stop herself.

Luca’s lip curled. “Jealous of someone inconsequential?”

“He’s not,” she denied automatically.

“He is, compared to me.”

She would have refuted that, too, but she couldn’t, not with Luca suddenly pressing his lips to hers.

Oh.

Vivian stilled.

While she would never admit it, she had, numerous times, imagined how it would be if Gian – no, Luca – would be her first kiss. Merely imagining it had been enough to have her toes curl, but now that it was truly happening?

The kiss was scorching hot, unbelievably so considering neither of them was touching the other. His lips felt warm, firm and soft at the same time. And…
kissable.
She mentally gulped and swooned at the thought. They were really just so…she had the craziest urge to sink her teeth into his lower lip, maybe suck on it---

Vivian, behave!

But even with the shocked words from her more sensible side ringing inside of her mind, Vivian couldn’t stop shivering, couldn’t stop her eyes from closing---

His lips started to move.

The papers fell from Vivian’s fingers.

His tongue lined her lips, and a shudder went through her.

“Tell me the truth, Vivi.” It was a velvety command that Vivian knew she wouldn’t be able to disobey. “Did that boy ever kiss you like this?” This time, the words were rougher. This time, she also knew what she had thought impossible was true.

Luca Valencia
was
jealous.

Before she could answer him, she felt his hands moving between their bodies, one arm going around her waist to tighten while another scooped between the gaps of her uniform to cup her breast.

A gasp tore out of her and she instinctively tried to move away, but his hold on her tightened, one hand pushing her even closer towards him, and the large, hot hand on her cotton-covered breast palming her flesh before squeezing.

This time, she whimpered against his lips.

Luca stilled, surprised at how such a simple sound could be so erotic, to the point of making his entire body harden in desire.

Apparently, he and Vivi had amazing sexual chemistry between them.

Unexpected,
Luca thought, but it was certainly not unwelcome.

“Did he touch you like this, Vivi?” He squeezed her breast harder. “Did he?” He lifted his head so he could gaze into her eyes as he waited for her answer.

Slowly, her head moved.
No.

And in those pure green eyes, Luca could see that she was telling the truth.

Even so, it wasn’t enough.

With his gaze locked to hers, he released her breast. He watched her sigh in relief only to hold her breath again when she realized that he had done so to unbutton her blouse.

“What are you doing?”

“Claiming what is mine…” Her blouse fell open, and with his gaze still holding hers captive, he tugged her bra down.