Unlawful Attraction: The Complete Box Set: Alpha Billionaire Romance (30 page)

“I can tell you...far too long.”

Shit.

He wasn't kidding. It'd been too long.

I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. It did no good though, because with it, came the scent of him. Soap and spice and whatever it was that was him.

Fuck.

When he pressed his lips to my neck, I swallowed a whimper, and then he kissed me again.

Greedy, I sucked his tongue into my mouth, and when his body drew tight in response, a primitive sort of victory welled up inside me. I loved that I could do this to this man. This dominant, powerful man.

Arik ran his hands through my hair.

We needed to stop, I thought hazily. This was crazy.

I couldn't bring the words to my lips yet. I wanted him so much.

Cool air caressed my chest, and I realized he’d let go of my hair at some point to start unbuttoning my blouse. If he touched his hands or mouth to my breasts, I'd be gone. There'd be no stopping.

“Stop,” I finally managed to say. “Arik, stop...we’re not doing this here.”

He reached down between us and cupped me, one finger rubbing against my panties. I was already aching and wet for him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, a hot, sweet teasing note in his voice.

I bit my lower lip to muffle my moan as his fingers pressed against me. He backed me up against the door and leaned into me, his body hard in all the right places.

In the sane, rational part of my mind that wasn’t already completely undone by him, a voice whispered, “
You're in your office. You're supposed to be meeting with Bethany soon. You can't do this.”

Bethany.

Office.

Dammit all to hell.

I caught his wrist and dragged his hand away. “No, Arik."

They were the hardest two words I'd ever had to say.

Against my lips, he murmured, “No?”

Feeling the edges of my control fracturing, I forced my hands between us and shoved at his chest. “No.”

He took a step back, his expression wild for a single moment before he brought himself back under control.

Voice shaking, I gestured toward the hall. “Bethany McDermott might think it’s just fine to screw around on the job, but I don’t. I'm not doing this here.”

Arik held up his hands to show that he was backing off. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He scraped his fingertips down his jaw, scratching at the stubble already darkening his chin. “I…Dena, you make me lose my mind a little. I’m sorry.”

He meant it, I could tell.

“If we’re working, we can’t do this. We can’t work if we do this sort of thing.”
We might not work anyway.
The thought flitted through my head. Looking away, I pushed a shaky hand through my hair to smooth it down. Taking a deep breath, I forced my gaze back to his. I had to tell him. I'd waited too long. “Listen, Arik, about the case–” The shrill sound of the phone on my desk interrupted me. Feeling drained already, I moved toward it and picked it up. “Dena Monroe.”

"We're meeting in fifteen. You've got a decent office now, so use it. Get your ass together." Bethany's voice, flat and emotionless, barked out of the receiver. I had no chance to respond before she hung up. Still, as I lowered the phone into the cradle, I snapped a sarcastic little salute.

"The queen has spoken." Arik said, his voice dry. I looked back just in time to see him run a hand through his hair, settling it into place. He adjusted his tie and the lapels of his jacket. Just like that, he looked like he had just stepped off the cover of GQ Lawyerly.

Me, on the other hand? I needed to swing by the ladies’ room and make judicious use of one of the stalls, otherwise I’d get to walk around with damp panties for the rest of the day. I was sure Arik would've loved that, but it wasn't something I planned on sharing. Of course, I also needed to touch up my lipstick since smudge-proof wasn't really much protection when it came to Arik's kisses. Then I had to brace myself to deal with Bethany.

Fifteen minutes wouldn't be nearly enough time for that, but I had a feeling it was all I’d get. What I wasn't going to be able to do was tell him the one thing he needed to know.

Shit.

I paused with my hand on the door. “I'll go first.” I glanced up at him. “When can we talk?”

“I was thinking about tonight. I'd like to take you out for dinner.”

I closed my eyes. Dinner. It sounded like a date, wonderful, really. But it also sounded like a terrible idea at the same time, and if I was smart I would've been thinking up ways to explain that to him. There were a thousand reasons why going out tonight would be a bad idea, and yet I couldn't think of a single one that would make sense without a much longer discussion.

I opened the door and stepped out. A part of me breathed a sigh of relief when I was able to slip into the bathroom before Arik emerged. I took as little time as possible, hoping it was enough time for Arik to have left, but he was still in the hall when I stepped out.

I suppressed a scowl as he came over to me. I wanted to demand that he leave, but he gave me a polite smile and started talking.

"Ms. Monroe, I'd like to thank you for the advice on the divorce attorney," Arik said, head bent toward mine. His voice was brisk, business-like. “I’ll take those recommendations to my friend. I’m sure she'll appreciate it as well.”

“Ah, yes.” I swallowed. “Of course. No...no trouble at all.” I felt like I was rambling. Did I need to say anything else?

He stopped walking and I did the same, looking up at him. He held out a hand. Befuddled, I reached out and he shook my hand once, twice. Just a nice, professional handshake, nothing strange here.

It was one of the most surreal things I'd ever experienced.

“Dena...oh, and I see you two have already found each other. Excellent.”

At the sound of Bethany’s voice, my blood chilled. My smile froze on my face.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She drew closer as I let go of Arik’s hand. Her eyes slid all over him and a stab of jealousy went through me. I would've hated anyone looking at him like that. It being Bethany was so much worse.

“Feeling out the opposition already, Miss Monroe?” She jerked a hand toward my office. “I was just heading your way. Let’s go to your new office, shall we?”

She turned, the indication that I should trail along behind her like a disobedient child very clear.

Then I realized she hadn’t only been speaking to me.

She’d been speaking to Arik, too.

Was he here...?

Oh. Oh,
shit.
This was what I got for dodging his phone calls all weekend.

“You’re here for a meeting, aren’t you?” I asked, my voice low as I started to follow Bethany.

He glanced my way, then nodded, his expression puzzled.

I really should have just blurted it out earlier, but it was too late now. It was time to face the music.

Chapter 2

Arik

Dena made me into a complete moron. I still couldn’t believe I had almost pushed her up against the wall and sank my dick inside her, right there in the middle of the cubicle that had been her office.

I completely lost my mind around her. That’s all there was to it.

And I loved it. I couldn’t deny it.

Everything about her, from the way she submitted to the way she fought, the way she responded as a Dominant in her own right, how she gave as well as she took. All of it challenged me.

But I was going to have to be a lot more careful. She was right. What I’d almost done had been beyond stupid, beyond irresponsible. It wouldn't have only ruined me if we'd been caught, it could've destroyed Dena's career. It didn't matter what Bethany did. If she'd caught Dena and me together, she'd have made sure Dena paid for it.

Slanting a look over at Dena, I opened my mouth to say something. I didn't even know what I’d been planning to say, because whatever it was died as I caught sight of her pale, strained face.

Her mouth was drawn into a tight line, and I wondered if maybe she hadn’t been feeling well over the weekend. She'd avoided my calls, or at least it seemed that way, despite her text where she insisted she’d been busy. Granted, I wouldn’t have put it past Bethany to dump a shitload of work on her ADAs at the last minute just so she could go out on the town. It wasn’t like Bethany was exactly known for her work ethic. That was practically common knowledge at this point.

I wanted to pull Dena aside, ask her if she was okay, but there was no time for it. And no place.

Bethany led us to a door and pulled out a key, but instead of unlocking it, she turned the key over to Dena. “It’s yours, after all. You should be the first one to go in.”

“Well, besides the maintenance people who moved me in, of course.” Dena’s tone was perfectly level, but Bethany and I both heard the bite.

Bethany’s sapphire eyes flashed, but when she saw me looking, she just laughed. “Like we’d make
you
do all that heavy lifting, Dena. You could break a nail...or your back, as tiny as you are. We wouldn't want that, would we?”

I wiggled my jaw, recalling the strength Dena had in her small frame. Somehow I didn’t think hefting a few boxes would do her any harm.

Dena unlocked the door and stepped inside, flicking on the lights. From where I stood, I could tell that it was just the typical office any ADA would get, but as I watched, Dena’s shoulders rose, then fell on a breath that seemed more than a little unsteady. She stepped to the side quickly, allowing Bethany and me to enter. I waited for Bethany and she lingered, her gaze drifting over me. I resisted the urge to curl my lip.

I didn’t mind a woman finding me attractive, but there was something about how Bethany looked at me that made me think of one of those female insects who ate the males after mating.

Moving toward the desk and the two miserable chairs in front of it, I looked around. “Where’s your other ADA? Lawton, right?”

Bethany had probably sent him out to get donuts already.

She gave me a sharp smile, as though she’d caught that last thought. “I haven’t had a chance to eat anything today.” She gave Dena a dazzling smile. “I’m sure Arik is also hungry. Why don’t you run to the deli on the corner and grab something for us? You can get it this time, can’t you? I’ll get it next time.”

“No need.” I gave them both a pleasant smile as I sat. “I ordered a dozen bagels and coffee for four on my way in. It’s being delivered. We’ve got maybe five minutes. I'm sure the delivery person will be able to find us, right?”

Bethany's eyes went frosty for a split second before she smiled at me. That smile didn't reach her eyes. It rarely did. “How kind of you, Arik. Although we won’t need the fourth coffee. I didn’t get around to notifying anybody outside my office, but Pierce Lawton has been temporarily reassigned. He’ll be back in a few days, but Dena has been made second chair.”

Dena.

It hit me almost like a physical blow.

I turned my head and stared at her.

The case had gotten complicated.
Wasn’t that what she said in her text?

Complicated?

That was a hell of an understatement.

“Dena might like that fourth coffee, though,” Bethany said, chattering on like any one of us actually gave a fuck about an extra coffee. “She seems to have something of a caffeine addiction, I’m afraid.”

“It’s either coffee or the blood of my enemies, Bethany.” Dena gave a tight smile without looking my way. “Coffee seems the safest option.”

I was still looking at her. Only when I sensed Bethany staring at me did I look away, forcing myself to meet Bethany's gaze.

“I assure you,” Bethany said, smiling prettily. “She looks young and inexperienced, but I’ve been watching her. She’s got a sharp mind. She’ll do fine.”

“I’ve no doubt.” I was surprised how even I managed to keep my voice.

Second chair.

She’d known. All fucking weekend.

I could tell by the way she wouldn’t look at me that this hadn't come as a surprise.

She’d known when we'd been in her office, dammit. Not even ten minutes ago, and she hadn’t said anything.

How could this be happening?

A million things raged inside me, but my game face was exceptional, as always. I managed a nonchalant air as I put my briefcase on my lap and opened it.

“We need to get down to brass tacks, don’t we? I want to talk about the break-in, among other things.”

“The break-in has nothing to do with anything.” Bethany waved a dismissive hand. “Mrs. Mance lives in a nice neighborhood. I heard she had some pretty expensive pieces of art. Somebody probably wanted to make some money.”

“Your average thug wouldn’t know a Picasso from a postage stamp, Bethany.” I slapped a list of the destroyed pieces on the desk. She’d settled down behind it despite the fact that it was supposed to be Dena's office. “All the damaged pieces seem to be accounted for. Nothing was stolen. Just...destroyed.”

“It's still not related to this case.”