Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 108(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Now, all I want is to loosen my tie, slide into the leather chair in my office, pour two fingers of whisky, stare out at the cityscape, and have Seraphina sitting in my lap while doing so. As I approach the boardroom, a sound drifts through the air—a bright, melodic laugh that instantly cuts through the static of my brain. I pause, shifting closer to the door. Seraphina is leaning against the edge of the mahogany table, ankles crossed and holding a pen between her fingers like a conductor leading a concert. Clustered around her are Jett, Alex, and Cory, the three of them undoubtedly talking shit.
“I’m telling you, if we go to that new spot downtown, I’m establishing a strict no-work rule,” Cory says, her voice carrying enough with the door open. “The moment someone mentions the words boss, spreadsheet, voicemail, or email, they buy the next round of shots.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Alex chimes in, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “But only if Jett promises not to spend the whole time texting whomever she is right now.”
“Hey! Seraphina practically lives with her boss, and you all aren’t calling her out,” Jett protests.
“That I do,” Seraphina says with a dreamy sigh. “A night out is exactly what we all need. Loud music, dark lighting, a completely obscene amount of carbs, and the other girls that couldn’t make it today,” I smile at her response. There’s nothing that I love more than seeing her like this, relaxed and surrounded by people who genuinely care about her. The vibrant color of her silk blouse makes her skin look warm under the harsh fluorescent lights of the office, a fact that she’s made me more than aware of that’s a soul sucker and eyeball killer. It’s on my never-ending to-do list to be fixed this week. Her dark hair tumbles over her shoulders and her black skirt pulls tight with every move she makes. It’s a distraction, one I always welcome.
Seraphina must sense the sudden weight of my attention, because her head tilts over her shoulder, eyes flicking toward me, and our gazes catch instantly. The laughter on her lips doesn’t fade, but it definitely shifts, morphing into something entirely different. The easy, friendly banter vanishes and is replaced with a slow, wicked curve of her lips. Her eyes darken, tracking the subtle movement of my throat as I swallow, then dragging down the length of my body with deliberateness, taking in my loosened exterior before snapping back up to lock onto my eyes.
She assessed me, seeing where I am mentally and emotionally. Only then does she give me the look, the look of promised chaos, one that tells me I’ll be in for it later. My chest tightens, and a low thrum of heat heads straight for my cock. I raise an eyebrow in a silent challenge, then shake my head slightly, telling her to behave before I move again, continuing down the hall.
I make it to my office and shut the heavy door behind me. I bypass the bar, reluctantly, and only because it’s nowhere near noon yet. I sink into the plush leather chair, let out a long ragged exhale, and lean back to stare at the ceiling.
I’ve not been sitting for three seconds before my peace is interrupted by the phone ringing. I glance down at the caller ID and see it’s Dom.
“Tell me someone is dead or the building is on fire. Otherwise, I’m hanging up,” I answer the phone with a grumble.
“Worse,” Dom’s voice crackles through the line, sounding as strained as I feel. The background noise suggests he’s pacing a floor somewhere other than his office upstairs. “I’m currently hiding in a coat closet at a charity event. I’ve listened to one seventy-year-old board member after the other asking me if I’m old enough to handle the new tech infrastructure rollout. I’m going to commit a felony. And I don’t think I’ll be taken seriously enough with silver bracelets and anklets.”
“The joys of being the youngest guy in the room with all the power. I take it they’re still treating you like you’re a wet-behind-the-ears schoolboy.” I chuckle at his problem, leaning back further in my chair and lacing my fingers on my chest.
“More or less. Similar to that of a toddler who found a loaded gun.” Dom grumbles, “I’ve laid the groundwork three times. My projections are airtight, but because I don’t have gray hair or a divorce settlement under my belt, they look at me like I’m speaking a foreign language. What in the actual fuck does a man have to do to be taken seriously? Blow him?”
“Or buy out their shares, fire three of them in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon,” I reply dryly.
“So very helpful, thank you. I’m not parting with forty million dollars.” Dom likes his money where he can see it, right in his portfolio investments. I get it, but sometimes you have to gamble to win big.