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Chapter Six

Carson stood in the doorway, staring into the room, holding the frame as if it was the only thing keeping him standing. His heart roared in his ears, blocking out any other sounds. His breath came fast and shallow, and he knew he was in danger of hyperventilating.

McAllister stood with his back to the door, leaning over the table and fidgeting with the wires connecting to his laptop.

Carson would know that ass anywhere.

He’d helped dress it.

Hell, he’d had his face buried in it not even twelve hours earlier.

“Carson, you coming in or what? Carson?”

Distantly he heard Meg’s voice as he watched the body before him unfold, standing tall and rigid, tense, and perfectly Dorito-shaped, topped by a head of thick auburn hair, gelled into place by his own fingers early that morning.

In what felt like slow-motion, the man turned to look at Carson, and he found himself staring into the all-too-familiar ice blue eyes of one Zachary McAllister.

“Oh shit,” Carson whispered.

Zach’s jaw tightened, and his eyes filled with rage, but not before Carson saw the hurt in them.

“Mister Carson. May I see you in my office please? Now.” Zach’s tone was cold and terse, and did nothing to hide the anger behind the words. It was somehow worse than if Zach had growled and yelled and dragged him down the hall like a misbehaving child. Instead it was like being sent to the principal’s office and having to do the walk of shame.

“What’s happening?” Carson heard Meg ask.

“We’ll just be a moment,” Zach replied, and there was the growl, and Carson knew he should be ashamed for the flush on his cheeks, but he couldn’t help it if Zach was so hot on the very edge of his control. He followed Zach—Mr. McAllister, I can’t call him Zach at work—down the hall, keeping his eyes glued to the floor and definitely not on Zach’s ass.

The door closed behind him and in the blink of an eye Zach had him pinned against it, strong fingers—those were inside me at four-thirty this morning—gripping Carson’s jaw tightly.

“You have three seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t fire you right this instant. Because it’s pretty damned convenient that we met in Detroit after you’d gotten a new job that you had to relocate for, and now you’re here. Is this how you’ve been working your way up the ladder, then? Sleeping your way to the top? Because it’s not going to work with me.”

“I love you,” he blurted, which was definitely not at all what he’d meant to say, and his chest heaved as he now absolutely fought hyperventilation.

“And I’m supposed to believe that?” Zach asked, after a moment’s pause to consider the words.

“I swear I didn’t know who you were. I didn’t. Zach, please,” Carson begged, wanting to touch him but afraid of what the reaction might be.

“Did Rollins put you up to this? Is that what this is? He's been after my software for years.”

“Please, think about it. How could I have known who you were in Detroit? You didn’t tell me your name. If you had, I would have stopped everything before it even started. I’m not stupid enough to shit where I sleep.”

“Right, because you were so forthcoming with your information. Carson.” Zach all but hissed his name at him.

“Oh sure, because I’m going to go around using Vlad. You know what that name is good for? One thing: becoming a porn star and calling myself ‘Vlad the Impaler.’ So, thanks but no. I had enough of being picked on about it as a kid. Especially in group homes and going from school to school and foster family to foster family.”

“‘Vlad the Impaler’? Seriously? You’re making jokes right now?” Zach’s eyes bored into him, as Carson’s words appeared to only enrage him further.

“You’re one to talk about nicknames, Ziggy. Besides, it’s not like you’d planned to stick around long enough to find out my real name. I was just another notch on the bedpost for you anyway. Because that’s what you do, right? Just sleep around, McAllister the bachelor, different man or woman on his arm each time he goes out? So why should I think I’m something special? I just wish I had known who you were before I fucking went and caught feelings for someone who has none.”

Zach cracked at that, and a pained look came over his face.

“That was a low blow.”

“Shouldn’t hurt if it isn’t the truth.”

Zach stepped away and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Every logical part of my brain is screaming at me to throw you out of the building right now. That I can’t trust you. So tell me, what am I supposed to do with you now, kid?”