Page 21 of Darkness Tempt Me (Bloody Desires #7)

“He might not be mad, but I will be. I’ve been trying to secure a meeting with your father for quite a while now.

And quite honestly, I shared the proposal with you out of respect.

” Mavik softens his tone, wielding his voice like a weapon.

“I like you, Drake, and I’m sure we will do a lot of business together—when your old man hands the reins over to you, but until then, I need to meet with Daniel Sinclair. It’s what my father would have wanted.”

My mouth drops. His father? Mavik Blackwood hated his father. What the hell is he playing at? I study my boss, half convinced he’s some sort of pod person or a clone.

Mavik’s phone vibrates. Instead of pulling it from his suit pants, where he usually holds his phone, he fishes it out of his suit jacket. He glances down at it with a frown and holds up his index finger. “If you’ll excuse me?”

I stare at the phone in his hand as he walks away. It’s not his usual phone; this one has an extra-large screen and doesn’t look quite as fancy. I would know, because I was the one who bought him the latest model. I saw him on it earlier. So what secret phone is this?

The door to the boardroom swings closed behind Mavik, and it’s only then that I realize I’m alone with Drake.

“So, Peyton. Tell me what you think of that proposal.” Drake flashes his white teeth my way.

“It’s a good opportunity. Your father would be a fool to pass,” I reply coldly. Should I even be trying to convince this asshole to take the proposal to Daddy Dearest? I still don’t understand why Mavik, who has fought so hard for his company, would be doing this.

“You’re a prickly one, are you?”

I stand up, about to make my way toward the door, but Drake is faster.

“What are you doing?” I hiss.

Drake closes in, moving toward me with a predator’s grace.

My heart pounds in my ribs, but I stand my ground.

I’m so sick and tired of being intimidated by these assholes.

I remember all the different lessons I learned in my self-defense classes—the classes that Blackwood Investments provides to all their employees for free.

I remember the countless conversations I’ve had with my therapists, and all the years I’ve worked at healing.

I remember I’m strong, I’m brave, and, most importantly, I’m a survivor.

Some too-white veneered, over-Botoxed asshole, who only has this job because of his daddy, will not take everything away from me. Not again.

“You know, I see the way you stare at your boss.” He tsks, stepping even closer. “It’s not very professional. But I bet he doesn’t give you the time of day.”

I grit my teeth, eyes bouncing over to the door. Where the hell is Mavik? I take a step back.

“Come work for me instead. I can double your salary and add on a few… extra benefits.”

No fucking way. I want to scream the words in his face, but they’re lodged in my throat.

Drake reaches out and touches a few of my blond curls. I try to pull away, but my back meets the wall. His grip on my hair tightens, and I swallow hard, willing myself to scream. To yell. To make any kind of fucking noise.

“Get your filthy fucking hands off my fiancé,” Mavik roars from the doorway. He storms forward and shoves Drake away from me. Suddenly, I can breathe. The air I’ve been desperately reaching for rushes into my lungs.

Mavik tangles his fingers with mine.

Drake stumbles back, shocked. “I’m so sorry,” he says before narrowing his eyes. “He never told me he was taken.”

Mavik’s grip on my hand tightens. “It’s recent,” he grits out. “Peyton was free to date whoever he wanted before, but now that we’re engaged, no one is allowed to even look at him.”

Holy fuck.

This time, my heart is racing for a completely different reason.

The fact that he’s using all that untapped power to defend me is hot as hell.

It’s almost terrifying in its intensity and screams red flags.

Instead, my foolish, reckless cock grows hard under all this attention. Fiancé? Did he mean it?

Drake puts his hands up in surrender and chuckles nervously. The darkness swirling in Mavik’s eyes is clearly intimidating him.

Drake walks over to the conference table and slides the manila folder toward us. “Can I assume this won’t be affecting our deal?”

“Proposal,” Mavik corrects. “There is no deal until I meet with your father.”

Drake nods. “I’ll email him a copy of this today, then. It was nice seeing you, Mavik. And I apologize for flirting with your fiancé.” Drake leaves the room, and the tension leaves my body.

Before I can thank Mavik, he whirls around, anger still radiating off him in waves. He shoves me against the wall. “Did he hurt you?”

“No,” I whisper.

“Good.” His body presses against mine.

My fingers curl around the opening of his suit jacket, tugging him closer. “Did you mean it?” I ask. “Am I your fiancé?”

“If we do this,” he says, deep honeyed voice rough with want. “You will move in. You will not date anyone else. You will not fuck anyone else. You will not so much as look at anyone else but me. Do you understand?”

A flush creeps across my cheeks. With my pale skin, it’s always so telling, so I know he can see it. It only fuels my embarrassment even more, causing the heat to spread all over my body. I nod, images of me fucking my boss making me hard. I nod again, more eagerly this time.

“Good boy,” he says, smirking. Those words said out loud, and in that tone, make me whimper. We’re still pressed against the wall, my body trapped and completely at his mercy. His eyes travel the length of my body with a possessive sweep before meeting my eyes.

There’s that dark, intense stare again. I swear, the look ignites my soul.