Page 17 of Devilish Bully (Steamy Latte Reads Collection #3)

THE CEO

LUCIAN

“Dahlia bouquet for a Miss Kendall Clarke?” A deliveryman steps into my office on a Wednesday, armed with the largest pack of blooms to date.

She should’ve dumped him by now…

“You can bring them over here,” I say. “Thank you.”

He nods and places them on the edge of my desk, gently fluffing them and freeing the envelope before walking away.

I brush my fingers over the envelope, tempted to tear it open myself, the paper crinkling under my grip. But the door opens before I can, and Kendall walks in.

She smiles at the flowers as if they belong, then settles into her chair like nothing about this is strange.

I can’t take the suspense any longer.

“Kendall,” I say, tapping the side of the vase hard enough to make the water ripple. “Who the hell are these flowers from, and why do they keep getting delivered?”

“Um…because someone sends them to my job?”

“Is this someone your boyfriend?” I cross my arms. “Does he know who’s been devouring your pussy?”

She blinks.

“If I knew you liked flowers this much, I would have some delivered for you, too. Except I’d probably send them daily instead of weekly…”

A slow smile spreads across her face and she stands, walking toward my desk, hips swaying just enough to remind me of every reason she’s a distraction.

“Well, I do like flowers,” she says. “And I keep them all in a room with a back balcony at my brownstone, so I can reseed them when they’re gone.”

“That’s very nice, but that’s not answering who they’re coming from.”

“My mom,” she says, smiling and tearing off the tag. Her fingers fidget with the edge until it shreds in half. “It’s a subscription she started when I…” Her voice trails off and she shows me the note.

No matter how hard it gets, don’t forget…

You’re not just working for yourself anymore.

Do it for her.

“Her?” I wonder, but I don’t press. Yet.

“I’m also working so hard so I can retire my mom within the next five years,” she says. “She double-mortgaged our house to put me through college and grad school, so…I owe her the world, you know?”

“That’s very sweet,” I say. “Very trusting of her to do that for you…”

“I’m shocked you know what ‘trust’ is.” She pushes my shoulder playfully, but her eyes flick down as if she’s not sure she should’ve said it. “Rumor has it you don’t trust anyone anymore.”

“I stopped getting close to staff and trusting people once I realized it was a weakness.”

“Liking colleagues is a good thing…”

“My father’s childhood friend was running the finances when I first started here,” I say. “He alerted me to the fraud by accident, and…” I shake my head, jaw tightening. “It didn’t take me long to discover that he was the one who was robbing my father blind.”

Her face pales. She folds the torn flower tag into smaller and smaller pieces in her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be…But if you can’t trust someone like that in your company, how can you ever trust anyone?”

“I don’t know.” She steps back a little, putting distance between us. “Maybe it’ll come with time on your end then.”

I step closer, close enough that her perfume curls between us, close enough that one wrong move would have me kissing her instead of talking. “I trust you for some odd reason. Honestly.”

“Why?”

“Because according to an auditor Brian hired for me, you could’ve stolen from several of my accounts years ago like the ones who came before you,” I say. “And you didn’t.”

“Well, I would never.” She shakes her head. “That’s not where the missing three million went, though. That’s something different, but it’s not me.”

“I know.” I press my finger against her lips. “I know…”

I’m not sure what the hell the feeling in my chest is right now, or why I suddenly feel the urge to pull her close, but she must feel it too because she gasps and takes a step back.

“I need to pick up my daughter.”

“You have a daughter?”

“I mean niece…” She shakes her head, fumbling for her bag. “It feels like she’s my daughter at this point, though.”

“Where’s her mother, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I have no clue.” She tightens her grip on the bag strap. “My sister decided she couldn’t deal with motherhood anymore and left her with me, and I stopped waiting for her to come back.”

Wait a minute… My grip on my phone tightens, the glass creaking under my thumb. “Would her name happen to be Myra?”

“Yes.” She arches her brow. “How do you know her name?”

“We go way back.” I pull out my phone and tap the screen, holding it out to her. “She reached out to me last year & she sends me things every now and then.”

Myra (An employee’s daughter…)

You’re a MEAN ASS BULLY

No...A DEVILISH BULLY!

My Aunt K hates working for you. Actually, she hates YOU.

I hate you too.

I hope your company goes bankrupt.

“Oh my god…” Kendall’s cheeks redden. She presses a hand over her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“I had no idea she had your number. She must’ve gone through my phone.”

“It’s fine. Really. I’ve never texted her back, but I did like all her messages, and I think that’s what keeps her going.”

She laughs, brushing hair back from her face, still flushed. “I’ll tell her to stop.”

“It’s okay, Kendall.” I step in close again, press a kiss against her lips. “I’d be upset about sharing you, too.”

She blushes again, stumbling back a step. “Please stop being nice to me.”

“Stop being tempting and I will.” I open the door for her, watching the way she hesitates as if she might stay. “Leave before I try to keep you here.”