Page 26 of Devilish Bully (Steamy Latte Reads Collection #3)

THE ACCOUNTANT

KENDALL

My heart still hasn’t gotten the memo that Lucian is an asshole.

It still aches whenever I drive past his headquarters, and my lips still long for another taste of his mouth.

Shaking away the thoughts of him, I park in a spot at Sea Rush Headquarters and let out a deep breath.

You’re going to rock this, Kendall…

I grab my briefcase and make my way inside the building.

The receptionist escorts me to the boardroom where the board is waiting for me.

I take a seat in the empty chair, trying to still my nerves.

“Good morning, Miss Clarke.” Max Marin, the CEO, smiles at me. “As you know, this is the final step in the interview process, and we’ve been beyond impressed with you so far.”

“I’m honored by that.” I return his smile.

“We do have a few questions about your previous employment at Pearson Tech,” he says. “Not to pry too much, but we’ve heard that it’s a pretty intense place to work. Can you explain your typical workday there?”

“Yes, I—” Images of the “intense” fucking Lucian and I did all over his office and on trips fly through my mind. “As an auditor, I worked with all the departments, so I allocated different days for each one. I spent half the day in my cubicle and the other half chasing down reports and such.”

“Did you ever report directly to the CEO?”

“Towards the end, yes.”

He tilts his head to the side. “Can you elaborate on that a bit?”

“In what way, Mr. Marin?”

“Well…” He leans forward, placing his head on steepled hands. “If you being interviewed is enough to get Lucian Pearson to call here and tell us that he wishes he didn’t let you go, you must be underselling yourself.”

“He said that?”

“He did.”

A familiar voice is suddenly behind me.

“This is a private interview, Mr. Pearson.” Mr. Marin narrows his eyes. “We got the memo on you making a mistake in letting her go. We don’t need it in person, as well.”

“I think you do, actually.” He strolls further into the room, into my view, and my heart does the stupid thing all over again.

Seeing him after all these weeks lights me up like a furnace, and as much as I want to excuse myself from the room, I can’t. His gaze is pinning me to my seat.

“I miss you.” His voice is steady, but the words stun the room into silence. “Really fucking miss you.”

“And if you were always planning to make an exit from my company, that’s fine.” His expression softens. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back—personally, not professionally.”

“But you can’t work here.” His jaw tightens. “If you thought my company was a 0/10, I can guarantee you this one is far worse.”

“Call security in here.” Mr. Marin snaps. “Now.”

“I’ve been doing some thinking since you left,” Lucian continues, “and I think you should work for yourself instead of wasting your time being tied under anyone else.”

He steps closer. “I also think you should give me another chance so I can assure you that I’ll never fuck up or hurt you again.”

Tears prick my eyes, and my chest clenches.

“I regret not meeting you sooner.” His voice roughens. “And I’d prefer if we didn’t waste any more time without each other.”

He exhales hard. “I do have feelings for you. I should’ve told you that, too. I wrote this out in an email and I’m just now realizing I should’ve read the damn thing instead of barging in here.”

“You should not have come in here…” Mr. Marin groans, but no one is paying attention to him.

The women at the table are staring at Lucian with dreamy eyes, while the men look confused.

“Don’t work here,” he says. “Come home with me.”

I remain still, staring at him.

“She clearly doesn’t want to do that,” Mr. Marin says. “It’s obvious—this isn’t a rom-com, Mr. Pearson. This is a Fortune 500 interview.”

“Someone call security?” A guard steps into the room. “Who needs to be removed?”

Mr. Marin points to Lucian, but Lucian’s gaze is locked on me.

“Come on, sir.” Security gestures for him to move, but he doesn’t budge.

“Kendall.” His voice drops low. “Please… come home with me.”

“She clearly doesn’t want you,” Mr. Marin says. “It’s obvious so?—”

“I miss you, too.” My voice cracks, and Lucian strides over, pulling me up and kissing me as if there’s no one else in the room but us.

His mouth crashes down on mine, rough and hungry, stealing every ounce of breath I had left.

I clutch his shirt as his arms crush me to his chest, the kiss so filthy, so desperate, that it feels like a claim.

Gasps echo around the boardroom, but I don’t care.

For the first time in weeks, I feel alive.

“Kick them both out!” Mr. Marin shouts, scandalized. “This is not how real business is conducted!”

We break into laughter against each other’s mouths, breathless, reckless.

Lucian pulls me against his side as we leave the room and follow the security guard outside.

“Is this a yes to giving me a second chance?” he asks.

“Only if you’re serious about never hurting me again.”

“I promise.” He presses his forehead against mine.

“Do you really think I can start my own company?”

“You should’ve had your own years ago.”

“And if I ask you to help me do some research on starting one now?”

“You wouldn’t need to ask.” He kisses my lips. “I’ll help you with everything.”

He clasps my hand and leads me to the car parked just steps away.

“I don’t think they’re going to hire me now.”

“Good.” He smiles. “I can think of a much better way for you to spend your afternoon.”

“You think I want to have sex with you right now?”

“No.” He looks over at me. “I know that.”

“After you get off work?”

“I’m off now…” His eyes flash with that smirk. “Which means your weekend officially starts in my bed.”

As he pulls me closer, I realize I don’t care about the job I just lost. What I care about is this reckless, impossible man—and the fact that, for once, I’m willing to gamble everything on him.

The End