Page 14 of The Dragon in the Corner Office (Monstrous New York #1)

Chapter 14

I can’t be here anymore. Whatever spicy cologne he’s wearing is clogging my brain and clouding my judgment. The usual annoyance and even rage that I feel toward Cyrus has turned into something much worse. Lust .

It rushes through my veins like a raging river threatening to wash away everything in its path.

If I don’t get out of this office—out of his gravitational pull—I’m liable to fuck him again.

And that absolutely cannot happen.

Last night was a mistake. Emotions were high after landing my dream contractor and seeing the first drawings. It was us blowing off steam, nothing more .

Right?

A wave of nausea washes over me and takes hold in my gut. I don’t do attachments. I do nameless one-night stands when the sexual itch gets unbearable. Why does this human man make me want to throw everything out the window and fuck him again?

No one, human or monster, has ever had such a pull over me before. All I could think about last night as I tossed and turned in bed was how wet he’d made my stupid cunt with his filthy words.

I’m used to being in control during sex, but last night, a part of me wanted to relinquish control to Cyrus.

No. I can’t do that.

If I let him inside my body again, he may end up inside my heart, too.

Would that be so bad?

“Yes,” I hiss under my breath, hoping Cyrus doesn’t hear.

A bead of sweat drips down the side of my face. I tug at the collar of my shirt. My skin is scorching to the touch, hotter than normal.

My dragon presses to get free, which causes my flesh to tighten and pull.

With shaking hands, I power down my laptop. I undock it and shove it into my black leather tote bag.

Slinging the strap over my shoulder, I clear my throat and stand so forcefully that the chair rolls away and bounces off the wall of windows behind my desk. “I’m not feeling well. I’ll be working from home for the remainder of the day. Please follow up on the O’Malley contract in my absence.” I keep my voice neutral and avoid making eye contact as I rush out.

It’s not until I’m two steps from the door that his voice rumbles from behind me.

“Yes, princess.”

The nickname gives me pause, and it lights a strange buzz between my legs.

No, no, no! I cannot be attracted to Cyrus Wilcox.

He’s the enemy.

The sales thief.

Nodding, I scurry by Penelope’s empty desk. It’s only a little after six in the morning, so she isn’t here yet.

Making my way to the rooftop, I pull my phone from my bag. If I’ve learned anything from Pen, it’s that only one thing will fix this situation: wine and donuts.

Me: Meet at my place ASAP. We’re playing hooky.

Pen: Uh-oh. What did Wilcox do?

Me: Bring donuts and I’ll explain.

Pen: That bad? Be there soon.

In the meantime, there’s one other option to burn off the electric energy surging through my veins.

Hopping on one foot, I slip one heel off, then the other. Shoving them into my bag, I sprint the rest of the way to the roof access door.

My clammy palms stick to the fabric when I tug the remainder of my clothes from my body and hastily stuff them into the bag to join my shoes.

I barely have time to drop my tote bag to the ground before my body bursts into flames and my dragon springs free. My roar ripples through the crisp morning air as I loop a claw through the strap of my bag and rocket into the sky.

All the while, I can’t help but wonder… What if last night wasn’t a mistake?

“ H ave no fear, backup has arrived!” Penelope’s sing-song voice soothes my frazzled nerves. Closing the penthouse door behind her, she whirls to face me with her arms wrapped around a pink cardboard box. Donuts from Cream Me Up .

Since flying in the balcony door of my apartment, I’ve been pacing a line in the floor—a difficult task, considering it’s tile.

I’m not even sure when I changed into my favorite silk pajama set or washed off my makeup.

“Oh shit. You’re pacing… and muttering… and…” Her voice cuts off on a cough, and she fans a hand in front of her face. Plumes of smoke fill the air around me, swirling their way over to the door.

Shit. It’s a wonder I didn’t set off the smoke alarms. Wouldn’t be the first time. And probably won’t be the last.

“Annie, you’re spiraling.” She shrugs off her trench coat, lays it on the entryway table, and extends a hand to me. “Come here.”

Crossing the room, I slip my hand into hers. The nausea in my stomach dissipates a little when her warm fingers tighten around mine. Pen tugs me to the couch and all but shoves me onto it before draping a blanket over my shoulders.

I don’t need it; my skin is still hot to the touch.

But I’ve learned over the years this is how Pen comforts people. So I hug the blanket closer, wrapping it over my fists and tucking them under my chin, while she grabs wineglasses and plates from the kitchen.

“Okay,” she demands. She places a nearly overflowing wineglass in my hand. Then Pen sets a plate full of donuts on the coffee table in front of me. Stuffing half a donut into her mouth, she plops into her favorite corner of the couch and says, “Spill. What the hell happened after I left last night?” Her words are jumbled around a mouthful of fried dough. If I wasn’t so overwhelmed, I’d be laughing.

Expelling all the air from my lungs, I suck in a breath and rush the words out, eyes locked on the coffee table in front of me. “IsleptwithCyrusWilcox.”

Grabbing a donut, I shove half of it into my mouth and focus on the sugary goodness as it coats my tongue.

When I finally muster the courage to turn toward Pen, her mouth is gaping like a fish out of water, and her eyes are as big as saucers. Once she’s regained her composure, she clears her throat and says, “I must have misheard you. Did you say you slept with Cyrus? Cyrus Wilcox? As in the man you can barely stand to be in the same room as, let alone have a civilized conversation with?”

I nod.

Her expression morphs into one of childlike joy as she bounces on the couch and claps her hands. “I have so many questions. How? Where? What was it like? Tell me everything !”

“Pen, you’re missing the point completely. This is not something to be celebrating! It was a mistake. Clearly, I had a lapse in judgment and let the stress of this project get the better of me. Okay?”

One blonde eyebrow arches up on her forehead, and I know she doesn’t believe a word out of my mouth. Honestly, I’m starting to doubt them myself. “Who are you trying to convince, Annie? Because if you ask me, you and Cyrus are the perfect match. You’re both hardworking and motivated. And as much as you don’t want to admit it… he is intelligent and competent at his job.”

I scoff, shoving the other half of the donut into my mouth and crossing my arms.

“Imagine what you could do if you cooperated and worked together.”

“I don’t need anyone else—besides you. I’ve made it almost 200 years on my own. Why should things be different now?” But as the words tumble from my lips, familiar doubt creeps in. I can’t ignore the pit of loneliness in my soul anymore, as if part of me is missing.

A warm set of arms wrap around me, and I sink into Pen’s embrace. She’s like the little sister I never had. Dragons only produce one offspring in their lifetime, so I grew up utterly alone.

Pulling back, she cups my face. “Annie, would it be so bad if you let him in?”

Moisture wells in my eyes, and I hate it. I’m not a crier. Crying doesn’t solve problems, so it’s useless. “I-I don’t know anymore, Pen. I’m so confused. I’ve never reacted to another being—let alone a human man—like this before. He makes me so irrationally angry, but he also pushes me and challenges me. He makes me strive to be better. ”

Releasing me, she sits back and smirks, which causes the adorable dimple in her cheek to appear. “And the sex? How was it?”

I roll my eyes so hard I’m afraid they’ll get stuck in the back of my head. Shit stirrer.

I should lie and tell her it was abysmal, so that I have another reason to stay away from Cyrus. But Pen is my best friend, and the truth slips out easily. “It was fucking amazing. Would you expect anything less from the man?” One side of my mouth hitches into a smirk.

“I knew it!” she crows, both dimples on her cheeks popping this time when her face lights up with a smile. I can’t even be mad that she’s goading me. Pen is like a perpetual ray of sunshine on my darkest day. She’s my lighthouse in the raging storm when my dragon’s temper gets the better of me.

I don’t know what I’d do without her.

“Okay,” I say while she continues to smirk at me over the lip of her wineglass. “Enough gloating. What should I do?”

“You talk to him, Annie. He was a willing participant in last night’s events, yes?”

Heat sears my cheeks when I think back to the way I rode Cyrus like my own personal stallion in his office chair. Gulping down some wine, I swallow and squeak, “Yes.”

Penelope’s fingers fly across her phone screen. Wait. No. That’s not her phone case. It’s mine !

“What are you doing with my phone?” I shoot a hand out, attempting to grab it from her.

Completely ignoring my question, she holds the phone out of my reach. Blue eyes peering up at me, another smug grin pops onto her innocent face. “Then he must find you attractive. Now, you clear the air and decide if you want more, or if you want to go back to hating him.”

Locking my phone, she plops it in my lap and grabs another donut. “And you’ve got about fifteen minutes to figure it out because Cyrus is on his way here.”

Meddling little shit. My jaw hits the floor. I flounder to grab my phone. Pulling up my messages, sure enough, there’s a text chain with Cyrus, requesting his emergency assistance at my apartment. “Penelope!”

She cackles, finishing the last of her wine and standing up from the couch. “Sometimes you just need to get out of your own way, Annie. You and Cyrus could be something truly amazing together. Have you seen the way he watches you at the office?” She fans herself, cheeks pink from the alcohol and her horny thoughts. “I’d give my life savings for someone to be that infatuated with me. And don’t worry, I’ll stick around to make sure you don’t kill him.”

“You’re lucky I love you so much.” In my heart, I know Cyrus and I can’t continue at this rate. We’re headed down a path that will make us bitter and jaded, scarred by hatred. If the alternative is letting my guard down? I don’t know if I’m even capable of that.

Either way, I have—I glance at the time on my phone—about ten minutes to decide.