Page 27 of The Dragon in the Corner Office (Monstrous New York #1)
Chapter 27
M y whole body burns, like I’m going to combust at any second. Black plumes of smoke billow from my nostrils, leaving a trail behind me as I pace in front of the windows.
“How could he!?” The growled words claw from my voice box, broken and harsh. My dragon tears her way through my skin until my nails lengthen into sharp claws, and scales line my arms.
A shrill alarm filters through my raging thoughts of Cyrus’s betrayal, but I don’t care. Not even when the sprinklers on the ceiling kick on, dousing me in their chilling spray. The water simply sizzles against any exposed flesh, evaporating into thin air.
It’s too late. I’m lost in the anger as it takes over my body.
Did Cyrus know they were planning to fire me all along? Is that why he agreed so easily to work with me in the first place?
And Andrews—sniveling asshole!
“Do something!” Pen’s pleading voice is garbled, like I’m underwater. Like I’m drowning. I don’t know who she’s talking to, and I don’t care.
My vision flickers, everything tinted in an ugly red haze. Sweeping an arm across my desk, I send the singed remains of my potted plant and coffee mug flying. Ceramic shards, dirt, and leaves spray across the floor as they shatter onto the hard tile.
My chest burns as the organ inside splinters into a million pieces. He fucking betrayed me again. The bastard.
Water continues to spill down like rain, but it does nothing to extinguish my rage.
Heavy hands clasp onto my shoulders, halting my clipped steps. I’m spun until I’m facing a wall of muscle encased in the finest designer suit.
“You!” I snarl, poking a claw into his hard chest. “I let you in, and you fucking broke me!”
Tears stream from my eyes, evaporating against my skin before they can even fall to the ground. It’s like I’m on fire, and I don’t know how to stop it. I’ve never been this consumed by my dragon’s rage before.
“Antoinette. Please. It’s not what you’re thinking.” Cyrus’s hands cup my face, but he hisses, pulling away like he’s been burned.
Smoke continues to swirl around us, mixing with the falling water. The shrill cry of the fire alarm finally stops. The only sound in the room is the pounding of water from the sprinklers and my panted breaths.
“Princess, look at me.” His voice is more commanding this time. Hands back on my face, he tips my chin up until I meet his gaze.
The pain in his icy-blue eyes douses the inferno in my veins until my claws retract and the smoke clears.
“I quit, princess,” he says, leaning his forehead against mine.
My belly swoops. “W-Why would you do that?”
A ghosted breath fans my face when he huffs a laugh. “Infuriating, strong woman. Don’t you see?”
I shake my head. Tears burn my eyes.
“Fuck those assholes. If they can’t see how amazing and brilliant you are, then I don’t want to work here either. If anything, I’m the one who deserves to be fired.”
I hiccup as his words sink in. He didn’t betray me. The fist around my heart loosens. “But—”
Soft lips land on mine, silencing my protest. “Listen to me, princess. I would do anything for you.” Truth shines in his eyes, mixed with an emotion that still terrifies me a little. Love. “I would burn down the whole fucking city if you asked me to. Even though that’s more your territory.” He chuckles, fingers skimming a path over my cheekbone to my hair, where he brushes a damp strand behind my ear. “You’re my partner. My person. My family.” His gaze softens, along with his deep voice. “You’re it for me, princess. I love you.”
“You-You—” I think he broke my brain. The logical part of me can’t compute another being caring for me so deeply.
“You heard me, Bauer. I fucking love you. You don’t have to say it back right now. I know you’re not used to letting people in, but I need you to know that I’m not going anywhere.” Lifting his head, he sweeps his eyes around us. Probably taking in the utter chaos I’ve caused. “Jobless, soaked to the bone, smelling like a bonfire, I’m in this with you. Okay?”
All I can do is nod. His confession has left me reeling for words, yet oddly content at the same time. He’s not leaving me. He didn’t throw me under the bus and take my job.
“But we should probably get out of here before Andrews calls the cops, and we get arrested.”
When Cyrus pulls away, spinning toward the door, my brain finally catches up. Balling the back of his jacket in my fist, I tug until he stumbles backward, nearly knocking me to the floor in the process .
“What—” He turns to face me, and I rise onto my tiptoes, slamming my mouth against his.
With a groan, he melts into me, wrapping his arms around me and tugging me to his chest.
Drenched clothes stick to my heated skin, but I don’t care. I attack his lips with mine, taking what I’ve been yearning to have my whole life. “I love you, too, Cyrus,” I gasp between desperate kisses.
Finally speaking those words out loud is big and scary. So fucking scary, but I trust Cyrus with my heart.
I clasp his face between my hands, relishing the familiar rasp of his five o’clock shadow as his dark vanilla scent floods all of my senses. In his arms, I’m finally home after a lifetime of being alone.
“Hey, Annie…” As much as I don’t want to, the urgent tone in Pen’s voice has me ripping away from the kiss.
Pen’s eyes widen, her head turned toward the hallway, where a fuming Andrews marches toward us. The rest of the board members trail behind him. “You might want to get out of here before he calls the police. I’ll try to hold them off.” With a wink, she sprints out of the office, intercepting our boss.
Swiping my soggy tote bag from my desk, I kick off my heels before gripping Cyrus’s hand and pulling him toward the door.
“Wait! Where are we going?” There’s confusion in his voice, but his footsteps follow mine as my bare feet slap against the wet tile.
“The roof!” Slamming the door open to the stairwell, I tug him behind me and race up the stairs.
My body sings with excitement when I push through the door to the roof, the midday sun beating down from above to warm my slick skin. This is the start of something new and exciting. No more chauvinistic boss to worry about. No more working myself to the bone for someone else.
I don’t have enough money to start my own firm yet, but I’m nothing if not resourceful. I’ll think of something.
Getting fired was the final push I needed to finally reach for my dream. I suppose I should send Andrews a thank-you card once I’m the top firm in the city.
Turning toward Cyrus, I walk backward to the middle of the roof. My fingers find the buttons on my singed blouse, hurriedly working the damp fabric from my body as my dragon swells within me. “We’re free, Cyrus. We can do whatever the fuck we want. And right now, I want to take you for a ride.”
Throwing him a saucy wink, I peel my soaked bra from my body.
Cyrus saunters toward me, tucking his hands in his pockets. “As much as I’d love to try exhibitionism with you, princess, getting arrested wasn’t on my calendar for today.”
Laughing, I shove his chest. “Not what I meant, Wilcox. Let me fly you to my favorite spot, then we’ll go back to my place.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Tossing my sodden skirt and panties to the side, I let my dragon free. Flames burst from my skin and scales sprout across my body. Wings and tail unravel as I grow and morph, the transformation taking hold.
Extending my wings, I crane my neck to the side and find Cyrus. With a slack jaw, his heated gaze travels every inch of scales and claws. “I’m never going to get used to how beautiful you are,” he murmurs, stepping closer to brush a hand over the rippling black and gold scales. “In every form.”
My body shudders under his gentle caress and heartfelt words, but a pounding at the roof access door has me dipping down and meeting him with an expectant tip of my head.
“You want me to ride on your back?” His throat bobs and his eyebrows dip.
I snort, crouching lower to the ground.
Finally getting with the program, Cyrus climbs onto my broad back, straddling the base of my neck, right above my wings. The security guards break through the door as my feet spring from the gravel and we jolt into the clear blue sky.