Page 59 of Discretion at Its Finest

I nearly lost it.

But somehow… somehow I kept talking. Kept reading the notes Alexander had given me in the pitch perfect way that sold confidence. But these estimations, these numbers, thesestatements to give to the press… they were too favorable, too fast and unbelievable.

Because that’s exactly what they were. It seemed the more I talked, the more the table seemed on board. Clearly, I was the only one smart enough to see this plan was too perfect for the chaos that happened behind those entrance doors for the last few years.

Not one person questioned the numbers.

Nor did anyone notice the way my breath trembled or wonder why Reid Kaufman, king of calculated indifference, was glancing at me now with the smallest, most infuriating flicker of smugness and desire.

His hand slid higher, his gaze turning back to the clueless businessmen. “If all goes according to plan,” Reid began, “stabilization by the end of the quarter is feasible, enough to keep investor withdrawals at bay. This company looks stable because we’re making it stable. Once the new investments begin to progress, profits should be well within projected range.”

His hand inched higher and heat flooded through me so fast it made my spine straighten without meaning to. I attempted to cross my leg, shifting it away from him. That was a mistake.

His hand tightened on my leg, possessive and claiming as he pulled me back. I cleared my throat, attempting to hide the gasp that had escaped me.

Alexander glanced at me for half a second, unaware. Or pretending to be.

And when Reid’s fingers slipped beneath my panties, my entire body jolted—but he didn’t react. His index finger stroked once directly between my folds. I kept my head lowered, my thighs tightening instinctively, desperate to shut him out and keep myself from coming apart like this.

Another mistake.

He twisted his wrist gently, prying my legs open under the table with ease. A single finger pushed inside, unhurried, forcing sound back into my throat that I barely swallowed.

“Anything to add, Genevieve?” he asked, voice calm, eyes never leaving the file in his hand.

He curled his finger inside me, deep. My back arched a fraction before I forced it still. I managed a tiny shake of my head, nails digging crescent moons into my palm. His second finger slid in just as easily, stretching and filling me up.

Reid didn’t even blink. “Then let’s discuss the asset reallocation framework and—”

I swallowed hard, my thighs spreading wider under the table as my mind tuned out the sound of the room. My eyes stayed glued to the report in front of me, the numbers swimming, useless, meaningless under the vibration of his palm against me.

All I could feel was the wet glide of his fingers. I could hear my breath catching, my pulse racing in my ears.

His fingers pumped deeper, slow at first, then deliberately firmer, coaxing every muscle in my body into silent, shaking obedience and utter shame. I tried to keep my composure, biting down on my lip as my stomach flipped.

I was right at the edge… fucking hanging over it at this point. His thumb found my clit, the pad of it toying with my center. My hips bucked involuntarily, searching for his hand, for more.

God, I’m going to lose it.

I’m going to cum in a room full of executives and investors.

I couldn’t stop it. I—

Nothing. In a split second, there was absolutely nothing. Reid pulled his hand out of my aching core, my entire body throbbing around nothing, clenching in desperate, humiliating pulses that had nothing to take. I was so close it hurt.

My mouth fell open in shock before I picked my jaw up off the floor before anyone noticed. The emptiness hit me harderthan the pleasure had. And the idiot had the nerve to still look smug about it, his fake all-business persona up as he deliberately ignored my searing gaze.

He was perfectly fine. Meanwhile, I was a mess beside him. A wet, trembling, pathetic mess.

He wiped his hand casually against his thigh under the table. The same hand that had been inside me seconds ago. I sat, jaw clenched for the rest of the meeting, my thoughts unable to form coherent sentences, the denied pleasure and anger fighting in the depths of my mind… and unfortunately, I spent the rest of the day in dire need of a cold shower.

Chapter twenty-four

Genevieve

The jet reflected the sun against the morning sky, its sleek silver polished to a mirror shine. It was the kind of aircraft people only dreamed of stepping inside of maybe once in their life.

Eugene practically vibrated beside me at the sight of it. “Mom! It’s so big!”