Page 17 of His to Claim

I was finally able to garner the correct reaction, a nice hint of shock and awe, but I was no fool. There was more to thisgenerousoffer. “That’s… exciting.”

“Yes, I thought you might think so.” Chris was obviously pleased with himself, his eyes boring into mine.

“What’s the catch?” I asked, keeping any concept of utter disdain out of my voice.

“The catch? You mean what do I require in return?”

“Yes. Generous offers usually mean there are certain… rules to follow. Protocol.”

He laughed, swinging his leg back and forth. The man was actually attempting to make me feel comfortable. “Yes, you are extremely observant as well as intelligent. What I expect in return is utter loyalty without question. There will likely be times that you are questioned as to why we’re so successful or perhaps even indirectly about terms of our contracts. As you might imagine, there is a need for utmost confidentiality.”

“As I’ve always known, Chris.” I was having difficulty curtailing my tone.

He eyed me carefully, raking his gaze down the length of me. “Yes, I suspect you have. Would you like an opportunity to think about the promotion?”

I wasn’t certain whether he was testing me but either way, my new position would allow me greater access to exactly what Chris wanted me to hold in confidence. “I don’t need to think about your generous offer. I accept.” I was the one who held out my hand, ready to shake on the deal.

There was yet another glimmer of surprise registering on his face before he eased off the desk, gripping my hand. Even his handshake was dominating, the contact a few seconds too long to be just a business transaction.

“I’m very glad you accepted my offer and I’ll make certain everything is prepared for your start fresh and early tomorrow morning, including your new office.”

“New office?” I asked, taking a decided step away. The man truly sickened me.

“Absolutely. As a woman I can trust, you will have the office right next to mine since we will be working very closely together.” This time, his smile was more of a smirk.

Trust. Loyalty. The buzz words were making my head ache. All I wanted was a hot shower to rid me of the slime oozing down my arms and legs. The man was slick.

“That is amazing,” I managed, pretending to be upbeat and perky. He had to know what was going on with my deception. Perhaps he wanted to find out who I was working with. I could feel a series of shivers threatening to give me away.

“Why don’t you take the rest of the afternoon off, allowing the movers time to prepare your office?” He lost the gorgeous smile, walking behind his desk and sitting down. I’d been summarily dismissed, likely to have the opportunity to search through my things. Thank God, the jump drive was in my purse. “Besides, I’m certain you might need some time to sort out things with your car.”

“I’m sorry?” The hair stood up on the back of my neck.

He offered a sly smile, his eyes suddenly coal black as they bore into me. “I understand that you were involved in a car accident yesterday. I do hope you are all right.”

How in the hell had he learned about the accident? I hadn’t told a single soul, including my best friend. I’d known more than one man like him, their threats disguised as nothing more than caring. “Nothing to worry about. Just minor dents.”

“Well, I’m certainly glad to hear that. You are truly a valuable employee. Still, take some time for yourself.”

“I would like that. Thank you again.” I heard the snide tone slipping out of its cage. He’d already turned his attention to his computer, his fingers flying over the keyboard, or I might have given myself away.

I suddenly felt ill, terrified my legs wouldn’t be able to move, but I was finally able to turn around, walking slowly toward the door. When my hand was on the knob, I heard his voice, the deep baritone one I would never forget.

“There’s one more thing, Vanessa. As you can imagine, there will be a contract for you to sign. If any of the terms are broken in an egregious fashion, I assure you that there will be significant consequences. I’m certain you can understand.”

There it was, the real threat. My guess was that he used this exact method to crush anyone who dared cross him. I knew I had decisions to make, or maybe I simply needed to have my head examined. I wasn’t certain if he was waiting for an answer or not, but I decided not to give him one. When I was safely out of his office and a few feet down the hall, I leaned against the wall, doing everything I could to calm my nerves.

Whatever Mr. Montenegro was hiding had to be significant. While he was street savvy and highly intelligent, I could be cunning when necessary. Perhaps it was time to jump headfirst into the game.

Only I wasn’t sure which side I wanted to be on.

* * *

“Sex.”

I fiddled with the napkin in front of me, waiting for the drink to arrive. I was still in a fog, analyzing every word Chris had said earlier. I wasn’t entirely certain why I’d agreed to leave my condo, even if it was for a celebration of my promotion.

Was there really anything to celebrate?

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