AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I knock on the door as Jacob moves down the hallway, leaning against the wall, looking ready for war.
CHAPTERSIX
Jacob
Thankfully, Madison doesn’t yell from the apartment. I offered to help her, and I meant it, but the longer I spend in the hallway, the more I wonder if it was a mistake. I’d never let anything happen to her. I’d seriously hurt any man who tried to hurther.
That’s the problem. If she yelled for me, I’d kick the door open, charge in there… and then what? I’m normally in control, able to push down any savagery and assume the role of the cold, detached business operator, but if Madison yelled for me, I wouldn’t be able to contain the rage. I’d run into the apartment and throttle anybody who dared to upset her, let alone physically harm her.
After around thirty minutes, she emerges from the apartment. She’s got a shell-hocked look as she glances at me, then at the floor.
“Is something wrong?” I ask as we descend the stairs.
“That was a bombshell,” she murmurs, glancing at me again.
There’s something in her skittish look, a puzzle I’ll never get tired of solving. On our wedding day, our weddingnight, the first time we wake to our child crying in the night… I’ll always study her, obsess over her.
“Talk about it in my car?” I offer.
She nods shortly. When I open the door for her, she’s able to summon a small smile. The fleeting movement of her lips is a gift, making her smile a privilege.
Inside the car, I lay my hands on my knees. As long as I can feel the pressure of my palms through my pants, it means I’m not reaching over and giving into every need surging to the surface of my consciousness. Her legs are too tempting, too curvy.Everythingabout her is too tempting.
“He mentioned something strange,” Madison murmurs. “About Metis Incorporated.”
Miraculously, her words interrupt my thoughts of claiming her. Or, at least, they push the thoughts to the back of my mind. Metis is Trent’s company, the one we’re merging with. I wait for my woman to go on. Yeah,my woman. I’m done fighting that. I can’t stop myself from categorizing her that way. It feels true.
“You can back out of this now if you want,” she says, finally holding my gaze.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is about her, but she seems so determined, so ready for battle. She’s going to be an incredible journalist. Hell, she alreadyis, and she’s only going to get better.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell her. She doesn’t know how true that is.
“This is the second dog-theft operation Philip was involved in.”
“I thought he told you he didn’t know itwasa dog-theft ring.”
“He lied. It was eating him up, he said. He had to share the truth, but he made me promise not to publish his name.”
“What did he say about Metis?” I ask.
“A freelance journalist was investigating the first dog-theft operation. Apparently, this journalist had a contract with one of Metis’ online publications. Everything was ready to go. The story was prepared, but then, just like that…”
She snaps her fingers, getting into the zone. It brings to mind an image of her in an office, addressing her employees with confidence and compassion and the will to change the world.
“The story went away,” she goes on. “Philip spoke with the journalist. He was cagey. He didn’t want to talk about it. He shouted at Philip when he tried to take it further. That’s why he’s so nervous about speaking with me.”
“We need to figure out why this journalist dropped the story,” I say, as possibilities present themselves to me.
Did Metis—and therefore Trent—crush the story? Trent has shown himself to be far less concerned with the truth than he should be. It’s possible, and bad news for the deal, for the millions already spent in legal fees, for my business partner, Brad, who’s far more enthusiastic about rushing the deal through than me.
“We?” Madison whispers. “Are you sure you want to get involved in this? It could mess up your deal.”
“If the deal is based on lies,” I growl, “it’sworthmessing up.”
She leans back. “Whoa.”
Her lips are too kissable as she stares at me. My palms against my legs, I focus on the pressure, taming my touch to stop my need from taking over.
