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I push him off me much nicer than I would if there weren’t witnesses.
“Thank you for prioritizing my wellbeing, but I can assure you, I feel fine.” Even if I went home, I’d still be working, just like I did Thursday and Friday. Where’s the recognition for not falling behind those days? I must’ve been thinking clearly enough then, so why is today such a big deal?
Kaisin’s smirk looks more like a grimace before he exchanges glances with the men behind him, the ones who “got it from here.”
They alternate between looking at my brother-in-law, then me, except they never make it to my face like they do his. You’d think I was Medusa the way they avoid my eyes. In these circles, to give someone direct eye contact is to give that person respect and these men do not respect me. They’ve resented me ever since Kordin gave me the higher position I was in no way qualified for at the time. I didn’t even know what a portfolio manager was, only that I’d have a reliable salary—a salary that started at more than triple the income I’d been earning at The Playground while doing less than half the work and with my clothes on—so I accepted.
Not only was I naïve, I was also desperate.
More than I am now.
Among the group behind Kaisin, a pair of obsidian eyes meets mine head-on, giving me pause, not only because they’re the first ones to hold my gaze, but they’re unfamiliar. They are familiar, but not familiarhere. At my place of employment.
Dressed similarly to the last time I saw him, he’s in black top to bottom, except for his stark white undershirt. However, he’s now got a badge on, indicating he’s employed here, too.
This isn’t what I meant when I told him to make himself useful.
I scan the small crowd again. They’re on their way to the boardroom for the routine Monday meeting. The meeting Kordin typically runs. Without him here, Kaisin will fill in and he could turn them all against me even more. If it goes to a vote, I already know I’m out.
In some cases, desire is more powerful than respect. I can’t make these men respect me, but I can get them to desire me. I need to be careful in how I go about doing it though. This isn’t The Playground where I can strip down to a thong and grind on top of their laps. I have to be smart.
“Who’s the new guy?” I ask no one in particular, a plan quickly taking shape.
Striding forward, Reece says loudly, “Reece Souza,” so no one can speak for him.
Souza. Unless he has a squeaky-clean record, he’s using a fake last name.
“Is he any good with stains?” I have no idea what Reece was hired for and I don’t dare acknowledge him directly, only talk about him like the others would. “My blazer. I spilled creamer on the sleeve on the way here.” I remove my blazer before anyone can get a good look.
I make it a point to wear long sleeves at the firm, so without my blazer, every man’s attention goes straight to my shoulders exposed by my blouse being held up by only two thin straps. The cold air rushing over my skin causes my nipples to pebble, and since my breasts aren’t big enough to warrant wearing a bra with most outfits, including this one, every gaze lowers to my chest.
“So?” I say, drawing my shoulders back. “Can he give me a hand?”
“Stain? You want me to take a look at it?” Kaisin’s words come out low and almost pleading despite him being clueless when it comes to stains. I know for a fact he’s clueless because all of Kaisin’s pants have piss stains to the left of the zipper from him not shaking his dick good enough after pissing. Every. Single. Pair.
That’s another similarity between the brothers. Kordin’s cock pulls that way, too.
“I got her,” Reece says, his voice confident enough to convince me—and the others, because they all move aside to let him through.
I turn to Phil and posing my question as a challenge rather than a request, I ask him, “If I wanted to attend the meeting, do you think you could stall for a few minutes?”
“I could try.”
Shocking me again, Kaisin grips my bare elbow. “You don’t need to attend the meeting. You need to go home.”
If I hadn’t been the one to order the break-in myself, I’d wonder if it was Kaisin who did it. He looks a littletoohappy about all this, a littletoocomfortable stepping into the role nobody but his last name gave him.
Before I can react, Reece walks between us, forcing Kaisin to let go.
Looking from Reece’s severe side profile to Kaisin, I say softly, “I just want to have a discussion. Let me come. Please.”
Several throats get cleared, none as loud as Reece’s next to me as he rips the blazer from my hold.
Kaisin gives a terse nod.
With the sexy fox crowding my space, I spin on my heel, ready to teach him another lesson, this one a little less bloody than the last…hopefully.
No promises.
