More, Please(3)

A vicious smile spread across Blaire’s face as she beheld me. “Watch your back—I may decide to stick a knife in it. I would hate it to be a surprise."

She took a small canister out of the pocket of her robe and unscrewed the top. Turning toward Hunter, she poured a little line of white powder onto the skin between her thumb and forefinger. She threw Hunter a malicious glare before bending her head down and snorting up the line. She wiped her nose with her thumb before screwing the top back on the canister. She smirked. “Oops. Another rule broken.”

With a last scathing look at me, she turned and sauntered away.

“I’m sorry about that,” Hunter said in a troubled voice. “She’s never been one to maneuver, but I’m starting to think her father was offloading her, rather than securing her a comfortable future.”

“She’s…precious.” I tucked a flyaway behind my ear and leaned against the wall. “And she’s always here?”

Hunter’s gaze turned to me. He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his body. “Yes, unfortunately. She doesn’t work, and she doesn’t have a place of her own. Part of the deal was that she’d move out of her father’s house and live with me. I think she thought I’d buckle and become a husband, of sorts. One like my father was. I’ve disappointed her.”

“Then why doesn’t she want to find someone else?”

“Money.” Hunter kissed the crown of my head.

“So…you’re locked in?” I couldn’t prevent the hollowness in my voice.

Hunter squeezed me tighter. “I’ll figure something out.”

As Hunter led me to the library, my mind started whirling. He might be able to figure something out, but if that woman didn’t get what she wanted, I’d be the first she’d blame.

I remembered the vicious, manic look to her eye and shivered. It was a pretty safe bet that she was capable of terrible, malicious acts. If Hunter brought me here again, she’d probably find ways to make trouble. I’d made a terrible enemy, one likely to be as unpredictable as she was dangerous.

Cold hands of fear crept through my body. I’d have to be on my guard, but would that be enough?



A little before nine, I walked toward my desk with my computer in hand. Brenda was just coming down the hallway with two cups of coffee. As soon as she saw me, a huge smile lit up her face.

“You’re back! Oh thank God. I thought I was going to have to quit.” Brenda set the cup down and sipped her coffee as she looked down at me. “Please say you’re staying.”

“Until he freaks out again, yes.” I laughed as I booted up my computer.

“He was a bear the last half of the week. He sent one of those interviewees running from his office in tears.” Brenda made her way to her desk. “Good. Bert will be pleased—did you see him?”

“Yes, he picked me up this morning. He said pretty much the same thing you just did.”

“Oh yeah—when the big boss is in a bad mood, everyone gets it.” Brenda set her coffee on her desk and glanced at the cup in front of me. “You better get that in to him, but then I want to hear how this happened. Hunter Carlisle does not like to admit he was wrong. I hope you made him beg—that pisses him off even worse.”

Smiling, I picked up his cup and headed into his office. The light streaming in was a welcome sight, as was the handsome man in the expensive suit looking at his computer. I put the cup down where I always did, and saw a grin crease his lips. He didn’t look away from the screen, though, just like normal.

With a grin of my own, I started to walk away, glancing back when I was halfway out of the room. As he’d said at my mother’s house, he was looking, watching my butt as I made my way out. He glanced up at me and winked before turning back to his computer.

When I reached the door, I heard, “Olivia…”

I turned back. His burning gaze hit me, full of command and power. “Plan on staying late tonight. I have some things I’d like you to do…”

Tingling with expectation, I left his office and settled in my chair, needing a moment before I started to tell Brenda the short version of why I was sitting in this office, and what kind of trouble I might have waiting for me if I tried to steal Hunter away from the woman that had signed a contract.





Chapter Two





“Did you…want to see me?” I edged into Hunter’s office. I’d pushed myself on him a few times, but this was going to be the first that was a little more…preplanned. I felt strangely sheepish about it.