Good. Tarken should have no trouble getting Vane fired if he started a few rumors about him. Something nasty about the salesman's sexual habits. That ought to do it. Delaware didn't seem like the sort to want any scandal getting about. It wasn't good for business.
Tarken's phone buzzed. "Mr. Goldstein's for you, Tark," came Melinda's voice down the line. He'd asked her to temporarily step in as his P.A. until the employment agency found a replacement. She wasn't very good.
"You deal with him, I'm busy."
He hung up. Abbey wouldn't have even bothered him when the boss rang. She always dealt with him. Goldstein liked her and she was good at soothing his temper. Melinda needed to learn to do that too.
Melinda was going to be another problem. How was he going to tell her nicely that she was a bad P.A., and that she was lousy in bed?
Lucy shoved the door open, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting thief on the other side. Abbey hung back to let her friend do her thing. When she didn't and just shouted, "What the hell is going on here?" she thought it was safe enough to peer over her shoulder.
"Damien! What are you doing here?"
He looked mad. Abbey could feel the vibrations of anger emanating from his body. Amazingly, he kept his temper under control and his face set.
But it didn't bode well.
"What the hell is this?" he waved an envelope in the air and didn't take his eyes off her.
Lucy stormed into the room and snatched the envelope from his grasp.
"None of your business," she said. Abbey was glad her friend still had her wits about her, because she was finding it difficult to think straight with a very mad, very sexy Damien Vane standing in front of her.
"I think it is very much my business," seethed Vane, "considering I feature very prominently in your little happy snaps."
"These don't belong to you."
"Let's call the cops and find out, shall we?"
"Yes, let's. I'm sure they'll like to hear about how you broke into my office."
His gaze shifted briefly from Abbey to Lucy, then back again.
"Abbey, I want to discuss this with you."
Lucy stiffened. "I'm not leaving -"
"Lucy, it's okay," Abbey said. "I can deal with him."
Lucy glanced from one to the other and sighed. "I know you can, but I'll be just outside if you need me." She turned, squeezed Abbey's arm and left.
Damien's eyes locked with Abbey's for a long moment. She'd never seen him so angry. There was so much steam rising from his ears it was amazing his head didn't blow off.
His eyes flashed like black fire at her, and the muscle in his neck pulsed. He didn't waver, even as he took a step closer to her. Abbey straightened and remained where she was. If he was trying to intimidate her, it wasn't going to work.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
He sucked in a deep breath. "I came to see you."
Abbey threw her arms wide. "Well, here I am."
His hand flew to his hair and he made a grunting sound at the back of his throat as he ruffled it. "I came to find out what the hell was going on."
He must be stupid if he hadn't worked that out after seeing the photos. But she certainly wasn't going to make this easy for him. He may be good in bed-damn good-but the bottom line was, he was a creep who cheated on his wife. She had to remember that. She had to!
"You must have a fair idea since you're here and saw those photos." She crossed her arms over her chest. He did the same.
"Why did you lie to me?" He nodded at the photos that Lucy had put back on the desk. "Is it to do with those?"
Abbey swallowed. She could tell him the truth or she could lie. Again. She didn't like it but the lying option was safest right now.
She couldn't tell him that Lucy was going to send the photos to his wife so she could finally know for sure that he was cheating on her. That would only make it awkward for Mrs. Vane and she didn't want to do that. She was Lucy's client and Lucy had signed a confidentiality agreement. Besides, Abbey didn't particularly want to unleash this man's anger on someone else, no matter who she was to him.
So, how the hell was she going to explain this?
Damien's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her to him, her body almost touching his. Something sizzled in the pocket of air between them. "Tell me," he growled.
Abbey jerked her arm out of his grip. How dare he think he could push her around!
"Let me go!"
She jerked her arm free. And just because she felt like it, she reached up to slap him.
But he caught her hand. For one long moment it seemed he didn't know what to do next. Then his mouth twitched and descended on hers.
His kiss was fierce and hot.
CHAPTER 8