Ruthless(17)

So Sterling had ruthlessly exploited the opportunity. As a single-source generic, Pernacular had patients in its grip with no alternatives, few resources, and only inferior, second-tier fallbacks. Worst of all, Sterling’s actions were perfectly legal. There was nothing that we could do as aspiring lawyers to combat this cold-blooded business decision.

I stood back, aghast. The father of my child was a tyrant? A man so hardened, so ruthless that he was indifferent to the plight of pregnant women? And not just that. Sterling had a bevy of successful drugs. Surely they could have carried off a successful IPO without making women and children suffer.

But a rush of understanding came over me. I’d been dumb again. I’d had my head in the sand like an ostrich pretending enemies didn’t exist, and Jake was a grade A predator, ruthlessly exploiting the weak, pressing every advantage that came his way. The signs had always been there, the question was why hadn’t I realized it earlier? Jake was a CEO, and people in top positions often have a merciless side to them, willing to stab their own mother if needed.

Bile rose in my throat, the bitter flavor choking me, the burning in my heart impossible to ignore. I couldn’t go forward with my plan to reveal the pregnancy. I couldn’t bring up a child with the “Bad Boy of Wall Street,” given the choices he’d made with respect to Pernacular. Yes, I appreciate what money can do, but the collateral damage was just too high. Women and children need to be helped, not harmed through the grinding of the capitalist machine.

I jerked as the door banged open and Jake strode in, jolting me from my thoughts. My emotions were swirling, confusion and distress clouding my mind, making me feel faint. But his long legs covered the space between us in mere seconds.

“God,” he muttered. “The incompetence of some of these new companies,” he said before sweeping me into his arms.

But I shrank away from him. The heat radiating from his body was intense and I was so tempted to throw my arms around him, to bury myself against his chest and forget what I’d seen, savoring the feel of his arms. But I resisted. There could be no peace, not with this man who had chosen to hurt nameless others. Instead, I held myself as stiff as a board and dodged his lips, that hot flesh branding me on every inch of skin they touched.

“No, Jake, I can’t,” I cried, craning my neck backwards. His arms were like steel bands around me and I was pinned in place, unable to move an inch, my breasts pressed against his massive chest. An unmistakable hardness had begun to rise against my thigh, his hips grinding in small circles against my softness.

“No Jake,” I said more forcefully, struggling against his muscular body, trying to free myself. “I can’t, I can’t,” I pleaded.

“Why?” he growled into my throat. “It’s not like I haven’t seen this show before,” he muttered, finally capturing my lips with his.
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The kiss was searing. It was so good that I almost gave in right there, throwing caution to the wind, letting my inhibitions go. His tongue tracing the seam of my lips, covering mine in sweet, hot release, was so compelling that it reminded me why this man was CEO – because he was used to getting his way. And that included business dealings, where difficult, ruthless decisions were made every day.

“I can’t Jake,” I said, finally succeeding in freeing myself, his arms dropping to his sides, a bewildered look on his face. “I can’t,” I said with finality.

“Is it because of your sister?” he asked, giving me a sharp glance, his arms crossed over his muscular chest. “Because I’ve already decided to take care of that. Jenna isn’t worth anything, and I’m breaking it off tonight,” he said dismissively.

“Yes, yes, it’s Jenna,” I said hurriedly, my cheeks flushing, my tone rushed as I desperately clung to the most obvious excuse. “Even if you break up with my sister, I just can’t go through with this,” I said.

“Why not?” he asked forcefully. “Yeah, things have moved fast, but who cares? If I transition from Jenna to you, it doesn’t matter. No one would dare say a thing, and it’s not like we’d have to go public immediately. We could keep our little romance in the background until the time comes.”

That stopped me short. He was willing to break off an engagement for a “little romance”? What the fuck? Suddenly, I was so angry I could barely see straight, the ground physically tilting in front of me until I steadied myself on the back of a chair. Clearly, I had misjudged this man. I’d thought he was the answer for my prayers after years spent celibate, a man who was an emotional, physical and intellectual match for me, but I was wrong. He was a heartless bastard, one who prioritized money and success over everything, and his dalliances with women were clearly insignificant.