doesn’t bother her. When I glance at her, color is rising to her neck and cheeks, and it’s not from feeling bashful. She’s angry. Practically vibrating with it.
What, did she think because she fucked up, life wouldn’t go on without her?
Fuck that.
“Yes. Please, dress accordingly. Give Wren Bonjoc a call. His team will be sure you have everything you need.”
“Great.” She smiles, revealing twin dimples on both sides of her cheeks. “Also, I still haven’t been able to get ahold of Mr. Hawthorne.”
My back teeth grind together at the reality of that statement. No one has heard from him since the news started printing the stories. Seems Vincent isn’t the only one who’s gone into hiding. “That’ll be all for now. Thank you, Mia.”
“Of course. Call me if you need me.” She turns toward the door and pauses over the threshold to glance back at Mackenzie. “Have a great day, miss. I love your hair, by the way.”
Mackenzie’s scowl deepens. “Goodbye, Mia,” she clips out.
I have to hold back the urge to laugh at just how angry she is. Maybe what she said earlier wasn’t the whole truth. She obviously still feels something. It wasn’t all fake.
“Where were we?”
“New assistant?” she asks, an edge to her tone. I hold back my grin.
“Very thorough. Best employee I’ve ever had.”
She bristles in her seat, glaring daggers at me.
“You’re disgusting. How very professional.” Sarcasm drips from her tone.
“What’s disgusting about a sweet employee who’s good at her job?”
She rolls her eyes and replies in a dry tone. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“If you have something to ask, spit it out.”
Mackenzie glares at me. She looks downright murderous. “I have nothing I want to ask you.”
“What’s suddenly got you so angry, Mackenzie? Jealous?”
Her hands ball into fists in her lap, her eyes spewing venom at me. “I couldn’t care less. Fuck whoever you want. You mean nothing to me. You were a means to an end. I got what I needed. We’re done.”
My grip tightens around the pen in my hand, and if I squeeze any harder, it’ll snap at the force. I have to coach myself to keep it cool and remain calm. She said it. Everything I already knew. And fuck it all to hell. Even though I don’t want to, I feel the effects of her words unfurl in my chest.
“We’ll never be done, Dirty Girl.”
She flinches at the nickname, obviously not ready for the memories that flood her mind all at once. She pushes away from my desk and strides toward the door. I spot the slight limp she has, and I hate it.
“Where are you going?” I call after her.
She pauses, her grip tightening on the doorknob. “Back to my life in New York.”
“We’re not done here, Mackenzie.”
“We never even got started, Sebastian. Goodbye.”
Shooting up from the chair, I chase after her. Just as she reaches for the door, I catch her by the wrist and whirl her toward me. She fights my hold at first, trying to get away from me. I back her into the wall of my office, right next to the door. Her eyes are wide, her chest heaving, her tits grazing against me at our proximity. Resting my hands above her head, I lean into her, caging her in.
“I need to leave,” she breathes out, her eyes lighting with heat. Craning my neck down, I get close enough that I’m able to smell her, her signature sweet and floral scent that still drives me crazy. Her breaths ghost across my face, and when I lean in, I hear her sharp gasp.
“Stay,” I whisper against her cheek, my lips grazing the soft skin there.
My office doors suddenly burst open, and Mia strides in with a stack of papers in her arms. “Mr. Kingston, I have the—” She freezes when she sees us. Her eyes are wide, her gaze darting back and forth between us. “I’m so sorry. Am I interrupting something?”
The moment I just had with Mackenzie dissipates. She shoves me away from her, righting herself.
“No. You’re not.” She brushes past me and leaves my office without so much as a look back. I grit my back teeth together, shooting Mia a glare.
“Next time you walk into my office without knocking, you’re fired.”
The color drains from her face. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I fall back into the chair at the same time the door shuts behind Mia. I inhale a deep breath and rake a frustrated hand through my hair when I get a