“Yes?” She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze.
“Point taken. Next time I’m going to be late, I’ll let you know.” No sooner had he spoken than he looked down, busying himself on his cell.
Stunned, she walked back to her desk on trembling legs … and waited for him to call her in to work.
A few minutes later, Derek and Lucas walked into his office and slammed the door behind them, giving her more time to wait. And to think about Kade, the man who seemed to be softening … and she hadn’t even been here long.
* * *
Kade was drinking the best damned cup of coffee he’d ever had just because Lexie had it made as soon as he’d walked in the door. He leaned back against his chair, feet on his desk. He was unfamiliar with the emotions coursing through him. From pleasure at seeing her in his office to appreciating how she’d picked up on his needs.
Yeah, he’d told his other assistants that he wanted his coffee hot and fresh as soon as he arrived in the morning, but somehow they’d all screwed it up. And though it was just coffee, he understood the need was as much a part of his routine as the way he put on his socks, right foot, then left, or brushed his teeth, also right side, then left.
But Lexie seemed to roll with his demands despite the fact that he could be a pain in the ass. The truth was, there was also part of him that liked to see how far he could push people before they walked away … because they always did.
Except for Derek, Luke, and once upon a time, Julian. Brothers in fraternity and in reality. Julian had chosen drugs over his best friends. Demons and addiction had driven him. Kade didn’t worry about anything pulling Derek and Luke away. They were solid. They were his family.
Now there was this spitfire of a woman who’d barreled into his life twenty-four hours ago, and he couldn’t think of anything else. He’d be a damned liar if he didn’t admit that after she’d left, her scent lingering in his apartment, he’d wrapped his fingers around his cock and brought himself much-needed relief. He’d come all over his hand like a horny adolescent, Lexie’s face in his mind, imagining it was her body he was fucking instead of his hand.
He tried to remind himself that she worked for him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He still wanted her. Just as he knew she could and probably would let him down.
Without warning, his office door banged open, hitting the wall behind it, and his partners stormed in.
Derek took one look at him and asked, “What’s with that grin on your face?”
Feeling like an ass, Kade ignored the comment. “What’s wrong?” Because they hadn’t come barreling in for no reason.
“We have a fucking problem,” Luke said.
Derek slammed the door shut and hit the lock. That meant shit just got real. “What’s going on?”
The two men glanced at each other.
“Just spit it out,” Kade ordered them, not enjoying being in the dark.
“Somehow Julian knows,” Derek said. “And this company and everything we’ve worked for is in jeopardy.” He didn’t need to elaborate.
There was only one thing Julian could have uncovered that would threaten everything they’d built—were building.
Kade was the weak link and he knew it. “How?” he asked his friends.
“He hired a PI who went digging through your past.”
Kade didn’t have to ask why Julian had gone after him and not the others. When shit had gone down with Julian, it was Kade who’d stood by him the longest … until he hadn’t. Couldn’t. Not anymore. Once he’d sided with Derek and Luke, agreeing that Julian’s refusal to get treatment would only drag their business down, Julian had been thrown out of anything to do with Blink—and the money that came with it.
Julian made it clear he blamed Kade. Because he’d been closer to Kade than to the other two men. It was Kade on whom he’d seek revenge.
Although Kade’s father had tried to make certain the past stayed buried, nothing was foolproof.
“How did he uncover the information?” Kade asked.
Derek ran a hand through his dark hair. “He found Lila.”
“Fuck!” Kade slammed his hand into the wall, not caring about the consequences.
“Hey, man, calm down. We’ll counter anything he throws at us,” Luke said, coming up behind him and putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Really? We’re taking this company public. You think a date rape accusation against one of the CEOs won’t hurt? No matter how false it is?” His breath caught in his throat, panic surfacing along with the memories.