Trillion - Winter Renshaw Page 0,56

hate him, Mom,” I say. “I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.”

“I know.” Her voice is low, a cushion of sympathy. Her gaze is distant, as if she’s retrieving a painful memory from her own personal collection. And now I get it. I get why she felt the way she did about my father. He lied. He betrayed her in the worst way. “But you’re going to be okay, Sophie. You’re strong. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. A lot stronger than I was …”

I swallow the hard lump in my throat and continue on, each step bringing me closer to my full recovery. And with each burning, painful step, I make a promise to myself—that I’ll never fall for another man like Nolan Ames again.

Thirty-Eight

Trey

Present

“I left for two days.” I slam the phone down as Broderick takes the chair opposite my desk on Monday morning. “I want Pesek fired. And I want Monrovian to replace him. Immediately.”

Over the weekend, it came to light that one of our marketing interns has been harassed over the past three months by a certain married executive. He’s lured her with jobs that don’t exist as well as career-oriented threats he has no ability to carry out. I never cared for the blowhard when we hired him, but he had the reputation as one of the best marketing hires in the industry, so I took a chance.

But now the girl’s parents are threatening legal action—understandably so. The last thing I need when I’m trying to acquire a “family” business is a shit storm like this smearing the Westcott name. Not to mention we’re on the heels of going public with our engagement in the coming weeks.

This could overshadow everything.

Lifting my receiver, I call Mona and have her summon Pesek to my office.

“She’s willing to accept a private settlement,” Broderick says. “She’s asking for five million, but I think we can get her down to two and an ironclad NDA.”

“Give her whatever she wants.” I turn my chair, studying the Chicago skyline and its ironically sunny disposition today.

Broderick leaves.

I don’t have time for this today.

Mona calls my phone. I answer on the first ring.

“Mr. Westcott, I’m told Gary Pesek didn’t report to the office today,” she says. “Apparently he turned in his notice via email earlier this morning.”

Fucking coward.

I’ll deal with him one way or another.

I hang up the phone, only to have it ring once more. Without checking the caller ID, I answer it with a brusque, “What?”

“Hello to you too …” It’s Sophie.

Exhaling, I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Rough morning?” she asks.

“Something like that.”

“Anything I can do to help?” Her voice is low, and I picture her in her office, hand cupped over her receiver, a brand of mischievousness in her ocean eyes as her full lips tug up at the sides.

“Yes, actually. You can report to my office. Now.”

It takes eleven tortuous minutes for my future wife to saunter into my space, her hips swaying with each high-heeled step. Apparently the word “now” wasn’t enough to light a fire in her leisurely pace.

“Lock the door behind you.” I point. My cock swells as she fastens the deadbolt, and I loosen my tie.

I meet her halfway, crushing her upturned lips with a kiss as I grab a handful of her ass. Pulling her against me, I untuck the hem of her shirt from her tight skirt, sliding my palms up her silky-smooth skin until I reach the lace cups of her bra. Tugging the fabric aside, I lift her blouse and take a rosebud nipple between my teeth before swirling my tongue around its ridges.

Sophie tosses her head back, cupping my head in her hands.

When I’ve sampled her enough, I lead her to my desk, positioning myself between her spread thighs. She eyes the open blinds behind me and her body turns rigid.

“No one can see us all the way up here,” I say. “We’re practically in the fucking clouds.”

She swallows, her body still frozen beneath my touch.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Nothing.” The enigmatic minx reaches for my belt, unzips my fly, and takes me in her palm.

I place a hand over hers. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“I don’t like being on display.”

“Fine.” I leave her on my desk, legs wide and panties peeking from beneath her skirt, and I make my rounds to every window in my office, tugging the blinds closed. When I come back, I claim her mouth with a punishing kiss and slide my