Page 54 of As You Crave It

“Really? Then why did you tell me you were also in talks with Cain Rum? They don’t have any integrity, so you guys are a match made in heaven.”

“I was bluffing you. But you must have seen right through it. I’ve been talking to those guys, but we want Rexford. We have a lot in common, you and I—we’re both young guys who like the finer things, same taste in women.”

“We have nothing in common.”

“We have Celia in common.”

“You have nothing to do with Celia.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. We’re going to stock your rum, and you’ll give us a good price for it.”

Quin was still acutely aware of the projection screen, and Jared’s claim to have something to show him. “No way in hell.”

“You’re wrong. You might want to ask Celia about that. I have the power to make her professional life easy or difficult.”

“Don’t you dare go near her.”

“But if that’s not enough for you to change your mind, why don’t you consider this?”

Quin turned to the screen. He watched a video from the sky deck of the yacht he and Celia had been on the evening before. He knew then that they’d been recorded having sex. That was why he’d been invited to use the yacht. He should have known that Jared would do something like that. “Stop the video. What’s your plan here? You stock our rum for pennies a bottle?”

“Yeah, or the tape goes public.”

He couldn’t imagine why anyone would be interested in a video of two regular people like him and Celia. He didn’t care what happened to him, but he couldn’t have Celia’s reputation tarnished. He hoped he could call Jared’s bluff. “Everyone has a sex tape these days,” he said. “I don’t give a fuck. Release it. No one will give a shit.”

“You might want to talk to Celia about that. I’m sure she’ll give a shit. And that’s another thing.”

“What?” Jared was right. He didn’t care what happened to him or his reputation, but Celia didn’t deserve to be embarrassed because he’d put her in a compromising situation.

“I want the girl.”

“You want Celia?”

“Yeah, she looks like a pretty good lay. I want her.”

“You’ll stay the fuck away from her.”

“That’ll be tough, seeing as how I’m her boss. Maybe she’d be willing to do a little overtime for a promotion.”

Quin watched the video of himself and Celia. The conversation they’d had—the promise that he’d never hurt her.

“But what will she say about what you just did in my conference room?”

“Fuck you. I didn’t touch that woman.”

“Really? That’s surprising.”

“It shouldn’t be. Most men have some amount of self-control.” Jared laughed, annoying Quin. That guy needed a punch in the mouth. “What’s your plan? Tell Celia that I met up with an escort in your conference room. Even you should see how stupid that sounds.”

“Women will believe anything. I’ll tell her. Just in case you don’t stay away from her, this will ensure she hates your guts, and comes running to me.”

Quin wasn’t worried. Jared was delusional. He knew that Celia would never believe a word Jared told her. “You’re an asshole.”

“You don’t get far in this business without being one.”

Quin thought about his own family. They’d gotten far enough without shady tactics or ruining anyone’s life. “You’re going down, Jared,” he told him. “And when you do, I’m going to laugh.”

Jared shook his head. “I’ll give you a day to think about it.”

Celia was working at her desk when her email pinged. It had already been a long day. She’d reached out to other women who’d been harassed by Jared, and she anxiously awaited their responses. She was nearing the end of her plan. Soon she would lower the boom on Jared. Hoping the email was from one of those women, she looked over both shoulders to confirm no one else was around, then opened her email.

But it wasn’t an email from one of Jared’s victims, it was from Quin. She clicked the email. It was a video of him sitting in what she recognized as one of the Seacoast Prestige conference rooms. She saw a woman enter the room, take off her coat and stand naked in front of him. The camera changed positions so that she could see the woman from behind as she obscured Quin sitting in the chair.

Again, Celia looked over both shoulders; she was still alone. She turned back to the video. Celia noticed the camera angle had changed so that she was given another view of what was happening. The camera was now behind the woman, and she mounted Quin, who stayed seated, undid his pants and started riding him. Celia was shocked. Why would Quin send her this video? She checked the sender’s information. Quinn Rexford. That wasn’t how Quin spelled his name. Relief washed over her. Quin hadn’t been the one to send it. But there he was on the video with the strange woman, as she straddled his thighs and kissed him.

Her heart thundered in her chest. She’d trusted Quin—he’d made her fall in love with him again. And he’d betrayed her. She knew that they’d agreed to be friends, that they would no longer sleep together. But they’d been together last night. Of course, Quin didn’t owe her anything. But the thundering in her chest, the tears in her eyes, told her how stupid she’d been. How could she trust him? How could he break her heart again?

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