Page 3 of Broken Boss

Dimples. Ugh.

Without another word, Sharpe lets himself out of my office and disappears down the hall.

One…two…three…four…

I manage to hold my composure together enough to flick the switch on the remote that controls the window shades so they open once again. Then I drop back against my desk, hands shaking.

“Damn you, Chris Sharpe.” The words come out as an angry growl.

For the last decade, I’ve worked my ass off to get here—working for the man I hate more than anyone else in the world. College, law school, and internships where I got to the office first and left last. The cat and mouse games with other interns, going against everything in me to get here.

Senior associate at Sharpe Law. A shot at partner. The chance to take him down.

“At least I have his attention now,” I mutter. But that doesn’t make me feel better about how I got his attention.

Especially since he saw the one thing I do just for me. The lingerie.

Being a woman in this world is hard enough, but in law, I’ve learned that adding a masculine edge to my persona gets me further. I’m taken more seriously. I’m thought of as competent.

But…it isn’t me.

Not really.

Memories flicker through my mind. A pink flannel-patterned dress my mom made me for first grade, my first pair of socks with lace at the ankles, chunky, stylish heels I saw in the mall and knew I’d never be able to afford. Floral perfumes, pearl earrings, pink lipsticks.

I’ve denied myself everything that would come across as too feminine, too weak.

Except for my lingerie.

That’s just for me.

Or at least, it was until Christopher Sharpe laid eyes on me today. Now he’s seen me almost completely bare, literally and figuratively.

I’ll just have to work harder to make him believe that, like him, I’m ruthless. Cold. Competent.

A force to be reckoned with in the courts.

And if he believes it and makes me partner, I’ll be able to destroy him from the inside out.

Twelve years ago, Chris Sharpe took away the one person in the world who matters most to me—my brother.

I’ll do anything it takes to get revenge.

Chapter 2

Chris

Sitting in the car, in the dark, it’s as if I’ve summoned her. In my mind, Autumn Cavendish cocks out that hip again as the garter belt hugs her voluptuous waist. Pink lace barely hides her nipples from view and those heels make muscles and curves stand out deliciously…

Then a light flicks on outside and floods the car. My lascivious thoughts fizzle out as I blink in surprise.

The front door of the little town house opens. Mel stands inside with Milo on her hip, squinting out into the foggy Cambridge night.

“Chris?”

Grabbing the lemon pie in the passenger seat, I get out and hurry up to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Hey. Sorry. Just got stuck in my head for a minute.”

She hums in understanding but watches me closely as I go about removing my jacket and making a face at Milo, who laughs. Mel moves to take the pie and I wave her off.

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