Page 3 of Double Take

The arms of his white T-shirt are cut off, leaving every rippled muscle on full display with the ink that lines his skin thoroughly complimenting the curves and angles of his muscles and accentuating the veins on his forearms. That’s nothing compared to how he walks. The way the man moves is like a panther prowling for its next meal.

“You look fabulous today.” The low vibration of his voice instinctively tightens my nipples.

“Hi.” Jesus. I squeaked. But I don’t know how to take a man like Oliver teasing me. He oozes sex appeal and confidence like a second skin.

Don’t be a fool. He’d flirt with the water fountain if it would talk back to him.

I jump out of my chair, unable to sit still any longer. “I’ll let the two of you get to work. I’ll be at my desk if you need me for anything.”

“Doll, you don’t have to go.” Oliver places his hands on his hips, blocking my exit. The edges of the room darken as I forget how to breathe. I’m not scared he won’t let me pass, but seeing those bulging thighs and biceps on full display has my legs shaking.

“Yes.” I clear my throat. “Yes, I do.” I speedwalk toward him. When I get close, he shifts out of the way. I don’t bother to look at either of them as I scurry away.

Oliver snaps the door closed behind me. I’m pathetic. They’re probably laughing at my juvenile response to their presence. A normal woman can have a conversation with her bosses without freaking out. Or banter back and forth with a harmless flirt. But not me. I escape like a scared guinea pig that’s staring up at its owner with beady little eyes. I’m pitiful and weak.

Before I reach my desk, my cell phone rings, and I jump again. Son of a bitch. I grit my teeth together and straighten my shoulders. I’m not a baby. And there’s no way Mario has figured out where I’ve gone. I covered my tracks with the precision of an explosive engineer.

It’s Charles. I smile and slide into my chair. “Hello, Charles. Thank you for calling me back on this number. I changed cell phones after I left.” I ditched the other one somewhere between Palmdale, California, and the Nevada state line. “I know you’re busy, but I received my first paycheck. How do you want me to send it to you?”

“Rylee, I’ve already told you. I don’t want any of the money back. You take care of yourself and that little girl. I’m not wasting my nights fretting over whether you’re living in your car or trying to survive without electricity. I gave it to you as a gift. And if you insist on paying me back because you’re a stubborn little thing, then I won’t accept a dime for six months. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, sir.” I smile and relax for the first time in weeks. It’s nice not feeling like the sky is about to fall. I want to provide the best home for Sunny while staying as far away from my husband as possible. And as soon as I can save up enough funds for an attorney, I’m filing for divorce. Because even though my husband hates me, he’ll do whatever it takes to punish me for–anything.

Which is why it took an additional six months for me to get away from him after declaring I wanted a divorce. Thankfully, he grew bored of having people watch my every move.

“Have you heard from him?”

“Of course. He was here the day you left and asked all kinds of questions. I played it off to perfection.” He chuckles as I nervously swipe my hand on my pants. I tossed my phone after I left and got a burner one that I’m using for now. I don’t want anything that leaves a trail until I can afford the same caliber of attorney that Mario’s family can secure. I don’t care about anything else, but he’s not getting his hands on Sunny again.

“Thank you.”

“I told him you went off with a guy you met on the internet. That should keep him busy for months chasing red herrings.”

“Perfect. Thank you again for everything. I can never repay you for your kindness and friendship.” I expected him to tell Mario he didn’t know where I went, and while my husband is a Grade A jerk, he isn’t stupid. He wouldn’t have believed Charles and would’ve kept hassling him until he got the truth out of him. Which is why even Charles doesn’t know where we are.

Chapter Two

Axel

“What’s wrong with you?” I glare at my brother as he stands in front of my desk, looking like a mixture of a construction worker and a mafia enforcer rolled into one. Even though she’s gone, I can still smell her scent as it swirls in my brain–cinnamon and vanilla.

“What do you mean?” He has the audacity to raise his hands in question while arching his eyebrows. The expression has no impact on me. We’re as close as identical twins can get without living inside the same body. Besides, I’ve seen every move in his book, and none of them impress me.

“You know what you’re doing. You were flirting with Rylee, and she’s off limits.” The last sentence comes out as a growl. Shit. I straighten my shoulders and clear my throat. “All employees are off limits.”

Oliver rolls his eyes. “We own a construction company. There’s not much risk I’ll mess with our other employees.” He turns and looks at the closed door behind him. “But for that lady, I’d accept the risk.”

“Damn it, Oliver. She works for us, and I don’t want you flirting with her.” God, I sound like a petulant 5-year-old child demanding my twin not take the last piece of cake. All that’s left to do is stomp my foot.

“And….” He twists back around and issues me a challenging stare. “What if I don’t?”

“Oliver….” I grind my teeth together in frustration. “You don’t take anything seriously, and you’re scared of commitment. Rylee seems to be the type of woman who wants white picket fences and a two-car garage.”

“And 2.5 children.” He tips his head sideways while smirking. “Mr. Scared to Have Children.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Our father’s philandering ways screwed us both up. He had four children with three different women. At least by the time he got to the fourth one, he figured out how to sack up, but she didn’t last, either.

As a result, Oliver is terrified if he commits to a woman, he’ll let her down, and I’m petrified I’ll get a woman pregnant and fuck the kid up. We’re a perfect match, which is one of the reasons neither of us has settled down.

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