Page 89 of Succumbed

“And your business exists because of my investment.” She stays seated.

She leaned forward as she got angrier, the tension pushing her toward me. I watch as she forces herself to lean back, arms crossed over her chest and one ankle tucked behind the other. Get up. Get up and fight me, Lex.

“Is that all you’ve got?” I taunt her, throwing my arms wide. “The great Lex Livingston, here with her money to make everything better.”

“What the fuck, Dec?!” Linc glares at me. “You’re out of line.”

“Your brother’s right.” Lex glares. “You signed off on this schedule, on my terms. You deciding to go rogue and wing the most important presentation of your career is not what we agreed to.”

She’s walling me out again, her professional persona returning. I hate it. Where’s the fire, Lex? Get. Up.

“Well, I think we’re far enough down the path that we can recognize what we really need.”

“And what’s that, Declan?”

“The three of us,” I gesture around the table. “Lincoln, Shane, me. That’s it.”

Lex studies me, her lips pursed. “I see.”

“Do you?” I challenge, frustrated she’s eased back into her tight control.

I want to watch those fissures in her perfectly constructed mask widen, want to dig my fingers into the softest parts of her and wrench them apart. I’m desperate for her to mirror the hurricane of emotion thundering in my chest. I don’t want to be the only one feeling so unhinged.

“I do.” Her cold gaze hardens. “You’re a fool. And a complete and utter waste of my time.”

She stands, finally. Guilt simmers low in my gut. I don’t want her harsh words, don’t want to hurt her or the men watching us go at each other. But I feel trapped between my emotions and my concern for our future.

“So that’s it, then?” I accuse, thinking of her calling me a coward. “All these weeks of work, and you’re done?”

Fire flashes in her eyes, fists clenched at her sides, and I want to pound my chest in victory. I can’t have her soft affection; she saves that for Linc. I don’t get her quiet contemplation; I’ve seen for myself how she’s handed it to Shane. But her anger? Her fight? I crave it. Give it to me, Lex. Fucking burn me with it.

“Let me be clear, Declan Wilde. I. Don’t. Quit.” Her words are sharp, her voice hard as she steps around the table, making a slow path toward me. “I have given you and your dream my all. My team has worked long hours to support your success. And you might feel like the big man standing there belittling me, but I. Won’t. Let. You.”

She stops directly in front of me, close enough I can feel the warmth of her body seeping into mine. She nearly vibrates with tension, the sides of her neck rigid with it. It kills me she thinks it’s still about the business. This has nothing to do with Solum, boss.

“You think you’re the man, Declan?” she whispers, jade eyes glittering fiercely. “You think you’ve got it all under control? You don’t need anyone’s help to succeed?”

I struggle to stare impassively at her, shoving my hands into my pockets to keep from reaching out to touch her. Even though I’m the cause of them, I want to soothe the lines in her brow away.

“I don’t.”

“Which is why you came to me for help, right? You had it under control.”

“I didn’t come to you,” I point out.

“Oh, right. You needed your little brother to get the help you were too fucking proud to ask for, right?”

I bite the inside of my lip to keep from grinning at her, wanting to seize her face in my hands and kiss her for standing up to me, for calling it like it is. She’s absolutely fucking right, I was a prideful idiot and Linc did what needed doing. I’m terrified of what comes after the business, Lex. Her gaze searches mine, and she chuckles in surprise, a knowing sound that probably strikes fear into lesser men.

“I see what you’re doing.”

My lips twitch, but she misses it. Of course she does. “Oh?”

“I’m a threat to you.”

You have no idea.

“Oh, Declan,” she tuts. “I expected more.”

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