Page 156 of Sinful Blaze

She’d skin me if I tried.

I’m about to give Sofi a final order on the matter when we’re interrupted by a knock at the door. I frown; I don’t know who it could be, since Paris already left, and I don’t have any meetings scheduled.

Mak and Sofi both stand, resting their hands over their hidden guns. I press the button to unlock the door and clear my throat. “Come in.”

Our hands tense on our weapons. I swear, Sofi has to mentally talk herself out of downright shooting the intruder point blank.

I start to consider it when I see who’s here.

Daphne’s personal nightmare, clad in a short skirt and even shorter crop top, waltzes in without a care in the world.

“Mr. Chekhov? I’m Brittany Cleary of Cleary Consulting.” She smiles brightly and shifts her weight in her sky-high heels to pop out a curvy hip. “We’re going to be working very closely together.”

59

PASHA

“The hell you will.” Mak glares at Conrad’s little consort, his fingers twitching over the piece tucked in his hidden side holster.

We don’t kill civilians as a rule, but we don’t tolerate anyone who torments our family, either. And to him, Daphne is his new sister.

He just might do it.

Brittany all but ignores him. “Per the contract Chekhov International holds with Cleary Consulting, every department is assigned a liaison and general representative. It has come to our attention that the C-Suite was overlooked in recent restructuring. I’m here to resolve that.”

Sofi arches a brow. “So resolve it, and get the fuck out. Send someone else.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t do that.” The way she says it is so patronizing, like Sofi is some naive child. “There’s no one as qualified as me to handle the rigorous demands of the corporate level. It would be a gross disservice to leave you with someone less than adequate.”

Brittany eyes me like I’m something on the menu she’s about to order.

But if she thinks she’s going to unseat Daphne from my life, this woman is sorely mistaken.

“Ms. Cleary, I am going to give you the benefit of doubt and assume there’s simply been a serious miscommunication between departments.” I snap the open folder shut and rise from my desk. The intention is to intimidate her into fear, but to my ever-increasing annoyance, it seems to have the exact opposite effect.

She shivers.

With excitement.

It quickly becomes clear that the job she dressed for isn’t one that involves paperwork. Her nipples tighten until they strain against the cropped sweater, revealing that she conveniently forgot a bra today. Even standing, it’s a miracle none of us can see up her skirt with how short it is. Lacy garters frame her thighs and hold up silk stockings I have zero urge to touch.

I’m a man. I’m hot-blooded. If Daphne came in here dressed like that, I’d be chucking my siblings out the door just to get my hands on her. Fuck, what I’d give to see and feel her swallow my cock, on her knees at my desk, wearing one of these barely-there office getups…

But I’m getting distracted.

It’s not Daphne here to tempt me into several HR violations. It’s a sick, inadequate imitation.

And I want nothing less than the real thing.

Sofiya springs into action first. She shoves past Brittany and grabs the doorknob. “I’m calling security. And a few other people. So if you know what’s good for you… run.”

I hold up a hand to stop her. “Hang on, Sofi. I’ve got this. I want you and Mak here to make sure everything is on the up and up.”

I grab the desk phone and pound out a direct extension. “Gus. It’s Chekhov. Get Bert on the line. Yeah, Bert? Grab our files and meet me in my office. Immediately. I have something of yours I need you to pick up. No, this cannot wait. Immediately.”

The confident grin on Brittany’s face flickers with uncertainty.

Oh, just you wait.

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