Page 266 of By His Rule

“No, don’t do that. Don’t go back to pretending like this is nothing.”

I reach out and grab her arm as she makes a beeline for the door.

“This is something, Lorelei. You just said so yourself.”

Desperation bubbles up inside me.

When she said she felt it, I thought we were starting something. I thought that was it.

“You’re my boss, Kian. I need this job.”

My brow wrinkles as I try to figure out what she’s saying.

I shake my head. “I never said anything about you losing your job.”

“No, but that is what this will come to. It might be next week, next month, or next year. I’m the disposable one here. Not you.I’m the one who’s going to have my life turned upside down when you decide that being with me is too boring, when there are a million others out there vying for your attention.”

“W-what?” I stutter.

Hasn’t she heard a word I’ve said to her?

“There isn’t anyone else. I’m not interested in anyone else. Don’t you get that?”

“Right now, you’re not, no. But what about in the future?”

My mouth opens to respond, but the words die on my tongue.

I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow yet—although I had hoped it would be Lorelei—let alone next month and next year.

“I want you, Lorelei. Not any of the other women out there,” I say, throwing my hand out toward the window.

She pauses for a moment and just stares at me. My heart pounds against my ribs as I wait for her to make a decision, fear oozing through my blood like poison.

“I don’t know if it’s enough,” she says simply before spinning around and marching through the door.

I will myself to give chase, to do or say anything that will prove my words to her. But my body doesn’t move. I stay frozen to the spot as she walks away from me. Again.

63

LORELEI

Irun out of the Callahan Enterprises building like the place is on fire.

My heart pounds and I can barely suck in the air fast enough as I try to outrun what just happened.

My body trembles so badly, I’ve no idea how I keep moving instead of crumbling to the ground. With my eyes focused on the end of the street, I continue moving faster than I should be able to while wearing my highest pair of heels.

But I don’t have a choice.

If I stop, I’ll have to think about what I just did.

And I can’t. Not while I’m in public.

Hell, I don’t really want to deal with it when I’m shut away safely in my apartment, but I’m going to have to.

I’m so lost in my head, I don’t register anyone I pass as I keep moving.

The easiest thing to do would be to flag a cab or call an Uber. But that means stopping. And stopping means thinking and…a sob erupts and I run faster.

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