Page 85 of Crave Me

I crinkle my nose. “Mmm, no.”

“What?”

She’s slightly taller than me, but she might as well be a cockroach by the way I stare her down. “I said, no.”

“Polite” and “patient” left me the moment those two idiots messed with me, and they aren’t traits that are coming back anytime soon. Her half-frozen expression passes along my body, as if she’s somehow in control.

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” she says.

“I know more than you think,” I assure her, my voice and expression steady. “Evan is in a meeting and is not to be disturbed.” Maybe I should call him Mr. Jonah, but she’s already assumed there’s something between us, and I don’t mind reminding her it’s true.

“I’m sure someone as lovely as you can convince him to free his schedule,” she fires back, her tone stiff. “That’s why he keeps you, isn’t it? To convince him in ways others can’t.”

Holy God, I’m ready to kick her in the face.

Two guards take point beside me. “I think you’re under the impression I’m going take your shit,” I say, not bothering to censor my remarks. “But this isn’t your business. It’s Evan’s, and you don’t get to call the shots.”

“What are you doing here?”

I don’t see Evan approach, he’s suddenly there, assuming a protective stance in front of me.

Mrs. Hilliard demonstrates as much warmth toward him, as she did toward me. “I came to see you.”

“If so, you had your wish, and now you may go.” He takes my hand, leading me away, but not before addressing the guards. “This woman is not permitted in the building. Please escort her from the premises.”

A choruses of “Yes, sirs,” ring out as Evan guides me toward the elevator. I jerk my head back, catching her blanched features as one of the guards motions her to the exit.

She’s stunned by Evan’s reaction, but it’s the rage that overtakes her face that keeps me from feeling sorry for her. This isn’t a woman who’s hurt by the way her son treats her. She’s pissed that she didn’t get what she came for.

The people waiting for the elevator step aside as Evan leads me in. I don’t know what they see in his face, but I feel enough tension within his grasp to understand why they don’t follow us.

The moment the elevator shoots upward, Evan slams his fist into the metal wall, denting it. “Fuck.”

I cover my mouth in shock. I’ve never seen him like this. But I recognize the hurt clouding his features, and all the resentment built from years of pain.

He seems close to the edge, but I don’t say anything, trailing behind him when the elevators ding open and we arrive at the floor. We pass the conference room where Dee and the interns have set up breakfast, opening it up to the rest of the floor instead of the CEOs Evan was supposed to meet.

I wince, knowing this isn’t a good sign. I shut and lock the door behind us when we reach his office.

Evan leans forward and presses his hands against the long the marble table. Maybe I should give him space, but I can’t. I come up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my cheek against his back. “What’s wrong?” I ask, keeping my voice gentle.

“Too much,” he admits, but for a long while, that’s all he says.

I wait, giving him the time and patience he always gives me.

“I apologize for reacting as I did,” he finally says, his voice quiet yet unbelievably rough. “But seeing her, after Clifton’s news . . . She was the last thing I needed.”

“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I was more worried about you than anything.”

He stiffens further, deep-rooted rage clipping his tone. “Did she insult or threaten you?”

“She didn’t say anything I couldn’t handle,” I assure him. I kiss his back. “What did Clifton tell you?”

I don’t know why it takes him so long to respond until he finally shares just how bad things are. “You know the charity hospitals, the ones I tried to help instead of selling to their competitors, who work solely for profit and don’t give a bloody damn about the people who most need them?”

I try not to groan, but it’s hard. “Yes?”

“Those same competitors bought them out today, and because they’re now in charge, they’ll be using our competitor’s technology and releasing us from our contract.”

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