Page 34 of Room One Hundred & Twenty-One: Kiss of Fire

“Are you really that afraid of people finding out?” I question, my casual tone masking a tinge of hurt. If she thinks she’s just a fuck toy for us, then she’s sorely mistaken. We made it clear inthe beginning that we want more from her and that’s what she agreed to, whether she realizes it or not.

“I’m your assistant, Brody. What do you think they’ll say when they find out I’m sleeping with my bosses?”

“Who the fuck cares?” Chance cuts in, folding his arms over his chest.

“I do. Women have been called names for a lot less. This could ruin my professional reputation, one I’ve worked very hard to achieve.”

“You work on the top floor with us, away from prying eyes. Who’s gonna see us?” Noah adds.

“Ms. Abernathy, for one,” she retorts, and he scoffs.

“Brenda has worked for us for a long time and she knows what we get into.”

“I know. She so much as told me so in the kitchen last week.”

“Even so…” Noah pauses with a raised eyebrow before continuing. “We pay for her silence and discretion. I highly doubt she’ll run her mouth at the watercooler or in the mail room.”

Selena lets out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t want her to dislike me. I want us to be friends and I don’t see that happening if she knows I’m fucking my bosses.”

“Fucking your bosses? Is that all this is?” he snarls.

“You know what I mean,” Selena soothes, but it doesn’t do much to wipe the irritated expression off his face.

I gently tug at her elbow. “If this were just sex, then we’d find someone to play with at the club. But we all know it’s more than that.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Her shoulders slump while she looks down at her shoes. “Even so, can we just keep this between the four of us for now?”

Before anyone can answer her, the elevator doors swing open and she makes a beeline for her desk. She may think thisconversation is over, but I guarantee you it isn’t. Over my dead body will I keep my hands off her now that I’ve had her. We’ve kissed her, tasted her, and fucked her. She’s ours anytime we want, just as we’re hers.

We disperse, and with a heavy sigh, I stroll to my office and sit at my desk. Turning on my computer, I stare at the log-in screen for a long while, contemplating how to make her see what she truly means to us. While I’m not a fan of the termgirlfriend, that’s what she is, and I’ll be damned if I keep that a secret. Office gossip be damned.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Chance asks while leaning against my door.

“We’re together, and I want everyone to know it. I don’t care what she says or what excuses she comes up with.”

“I agree, but what can we do if that’s what she wants?”

Make her surrender. Make her just as crazy for us as we are for her.

“We all admit how desperate we are for her. Maybe we make her see how badly she wants us too.”

“Canyou take care of these, please?” I casually hand Selena a stack of papers.

Without glancing up from her computer, she answers, “Of course, Mr. Smith.” Then she sets them on her desk and resumes her work.

A muscle in my jaw ticks at her strict professionalism, so I bend down and whisper, “I’d appreciate it if you did so sooner rather than later… Ms. Walker.”

At the formal use of her name—something I never do—her fingers cease moving and she directs her attention to me. Shelooks almost upset at how I addressed her, but she’s the one who wanted to play this game. I’m just following her lead.

Selena waits for me to say something else. Instead, I keep a passive expression when I turn and walk to Noah’s office without a backward glance. It’s several seconds before I hear her resume typing, letting me know she was unsettled by this brief interaction.

Good.This whole damn thing has me unsettled, so why should I be the only one?

I enter the room and close the door behind me, finding Chance sitting on the couch with one arm slung across the back. He and Noah are mid conversation when they both turn to look at me.

“What are you smiling about?” Noah’s forehead creases as he questions me.

I shrug. “Nothing.”

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