Page 142 of My Ruthless Opponent

I clamp my mouth shut and return my gaze down to my bare feet and the red color carpet underneath them.

“There wasn’t a single day in the past twelve months where I didn’t hate you, Hannah Cooper.”

My eyes fall shut. Why is he making this more difficult than it already is for me?

“I spent every waking moment of the past year thinking how to kick you out of KIM Advertising. I tried everything to make you quit. But you came back stronger every time I challenged you. You built the position you are in now through your hard work. Because of that, I started respecting you.”

His fingers slide down my arm before closing on my wrist. He tugs me closer. “Then I put you on a vulnerable spot during that ball in front of Victor. You took it in stride. Not only that, but you also bravely agreed to my plan, risking everything. That day, I realized I was attracted to you.”

My eyes snap up and lock with his. He brushes a strand off my face, his gaze moving across my features as if I am a puzzle he can’t solve.

“That attraction grew to become a lethal kind of lust that made me claim you.” His blue eyes heat. He leans down to press a soft kiss on my lips.

“I felt a strange kind of pleasure watching you get jealous.”

“I wasn’t—” I start and my sentence ends on his lips.

“You have a bad habit of cutting me off mid-sentence.” He frowns at me.

“Sorry.”

He rolls his eyes then wraps his arms around my waist. “I absolutely hated seeing your eyes lighting up every time Archer was in the room.”

“He is like my big brother!”

He shakes his head because I interrupted again.

“Last night when I lost Round One, I realized I don’t give a damn about the promotion. So you see, princess. That’s why I was angry last night when you called me your fake fiancé. You aren’t the only one in this. I have feelings for you like I never had for anyone in my entire twenty-eight years of life.”

I am smiling so hard through my tears I can’t see him clearly.

“Princess, chill. I didn’t propose yet. Please stop the waterworks.”

I hit him on his chest. “I hate you.”

He lifts my chin with his fingers and leans down, kissing my tears away. “We both know you don’t.”

I roll my eyes when he shoots me his arrogant smirk.

“Damn. Hannah Cooper has a crush on me.” Raleigh has a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Shut up.”

“Are we good?” He lowers his head to meet my eyes.

“Yeah,” I murmur.

“Good.” He bends down and picks me up again. “You are not going anywhere.”

He turns with me in his arms and begins toward our bedroom. “What about lunch with Victor?”

Before he could say anything, there is a knock on the door. We stare at it for a beat.

He turns again with me and I admonish him to let me down.

He doesn’t listen and opens the door with me very much in his arms.

“Victor!” I gasp.

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