Page 43 of Degrading Her

I clicked off my phone. Wilder jutted his chin forward, waiting for an explanation. His left hand twitched, his wedding ring shining in the light. He wasn’t pissed aboutthe war; he was angry that his wife was potentially in danger.

Perhaps I understood that anger now. If Hatchcom Focus had been the ones to leave Fiona that message on her car, then this war was personal for me too. No one could mess with Fiona. She was mine.

It was time to figure out our next move.

Chapter 10

Fiona

As I finished checkingin books from the afternoon book drops, I stared at the dark window to Sawyer’s office for the seventy-millionth time that day. Where was he?

Then the back doors clicked open, startling me.

His classic black suit showed off the hard outlines of his muscles. His blue-gray, ominous eyes peered at me. It was like he was always on the edge of a growl. My heart soared as I thought about what we had done the day before in front of his office windows, in that tall building. Like I was some kind of whore.Hiswhore.Hisplaything.

And I had enjoyed every minute.

I clutched the digital file in my pocket, keeping it hidden from his view. Maybe it was okay for him to be Sawyer. As long as I didn’t say his name and ‘please’ together like he wanted.

But there were other ways to win.

Sawyer greeted Erica with a charming smile, asking about her proposal, then immediately flicked two fingers at me, ushering me into his library office without a word. AndI followed, like an obedient pet. I blushed furiously, frustrated with myself. It’s not like we were in his skyscraper office—we were in thelibrary,in the only official office, with a window to the staff room. Would he expose me in front of Erica? It’s not like she was stuck in nonfiction right now. She was rightthere.

When he noticed my hesitation, amusement perked at his lips.

“Nothing like that today,” he said. I relaxed, slightly relieved, but also a little disappointed. A part of me wanted it to be a challenge. To show him he couldn’t decide everything. That if I wanted to have sex, we could do it on my time too. And those conflicting thoughts confused me. Frustrated me. Mentallyandsexually. “Ever heard of Hatchcom Focus?” he asked.

I tilted my head. “What is it?”

“Research it,” he ordered.

My shoulders tensed. He wasn’t going to explain why or what I was doing?

“Well, I’m about to head out,” Erica said, poking her head into the office. “Unless you two need anything?” She eyed me, silently asking:Do you want me to save you?

“We’re good,” I said.Please go away so you don’t see me get used by our boss and enjoy it.

“What are you doing, anyway?” she asked, furrowing her brows.

“Research assignment,” I said.

“Interesting research,” she said, her tone sarcastic.

I ignored her jab and faced Sawyer. “What was it called?”

“Hatchcom Focus,” he said, nodding to Erica. “Care to join us?”

Please say no,I internally begged.

“We’re technically off the clock, right, boss?” she asked. Sawyer nodded, and the heat of his eyes was on me, waiting for me to make a move. To latch onto Erica’s excuse to leave, or tell heragainthat we were okay without her. “I’ve gotta get going,” Erica said, shaking her head. “Don’t you need to go, too, Fiona? We all know you have grad school to get back to.”

It was sweet of her. But could she not read my signals?

“I’m fine. Really,” I said. “This won’t take long.”

Or it could take all night, and I would probably be okay with that,I thought.

I pinched myself.No. Stop thinking like that. He’s using you.

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