Page 40 of Devil's Tulip

She’s teasing me, but she doesn’t fully understand the fire she’s playing with. As much as she’s seducing me, she’s also seducing herself. I don’t know why she’s doing this, but I know whatever spell she’s cast over me, she’s caught in it just asdeeply. And if I break first, I’ll shatter the illusion, and she’ll wake up from the haze she’s lost herself in.

I can’t have that.

I’m playing the long game here. Nothing short-term.

When I take her back to Manhattan, I’m taking her home. My home. Where she’ll be for the rest of her life. But to convince her to come with me, I need her to stay exactly as she is now—dazed, desperate, and aching for me.

“The stock has been doing really well, showing a steady rise for the past eighteen months. This is the best time to get an IPO, Michael.”

I drag my gaze from my tablet, where I’m watching Gianna—she’s in the library, rearranging my collection of books for some unfathomable reason—towards Rachel, the woman with the absurd suggestion.

Steepling my fingers, I slowly glare down at the other men and women seated around the large table in one of my conference rooms in my office back in Manhattan. They carefully avoid my gaze.Cowards.

This isn’t the first time this topic has been brought up, and I’ve shut it down every single time.

My stare settles on Rachel. “This is only your third time in the board meeting with us, Rebecca, so I’m going to?—”

“Rachel, I–” She cuts off the moment my eyes go cold.

“You don’t interrupt me, Candace. Understood?” I deliberately call her by the wrong name again and wait for her firm nod before continuing. “HartSphere isprivately ownedand will remain so until I lose my last breath. We’re never going public.Never.”

My gaze sweeps over the other culprits again—Nathaniel, especially. I have no doubt they pushed Rachel forward to bring this up, hoping I’d go easy on her since she’s still a relativelynew board member, having inherited her dead grandmother’s shares.

“Under no circumstances will this be discussed again,” I say flatly. “If you’re unhappy with the way I runmycompany, you’re welcome to sell off your shares to me and walk the fuck out.”

As I finish speaking, my office door opens.

I frown, my body already tightening as Gianna walks in, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes.

Fuck.I’m about to regret putting her prints on the system, aren’t I?

“I didn’t realize this topic had already been discussed—several times apparently,” Rachel says apologetically, directing a glare at Nathaniel. “I won’t?—”

Movement at the edges of my vision has me looking up again, and my breath lodges in my throat. It takes all of my self-control for my jaw not to drop.

Gianna isdancing.

Terribly.

She’s got my AirPods in, probably listening to one of the ridiculous playlists she’s made over the past few days. Swaying, twisting, looking utterly carefree as she loses herself to whatever song is playing, completely oblivious—or worse, entirely aware—that she has my full, undivided attention.

“Michael? Are you there?”

I barely register the voices on the call as I wave a hand absently, signaling them to move on to the next topic.

And then?—

Right in front of me, in the middle of my office, Gianna whips off her tank top. She folds it neatly, places it on the desk, and pushes it towards me.

I keep my facial muscles firmly in place, perusing her body coolly, even as every drop in my brain rushes south with brutalforce, hardening my cock. My jaw tightens as she spins, reaching back to… unhook her bra?

The straps slide down her shoulders, and?—

Jesus. Fucking. Christ.

Full, creamy tits spill free.

My mouth floods, and my cock goes iron-hard, my fingers twitching with the urge to grab, to devour.

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