Page 114 of Point of Contention

I rolled my eyes. “I know what you’re doing, Rylan.”

“Then why ask?”

“I just…” I sighed as she slid my zipper down and dragged her knuckles over my shaft.

“Shh,” she whispered. “You’re having a bad day.”

I snorted. “Understatement.”

Her brows creased as she held my gaze.

I ran my thumb from her forehead down her temple and she offered me a slight smile.

“We need to talk,” she whispered.

I nodded.

“But you need this first.”

I nodded again, and I wondered if maybe she didn’t need this, too. To lay claim to me after seeing Stella.

“AndIneed to remind you whoyoubelong to.”

I grinned as she tugged my pants down, then eased my boxers down to mid-thigh, freeing my cock. As her lips wrapped around it, I hung my head back and closed my eyes.

What had I ever done to deserve this woman?

Not a goddamn thing, I knew, but I planned to do what I could going forward to earn her love.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Rylan

Cabot was calmer now, slightly less tense than when I arrived, but his energy still filled the room with a buzzing sensation, his stress a palpable entity. I sat across from him, much like the first time we met in his office. Only, this time, I wasn’t just his intern; I was here as his equal, his partner.

Because heneededme to be here.

The thought thrilled me to no end, even as dread settled like a heavy weight in my belly. Something was very wrong. I wanted to prepare myself, brace myself for whatever he was about to tell me, but all I knew was that it involved Mina and Stella—and nothing good could come of Stella’s presence.

My jaw clenched as I thought of her sitting in the conference room just down the hall. A few yards separated me from the woman who’d tried to destroy my life. She’d nearly robbed me of my internship, my possible future at Reed Publishing. She’d dirtied my name, called my character into question.

I’d almost lost friends because of her.

I’d almost lost Cabot.

He rose to his feet and I pulled in a stuttering breath.

But Ihadn’tlost him, I reminded myself. No one—not even Stella—could rob me of what Cabot and I had found with one another. We’d weathered the storm and were now stronger because of it.

He strode to his bookshelves and stared up at the row of Simona Steele special edition hardbacks, so deep in thought I dared not speak until he was ready. Instead, I just watched him, waiting for the moment he’d turn those stormy eyes on me and let me in so I could try to help.

Not that I understood a freaking thing in his world. What help could I give to the CEO of anything? I almost snorted at the thought, the absurdity of it all. As if I could offer sound advice to a man who ran an entire publishing house and would soon take over a billion-dollar corporation.

Riiiight.

But if he needed me here, I could at least offer moral support. I could be a sounding board for the man I loved.

And if that didn’t work, I could always dish out a few more blowies.

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