Page 6 of Never Bed the Boss
She kicks off her heels and makes a break for the elevator at the end of the hall. Fuck, my girl’s got some pistons on her. She’s pumping her arms and legs like a runaway train and I can’t help but stare. I’ve never seen a woman run like that before outside of the Olympics, barefoot in a pencil skirt no less.
When I make it to Melvin, I tell him to head back to his office.
“But I haven’t finished the paperwork for Ms. Foxe.”
I snatch the folder from his hand.
“I’ll see to it that Ms. Foxe signs on the dotted line.”
“Procedures dictate that?—”
“Melvin, get back to your office. You have work to do.”
As he looks behind me, I can see his life flashing in front of his eyes.
Melvin drawls something unintelligible in his trademark monotone as I jog towards Lilah. I watch as she enters the elevator, turns around, and looks at me with her wide, beautiful doe eyes and perfect, kissable lips.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I mutter under my breath.
3
LILAH
I’m screwed.
The elevator doors shut, providing a momentary respite from the hurricane barreling my way, but I know it won’t last. I’m in the eye of the storm and it’s only a matter of time before I have to face the full force of it again.
I close my eyes, but Asher’s face is seared into my mind. He’s pissed. So pissed. And when I saw him heading straight for me, I panicked. My survival instincts kicked in and I ran. Unfortunately, I ran into the only elevator that doesn’t work.
I stab every button but none respond. My stomach sinks when I realize I need to swipe a card to make the elevator respond.
Fantastic.
I thought I was never going to see Asher again. And when I stole his watch, I sealed my fate. There was no way I’d ever be able to look the man in his eyes again, even after the most unforgettable night of my life. It still makes me sick to remember my mistake, ruining what could’ve been something beautiful.
After I left his suite that night, I rode the elevator down to the lobby in tears. Dirty, ugly, filthy tears. They came hard and fastand there wasn’t a single thing I could do to hold them back. And I didn’t care to hold them back anymore. I’d been doing it for too long. The world was breaking me bit by bit, and I was finally buckling under the weight of it. I never thought I’d do something like that, but I’d never been pushed so far over the edge before.
The ride to the lobby felt like an eternity, and when the doors finally opened, I grabbed the watch from my purse and marched to the front desk. I slid it over the counter, muttered Asher’s name which felt sacrilegious on my lips, and then left. The man behind the counter looked at me confused, as though I were speaking a different language, but it didn’t matter. The watch was no longer in my possession, but I felt the weight of it on me the entire way back to my apartment.
I couldn’t do it. Even though the money it would bring me would solve so many problems, it wasn’t worth the price. I’m not a thief. I’m not a criminal. And I’d find a way to make it work.
But the way Asher’s charging for me right now, I’m not so sure he sees it that way.
There’s a loud beep, followed by a crackling sound, and for a moment, I’m hoping that the elevator magically starts its descent. But the voice that comes out from the small speaker in front of me crushes that hope.
“Ma’am?” The man asks. “What are you doing in this elevator?”
“Uh—How do you know…”
I look around and see a camera directed at me over my shoulder.Oh.
“This is a restricted elevator.” The doors slide open and I hold my breath, refusing to look.“Only Mr. Blacke and his associates have?—”
“That’s enough, Silas.”
My body reacts immediately to Asher’s voice. It’s no less smooth and seductive than the first time he approached meat the Ridgeway. And his eyes, gray swirls on a stormy blue backdrop, are aimed at me like a weapon.
“Lilahis accompanying me.” The texture of his shirt is like silk as it brushes against me. He swipes his key card, presses a button, and the elevator hums while we head upwards.
