Page 17 of Power
She smiles and sits, pulling the stack towards her. She looks up and meets my gaze, guileless and so innocent. “Thank you, Owen. I really appreciate this. Sorry, should I call you Mr. Jackson?”
The idea is almost abhorrent to me. “No. Owen is fine.”
She smiles shyly and lowers her eyes. “Okay.”
I narrow my eyes and watch her get to work before I turn and head off to find Archer. He needs to know about Laura sooner rather than later.
Not surprisingly, I find him in the cafeteria. He was quite happy to tell Finn and me all about his lunchtime with Bailey yesterday. What does surprise me is his companion.
I dislike this member of the Society. She is a pit viper. She doesn’t care what she has to do to snake her way up the ranks, including trying it on with me, Finn, and Archer, all at the same time, to seemingly hedge her bets. Unfortunately, she chose the wrong trio to go after. Not any one of us was or is interested in her, which is why I find this little tête-à-tête intriguing.
They are talking in hushed tones, but when Archer looks up, he sees me and narrows his eyes.
“Go,” he says to Trish in a normal tone.
“What?” she asks and then sees me glaring at her from a few feet away. She gives me a seductive smile that turns my stomach.
“Leave,” I state.
Her smile falters slightly, but it doesn’t deter her from rising from the cheap plastic chair and brushing her tits past me.
“Ugh,” I mutter and sit opposite Archer. “Care to share?”
“She was doing a job for me.”
“Which is?”
“To find out if Bailey would remain loyal.” His unwavering gaze is unapologetic.
“And?”
“She passed with flying colors. Are you surprised?”
“Nope. Did you know Laura hasn’t been in today?”
He frowns and checks his watch. “Hmm.”
“No ideas?”
“Nope.”
“Then we need to investigate. She obviously arranged the transfer to your desk, but Bailey’s log-in credentials hadn’t been upgraded. I don’t know whether she is incredibly stupid or if it’s something more sinister.”
“Find out.” Two short words before he rises and stalks off, leaving me to follow, but knowing exactly where to start.
ChapterThirteen
Bailey
I sit at my desk,telling myself it is merely paperwork that I need to focus on. For the first time, ever, I’m incapable of focusing on the task at hand.Thatis the power that he has over me. It’s a strange mix of emotions that rushes through me—longing, fear, anticipation. I don’t know which way to turn, and it’s driving me to distraction. I chew the inside of my lip as I tap away on the keyboard, looking up when something makes me.
Archer.
It’s like a force has drawn my gaze toward him.
He is walking down the hallway toward me. Well, his office, more like. My heart pounds in my chest as he draws nearer. I drop my gaze, pretending not to notice as he glides past, the scent of his subtle aftershave hitting my nasal passages and making me groan inwardly. He is enticing, and while I have no claim on him, I feel like he ismine. I want to ask him what the incident in his office means, but I’m afraid he will say it means nothing. Or worse, that it was a bit of fun. I hate that. It’s hurtful and insulting. I don’t want Archer to be like that. I realize that my dumb fantasy of him is exactly that: a fantasy. There is no way he would or could be interested in a girl like me. I’m a nobody. He’s somebody powerful and sophisticated. I’m merely a pawn in his game, but at the same time that it hurts me, I want to beg him for more.
I grip the edge of my desk tightly, willing myself to stay still, preparing myself for a nonchalant response when he speaks to me. My body trembles like a leaf in the wind, but I don’t move an inch. I can almost feel the electricity in the air as I take a deep breath and slowly lift my gaze, my heart pounding like thunder in my chest.
