Page 16 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

Alexander

Liberty Rain Smith hated my guts. When her eyes landed on me, they flashed with annoyance, defiance, and anger, but there was also something else there. I wasn’t even sure if she realized it herself. The air sizzled with unspoken attraction each time we were around each other. She was the cause for my constant hard on, which in turn made me even more agitated.

I kept waiting for her to bring up the connection of her mom’s publishing company to Caldwell’s and for the bombshell to drop. However with each day that went by I was more and more convinced Liberty didn’t know who got her mom’s publishing company. She certainly knew nothing about her mother’s past. Our little run-in at the restaurant confirmed that when she didn’t recognize her mother’s family’s last name of Glasgow.

I’ve had an eye on Lily Smith for the past twenty years. It took a lot of digging and searching to find her. But it was my father who ultimately revealed her location, unbeknownst to him. Once a year, he traveled to the States, staying in a little insignificant town in Western Maryland.

That was my first cue something was off. There was nothing for my father there… except Lily Smith. The population of the town was so small, it took me no time to go through its residents. She was the only person with that name, although combined with last name Smith rather than her maiden last name Glasgow or her married last name Cambridge. But the moment I got my detective to snap a picture of Lily Smith, the search was over. I kept tabs on her ever since.

I knew Lily Smith often took her daughters to work with her. I knew she kept to herself, and her daughters along with the publishing company were her whole world. Her mother never dated any men during her life in Middletown but her daughters were quite popular and loved by everyone. While our family constantly battled rumors and smears of our last name thanks to my father, Lily Smith and her daughters lived a simple, unstained life.

Considering the woman Liberty had become, I wondered why she moved from her hometown. Maybe her little home wasn’t enough to spread her wings.

She was efficient and whip smart. Although she hated the secretarial work, everything she delivered was meticulous and to the point. With the exception of names; she was not good with remembering names at all. With her efficiency, I would barely ever have to talk to her. That would have been better, for both of us. But I wanted her around me more, her smell, her eyes flashing at me while she chewed her beautiful lips trying to hold back words.

Instead of thinking with my brain, I let my cock dictate my actions. I’d kick back her work, criticize every little word, change my mind on what I needed. I wanted to hear her voice more, see her curvy body close to me. I wondered if she’d feel as good in my arms, her curvy butt pushed against me. I could see it already, she’d smile at me with those lush lips of hers as I fucked her hard and made her come all over my cock.

“Fuck,” a curse left my lips.

I was always known for being a cold and calculating bastard, not a man lusting after a woman way too young for me. She was more suitable for Maxim. She liked him, smiled at him, and joked with him.

I should stay away from her!But even as that thought lingered in my head, I knew I’d never let my brother have her. Liberty Rain Smith was mine and she didn’t even know it yet.

Chapter Nine

Liberty

It was Friday, midday, and I’d worked with Alexander the Brute since Monday. One week and it felt like a lifetime. Since I’d have to put up with his nasty character for the next six months, I figured I might as well give him a nickname.

He had not said please nor thank you once. And I was tracking it. Not a single damn time.

I swore he never showed any emotions. When I first heard about him, I was worried Alexander would be like Callen, bringing out the old memories, but they were the complete opposite, which should’ve been a relief, but unfortunately, the obvious difference between characters made me think of Callen. He was always warm, always smiling.

Each time Alexander called me Miss Smith, I remembered how Callen used to call me “beautiful lass” while we worked together. Every cold gaze by Alexander made me remember Callen's warm smile.

I thought back to when Callen and I first started working together, images I had worked to forget over the last three years creeping in.

“Have you eaten, beautiful lass?” His voice was always so cheerful.

My eyes met his warm smile, and the sadness I’d felt since Mom died temporarily lifted off my chest.

“I’m trying to finish this script first.”

“Your voice is soft like velvet. Has anyone ever told you that?” His tone wasn’t seductive, making the words sound like a simple statement. “Now, lass, that script can wait. Let’s go grab lunch.”

He took my hand and gently pulled me up. His touch felt comforting, no sparks flying but it felt good.

I still remembered his smell, his odd cologne that made me sneeze. He switched it for me, saying he wanted me close to him.

Callen was charming every second of the day and it felt good to work with him; the days were just brighter when I worked for him. And I missed that warmth and excitement my work brought me. Yet, Alexander's coldness was probably the better choice, since the warmth from Callen only ended up in heartbreak.

“Miss Smith, I expect the notes from the meeting emailed to me in two minutes,” Alexander’s voice startled me out of my thoughts and my eyes met his. I had to blink a couple of times, my eyes burning, memories hurting. I bit my lip hard to stop the pain inside of me from swelling and focused on the sting on my lips. With his gaze on me, he observed me and I had a feeling he saw too much.

God, how I disliked being around him. It was a problem considering I was his secretary for the time being. Each time I saw him or thought about him, my body would tingle with anticipation. It was the part I hated most of all, that my body reacted around him. Maybe it was my blood pressure. I hoped with each passing day, my body would respond less intensely to his closeness or his cold gaze, but unfortunately, it was going in the wrong direction.

“Yes, I’ll email it now.”

I detested that my voice sounded soft and weak. I wanted to tell him off. Instead, thinking about Callen brought on sadness. For Christ’s sake, I needed to move on. Memories of him shouldn’t have made me sad. Hell, I shouldn’t have thought of the memories in the first place.

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