Page 18 of Coldhearted King

He steps right into my personal space, lowering his head until his face hovers just above mine. “So let me make sure I’m clear on this. Now that you’re back with Paul, you have no more need of me?”

“N-No.” My voice comes out shaky and I curse myself, even more so when his lips tilt up in a smile that isn’t a smile at all. He steps closer again and his woodsy, masculine scent brings back memories of that night.

That’s a good girl.

I’m going to come so. Fucking. Hard.

A shiver works its way through me, and he glances down, then up, triumph flaring in his eyes. I look down too, only then noticing that my nipples are clearly visible through my blouse.

And that they’re brushing against his shirt with every rise and fall of my chest.

“Seems like your body disagrees with you,” he says.

“That’s just a biological reaction. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Keep telling yourself that, kitten. You might actually start to believe it.”

I can’t believe he thinks he can get away with calling me kitten again. In a moment of insanity, I reach out and wrap my fingers around his dick. His very hard dick.

He freezes, eyes flaring wide, and I know I’ve surprised him.

“See? You have no interest in me, but you’re hard. It’s a biological reaction.”

When he speaks again, his voice has gone low and gravelly. “If you don’t stop stroking my cock, you’ll find out exactly how this reaction ends, and I can guarantee it will involve you screaming my name.”

A return to sanity has me snatching my hand away, and a blush sears its way over my whole body. I can’t believe I just fondled him in his office. That’s so far out of line it’s not funny.

He steps back calmly, as if I didn’t just have my fingers wrapped around his erection a few seconds ago, and returns to his desk. “You can go.”

I blink, shocked by the sudden dismissal, even though I’m more than ready to get out of here.

“Now, Miss West. My time is valuable.”

I grind my teeth but turn on my heel and reach for the door handle. My neck prickles as I leave the office, and I can almost feel his eyes on me as I let the heavy door swing shut behind me. I give Samson a tight smile as I hurry to the elevator. I want to put as much distance between me and Cole as I can.

The meeting hadn’t gone at all the way I’d wanted. With the way things escalated, I forgot to mention that Paul doesn’t know about him and that I’d like to keep it that way. Not that I think Cole is likely to talk about me to anyone. I’m sure I’m just another notch on his bedpost. One he’d probably completely forgotten about before I walked into that meeting room.

I reach the elevator and press the button. While I wait, I cross my arms and stare absently at the huge black-and-white print showing King Plaza during its construction.

Thinking of Cole and what he suspected me of tightens my chest, a dull ache spreading through me. It’s hard to believe the man who gave me such an incredible experience could turn out to be such an asshole. The memory of the night we’d spent together, which I’d been holding close to my heart ever since it happened, is now tarnished.

The elevator doors whoosh open, and I step inside, trying my hardest to suppress the hurt. I have a job to do, one which could make my career. Letting a man like Cole derail my dream would be an insult to me and Mom.

I punch the button for the forty-ninth floor, the location of my team’s temporary office space, and watch the numbers tick down.

With any luck, that’s the last time I’ll ever need to get up close and personal with Cole King.

CHAPTERNINE

COLE

“Are you listening?” Roman’s voice brings my attention back to the discussion. My brothers and I are sitting around a table in his office, analyzing the King Group’s financials for the last quarter, as well as the projections for the next six months.

“Of course,” I say. And I am, despite the memory of my meeting with Delilah this morning taking up most of my attention.

She’d surprised me. I’m mostly convinced that our original encounter and what happened between us was a coincidence. The shock and horror on her face when I suggested otherwise was believable enough that a part of me—a tiny part—actually feels bad about accusing her. But there are women out there who would do exactly that. Outside the bedroom, there have been plenty of people over the years who’ve orchestrated meetings with me and my brothers to try to get something from us.

In our position, trust is scarce. I’m not sure there’s anyone in my life I trust completely. I know my brothers won’t screw me over, because that would mean screwing the family and the company over, but it isn’t because of any fond feelings we have for each other. It’s because our power and wealth depend on our united front. That’s the only thing that keeps the jackals at bay.

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