“You can’t do that,” her uncle said. “I’ve been running the finances of this place for ten years now. Morgan expects—”
“I don’t care what Morgan expects,” she interrupted. “She is no longer employed by this company. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some work—”
Her uncle reached out and wrapped his hands around her arm, squeezing her tightly as his face grew red.
“I won’t be strong-armed into anything,” she warned. Her uncle shoved her a little.
“You bitch. You think you can come in here and ruin me?” he growled out, inches from her face. When he spoke, spit splattered over her face, and she tried to recoil.
“Let go of me.” She tried to jerk her arm free.
Suddenly, the office door flew open, and she fell backwards as her uncle was shoved away from her. Her hip hit the side of her desk, and she instantly reached up and wiped the moisture from her face, wishing instantly for another shower.
Then she noticed Cade standing over her uncle and rushed forward. He must have pushed Colin away from her, since he was now sitting on the ground between her desk and the two worn leather chairs that faced it.
“Cade,” she said, grabbing his arm.
“Get up, old man,” Cade was saying. “Pick on someone your own size.”
“I’m okay,” she said to him, trying to pull him away.
“I’ll sue you,” her uncle spat out, his eyes wide and focused on her, and his face even more red than before.
“For?” She turned on him.
“Everything you have,” he answered as he shifted to get up.
“You’ve had control of everything of mine for the past ten years, and you’ve let it rot away,” she countered and stepped between Cade and her uncle, who was slowly getting off the ground.
“I believe your services are no longer needed here,” she said. She had to stand her ground. She didn’t even want to think of what her uncle might have done if Cade hadn’t come along.
Colin’s eyes narrowed at her. “The hell they aren’t,” he spat back. “You can’t fire me.”
“The hell I can’t,” she responded firmly. “You can either leave now without another word and with your severance package, or I can have you hauled off my property by the police with nothing.” She crossed her arms over her chest, thankful for the feeling of Cade directly behind her.
Just then there was a knock on the office door. A petite woman with jet-black hair walked in. She was dressed in a cream-colored designer suit and expensive heels, and she carried a red Gucci bag the same shade as her lipstick. The woman’s long fingernails were painted the same shade, making Raven realize that it had been too long since she’d even thought about painting her toes or heading in for a manicure.
“Am I early?” the woman asked with a slight French accent as she smiled brightly. The smile slipped slightly upon seeing Colin’s face.
Raven guessed that this was Morgan Roche, the woman his uncle had been rumored to be having an affair with for the past few years.
Before her uncle could speak, Raven stepped forward.
“Miss Roche, I’ve left you several messages over the past week. I’m Raven Brooks.” She made a point not to hold out her hand.
“Yes, I was in Paris.” She waved her hand in the air as if excusing Raven and started to step past her.
“As I mentioned in my messages,” Raven said, blocking the path to her office, “Cannon Falls Resort is no longer in need of your services.”
“Who are you?” The woman’s eyes narrowed, then she glanced over to Colin.
“I am the owner of this establishment,” Raven clarified. “My uncle has been running the business in my absence.”
“Oh?” Morgan’s eyes moved to Colin. “I was unaware of this.”
“I assumed, which is why I left several messages,” Raven said again.
“As I said, I was in Paris.” Morgan waved her hand again.
“The last I knew, cell service works in Paris,” Raven countered. “Thank you for coming out today, but as I mentioned, your services are no longer required. Actually”—she turned back to her uncle— “you are both welcome to leave.” She walked over and held the office door open for them. “We’re done here.”
As Morgan walked out, she had a few choice works in French, which Raven fully understood thanks to three years of French classes. Still, she was just thankful the woman was leaving.
Then she turned to her uncle and waited.
“I think the lady has asked you to leave,” Cade said firmly.
Her uncle glared at him. “Stay out of this, Stone.”
“I’m here on business,” Cade shrugged. “The last I heard, you’ve been asked to leave by the owner of this establishment.”
“I live here,” Colin spat out.
“I’m willing to give you a week to find someplace else,” Raven answered.
“You said we were welcomed here,” Colin said.
“You were, until today. Roslyn, Cal, and Liza are still welcome. You wore out your welcome just now.” She nodded back towards her desk, where he’d grabbed her.
“You haven’t heard the last of me,” Colin said, moving towards the door.
She stopped herself from flinching as he passed by her and, after he stepped out, she shut the door and leaned against it after flipping the lock.
“You okay?” Colin asked, directly behind her.
Straightening up, she put up her protective shields once more as she turned to him.
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he said softly, his eyes scanning her.
“What?” She tried to hold it together, but her arm throbbed where her uncle had grabbed, which was making everything inside her throb with anger. Not all of it was aimed at Colin, since she’d allowed him to manipulate her.
“Put up the walls,” Cade answered, moving a little closer to her. His eyes went to her exposed arm. “He bruised you.” He moved closer to her, then surprised her by running the back of his finger over the spot gently. “Your skin is so pale, so…” His eyes moved up to hers. “Flawless.”
The breath in her lungs practically burst from her in short bursts as she felt her heart kick. Going from anger and hurt to lust so quickly had her head spinning. Even the room seemed to spin around them as she looked into Cade’s eyes.
Her mind wandered to what it would feel like to have him lean in and place those sexy lips of his over hers. How would it feel having strong arms wrap around her? Hold her? How long had it been since she’d allowed herself a moment of pleasure?
Reggie. She closed her eyes on the pain.
“Does he do that often?” Cade asked, his voice low and soothing.
“No,” she answered truthfully, not opening her eyes. “Normally he just yells at me.”
She felt his entire body tense next to hers. The air almost crackled with his anger. Opening her eyes, she could instantly tell that he was trying to get his temper under control.
Seeing it had an awakening effect on her. Blinking a few times, she shook the lustful thoughts she’d just had about him away and refocused.