I lifted my brows. "They told me they’d let you go. They sent you back home to the States."
"Yeah, they did. But that’s because I told them the truth. I didn't know what the hell they wanted or what they were looking for."
And then I realized she really didn't know. I was caught between not telling her, leaving it a mystery, and telling her so that she would know and heed the warning. I opted to keep my mouth shut. "You know what, it doesn't matter. You don't know me, I don't know you."
"Oh really?" She jabbed a finger to my chest. "Trust me, I wish I had never met you or your damn brother. I have to say, you were a real tour de force, finding me in the rain. Taking me home. Looking after me. No one had ever treated me like that before. Taken care of me like that. You made me feel safe. It made me really want to believe in you. That summer ruined my life. I'm trying to get it back. Now give me one good reason why I shouldn't fucking march into Bridge Edgerton's office and tell him that I know exactly who you are. Something tells me they don't know that you and your brother are scammers and thieves."
I scowled down at her, acutely aware of the brush of her breasts against my chest as she heaved sharp intakes of breath. Acutely aware of the heat we generated together and of the jasmine and vanilla scent of her hair. Acutely aware of everything Rian. "I don't think you'll do that, because if you rat me out, your involvement comes up too. And while you may have been cleared, there will always, always be that question about you. And from the looks of it, you look nice and comfortable here."
"You think I won't do it? I will throw myself on Olivia's mercy so quick, and she will believe me. I will make her believe me."
I grinned at that, noting that she was more than happy to report me to Bridge, but if she needed clemency, she was going to go to Livy? Hell no. "You report me to Bridge, I'll report you to Bridge. I don't think Livy is going to be able to help you. I don’t care how good you were in the New York office."
And I could see it there, the chink in her armor. She was Olivia's pick. Olivia's hire. With that quick flutter of her lashes, she told me everything I needed to know. The London Lords were absolutely in charge here. She was terrified of Bridge Edgerton. I should be too.
Probably the most dangerous thing of all, was that I wanted her just as much as I'd wanted her before. More, even.
I scowled down at her, aware of the way her tongue peeked out to moisten her plump lips. Aware of the molten lava simmering under my skin and the way my dick was waking up from his long-ass slumber.
"I hate you,” she spat. “I will never believe anything you tell me again."
"Don't worry, I won't be whispering sweet nothings to you."
"You wish. You think I would ever let you—"
She was talking a lot, and her pitch was rising. So if I didn't do something, we were going to get caught. Also, the more her anger rose, the more I needed to see if she tasted the same. It was a calculated risk.
Yeah, you think?
My lips slammed down on hers, quick and hard. and my tongue licked out over the seam of her lips.
The joke was on me. That was a rookie fucking mistake. If I thought the taste of Rian Cooke had haunted me for the last five years, the last thing on earth I ever should have done was taste her again. She was sweet, hot, and the brushing of our lips was like plugging myself into an electrical outlet. I pulled back just as she gasped. Her lips parted, slightly bruised, and I glowered down at her. "You talk too much. Keep your fucking mouth shut and we won't have any problem."
But instead of cowering and backing down, she tilted her chin up, and I knew she would have eviscerated me if I let her. "You put your lips on me again, you will regret it."
And then she turned around, reached for the door, and stalked out, leaving me in the storage cupboard, breath still tearing out in jagged puffs. I had obviously miscalculated. But maybe this was better. I had poked the viper's nest. I hadn't meant to, but that was what had happened. It would keep me on my toes. It would teach me never to turn my back on Rian again. "Game on, princess. Game on."
Four
Rian
Five minutes after kissageddon, and my lips still tingled. My pulse still hummed just under the surface of my skin. And my heart was still beating that erratic pattern.
That asshole.
Are you sure he’s the asshole? After all, you kissed him back.
Hell, return kisses or not, my brain and I needed to come to a consensus and, that consensus needed to be that Oliver was an asshole.
How the fuck did I get into these situations?
This wasn't me. I didn't do this.
I’d been minding my business. I got a job I could be proud of. I was working my ass off. And then here comes Ollie Wexler. Just fucking up my whole groove.
I made it to my desk without incident. But as I sat down and tried to pull my notes together, I couldn't focus. I pulled up my purse and headed straight for the back with my lipstick and makeup, determined to put myself together again.
In the mirror, I looked like myself. Olive-toned skin, full lips that were now a little too full, smeared lipstick, and my face slightly flushed. But otherwise, I looked like me. Except, I felt like someone else. I felt like the me I used to be. The pull of the Wexler boys. Jesus Christ.
I truly never expected to see them again. Despite the promises made, I had zero intention of ever looking for them. They had wrought such destruction on my life. I forced myself to take a deep breath. I could do this. My one advantage was that he thought I was that same girl. The one who was weak, blindly followed, trusted too easily. Yeah, well, thanks to his brother, that girl was dead. Long gone. She'd been replaced by a woman who wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of her dreams. It didn't matter how many butterflies fluttered at the thought of Ollie Wexler and his sweet, easy smile. None of it mattered. Because I was not making the same mistakes again.
You got this. Just avoid him like a plague. Work with him when you must, and then you don't have to deal with him.
Exactly. I could do this. If push came to shove, I'd talk to Olivia and we'd work something out. Because like hell I was going to get stuck working with him.
When I returned to my desk, Livy's door stood open and she greeted me with a smile. "Ah, there you are."
"Oh, hey, did you need something?"
"Yep, can the two of you join me for a moment, I want to talk to both of you."
I bit back my scowl before she noticed it. "Oh, great. Let me grab my notebook."
I tossed my purse in my bottom drawer, letting the metal clang a little too loudly, and then I plastered a smile on my face. I could hear Ollie walk in behind me, and I had to work not to grind my teeth.
God, it was so hard to look at him because I could still remember the feel of his hands on my hips and how he slammed his lips on mine. Those kisses were not the kisses of a boy. Those were the kisses of a full-grown man. One that knew exactly what to do with a kiss. One that knew exactly what to do with my body.
I dragged my attention back to Livy with a smile. "So what's up? What do you need?"
"Well, I was just speaking to Bridge, and he really wants the two of you to work on Kensington together. You'll be doing all the operations work for both their soft opening in Monaco and the real deal in New York this Fall. Rian it's a chance for you to showcase what you can do. Oliver, it’s a great leadership opportunity for you.”