Ruin Me (Savage Bosses)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

K ent

After asking Elsie to meet me this morning, I was at a loss for words. She arrived early, and I stalled for time by having her order breakfast from Omar, which didn’t take as long as I’d hoped. I checked my watch and counted down the seconds until Madison walked through my doors to find us together.

Would she look at me the way she did yesterday after my cruel words? I squeezed my fist, hoping the pressure would help me focus. Madison’s feelings didn’t matter, they couldn’t. Not when her image haunted me all night; from the tears that refused to fall from her soulful brown eyes to the forbidden lure she represented.

Elsie shifted in her chair and crossed her legs. Slim thighs and legs that drove most men wild with lust did nothing for me. Although I appreciated her form, appreciation was all I could muster. None of the madness that had fueled me yesterday or driven me to taste Madison was present, not even a flicker.

“Kent, I’m not sure why you needed to see me again. Madison laid out a comprehensive plan for our public outings. She’s got me busier than my publicist, which thrills my stylist.” Elsie smiled, probably at the thought of all the free designer clothes she’d get for her appearances.

With great timing, Madison entered the office.

For a second, my mind blanked as I took in her attire. She wore a skirt suit that would be modest on anyone else. On Madison, she might as well have put on a sign that dared every heterosexual man, lesbian, and bi-curious person to touch, lick, and fuck her until her carefully slicked bun became a sultry mess and her lips doubled in size.

“Morning, Mr. Luxe… Elsie.” She strode toward her desk.

I sat rooted in my chair. It was the most control I could exert over myself because if I unclenched for a second, I’d forcefully drag her home to change her clothes; to something baggy and shapeless. Who was I kidding? Even a nun’s habit on her would tempt a eunuch.

Instead of acknowledging Madison by word or gesture as Elsie did, I said, “To answer your question, I thought we should discuss how close we want this act to look to outsiders. Specifically, if you want to move into my penthouse with me.”

From the corner of my eye, I spied Madison as she missed a step once I finished my offer. She took a deep breath and firmed her posture before setting her briefcase on the desk.

“There are three bedrooms, so you don’t need to feel pressured into anything.” Despite addressing Elsie, my gaze locked onto every move Madison made. “I work long hours, so unless we’re attending an event, you won’t see me most nights.”

“You’re moving in together?” Madison’s lips pressed into a thin line, inspiring an urge inside me to free them for my personal abuse.

I was going to have to do something with this inexplicable need that arose inside me whenever I thought about Madison or was near her. Only one woman had ever driven me to obsession, and that had been after being around her for years. In less than forty-eight hours, Madison had lulled my senses, and I needed to wake the fuck up.

“Do you think we should?” Elsie asked.

Madison’s throat worked overtime, as if suppressing the words she wanted to say. I sat in suspense, eager to hear her comeback.

“Like everything you do from now on, there are pros and cons to your actions. Living together will undoubtedly give Mr. Luxe positive press. They’d say, how can he be a suspect when Elsie believes in him enough to sleep with him every night? But should things fall apart, all that good press will turn violently against the both of you.”

Disappointment filled me as Madison logically broke down what Elsie and I would face. Where was the jealous reaction, the desire to one-up Elsie? My words should have incited a stronger response. She wasn’t behaving like a woman with an agenda, and I began to question if I’d misjudged her.

“Kent.” Elsie rested her hand on my arm. “Based on everything Madison said, can we wait before deciding things now? First, let’s see how the press responds.”

A surprising sense of relief drained the tension from my body. Suddenly, the idea of Elsie living and walking around my home with her things cluttering my space lost its appeal. More disturbing was the sense of loss when a brief flash of Madison on my couch wearing my pajama top popped into my head.

“Sure,” I said, more confused than when I began this charade. “Let me walk you out. I’ll have Omar take you home, or, if you’ve the urge to buy something, he’ll get you something nice.”

When we neared Omar’s desk, I handed him my black card and asked him to see to Elsie’s needs. The brief absence allowed me to breathe and reorganize my thoughts and remove the tempting image of Madison in my home.

As I stalled, Carol strolled onto the floor. Seeing her brought a lot of my frustration to the forefront. She was responsible for my first of many blow ups at Madison yesterday. While I observed her, she glanced in my direction more times than was warranted. I couldn’t deny that Carol was a beautiful woman, blonde, tall, and lithe. Eight months ago, she would’ve ticked every one of my boxes, but I would have refrained since she worked for me.

Her presence on my floor was unusual. Now that I had time to observe her, doubts about her involvement with Madison arose. I rarely question my managers’ hiring decisions, but I couldn’t ignore the suspicion about Carol’s credentials riding my back. I crooked my finger, beckoning her over.

A flirtatious smile curled her lips, and she swished her hips as she approached. “Hi Kent. I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to check on our new hire, but the desk I designated for her seems to have disappeared.” When she stood before me, Carol’s expression shifted to one of concern. “I’m worried she’s not taking her role here seriously.”

“Deke seems to have a lot of faith in your work. However, when it comes to Madison’s role and performance, that’s not something Deke can relegate to an HR manager. If she presents to be a problem, I’ll have Deke handle it personally.”

“Oh, of course.” The corners of Carol’s mouth tightened. “I won’t overstep again.”

“And one more thing, Carol.” I infused cold steel into my voice. “My meeting requests supersede any curiosity you have. Don’t let it happen again because Deke won’t be able to cover for you next time.”

“Yes, sir,” she gritted.

Gone from her demeanor was the air of conspiratorial camaraderie and flirtation. Good. I had enough problems with my current PR crisis, criminal investigation, and the woman in my office. The brief respite from her presence did nothing to clear the fog of confusion from my head, but I had an international organization to run.

As soon as I reentered my office, my hackles rose. Madison stepped out of the bathroom. Her glossy eyes widened in shock before she averted her gaze. Her lips were fuller than before when I walked Elsie out; as if she’d been nibbling on them. Perhaps biting them to hold back sounds? Not that she would have had to. Thanks to soundproofing in my office and bathroom, sounds never escaped.

Suspicions whispered in my ear, but I discounted them. There was no way she would use my bathroom for that . I narrowed my eyes at her to pick up more clues.

Her body showed no signs of lassitude, so she hadn’t released her tension. If anything, she was more tense than when I’d left her. Under my intense stare, she brought her hand up to cover her necklace.

The protective gesture rubbed me the wrong way. Was it a gift from another man? Was that why she slapped me yesterday? Because I’d trespassed on someone else’s playing field? With a viciousness I reserved for my business rivals, I crushed my curiosity into dust. I had no business wondering or getting upset about who gave Madison gifts. Not when her presence was a constant reminder of how I’d failed Lola.

Madison straightened and a determined gleam entered her eyes. “We should prep for your appearance for the event in two days. I have a list of media and political people you need on your side.”

She met me at my desk with a dossier. Jasmine, fleeting and arousing, wafted from her position standing beside me.

To stifle the urge to inhale deeply, I breathed through my mouth and curled my fingers into my palm until the sharp bite from my nails helped me to focus.

Madison’s list comprised a few people in my circle, including Douglas’s mayor, Valentino DeLuca. There were also a few surprising names of people I’d courted for years but never got my foot in the door with.

While schooling my features, I segmented the personalities. “I have ongoing dealings with this group and won’t need to spend much time with them other than to show my face.”

Madison reached for the pile, momentarily brushing the side of her soft breast against me.

My muscles locked in place, and I forgot to breathe through my mouth. Jasmine flitted up my nose to fill my lungs and paint sensuous scenes where I wrapped Madison’s naked body around myself.

“Mayor DeLuca has connections to some of the hottest fashion houses coming out of Italy right now,” she said, noting I’d singled out Valentino DeLuca’s name from the rest of the list.

The reminder cleared the increasingly disturbing images of the two of us from my mind.

“Spend more time with him to give Elsie face time. After all, you both need to benefit from these events.” Madison stacked the names to the side, and I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her delicate ear or the soft luster of her skin as I trailed my gaze down her neck.

Maybe you should be the one on my arm.

Instead of allowing the rogue thought out, I grunted and shoved another set of names at Madison. “These people will be more challenging.”

“What? Are you afraid that you can’t win them over with your sunny disposition?”

I glanced at her face, wondering if my imagination was fucking with me. Had a note of flirtation entered her voice? The slight uptick of her lips could be the same sarcasm she’d been handing me from our reunion. But I… Hell, I didn’t know if I wanted her to be unfeeling or not anymore, and I didn’t like being confused. I was a decisive man in all my dealings, yet somehow Madison could shift the ground from under me.

“Let’s just say I’ll need more than my enviable status to get these men to give me the time. Once I’m in front of them, they won’t be able to deny my charm or the benefits of doing business with me.”

“That’s where Elsie comes in. Have her approach Hayden first.” Madison pulled the dossier on Hayden Mills, heir to one of the largest international media conglomerates. “He’s never met a model he doesn’t try to steal from someone else. I’ll have her drop my name before?—”

“What will your name do that my name won’t?”

Madison chuckled while shaking her head. “That’s between Hayden and me. What matters is we’ll have given him two reasons to meet you.”

Whatever was between Madison and Hayden wasn’t my business, yet my gut churned from the possibilities. Even as we discussed the other names on the list, I surreptitiously watched Madison. To hell with her keeping her secrets. I was going to find out how close Hayden was to Madison, and if she knew what was good for her, they better be long-lost siblings separated at birth.