<b>CHAPTER </b><b>0027 </b>


    ric’s POV


    Meadow was going to drive mepletely insane.


    It’d been nearly a week since she signed the contract, and things around the house were rtively


    normal.


    Well, except for the fact that I had a woman as beautiful and sexy as she was living under <b>my </b>roof. I was


    barely <b>at </b>home because I had a lot of work to catch up on, but when I was around, it was impossible for


    me to take my eyes off her.


    She walked around in shorts that made her ass look like it was sculpted for sin. She was a little


    temptress, and it was obvious she had no idea how much she affected me.


    Or maybe she knew what she was fucking doing and was trying to get me to touch her. I hadn’t since that night I tasted her and made here so hard with my tongue.


    That image was ingrained in my damn memory. And her taste?


    Incredible. Fucking exquisite.


    Meadow was either going to be my redemption or my destruction.


    But a good distraction from Meadow was being at the office. Not just for work, but to watch Tyler Cross slowly lose his mind and squirm in my presence.


    And for good reason.


    His girlfriend was missing.


    When Trip had knocked him out, he probably hadn’t woken up until the next morning because of how fucking stoned he was. And waking up to find out that his girl was out of reach and had gone missing had fucked with his head.


    Add to that the <b>fact </b>that the police came knocking at his door a few days ago because an anonymous


    person


    had filed a missing person’s report–and we’ve got ourselves a sleep–deprived, and therefore, inefficient and ipetent employee.


    Also, I was the <b>anonymous </b>person.


    A knock sounded on the door and I knew it was him before he even pushed open the door and stuck his


    head in<b>. </b>


    “Sir, would you still like me to schedule the 11:30 meeting with Delcoix or push it to tomorrow? He hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    I took my time in answering, not ncing up at him. “I thought I asked you to set up a meeting <b>for </b>9am<b>.</b><b>” </b>The lie was as smooth as butter on my tongue.


    “S–sir, <b>you-</b><b>” </b>


    <b>“</b>Come here, Tyler,” I ordered. “Shut the door behind you.”


    He didn’t waste any time in doing what I asked, and when he stood in front of my desk, I looked away from myptop, leaning back in my seat.


    It took everything inside me not to whip out my phone, take a picture of this bastard’s face and send it <b>to </b>Meadow just forughs.


    Tyler Cross looked a mess. One eye was swollen, the skin nearly purple, and he had a few cuts on his lip and jaw from when Trip gave him just an ounce of what he deserved.


    To be honest, I wasn’t even expecting him to show up to work the next day, but I supposed he wouldn’t want to miss his first day working as my assistant. He wouldn’t want to test me.


    I didn’t bother to ask him what happened to his face. I wasn’t in for fucking theatrics.


    I ran my thumb along my jaw. “What do I hate the most, Cross?<b>” </b>


    His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “S–sir<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    <b>My </b>gaze sharpened. “I dare you to make me repeat myself.”


    The panic that red in his eyes was the most satisfying thing I’d seen today. It fueled me.


    He bowed his head slightly. <b>“</b>You hate ipetence, sir.”


    “<b>Exactly</b><b>,</b><b>” </b><b>I </b>said, keeping my tone calm and controlled. “Now,e closer.”


    He stepped forward, cautious, like he thought I might hit him. I didn’t need to. Not yet, <b>at </b>least. <b>Not </b>when I could humiliate him with far less effort.


    Reaching for myptop, I swiveled it so the screen was facing him. “Look.”


    Tyler’s head leaned forward slightly, his eyes dropping to the disy, and I felt this strong urge to m his face hard against the table.


    Control was underrated.


    He blinked in confusion, and I could literally hear the wheels turning in his head when his whole face


    drained of color.


    I watched it happen slowly, the way realization crept in and cracked hisposure. His mouth parted slightly, his jaw tightened, and a bead of sweat formed at his temple.


    I leaned back in my chair, letting the silence stretch.


    The meeting with Delcroix, clear as day, had been scheduled for 9am. Not 11:30 like he said.


    It was confirmed and digitally time–stamped with his name attached. Because I’d made the change, contacted Delcroix and asked to push the meeting to tomorrow.


    And I hadn’t told Tyler.


    “Sir…” he started, voice thin and cracking.


    My lips twitched and it took everything in me not to smirk. “You were saying something?”


    <b>“</b><b>I</b>–I don’t understand-”


    “No,” I interrupted, voice now clipped t, cold as ice. “You don’t.”


    I stood slowly, moving around the desk with so much calmness, even though my muscles sparked with tension, itching to feel something. Then I stopped right in front of him, watching him flinch without even being touched.


    “I’m disappointed in you, Cross,” I started, letting out a slow breath. “Less than a week working for me and you’ve already let me down. Twice, if I count the fact that you got into a fight.” My gaze shifted to his ck eye.


    “Are you a criminal, Cross? Should I be worried that you’ll bring disorder to mypany<b>?</b>” I tilted my head slightly, my eyes narrowed at the edges.


    Tyler’s hand automatically reached for his bruise. “Uh–no, sir. It’s a personal matter. This has nothing to do with thepany.”


    “I should hope so,” I muttered. “But I can’t. Because it looks like you’re letting your personal life interfere with your work.” I stepped even closer, shoving my hands in my pocket. “And between you and me? I’d fire a man over ipetence before I’d fire him for trying to fuck me over.”


    That wasn’t a lie. It was just an altered truth.


    I continued. “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to lose your job, would you?”


    He shook his head, jaw still clenched.


    Running my tongue over my front teeth, I nodded. “Good. Because I’ll make sure you never work


    anywhere else ever again.”


    That wasn’t a lie, at all. And even though I wasn’t nning on firing him–not by a long shot–threatening


    him with the idea didn’t hurt.


    The pay for this position was too good for him to want to pass up or lose his job.


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    Tyler looked up quickly, rmed. “Sir, I never tried to-”


    I raised <i>a </i>brow.


    He shut up.


    I gave him slow once<b>–</b><b>over</b>. “Your face still hurts<b>?” </b>


    He stiffened, took one look at my face, and nodded once. “Yes, sir.”


    <b>“</b>Good,” I murmured. “That means you’re still feeling something. Keep it that way.”


    He swallowed, and I stepped back.


    <b>“</b>Now get the hell out of my office.”


    Tyler didn’t waste a second. He turned and left, face pale, posture stiff.


    And as the door clicked shut, I exhaled slowly and turned back to my desk. The electricity buzzing in my veins didn’t go away. If anything, it spread.


    My hands twitched, craving to touch something. I ced them on the desk<b>–</b>nothing.


    Not that I expected a different result.


    Right now, the only person who could take this ache and longing away was wearing my ring and walking


    around my house in shorts that made it impossible for me to think straight.


    I let <b>out </b><b>a </b>sharp breath.


    Maybe it was time to take things to the next level with my doe.