“If I have to,” she grumbles as she shoves the money into her purse.
“You do.” I step forward, hooking a finger under her chin and tilting it up. “And I don’t care who the hell you go to lunch with. You’re not my girlfriend.” Her nostrils flare and her eyes narrow angrily. “But you’ll take Perry with you. For protection from the press. You’re dismissed, Miss Elliott.”
At the mention of my brother’s name, she grins all too goofily at me. “Hmm.”
“The hmms belong to me.”
“Not anymore,” she sasses. “You knew I was a fast learner and yet you showed me all your tricks anyway. See you later, boss.” She gives me an exaggerated wink that makes my blood boil and my dick throb all at once.
This girl drives me fucking crazy.
I try not to admire her fiery determination or the sexy way her lips quirk into a knowing grin or how fucking hot she is in her take-no-shit outfit.
I also fail.
Miserably.
CHAPTER SIX
Ash
My ass hurts but things between me and Win feel better. Not close to how they were, but I do have hope. Because no matter how mad he is at me, he still wants me. He’s still affected by me.
Maybe our story isn’t one of princes and princesses and happily ever afters. Maybe ours is a wickedly hot villain and a filthy maid who are happy for now.
All thoughts of Win vanish when I reach Nate’s office door. I hate that I have to work with him, but until I smooth things out with Winston, I’ll need to give him some space. Plus, I do not want to be in the same room when he has the sex scandal conversation with his mother.
I still have to have that same conversation with my father.
Cringing, I try not to think about all the texts and calls he’s sent my way that have gone unanswered. I’m sure he’s dying of mortification. I just can’t face him right now.
Later. Definitely later.
I rap on Nate’s door, and when I hear his deep command to enter, I push into his office. His gaze is fixated on his phone as he texts. I step inside and close the door behind me, waiting for him to acknowledge my presence. After he finishes what he’s doing, he sets the phone down and glances my way. When he sees it’s me, he does a double take, his spine going rigid.
Sheesh. This guy really hates me.
Lifting my chin, I say, “Win asked me to work with you today. He’s busy doing other things.”
Nate’s lips curl into a smug grin that annoys me. “The shiny toy lost her luster?”
“Something like that,” I lie because I’d rather him think he’s won than continue to discuss the fact that Win and I will repair our relationship. “What do you need help with?”
His eyes greedily sweep over me. I feel like I should take a bath after the filthy way he undresses me with his stare alone. “Drag up a chair.”
I set my handbag down on the table near a couch and then set to pulling the office chair across from his desk around to the other side. He’s not satisfied with the distance I’ve left between us and yanks the seat closer. Gritting my teeth, I take my seat, sitting primly and wishing like hell I’d chosen something longer to cover my legs. The hem rides up revealing more skin than I’d like to show this creep.
He immediately sets me on task scouring through a stack of contracts looking for a particular one for him. It gives me something to do and I don’t have to talk to him, so I take my time flipping through each one. Every time his knee brushes against mine, a shiver of disgust slithers through me.
“You know,” Nate says in a conversational tone that’s contradictory to his words, “he’s already growing tired of you. Know what Win does when he’s tired of someone?”
I ignore him, my attention on the contract in front of me.
“He lets me have them,” he murmurs. “Best friends and all.”
“Some friend you are to him if he gives you his leftovers.” I flash him an icy smile that makes his eyes harden.
A large hand slides over my bare thigh and he tightens his grip. “You have lots of secrets, don’t you, Ash? So much more to you than those dick-sucking lips and golden pussy.” He starts to slide his hand under my skirt and I smack it hard. “Don’t worry. I’ll have it soon enough. When he’s done with you and you’re reaching for scraps, my hand on your cunt will feel like a blessing.”
“Touch me again and I’ll skewer your balls with this pen,” I grit out, waggling the pen in front of him. “Test me, Nate.”
His phone buzzes on the table with an incoming call from “My Baby.” After shooting me a dark look, he answers it and stands. “Hey, beautiful.” A pause. “Yeah, I can talk. Hold on.” He holds up a finger to me in the universal sign that it’ll be a minute before he slips from his office.