WHEN WILL YOU SEE ME?

MARYLYN’S POV

“Ahhhhhhh!!”

I slid all of the contents on my table to the ground, not even batting an eye when they came crashing to the floor.

My head was banging; my heart was pounding heavily against my ribs.

My nails dug so deeply into my palms that I could feel blood bead beneath them... But even then, none of it was enough to calm the anger that was brimming deep within my soul.

Salem, that bitch.

The reason that Atlas was so cold to me today was because of her. He actually scolded me and defended her in front of everyone.

I had never been more embarrassed in my life!

I wiped the stubborn tears that escaped my eyelids with the back of my hand.

No, I could not cry!

Crying was for those who had lost the battle, and I never lose. Atlas was mine! He was mine years ago, and he is still mine right now. He did not have to love me yet—I was willing to wait—but he had to be with me.

Our families said so.

We were meant to be together.

And I would not let some gutter rat get in the middle of that.

Salem Grant better watch her back because she decided to mess with the wrong person. How dare she think that she could covet someone who did not belong to her?

Atlas was mine!

It seemed like I needed to remind the flies that if they did not want to get swatted away, they should not hover around my food!

The door to my office opened, and loud footsteps walked in. I did not even have to look to know who it was. There was only one person in the entire universe with the worst timing and a tendency to make my bad mood instantly worse.

I grabbed a glass plaque and threw it right at him.

“Get out, Michael!”

He dodged, and it hit the wall, breaking into a thousand pieces… Next time, I won’t miss.

He raised his hands. “Whoa, baby girl, relax.”

I pointed right at him. “I am not your fucking baby girl, Michael. Watch your mouth!”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and moved closer to me. “Did you know that Atlas has his eye on someone else?” I asked, my tone full of accusation.

“I didn’t know,” he said.

I shoved at his chest repeatedly. “Liar!”

I pushed him again. “You are a liar!”

Michael grabbed both of my hands and dragged me to him. “Stop!”

I struggled against him, but he kept me in a tight grip. “You know how secretive Atlas is. If he does not want anyone knowing about something, then he won’t tell,” he said.

I calmed down a notch, but that was still not enough to douse the fire boiling in my blood.

“Let me go!” I hissed.

“No,” he said.

“I am not joking with you, Michael…”

“When are you ever going to stop chasing after someone who does not see you?” he asked suddenly. That playful smile on his face was nowhere to be seen.

“…”

He cupped my face with his hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I am right here.” He ran his tongue over his lip, and my eyes traced that movement without my permission, cementing itself into my memory.

I hated how fast my heart was pounding.

“I have always been here, and I will be no matter how much you push me away. Why won’t you look at me instead?” he asked.

It was not about what he said, but how he said it. His eyes held a deep emotion in them… feelings that I knew well enough he had, but that I would never be able to return.

He leaned down as if to kiss me, but just as he was about to meet my lips, I turned my head slightly, letting his lips settle on my cheek instead.

I shook my head, looking right at him. “You know that’s impossible,” I said.

He let his hand drop from my face. “I know. I am just a fucking idiot.”

Then he moved away from me. “I want to say that I am sorry for what happened earlier, but we both know that I would be lying. Atlas may be my best friend, but he is not the one for you.”

I scoffed. “And you think you are?”

“Have a good day, Miss Smith,” he said and turned toward the door.

“Wait!” I said the second his hand touched the handle.

I don’t even know what I was doing.

There was no way on earth that I would be able to love Michael, that wasn’t the way things were supposed to go.

But somehow, it did not stop my stupid brain from wanting him.

He turned to me and his jaw ticked. “What?” The way he said it sounded like he was annoyed, but I recognized the passion in his eyes. It was the same look that I had seen a million times when having this exact conversation before. Right before we…

I walked up to him slowly, watching the way his eyes darkened with every sway of my hips.

“Marylyn…”

When I was in front of him, I stood on my tiptoes, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him.

The kiss wasn’t soft; it wasn’t a question.

With Michael, his kisses always made his intentions known—it was like he wanted to possess me. I parted my lips immediately, dragging my tongue against his bottom lip, tasting the faint bitterness of coffee and something sharper underneath.

His hand came up to grip my waist, fingers digging into the fabric of my blouse, and I made a small sound into his mouth. His tongue pushed past mine, and I sucked on it just enough to make his breath hitch. My nails scraped the back of his neck, and he groaned, low and rough.

When we parted, I looked at him, my lips wet and my chest rising fast. But my gaze was pointed…. I said the next words slowly so that he could really understand them:

“This is just sex, Michael. Nothing more.”

He did not even blink, just lifted me up and carried me to my table, slotting himself between my legs. The wood was cold through my skirt, but his body was hot against my inner thighs.

“Just shut up and kiss me again.”

So I did.