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No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 19
Zephyra's POVThe car dropped us off, and I marched for the door. I fumbled while trying to get the key in the lock, so Freya gently took it from me and let us in.I dropped my purse on the table. “I’m going to take a shower.”“I’m sorry, Zee. I really am.” Freya gave me a long hug.I let out a ragged breath. “You never liked him.”“Because I didn’t think he was good enough for you,” she said, pushing my hair away from my face.I nodded, hating that tears continued to burn the backs of my eyes every time I thought back to what I saw. Also hating that my mind kept going to Lirael and the fact that he knew. That he practically spelled it out for me, and I told him he didn’t know what he was talking about.I turned the shower on as hot as I could bear and let it cascade over me. Jovan hadn’t called, which either meant he hadn’t seen my message yet or he had and was too chicken shit to talk to me. A sudden rush of nausea hit me. How the hell could I face him and Rachel on Monday with the
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 20
Zephyra's POV I checked the time on my computer screen, then took a deep breath, picked up my phone, and connected to Lirael’s PA line. “Lirael Wright’s office,” Samson answered. “Hi. It’s Zephyra Zane from the architectural team. I was wondering if I could get a quick meeting with Mr. Wright sometime today?” “Hold on for a second.” The faint clicking of keys made its way across the line. “He had fifteen minutes available this afternoon at one o’clock. Did that work?” “Yes, that was fine. Thank you.” I lowered the receiver and clenched my fists. I did not want to do this. I really didn’t. But I would. That morning, I had done what I promised myself. I had walked into the office with my head high, even though my stomach was in knots. Jovan had been waiting by my desk, and the anger that surged through me at the sight of his face had taken my breath away. “Zephyra—” he had started, reaching for me. I had jerked back. “Don’t touch me.” His hand had dropped, but he had kept talk
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 21
Lirael's POV I backed her against the door, looming over her and bracing my hands on either side of her head. She tilted her face toward mine, eyes flashing. “What do you want, Lirael?” “You know what I want.” She exhaled shakily. “Why?” “Why what?” “Why do you want that from me? You have your choice of women. Why risk our professional relationship for this?” I lowered my head, my nose grazing against her cheek until I reached her ear. “Because I want another taste. I want to see if you’ll come as sweetly for me now as you did then.” Her breath hitched, and I turned so my lips brushed against the soft skin of her cheek. “Just think. By now, Jovan will be up here, right outside this door. He’ll be sitting out there waiting patiently for me while I’m making you come. If that isn’t revenge, I don’t know what is.” “I’m not having sex with you in your office.” There was far less conviction in that statement than she probably thought. My lips traveled down until they were hovering just o
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 22
Lirael's POV She stared at me, but instead of arguing, she eased her skirt down her thighs, smoothing out the wrinkles. Then she fussed with her hair a little, avoiding my eyes. I wouldn’t let her get away with that, though. “We seem to be making a habit of revenge.” Her gaze met mine, and I wasn’t sure what I saw in it. It better not be fucking regret. “It won’t happen again,” she said. “I don’t want anything to do with Jovan anymore. Not outside of work, anyway.” I nodded, satisfied to hear Jovan was out of chances. Less satisfied that she was stating this would be the last time I got to touch her. Having had another taste, I wasn’t sure I’d be happy until I’d fucked her again. Completely gotten her out of my system. But we’d cross that bridge when we came to it. She finished straightening herself out, and rather than lingering and letting her know that I wasn’t quite on board with her declaration, I returned to my desk. She watched me with a frown. “Aren’t you going to . . .
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 23
Zephyra's POVFor more than one reason, I couldn’t look at Jovan as I passed him. What I had just done played over and over in my mind. What I had let Lirael do to me. In his office. In the building I worked in. With Jovan sitting outside. What the hell had come over me? This was not me. I was the girl who put her head down and worked hard and achieved what she wanted to achieve. I wasn’t the girl who let her boss go down on her in his office. What was it about Lirael that made me act so out of character? On shaky legs, I made my way back to my desk. If I thought I couldn’t concentrate before, it was nothing compared to how scattered I was now. Every time someone passed, I jumped, imagining it was Jovan and he had somehow found out what I had done. Not that it was any of his business anymore. Because it was so unlike me, it felt as if any minute now, someone would point their finger at me and accuse me of reprehensible behavior. But Jovan didn’t come. And neither did Lirael. Although,
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 24
Zephyra's POVThe next day at my desk, my pulse leaped at every email notification, every ring of my phone. I half-expected to be summoned to Lirael’s office, and I wasn’t sure if I was dreading it or anticipating it. I got a few emails from Jovan, including one letting me know the Wright Group had nominated our concepts for the H+ Architectural Design Awards, which, even with my current emotional turmoil, had me feeling a swift rush of pride. His correspondence had been completely impersonal and related to the project, so he must have finally accepted that I wasn’t interested in anything he had to say. When the end of the day arrived and I hadn’t heard or seen anything from Lirael, a chaotic mix of emotions swirled inside me. Apparently, Freya was wrong. I should have been happy about it, so why did disappointment sit like a lead weight in my chest?That evening, when Freya got back from teaching her classes, she asked me what happened at the office. When I told her nothing, her face
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 25
Zephyra's POVI walked into the office on Monday, refreshed and ready to be productive. After drinking wine with Freya on Friday night, then going out for another night of dancing on Saturday, I was determined to put everything to do with Jovan and Lirael behind me. When my phone rang midmorning and I saw it was Lirael’s PA, my pulse leaped, even as my stomach twisted. “Hello,” I answered.“Good morning, Zephyra. Are you available for a meeting with Mr. Wright?”My mouth went dry, and I needed to clear my throat before I answered. “Yes, of course.”“Come on up, then.”I hung up, then stood, wiping my sweaty palms on my skirt. When the elevator deposited me on the top floor, I smiled at Samson, hoping my nerves weren’t showing on my face.“He’s expecting you. You can go right in.” He nodded toward the office. When I knocked and heard his deep voice telling me to come in, butterflies took flight in my stomach. I entered and closed the door behind me, then quickly stepped away from it.
No Escaping the Billionaire's Desire 26
Zephyra's POV“I shouldn’t have said anything. It wouldn’t happen again.” I kept my gaze level and fixed on his, even though all I wanted to do was walk away and pretend none of this happened.“Don’t worry about it.” He watched me, his eyes dark. “Now that we’ve cleared that up, I expect you to be ready for an overnight trip to Chicago. The jet leaves at eight a.m. on Friday, and we’ll fly back on Saturday. I’ll pick you up.”He didn’t say anything more, just continued to look at me. I brushed my damp palms over my skirt. “I’ll be ready. Is that all?”“That’s all.”I made for the office door as quickly as I could while maintaining some kind of dignity, but he stopped me just as I was about to turn the handle. “Zephyra.”I looked at him over my shoulder.His jaw worked, and he looked uncomfortable for the first time since I’d known him. “I’m sorry that I made you feel alone.”My brows arched high. I doubted he was used to apologizing to his employees. I couldn’t help but give him a tin
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