LOGINLAURA“What do you want?” I muttered under my breath, loud enough for him to hear over the speaker. His voice rolled into my ear, low and gravelly. “Is that how you intend to take all my calls? Both business and personal? With ‘what do you want?’”I rolled my eyes and ran my fingers through my loose hair. “There are no personal calls between us. It's business or nothing. You might want to get on with it or get off the phone. My hands are currently full with something very important.” “I can replace whatever it is with my—”“Don't say it,” I snapped. “Boundaries, Mr. Pierce,” I added, my face heating up for whatever reason. “You keep forgetting, and that is very unprofessional.” “I'm sorry. Look, I'm sorry for ruining your morning.” His voice quickly switched back to professional, and it irked me more than I thought necessary. Why did he have to keep apologizing? He could just…try to do things he wouldn't have to apologize for. And did he have to obey me so instantly? It sent a thr
LAURAHarlan’s lips had to move over mine for a few more seconds, gently probing, before I realized quite horribly, that I didn't want this. Which was strange…because I thought I'd wanted to kiss him all this time. Only to have his lips meet mine and it's nothing likel I imagined? Harlan’s lips tasted good, really good—something between minty and smoky—but this taste… it didn't blow my mind. It didn't send mind-numbing signals to my brain and make liquid-hot heat flow through my veins. I flattened my palms against his chest and pushed hard. It took only one push to get him off, and he gazed down at me with eyes glazed over with desire. “You okay?”“Yeah, I-I just,” I slid my fingers into my hair and pushed off the high stool I'd been perched on. “I think I need a minute.” I flashed him a nervous smile. “Long day. My mother came around. Unannounced.” The scales of desire fell from his eyes. Because…Harlan knew about the relationship with my family too. I'd told him how they treated
LAURA“I brought you something crunchy for dinner.”Harlan handed me a square box with that charming smile of his, and I took it with a smile of mine, inhaling the delicious aroma wafting from the box. “Pepperoni pizza,” I sniffled, grinning. “How heavenly.”“I know, right?” Harlan responded, waving at Eli who wouldn't stop screaming at the top of his lungs. These two just had a thing for each other, and it was comforting to see. It made me less bothered about the absence of Eli’s real father. “It's bedtime, Eli!” I yelled as we walked through the foyer. “Back to your room. Now!” The little boy was due for some spanking, and he'd get it coming pretty soon. “I didn't know you were coming over,” I said with a smile, trying to not sound too put off by idea of showing up without prior notice. We were more than business partners, after all. Even if not lovers or sexual partners.“Yeah,” he lifted his hand and scratched the back of his neck, “I just had to check in with you real quick, l
TRISTANI watched Harlan alight the vehicle with a new envy sitting in my chest. He had the luxury to come and go when he liked, and he didn't.What irked me most was the smile Laura instantly flashed at him as soon as she turned. And her boy wouldn't stop screaming. Why were they excited to see Harlan and not me? The answer was pretty obvious to me, but it still hurt to the extent of asking.Harlan met Laura with a side hug and pressed a kiss to her forehead. A gesture that sat heavily in my chest. It made me wonder. Were the rumors about them true?The duo had been photographed together before, a few times in the past. I never liked the headlines attached to their pictures. Careless speculations about their relationship status. As much as I knew, their relationship was a business one. But…did business partners often hug each other and wrap their arms around each other's waist? “Tristan Pierce.” Harlan stepped towards me, pulling Laura along as she was still stuck to his side. “I
TRISTAN“How would you like to hear a juicy tale about your new partner?”My fingers tightened into fists and I fought hard to stop myself from grabbing Madison and flinging her out of my room. “You seem to have a personal vendetta against Laura Hayes,” I said instead. “It’s been five years and it doesn't seem resolved yet. Do you mind telling me what it's about?” She blinked, appearing surprised. Then she laughed hard. “Tristan, you're hilarious. How about I go ahead and tell you what she's done this time, instead? I’m worried about you because honestly, I don't even think you have a top model for Pierce Holdings anymore. I'm sorry, but that deal is pretty fucked now.”She slid off the bed and catwalked to the work desk at the far left end of the bed. Then she picked up her phone and stalked over to me. “Apparently, Laura Hayes doesn't even want to work with you. Did you know this before offering her a gig as a top model in your company?”“Stop moving round circles and tell me wha
TRISTANThis woman is going to ruin me. It was one thought that had rang in my head all day, every moment I stood close to Laura Hayes, in her fucking absence too. The thought that she could ruin me and everything I stood for, kept resounding like a warning bell in my head. What was this obsession with her? Why did she have to be on my mind every minute of the day? If she wasn't on my mind, it didn't feel right. It was just one night we'd shared in the past. One night that had refused to leave my head and mind…one night that replayed in steamy flashbacks that disrupted my thoughts unexpectedly in the middle of important stuff. What had she done to me? Why couldn't I sleep without seeing her face? Why did I want to devour her each time she came close to me? What was this…hunger? I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me, how much she consumed every part of me. I was a man used to control. It was a core part of me in a natural sense, but when it came to Laura…I felt that con
LAURA“I didn't do it.”I stared desperately from one face to another, hoping that someone in this room would believe me.But these people didn't know me, so why would they believe me?They didn't know me like Tristan did…yet he sat there, staring at me like I was a complete stranger.“I really did
LAURA“Laura Hayes, you'll be working directly under me for the year.”The hall fell silent, and heads turned in my direction. I didn't move a muscle. I still stared in shock at the man that made me feel things I'd never felt before, last night.Tristan Pierce. CEO.What the hell? Didn't he say he
LAURAI couldn't speak for a good minute. I just stared at him. Those midnight blue eyes were even more captivating from up close. His broad shoulders and sharp jaw line were more overwhelming and intimidating than I had imagined. His hair sat very charming and distractingly sexy on his head in lo
LAURALife was supposed to be simple. I was supposed to be married to the love of my life on a Valentine's Day such as today. That had been the plan. Because with Colin, nothing else really mattered but the fact that we had each other. But life has a funny way with twists and turns. The morning y







