Dirty Ties

More fell onto the floor, slithering beneath the desk and disappearing to God knew where. It was insane, spectacularly immature, and I really kind of adored her for it.

A smile pulled at my lips. “Well played, Kaci.”

Now the question was, how much did she hate me? In other words, were they venomous? I slammed back the rest of the coffee and dropped the cup in the wastebasket. Then, while keeping an eye on the snakes, I used my phone to search the Interwebs. A few minutes later, I determined they were ringnecks. Only slightly venomous.

Did that mean she only slightly hated me? That was comforting.

Online sources said they could be handled by humans due to their tiny fangs and non-aggressive nature. I plucked one off the floor, pinching just behind the head. Given that she considered me a snake, if I died from a snakebite, it would be a poetic way to get even. I suspected she thought of that. Probably while she was talking to my other self Saturday night. If she only knew.

I needed the papers in the messenger bag, so I kept it on my shoulder as I carried the snake to Alicia’s desk, holding it out of sight.

She blinked up at me, pushing out her chest in a comically obvious way. “Can I help you, Mr. Flynt?”

I’d inherited Trent's assistant along with his office. She was probably well-used by him, but I hadn’t found any illegal behavior during my two days of monitoring her activities. Nevertheless, I only approached her when I needed something insignificant. “Need you to call in animal control.”

Her over-plucked brows pulled together. “Sorry, did you say—?”

“Got a pest problem.” I held up the snake.

She screeched, her chair rolling back and hitting the wall in her scramble to stand.

“There’s an infestation.” I gestured toward my office. “Make the call.”

With a hand over her gaping mouth and her eyes locked on the snake, she blindly reached for the phone.

The thin, scaly body coiled around my fingers as I crossed the building to Kaci’s wing. I brought the snake as an icebreaker, but the documents in my messenger bag would be the pivotal point of our conversation this morning.

If she truly wasn’t involved in her family’s debauchery, the details of my blackmail would break her heart. I licked my lip with cautious hope, wanting so desperately for her to be innocent. But at the same time, I loathed seeing her hurt again.

Jenna looked up from her monitor as I approached. I held the snake at my back to avoid another ear-splitting scream.

Her round face grew even rounder with a smile. “Good Morning. You’re Mr. Flynt, right?”

I’d investigated Jenna, as well. She e-mailed those files to Kaci, but didn’t appear to be involved in any suspicious activities. I gave her a short nod. “Is Kaci in today?”

“Yes. Right through there.” She pointed, her husky voice matching her large build.

I didn’t knock. I was her boss, after all. I moved the snake forward so she wouldn’t miss it and opened the door.

My breath rushed from my lungs. The woman before me, with eyes of the darkest blue and silken blonde hair in waves around her arms, reclined in one of the big leather chairs in the sitting area beside her desk. Her creamy skin glowed against her black slacks and short-sleeve sweater the color of her eyes.

With a leg thrown over the armrest, her hair down, and feet bare, she stared at the laptop on her lap. She looked collected, in control of her entire being. Not tightly composed like she’d been when she watched the video.

Nothing on her face indicated strain or concealment. Her soft expression and the fluidity of her breaths seemed natural, effortless, almost at peace. It was a desirable look on her, underscoring her vivid beauty without trying. Fucking breathtaking.

She glanced up at the snake in my hand. “Now there’s something you don’t see every day. A carnivorous, cold-blooded reptile holding a snake.”

My jaw clenched at her meaning, but my chest lifted at the sound of her lilt. I wanted to hate her for being so goddamned beautiful. I wanted to kiss her for the same reason.

I wanted to know how many times Collin had fucked her since our night together. No, fuck, I didn’t want to know that.

I wanted to demand she leave him, which was ridiculous. She fucking hated me.

My muscles tensed to fix what I broke, to fight if I had to. It was a powerful need, shooting a tingle across my lips, a tingle that burned to take her mouth.

Even as I despised her for being unfaithful. I looked away, and my eyes ached with an overwhelming urge to pull back to her as my heart hammered to close the distance.

I sucked in a long, deep breath. Jesus, how could there be so much contradiction contained in my body?