The Project

CHAPTER34

“Answer the damn phone, Andi,” Devyn bit out as he stood in the elevator, ignoring the curious glances being sent his way as he waited for the woman that was scaring the hell out of him to pick up the goddamn phone.

“This is Andi. I’m not available at the moment, but if you leave your-”

Fuck!

Devyn hung up and slowly exhaled, telling himself that she was fine as he glared at the elevator buttons slowly lighting up, willing them to move faster. He never should have left her there, but he couldn’t risk anything happening to her and now…

He had no fucking clue where she was.

She wasn’t at the station, her apartment, or his, but he was hoping like hell that she was here, sitting on his couch completely fucking oblivious to the fact that she’d scared the hell out of him. And if she wasn’t…

He was going to fucking kill Lucas.

The elevator doors barely had a chance to open when he was moving his ass, heading to his office, praying every step of the way that Andi was there. When Ben saw him coming, he pasted a polite smile on his face that didn’t hide the smug look in his eye.

“Mr. Anderson is waiting in your office.”

“You’re fired,” Devyn said as he headed straight for his office, ignoring the furious look that followed his every move and slammed the door open.

“You’ve been busy,” came the absently murmured greeting that had Devyn’s hands clenching into fists when he spotted Lucas relaxing on the couch.

“So have you,” Devyn said, watching Lucas as he forced himself to sit down in the chair across from him.

“You really left me with no choice,” Lucas said as Devyn quickly sent Andi a text message.

Please let me know that you’re okay!

A small chime had Devyn swallowing hard as he looked up and found Andi’s phone in the bastard’s hand. “If it helps, I can tell you that she’s okay,” Lucas said, sighing heavily as he tossed her phone on the coffee table between them, leaving the words, “For now,” unspoken.

Grinding his jaw, Devyn glared at the bastard as he found himself asking, “Why?”

“I fucked up,” Lucas admitted.

“Story of your life,” Devyn said, watching as his words had the desired effect and wiped that arrogant look off his face.

“And now, you’re going to fix it,” Lucas bit out as Devyn sat there, wondering how he’d missed the fact that the man sitting across from him hated him.

“Seems nothing changes,” Devyn said, thinking of all those times that he’d bailed him out, covered for him, and helped him when he’d fucked up.

“Seems like,” Lucas murmured in agreement as a thought occurred to him.

“That’s why you supported my bid for CEO,” Devyn said, telling himself that Andi was fine. Lucas wouldn’t hurt her, not when he clearly needed something from him.

“It’s nothing personal. It’s just-”

“Business,” Devyn finished flatly for him as he discreetly sent another text message, this one to Drew.

Find her.

“Exactly,” Lucas said with an easy smile that Devyn wanted to wipe off his fucking face.

“What’s the plan, Lucas?” he asked, tired of playing this fucking game with him.

“I’ve called an emergency meeting of the board, which will convene in five minutes. You’re going to go down there, sit down, and keep your mouth shut while I break the news to the board about the unfortunate circumstances surrounding your impending resignation. Then, you’re going to sign the resignation that your assistant has been kind enough to write for you, thank the board for giving you this wonderful opportunity, and turn yourself over to the police.”

“You’re out of your fucking mind,” Devyn said, shaking his head in disbelief because there was no way in hell that he could really believe that this would work.

“Probably,” Lucas easily agreed, “but you’ll do it anyway.”

“And why is that?” Devyn bit out.

“Do you love her?”

When Devyn only glared, Lucas said, “That’s why.”

* * *