Flawless Ruin

Thankfully, with one searing glance in my direction, Caleb turns and disappears into his office.

But he leaves the door open.

Is that an invitation?

I look at Mara, who has gnawed all the red gloss off her lower lip. “Uh—I think I should go,” she says, backing away like a girl who’s accidentally walked into the men’s restroom. She wiggles her thumbs at me and mouths, Text me.

Of course, everyone’s going to want to know the gossip on Caleb. What was that showdown with Olivia all about? Why did she try to have him removed from the board? What does this mean for the future of Sterling Cross?

The only thing I can say is, I don’t know.

Because while all of that might be the first thing on the mind of the gossip-hounds that work for Sterling Cross, it’s the last thing on mine.

I’m still here. He kept me.

Why, after all the underhanded tricks I pulled, did he keep me?

Could our relationship still be salvaged, after all?

I step quietly over to his office and peer inside.

He’s standing there, jacket off, hands behind his head, staring out onto the city below. He lets out a tortured breath, and for a moment, my heart aches for him. This is his family’s business. His pride and joy. His everything. He just watched it nearly slip through his fingers.

And it’s still on very shaky ground. From the way Olivia looked at him, I know she’s serious. This isn’t over.

In fact, it might just be beginning.

I don’t want to disturb him. Even if I didn’t know his story, his rigid posture says it all. It’s that of a cornered animal, with no choice but to attack. He’s going through some stuff.

But as I back away, he catches sight of me in the reflection of the glass and turns. “If you’re going to apologize again, save it.”

I stiffen. He sounds just as icy and cruel as he had last night, outside the gala. For a moment, I consider backing away without saying a word, but curiosity gets the better of me. I blurt, “Why did you keep me?” I swallow. “If I’m just your plaything.”

His lips twist. “Why would I fire you? You’re not entirely incompetent at what you do. You’re resourceful, I’ll give you that.”

I suppose that’s as close to a compliment as I’m going to get. Does that mean he’s going to be the boss from hell? That I’m going to wish I had another job?

“In fact,” he goes on. “I’d wager that if you didn’t divide your time finding ways to fuck me over, you’d be one of my better assistants...”

“I didn’t f—”

“But you intended to. You loaded the gun,” he says, looking over a pile of papers on his desk. “Does it really matter who pulled the trigger? The damage is done. So let me ask you a question.”

I grit my teeth, knowing this won’t be one I’m happy to answer.

“Olivia hired you to snoop on me?”

I reluctantly nod.

“How did she get in touch with you?” Caleb asks, his cool gaze still fixed on me. “Was it before you interviewed with us?”

I nod again.

“Bravo, you turned in a stellar performance.” There’s a bitter smile on his face, like he can’t believe I’ve been screwing him over since the very beginning. Even the first time I met him, when he’d spilled coffee on me and offered me his shirt—an event that feels ages ago—I’d been planning to upend Caleb Sterling’s world.

God, I hate myself.

And the way he’s gazing at me, like I’m so much less than him, doesn’t help.