Everything He Demands (10 page)

Grabbing
my
purse
since
it
had
a
pen
in
it
and
I
didn't
want
to
show
up
empty
-
handed,
I
headed
down
the
hall.
My
heart
fluttered
at
the
thought
of
seeing
Rock
again,
and
I
had
to
make
an
effort
to
slow
my
breathing.

I
knocked
on
the
door.

“
Come
in.
You
don't
have
to
knock
on
my
bedroom
door.
Only
do
that
when
other
people
are
around.
”
Rock's
smooth
voice
made
my
knees
weak
as
I
walked
in.

“
All
right.
”

“
Good.
Come
on
over
here
and
take
a
look
at
what's
going
on
with
Regal
Enterprises.
”
Rock's
features
were
aligned
in
a
deep
scowl.

I
noticed
a
laptop
open
to
a
spreadsheet
in
the
corner.

“
That's
yours
to
use
from
now
on.
You
can
take
it
to
your
room
when
we're
done.
”

I
tore
my
gaze
from
Rock.
Evening
stubble
graced
his
chin,
and
I
wondered
what
it
would
feel
like
against
my
clit.
His
tanned
skin
glowed
against
a
white
polo
shirt,
and
he
filled
out
a
pair
of
khakis
to
perfection.

I
gulped
and
sat
down,
gluing
my
stare
to
the
information
in
front
of
me.
It
took
me
a
few
minutes
to
get
my
bearings
with
the
myriad
sheets
of
profits,
losses
and
more,
but
I
did.

“
My
God,
”
I
whispered,
my
stomach
dropping.

“
Tell
me
what
you
see.
”
Rock
stood
behind
me,
his
hands
on
the
back
of
the
chair,
but
even
his
sexy
presence
couldn't
distract
me
from
what
I'd
found.

“
There's
money
missing
—
a
lot.
The
balance
sheet
isn't
adding
up.
”

“
Right
on.
”
He
sighed.
“
The
question
is...who's
stealing
from
me?
That's
what
I
intend
to
find
out
on
this
little
vacation.
I
needed
to
get
away
from
the
vipers
who
surround
me
so
I
could
think.
”

I
turned
halfway
in
the
chair,
glancing
at
him.

Lines
riddled
his
face.
He
was
so
tense,
I
wondered
if
he'd
spring
at
any
minute
and
start
pummeling
the
way.
“
I'm
sorry.
”

“
Don't
be.
The
main
thing
is
fixing
it.
I
have
investors
who
are
going
to
find
out
about
these
numbers
in
two
weeks.
Time
is
running
out,
and
I
won't
have
my
business
destroyed
by
a
thief.
”
Rock
walked
to
the
window,
gazing
out
upon
the
city
lights.

“
I'll
help
you
in
any
way
I
can.
”

“
Good.
Figure
out
when
the
money
started
looking
off.
I'm
the
only
one
who's
looked
at
these
numbers.
These
are
side
deals,
and
I
handle
many
of
them
myself.
As
you
can
imagine,
this
makes
me
look
pretty
bad.
”
Rock
slumped,
his
voice
growing
softer.

“
Yes,
I
can
see
that.
”
I
swallowed
hard.
Now
I
understand
my
role
in
all
of
this.
Bookkeeper
was
only
a
small
part
of
it.
Distraction
was
the
name
of
the
game.

“
So,
tomorrow
you
will
help
me
immensely.
We're
getting
engaged
in
a
very
public
way
and
having
a
party
to
follow.
That
should
get
some
people
worried.
There's
a
snake
in
the
grass,
and
my
having
a
wife
won't
make
him
happy.
”
Rock
paced,
his
tone
growing
hard.

“
Do
you
know
who's
done
this?
”
I
got
up,
not
sure
what
to
do.

“
I
have
an
idea,
and
if
I'm
right,
he's
expecting
to
siphon
off
my
fortune
as
he
can.
My
having
a
wife
who
is
also
keeping
a
sharp
eye
on
the
books
won't
be
his
idea
of
fun.
I've
handled
it
in
the
past,
but
he
knows
I'm
busy
now.
Too
busy.
”
Rock
ran
a
hand
through
his
hair
and
sat
on
the
couch.

“
I
see.
”
But
I
didn't
entirely.

“
Well,
why
not
fire
him
or
put
him
on
leave
and
sort
it
out
later?
”
I
crossed
the
room
slowly,
but
I
could
see
from
his
face
that
Rock
was
in
another
world.

“
Not
going
to
happen.
”

I
perched
on
the
edge
of
a
wingback
chair.