I cleared my throat and averted my gaze. “I’m doing good. How about you?”
She nodded, her smile faltering for a second. “Just having one of those days.”
“I’m so sorry.” I picked up the package and awkwardly waved goodbye. “I’ll see ya.”
“Emma?” she called as I stepped away from the desk. I stopped and turned toward her, my eyebrows raised. Mia stood up from her chair and approached me. “Can you please tell Mr. Volkov I’m waiting for him to call me back?”
“Oh, what’s going on?” I asked. My pulse thundered in my ears as panic rushed through my veins.
Her hand briefly touched her abdomen before she crossed her arms over her chest. My stomach dropped like a stone sinking in the lake.
Was she pregnant? Had they been together before he and I started whatever we had? Dimitri said he loved me. He couldn’t possibly have cheated on me. Right?
“It’s...” Mia glanced away, watching as two lawyers walked past us toward the front door. She returned her hesitant gaze to me. “Tell him I’m late and to call me as soon as he can.”
My world came crashing down on me.
She was pregnant with his child.
Iclosed the office door behind me. It became a habit to search for Emma after being separated from her. It made no difference how long it had been since we’d seen each other. I still sought her to ensure she was okay. She sat in her usual spot on the leather sofa, with her laptop perched on her knees. She looked up from the screen, her gaze meeting mine. A smile spread across her face but didn’t meet her eyes. I noticed the dullness in them, and I paused. Concern flared in me, churning my stomach, and anger surged through my veins like poison.
Someone had hurt Emma.
Nostrils flaring and clenching my jaw, I crossed the space between us and stopped in front of her. I slipped my hands into my pockets to hide them from her so she wouldn’t see them shaking from the adrenaline.
“Sunshine,” I murmured. The one word could have been mistaken as a greeting to anyone else, but to Emma, she knew it held a warning. No harm would come to her, but whoever hurt her would face my wrath.
Emma blinked. “Sir?”
I narrowed my eyes and clenched my hands into fists. “Who hurt you?”
She straightened. “I don’t, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
A groan welled in my chest, and I closed my eyes. I could already see Emma on her knees, saliva dripping from her mouth as I fucked her face. I opened my eyes. “You remember what I said about lying to me?” I rasped.
Emma set her computer aside and stood up. She gently smiled as she grabbed my tie, her slender fingers working to right the crooked knot. I watched her with a scowl, my hands still in my pockets. She could attempt to distract me all she wanted, but it wouldn’t work.
“You have a package,” she mumbled, her gaze on her hands as she continued fixing my tie. When she couldn’t keep pretending, she flattened her palms on my chest. A shudder ran through me from her gentle touch. She lowered her head, hiding her eyes from me. “Also, Mia asked for you to call her. She has something important to tell you.”
“And you’re upset because...?” I drawled, keeping my voice soft.
Emma peeked up at me through her long lashes. “I’m not, I’m not upset, sir.”
I could taste the lie rolling off of her. It was sour and putrid. I wanted the mouth-watering scent of blood oranges and fragrant springtime flowers to replace it. Hell, I’d take her sweet and musky aroma of arousal. Anything but the sourness of her worry and lies.
Emma looked away as I stayed silent. She tucked a lock of wavy copper hair behind her ear and caught her plump bottom lip between her front teeth. She didn’t know what she was dealing with or that she was toeing the line of my patience.
My demon watched through my eyes, intrigued to see what I would do next and what our little mate would say to cover up her lies.
“Fine,” I said.
Emma’s eyebrows bunched together. “Fine?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Fine.”
Emma stepped back, confusion clouding her beautiful face. I kept my gaze on her for a few heartbeats longer before I brushed past her and went to my desk. I sat on my leather office chair and picked up the phone. After I dialed the visitor’s desk extension, I turned to Emma and pressed the receiver to my ear.
I’d let Emma stew in her thoughts and feelings. I’d allow her to think I wouldn’t do anything to punish her for lying to me. Emma could assume I was lenient—someone who would allow her to creep around, not telling me what was bothering her so I could fix it. The punishment would only be that much sweeter.
