It doesn’t matter what she thinks I’m wrong about, I’ll unveil all her secrets and unravel all her inhibitions until she begs me to ease the ache between her legs.
I smirk and turn away as the elevator dings on the far side of the hall, announcing the imminent arrival of the attendees.
By the time I grab my coffee and settle at the corner table, Ms.Simons hides her anger behind a professional façade and scrolls through the roster—complete with photos—on the tablet one last time before setting it down beside the coffees and positioning herself by the door.
As the first group of people arrive, she greets them with a confidence and ease she never would have shown in high school.
Despite being overall liked by our classmates, Brook was fairly shy and a horrible terrible speaker.Give her a test or essay and she’d ace it without batting an eye, but force her to stand in front of a crowd and speak, and she’d turn into a robot.
None of her fear shows now.She smiles, introduces herself, and navigates small talk as though it’s the most natural thing in the world.I hide my awe and aggravation behind my cup as I sip the still piping-hot coffee.
She thwarts me again.None of the fear she suffered in public speaking classes plagues her now.I both hate and toast her for overcoming her terror.
Her skills rival mine.The thought irks.
I also struggled in social settings—the similarities between us are what fooled me into thinking she wanted to be friends with me—but thrived in speaking in front of a crowd.Relaying information in a way others can understand it is a reward in and of itself to me.
The magnitude of her growth astounds me.She seems like a different person as she laughs and compliments others.
Brook Simons wins yet another round.
I underestimated her.Again.
With a grimace, I swallow a mouthful of scalding bean juice and track the burn all the way to my stomach.
I was overzealous and barreled ahead without knowing my target.I assumed after one drunken night she was the same girl I knew eleven years ago.Rookie mistake.
It will not happen again.
I’ll uncover her secrets, reveal her flaws, and flaunt her shortcomings, all while making her so hot for me she forgets herself.
Brook Simons will beg me to fuck her.
I’ll make her mine.All mine.
One slow, agonizing, thrilling step at a time.
Chapter 7
Brook Simons
I’m not ready.I’ll never be ready, and staring at the impressive, sleek building is only intimidating me more, so I pull my eyes away from its towering height and finish my coffee before heading toward the nearest trash can.
After leaving my modest apartment above the gym and taking the subway, the gleaming street signs and spotless sidewalks within the business district seem like a completely different world.One I should belong to, but after a decade of struggling to survive, I don’t.I never will and I don’t want to, not after my father’s betrayal.
He used his power and influence in this world to steal my mom’s inheritance and kick us to the curb.I need to build my own influence in this cutthroat universe to overpower him and reclaim everything he stole from my mother.
It starts now.I have the tiniest foothold, and after fighting tooth and nail for so long, nothing will stop me from succeeding.
Not even a sexy, overbearing asshole who scrambles my brain with one touch.At the mere memory of his massive, hard body pressed against mine when he prevented me from falling on my ass, my nipples pebble and heat curls low in my abdomen.
I chuck my empty coffee cup into the sparkling trash can, hoping the motion will banish my thoughts, but it doesn’t.Matteo’s words ring in my ears.
You’ll never be just an employee, Brook.You’re mine.All mine.
A shiver runs down my spine despite the warmth trapped in my suit.I blame the buzzing in my veins on the caffeine even though I only bought one cup of coffee.
I also blame my second sleepless night in a row on the welcome packet Mr.Brunswick emailed me yesterday afternoon, even though my brain spent all night offering me snippets of drunken memories and jumbled sensations along with Matteo’s words.
