Page 61 of Sold to Her Enemy

“Yes, Adrian.”

“Thanks for the scoop,” Jana says. “Mckenna, I hope your mother’s health is better.”

Jana gets up and leaves.

Mckenna shifts in my lap, and a hand on my shoulder makes me turn.

“Adrian, can I borrow you for a moment?”

It’s Greyson Smith, one of our scientists at Colossus Corp.

“Greyson! I didn’t know you were here.”

“My parents play golf with Oliver’s.” Greyson says.

“Small world,” I mumble, lifting Mckenna off my lap. “I won’t be long.”

“I’m just going to the bathroom,” Mckenna whispers.

I arch an eyebrow at her. “Make sure you’re back here before I am.”

She nods, and I follow Greyson out of the room to a quiet corner.

“I hate to tell you this, especially tonight, but another firm has made me an offer.”

This isn’t what I need to think about right now, but it’s part of the job.

“Give it to me straight, Greyson. How much do you want?” I need to take care of this quickly before getting back to Mckenna. I’m going to fuck that woman so hard she’ll never question how I actually feel about her.

13 MCKENNA

As soon as Adrian is out of sight, I plaster a smile on my face and dash out of the room.

I walk down a bright white hallway, past the portraits of legends, and turn into a room. I think it’s a room that’s not being used, but there is coffee, water, and a tray of cookies on a side table. I pour myself a cup of water and stride over to the windows.

My heart is racing. My head is spinning on pure sensation overload. Adrian’s threat of having me on my knees, remembering the dark gaze in his eyes as he said it, sends goosebumps up my arms. It makes my whole body burn with desire to imagine it.

Forcing myself to put those thoughts out of my mind, I turn to glance out the floor to ceiling windows.

It’s dark, but there are lights on in the garden, casting shadows on sculptures. I drink the water, gulping it down, wishing I could call my mother. Damn him for placing me on this line between sexual explosion and forced dignity.

I don’t know what I would say to her.

People don’t hate us?

Jackie still cares about you?

When everyone had closed their doors to us, my mother was devastated. But I knew something had to happen to prevent Jackie from reaching out. She treated me like her daughter; my mother was her best friend.

I lean against the glass, wondering what the hell I am doing here?

To go from thinking Adrian and his family hate me to having it thrown in my face that they don’t is a lot to take in.

And Adrian? His touch is suddenly warmer, his voice is tinted with concern, and I can easily believe he cares for me.

I think of my father, wondering what he’d say, and I smile because I know my dad would love the drama of all of this.

And I hope he comes home so I can tell him.

---