Page 10 of Retaliation

“I just find her interesting.” The lie slipped from his lips, unconvincing even to his own ears.

The question mark between Kitiara’s brows told him she thought the same. He avoided her gaze, rising to his feet.

“You need a place to crash?” He pointed at the duffle bags next to the desk, hoping to shift the focus.

“You really offering?” She cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing. “Or just trying to get rid of me?”

“Both,” he shrugged, forcing a nonchalant tone. “I really need to get back to the boss. He won’t be happy if I keep him waiting much longer.”

“Go, I’ll be alright.” She waved him off, her expression softening.

With a nod, he rose, shoved his hands into his pockets, and turned to the door. He paused on the threshold, hesitation freezing him for a moment. Without turning, he asked, “You think she’s all good?”

“All good,” she whispered.

FOUR

Poison snuck through the office the following morning with the grace of a ghost, trying to stay invisible among the cubicles and offices. After last night, she was sure her boss would fire her if he saw her. The other alternative would be bumping into Melissa and having a repeat of last night’s incident.

To save face, Melissa and her PR team had sent out a press release claiming last night had been a live-action demonstration of the video game. To be honest, Poison was quite impressed that Melissa had come up with it so quickly—especially after so many of the guests recorded the incident. The fight went viral overnight on social media.

However, the day was going to play out—Poison didn’t have the energy for any of the scenarios her mind could devise. She made it to her office unnoticed and collapsed in her chair, just wanting the day to be over.

Her hand had barely left the send button on her first email when the phone on her desk erupted into a jarring ring. Swearing under her breath, she saw the internal line light flashing. Fuck.

She plucked the handset to her ear, irritation flaring. “What?” she snapped.

“Uhm…” Her heart sank. She knew that quivering mouse voice. “Miss Sloan?” the voice stammered.

“Yeah?” she replied, a sigh escaping her lips.

“Miss Sloan, Mister Topaz would like to see you in his office,” the voice continued, trembling slightly.

She didn’t bother to answer and placed the handset back, rising from her chair with a sigh. She deliberately took her time walking to the elevators, savoring the fleeting moments of calm before the inevitable storm. As she pushed the upward arrow, the elevator doors opened with a hiss, and cold air rushed over her face, sending a shiver down her spine.

The ride to the top floor felt like an eternity. The moment the doors opened again, every head turned in her direction. Their expressions were a collective whisper: ‘You’re so fired.’

She didn’t wait for Topaz’s secretary to open the doors or announce her arrival. She swung open the double doors, ready to barge in and get it over with. But she stopped dead in her tracks.

“There she is!” Topaz beamed when he saw her, his tone dripping with false cheer. It was the exact tone he had used last night to try and impress the investors. But it wasn’t her boss’s greeting that made her halt.

It was the man in the suit standing in front of him.

On the opposite end of Topaz’s desk stood Scorpion. The tailored black suit, stretching over every muscled part of his body, screamed of wealth and authority. He looked good last night, but this morning he looked downright fuckable.

His black hair was combed back, and if she hadn’t met him last night, she would have thought him to be another spoiled, trust-fund fuckboy.

His eyes roamed over her body, and she just stood there, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. Her heart pounded, a combination of anger and something more unsettling coursing through her veins. What the fuck was he doing here? The question burned on her tongue, but she couldn’t force the words out. Instead, she clenched her fists at her sides, fighting the urge to lash out.

Topaz’s voice cut through the tension, but she barely heard him. All she could focus on was Scorpion’s intense gaze, dissecting her, seeing too much. She felt exposed, vulnerable in a way she hadn’t been in a long time. If ever. She was prepared for a confrontation with her boss, but not for this. Not for him.

Her mind raced, trying to piece together the implications of his presence. Had he come to gloat? To challenge her? Or was there something else, something she couldn’t yet see? The uncertainty twisted her guts, and she hated it.

Standing there with a mouth full of teeth, she struggled to regain her composure. She straightened her spine, refusing to let him see the turmoil within her.Keep it together, she told herself, forcing a cold, defiant mask onto her face. She wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of knowing he had rattled her.

“Mister Thompson,” her boss grinned, rushing around his desk, nearly bumping a crystal statue in his haste. “Allow me to introduce our head of the coding department, Miss Sloan.”

Without hesitation, Scorpion stepped forward with an outstretched hand. His smile knocked the wind from her lungs like a right hook to the gut, and she stupidly took his offered hand and shook it.

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