Page 115 of Broken

“It’s from a client.” I say it for his benefit but don’t elaborate as I read through the letter. It is asking if I’ve received their other letters and they would like it if I can get in touch.

Shit, what is this about? My company ended up owing a lot of money to people. This bankrupted me. They can’t want more from me. And how did they find me?

That is when I notice the slip of paper still inside the envelope. It’s from my attorney. It’s handwritten and says they didn’t give any of my information away and sent this on behalf of the company. That has to be a good thing, right?

Setting it aside, I grab the first letter and tear that open. Another handwritten note from my attorney which I put to one side. He would have let me know if this was bad news, surely.

I blow out a deep breath and open the letter. My eyes move over the two short paragraphs, then I read it again. And again. Garrett shifts behind me. I’m at a loss for words. He takes the letter when I pass it to him, then I open the second one.

My heart is thundering so hard, I’m worried it’s beating right out of my chest. It’s another request to get in touch to discuss the work I was doing for them before everything turned to shit.

“Damn,” Garrett murmurs.

“Fuck is a better word,” I set the letter down and rest my palms on either side of it.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. It’s not a joke, is it?”

“Doesn’t seem like it,” he steps over and sets the letter down, reading through the second one. “Sounds like they’re very serious.”

Shifting my elbows to prop me up, I cover my mouth with my hands, gazing off toward the hallway where my renderings are framed on the wall. One of them is the building I designed for this company.

It was my greatest achievement. The building I was most proud of and couldn’t wait to see become a reality. I’ve only recently wrapped my head around my career being over, destroyed with no hope.

These letters give me hope. They want me to come back to San Antonio and finish what we started. They still have faith in me and want to continue our work together. The letter goes so far as to apologize for not speaking up sooner.

To say I am overwhelmed is an understatement. I don’t know what to do with this information.

“Will you do me a favor?” I turn to Garrett. His brow is creased, but he nods. “Fuck me senseless.”

“Right now?” he nods to the letters.

“Yep, right now.”

I need to ground myself. I’ve spent months turning my life around, becoming someone different. Finally accepting who I am here and being happy. And I am happy. Whether my old friends would believe that or not, I don’t care. Money, prestige and rich friends never got me anything. All it did was end up destroying me.

Seeing that offer in black and white, inviting me back into my old life, is so gut wrenching, I can’t get a handle on how I feel. I need to feel something else.

Garrett’s eyes switch back and forth on mine. He can read what I’m thinking. I’ve never been surer. There is no denyingthis connection between us. It’s more than physical. I’m about to come apart. Only he can hold me together.

“Are you sure?” he asks.

Maybe sex is the wrong way to do it. I’m happy to be wrong right now. My nod is all the answer Garrett needs.

His hand reaches up to clasp the back of my neck, pulling me toward him. It’s rough, but it doesn’t hurt, and I’m not scared.

“I’ll do whatever you want, but there is something you need to do first.”

I don’t want to hear that. Not now. He cocks his head at my glare. His laugh is dark and sexy. My heart flutters. And other parts of me.

“I want you to fuck my face, Vixen.” His hand dips between my thighs, cupping my pussy which is already soaked and desperate for him. “Ride it hard. I’m going to eat you over and over, till you can’t fucking stand it anymore. Then I’m going to take what I need. I’ll feed you my cock, make you choke on it, before I ruin this pussy.”

I’ve never been so lost for words in my life. There is nothing in my head. It’s all gone. I can’t form a coherent thought. Garrett lets me go and moves me ahead of him. He slaps my ass, but follows it by rubbing away the sting.

This is what draws me in about him. The rough with the smooth. The way he uses those dirty words after comforting me.

His lips press against my ear. “What are you waiting forCalliope?I’m fucking hungry.”