Page 19 of Darkness Tempt Me
“What did he do?”
“Come to my office, Mavik. There’s some legal information I need to go over with you. Stuff that will be better received in person. Plus, there’s something else. He left you a handwritten letter, something I’m hoping will give us answers.”
Heart racing, I snap my mouth shut. What did he have to say that he hadn’t already? My uncle and I were very close, and I was there for him until the end. He never mentioned anything about a letter.
Memories of the last time I saw my father alive flicker through my mind. All the blood. Hunter, on the floor, sobbing. Helpless. Barely able to move. The rage in my father’s eyes as he continuously kicked the only real friend I had. The knife in my hand. Did Mick think I was a monster after all?
It’s been eighteen years since I killed my father, and my only regret is not taking my time. The man deserved to suffer. But if I had a time machine, I’d do it all over again. And again. I’d kill him a thousand times and slice him up into bloody ribbons, just to see if it would heal that broken part inside of me or turn my fucked-up soul into a black pit of nothingness.
“What does the letter say?” I grit through my teeth.
“It’s not mine to open, Mav,” Hunter says softly. “But you know he loved you. Loved us both. I’m sure there’s a reason he did what he did.”
I still.Did what he did.
What the fuck is going on? “Hunter,” I say slowly, voice deadly. “Who did Mick leavemycompany to?”
He pauses for a long moment before letting out a deep sigh. “You’d better come to my office.”
Fuck.
“Peyton! Cancel all my meetings for today. Now.”
Chapter twelve
Peyton
It only takes five minutes for me to cancel all of today’s meetings. The very same meetings I set up just moments before. Mavik’s files, including all the notes I’d started preparing for the marketing team, sit on the edge of my desk. This time, I don’t bother rescheduling anything. Who knows how long it will take Mavik to handle whatever needs to be handled? If I’m to believe anything Hunter said during the phone call, then this is an emergency.
Fuck.
The phone call. Why the hell did I have to listen in?
I groan. I know why. After being so damn discombobulated about everything this morning, my emotions were running high. I let my jealousy of Mavik and Hunter’s relationship get to me. Not that it’s an excuse, but I have no one to blame but myself. Let’s just hope it doesn’t cost me my job.
Mavik sits behind his desk, a commanding king sitting on his throne. As his assistant, naturally, I have the best view intohis office. Behind him, tall floor-to-ceiling windows display the city of New Vernon far below, and despite the fall chill outside, sunlight breaks through the stormy clouds.
I bite my lip, hating the guilt swirling through my stomach.Should I go in there and apologize?
The decision is taken out of my hands when Mavik stands and smooths down his tie with a sweep of his hand. He makes his way out of his office, jaw flexing. As soon as our gazes meet, I want to shrink into my chair and let the ground swallow me whole. I stare blankly at my tablet in my lap, not really seeing a thing.
His intense gaze feels like it’s trying to burn me alive.Crap. Crap. Crap. I’m in so much trouble.
“Sir,” I whisper when he approaches my desk. My skin prickles under his full attention.
He doesn’t reply, just stands there, staring. I manage to lift my head and drag my eyes up his body and that fine, tailored suit before settling on his striking brown gaze. You’d think the silence should be awkward, and I guess it is, since I feel guilty as hell for eavesdropping, but there’s something else there.
Something dangerous and charged.
“Why did you listen in on my call?”
My face burns hot. How the hell am I supposed to admit that I was jealous? False answers flicker through my mind so quickly, I’m almost tempted to grab one and run with it. But I don’t want to lie. Embarrassment turns to anger.
Why should I be embarrassed?
I lift my head in defiance and narrow my eyes. “Mr. Rose has no business telling me to cancel your meetings. I apologize for listening in. I shouldn’t have done that,” I say, rebellion strengthening my voice. “But he isn’t my boss, and he has no right to command me to do anything. I take orders only from you, sir.”
The words just tumble out of my mouth without a second thought. It isn’t until the silence stretches and I replay them in my head do I realize how they sound. Something dangerous flashes in his eyes, and his anger ebbs, momentarily replaced with a wicked smirk.
