Page 158 of Fighting Mr. Knight

39

Bonnie

Heart pounding, I stand still and stare at Nisha.

I can’t do this; I can’t see him here in the office. I want to flee down the aisle or hide under a desk.

What’s he going to do?

Ask me to leave or ignore me?

Either will break me. If there is anything left to be broken.

“Just keep your head down,” she warns through gritted teeth.

Even Max looks uneasy.

I haven’t seen Jack since Sunday when I turned up at his house begging for forgiveness then he fucked me and basically told me to get out. Five days ago.

I can hear him approach . . . and with every footstep my anxiety rises.

He’s right behind me.

I can smell him.

I freeze, the hairs lifting on the back of my neck.

“Jack,” Max says in a low voice. “Bonnie is just handing in her laptop and doing the security debrief.”

I turn slowly, trying to calm myself down. I’m handing in a laptop for God’s sake. The world isn’t ending.

Except it feels like that with the way one hundred sets of eyes are watching me. You could hear a pin drop.

The moment I lift my gaze, his eyes are already locked on mine with such startling intensity that I have to look away.

I can’t do this here. I’m so humiliated I might as well be naked in front of the whole team. I’m the stupid girl who slept with the CEO.

“I’m leaving,” I say weakly, looking at Nisha. I can’t look at Jack.

His large masculine hand captures mine.

“No. You’re not.”

Stunned, I look up at him then down to where our hands join.

His grip tightens.

“I don’t understand,” my voice wobbles as I gape at where our bodies join.

Jack tilts my chin up to look at him with his other hand. “I should never have abandoned you when you needed me. I’m sorry, Bonnie.” His voice and eyes are thick with emotion that makes my heart knock against my chest like it’s trying to escape.

He turns very calmly to Max, still clasping my hand.

“Regardless of what happens between Bonnie and I, I wouldn’t take her off the project. I don’t know if that’s you or the partners saying that, but it’s bullshit.”

Max’s eyes bulge as he looks between Jack and me. His mouth opens and closes, but no sound comes out.

“I spoke to your partners an hour ago. Bonnie stays on the project. She’s worked harder than anyone, Max. Including you.”

---