Prologue
Jaxon
I can see her through the small crack in the door before I even enter my office. Hunched over my desk, she’s sits in my chair as she goes through my laptop, looking for what I already told her she would never find. My body stiffens as anger pulses through me. What the fuck does she think she’s doing? And what annoys me even more is her stupidity. Why do this when she knows I’m going to be home? And why not shut the door?
Unless she wants to be caught.
Unless she wants me to know what she’s doing.
“Something I can help you with?”
She jumps at the sound of my voice, her green eyes growing wide with fear. Only I don’t believe it’s really fear. This woman has proven herself cold and calculated...a female version of me. I struggle to believe that anything would upset her.
“Jaxon,” she breathes. “I didn’t think you were home.”
I laugh, my hands deep in my pockets as I stroll around the room toward her. Bullshit . As much as I love this woman, I don’t believe a word of what comes out of her mouth. She tenses as I near her, the fact that I still cause that kind of reaction thrilling me. She thinks I won’t hurt her because of our history?
Big mistake, princess. I’ll destroy anyone who gets in my way. Even those I love.
“You knew I was home, yet here you are in my office, doing the one thing I told you not to do.”
I feel strangely calm as I stand behind the chair she sits in, slowly running my hand down the curve of her neck. She sighs as my fingers trail inside her low-cut shirt, cupping her bare breast in the palm of my hand. Her body responds to my touch, her nipple hardening as I squeeze it between my fingers. My mouth closes on her earlobe and I bite down. Hard.
“You’re hurting me,” she gasps, trying to pull away.
“You think you know pain, Brynne? Trust me when I say this: you know nothing. But if you keep this up, I guarantee you will regret it.” My voice is soft and controlled. I spin the chair so she faces me.
Leaning down, I wrap my fingers around her neck as her wide eyes fill with surprise. She panics as I increase the pressure until I can feel her blood pumping against my thumb. How easy it would be to snap that pretty little neck. I smirk, a feeling of satisfaction rushing through me as something I’ve longed to see fills her eyes.
Fear .
She’s scared. And she should be.
Because she has no idea how far I’ll go to protect my past.
Chapter One
Charlotte
“Char!”
I look up and see Jess madly waving at me from the middle of the crowded bar. Somehow, she and Dee managed to score a table on a night where it feels like all of LA is here. I laugh as she practically climbs on Dee’s shoulders, trying to get my attention as Dee laughs, shrugging her off. I put my hand up to let her know I’ve seen them, then head over to the bar to order a drink.
After the day I’ve had, getting drunk seems like a damn good option.
“What can I do for you, honey?” the barman drawls.
The edges of his mouth curl up into a smile as his eyes roam over the low cut of my cream-colored shirt and back up to my face. He’s making it very obvious what he’s thinking and I shake my head. This guy’s cute—and probably the type I’d usually go for, with his dark hair and mysterious eyes—but the last thing I need in my life right now is a guy.
It’s been exactly two weeks since Nick broke up with me—or, more accurately, since I walked in on him fucking our neighbor. Apparently they couldn’t even make it to the bedroom, opting for the kitchen counter instead. Three years gone, just like that. It’s only during the last few days that he’s finally gotten the message that I have no desire to try and salvage our relationship.
“A dry white, thanks,” I say to the barman, giving him a tight smile. I turn my attention to the crowd in the bar, which is my subtle way of letting him know I’m not interested in small talk.
“One dry white.” He
Jaxon
I can see her through the small crack in the door before I even enter my office. Hunched over my desk, she’s sits in my chair as she goes through my laptop, looking for what I already told her she would never find. My body stiffens as anger pulses through me. What the fuck does she think she’s doing? And what annoys me even more is her stupidity. Why do this when she knows I’m going to be home? And why not shut the door?
Unless she wants to be caught.
Unless she wants me to know what she’s doing.
“Something I can help you with?”
She jumps at the sound of my voice, her green eyes growing wide with fear. Only I don’t believe it’s really fear. This woman has proven herself cold and calculated...a female version of me. I struggle to believe that anything would upset her.
“Jaxon,” she breathes. “I didn’t think you were home.”
I laugh, my hands deep in my pockets as I stroll around the room toward her. Bullshit . As much as I love this woman, I don’t believe a word of what comes out of her mouth. She tenses as I near her, the fact that I still cause that kind of reaction thrilling me. She thinks I won’t hurt her because of our history?
Big mistake, princess. I’ll destroy anyone who gets in my way. Even those I love.
“You knew I was home, yet here you are in my office, doing the one thing I told you not to do.”
I feel strangely calm as I stand behind the chair she sits in, slowly running my hand down the curve of her neck. She sighs as my fingers trail inside her low-cut shirt, cupping her bare breast in the palm of my hand. Her body responds to my touch, her nipple hardening as I squeeze it between my fingers. My mouth closes on her earlobe and I bite down. Hard.
“You’re hurting me,” she gasps, trying to pull away.
“You think you know pain, Brynne? Trust me when I say this: you know nothing. But if you keep this up, I guarantee you will regret it.” My voice is soft and controlled. I spin the chair so she faces me.
Leaning down, I wrap my fingers around her neck as her wide eyes fill with surprise. She panics as I increase the pressure until I can feel her blood pumping against my thumb. How easy it would be to snap that pretty little neck. I smirk, a feeling of satisfaction rushing through me as something I’ve longed to see fills her eyes.
Fear .
She’s scared. And she should be.
Because she has no idea how far I’ll go to protect my past.
Chapter One
Charlotte
“Char!”
I look up and see Jess madly waving at me from the middle of the crowded bar. Somehow, she and Dee managed to score a table on a night where it feels like all of LA is here. I laugh as she practically climbs on Dee’s shoulders, trying to get my attention as Dee laughs, shrugging her off. I put my hand up to let her know I’ve seen them, then head over to the bar to order a drink.
After the day I’ve had, getting drunk seems like a damn good option.
“What can I do for you, honey?” the barman drawls.
The edges of his mouth curl up into a smile as his eyes roam over the low cut of my cream-colored shirt and back up to my face. He’s making it very obvious what he’s thinking and I shake my head. This guy’s cute—and probably the type I’d usually go for, with his dark hair and mysterious eyes—but the last thing I need in my life right now is a guy.
It’s been exactly two weeks since Nick broke up with me—or, more accurately, since I walked in on him fucking our neighbor. Apparently they couldn’t even make it to the bedroom, opting for the kitchen counter instead. Three years gone, just like that. It’s only during the last few days that he’s finally gotten the message that I have no desire to try and salvage our relationship.
“A dry white, thanks,” I say to the barman, giving him a tight smile. I turn my attention to the crowd in the bar, which is my subtle way of letting him know I’m not interested in small talk.
“One dry white.” He
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