DON'T CALL ME SIR: THE BILLIONAIRE CEO I WAS SENT TO DESTROY

er midnight, staring at the docume

times they'd stopped making sense, legal jargon, p

for full c

n regarding th

inancial c

ms against her eyes

om hospital billing. Another reminder that

p the phone

ys overdue. Please remit immediat

interr

mother's bed. The machines are going silent. T

cked up Victor's document again, her fingers traci

ure. One betrayal. One small act of de

ed for a pen. She uncapped

the front door years ago, the door closing behind hi

amily," Linda had told her that ni

he pen like it

stood up so fast her chair scraped the

I suppos

ng off the thin walls, back and forth, the sa

ed, she bet

ed, she lost

window glass. The city glittered below, thousands of lights

whispered to her own

new she couldn't

came t

zer she'd worn all week. She looked in the mirror and barely recognized the woman star

r. You can't f

ual. The building was quiet, the receptionists not ye

day, Miss

id, forcing a bright

utive floor. She walked to her desk, se

gh today. One

eetings, calls, a lunch he'd probably skip if she didn't remi

he could

tor chime

ah Brooks strolled over with a coffee in e

like you n

inked.

desk. "Coffee. You're a coffee person, right? Eve

hank

cup, letting the heat sink into her co

u o

in

ook like you haven't

ile. "Rough nig

y. But if Damien's too much, you can talk to me. I'

secr

n't tell anyone I said that.

, shaky, but real. Noah grin

etter a

oice cut through the mor

levator, expression stone-cold. "I don't

itering. I'

annoyi

laugh. There's

with an intensity that made her breath catch. Something in his expre

old Noah. "Quarterl

for the elevators. "Yes, sir. Brigh

Emma alone with Damien. The silence betwee

e, hands in his pockets, studying h

ired," he s

m f

d that y

se it'

t of her desk, close enough that she caught his cologne, so

ing," he s

stuttered.

ds on her desk. "You're running on empty. I can see it in your eyes. In the way you're holding your sh

ed cup. He was right. She h

she said. "Doesn

g you. That's

yes. "My work is perf

ered across his face, frustration, maybe, or concer

rong," he said, "

an

is expression, surprise, then something close to

aid. "It's my job to make

peated the word. "Righ

losed it again, his hands flexing at his sides

" he said finally. "I can't aff

o his office, the door c

zen, her hea

d to lose ano

about you. Just the same cold, practica

The way his hands had flexed, like he was fighting the urge to reach for h

, she told herself. He's

logic. The day blurred into meetin

ntain of tasks, scheduling, organizing, catching conflicts before

e felt the weight of Victor's docum

off to a quiet corner

ter. I'm calling abou

ment, p

apped against the floor, ner

ou for calling. We re

ze. "I'

-two dollars and thirty-five cents came through this

. "I didn't, I hav

ing. Your account's current t

de the

that information. It ju

er and hung up

ayment. She couldn't h

who

ities, insurance, already maxed o

ct

her like a fis

what he could do. How easily he could fix her problems. H

cold wall and pressed

. Making sure I

cleared. Her mothe

she owed Vic

pilot, mind churning, and sat stari

ong with y

n his doorway, arms crossed,

d I'm

a terrib

ue, but nothing came. Too t

out in front of him. Close. Too close. She could see the faint lin

ower, softer. "I'm not going to bi

oncern hiding under the cold mask

," she w

y n

shook her head. "

uch went through her like a current. She looked d

he said quietly, "

n

The boss everyone feared? Or should she trust the man who'd asked if she needed anythin

ed her h

alls," she said flatly

jaw tight. "Fine. Keep your secrets." He walked back to

r click

rehead to her desk

sat in her ba

her coffee table again, reading it over, hunting

th

Her phone buzze

th trembling fi

slid smoothly into her ear.

cked. "You paid my mo

good faith. A demonstratio

t ask fo

you need, Miss Carter. I've bee

ned. "What do y

hing that could be used against him." A pause.

sti

g Damien Blackwood. And when we do,

she nearly dropped the

ardened. "Unless you'd like your mot

t in the air

eyes. "What's

ing me something

ne wen

hrew it across the room and col

ver looked at her like she was more than ju

mma got to work eve

ne. Anything to drown out the

ator, she found Damien al

box. Suit perfect, hair perfectly in place but his

ing," he s

short. "Yo

dn't

er cou

d people pretending everything

t's

en

c pot with a delicate plant, green leaves, ti

eds something alive

roat tight. "You

t needed a home." He shrugged, almost embarrassed

ide Emma brok

desk and turned back to

meeting her eyes. "

mie

ed. Turn

erday. When you asked what was wrong. I w

hy didn

e I was

ed of

if I told you everything, you'd hate me. And I c

g there like

e, then something softer, somet

e. "Whatever you're afraid of, whatever y

omi

romi

ng against her chest. She opened her mout

aying me to destroy you. And I'm ter

himed behind them. Sophia Grant steppe

blem. The board called

ardened. "

one leaked internal documents to the press. It

first victim of the board's scheme,