CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

KNOX

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I tell Atlas. Whichmakes me wonder if he is my closest sibling. I’d never thought about it before. But I trust him, and I had to tell someone.

He figured it out at the gym the following week, after I fucked Payton in my Maserati and confronted me. Not that it took much for me to break.

We were sparing with a boxing bag. He was holding it while I took a handful of jabs and almost toppled over.

“You are seriously off your game, brother.”

“I’ve been jerking off so damn much I think my cock is going to fall off. If I don’t yank it off first,” I groaned.

Which he laughed at.

“Look, he didn’t say you had to become a priest, for crying out loud. Just don’t fuck women from work,” Atlas said. “Get on Tinder. Join a dating agency. I can set you up on a date with Trudy.”

I glared at him. “Trudy Pendleton?”

He nodded.

“No fucking thanks. She’s looking for a husband.”

“They all are. Some just lie better than others,” Atlas said.

Was Payton?

“What about Cindy Thorton? She’s hot,” he asked.

She was. And yet...

“No.”

“So I was right. This is about Payton. You more than like her. Jesus, Knox. Did you fuck her?” he accused.

I had tried to lie. I’d even started shaking my head. Then I burst out and said, “Yes, I fucked her. Like twelve hundred times. She stayed the night and all damn day.”

Atlas physically recoiled. “Was she armed?”

“What? No, she wasn’t armed.”

Idiot.

“Well then, you must be in love with her,” he decided.

“I’m not in love with her. I just want to fuck her. Daily. Twice. I want her in my bed so I can have brilliant sex whenever I want. That’s not love.”

“Yeah, I think it is,” Atlas said. “Did you feed her?”

“No, I starved her and tied her up in my bedroom. Of course I fed her. And bathed her.”

Shit.

He threw his head back and laughed. “This is too good.”

I punched him in the arm with my glove.

“Hey, dick,” he moaned, rubbing his arm, which made me smile.

“Seriously though. What am I going to do? If Ward finds out, I’m fucked.”

“Yeah.” Atlas nodded. “You are.”

I’ve seen Payton once since fucking. She didn’t come back in until the Monday after, but I text her.

My excuse, I needed to know she took the morning-after pill. It was very irresponsible of me to fuck her bare, but in my defense, I had lost my mind.

And I did assume she was on the pill.

What twenty something woman wasn’t?

Did you get the stuff from the pharmacy? K

Yup. All sorted. P

Are you okay?

...

....

Yes, but that can’t happen again.

I wish you were in my bed right now. K

Knox please stop.

Just because I can’t have you doesn’t mean I don’t want you, Payton.

Well, I need to move on. This is hard.

Something is hard.

Are you being crude?

Maybe.

You are impossible.

But you like me. K

...

It had taken her ten minutes to reply and when she did, I was fucking furious.

Not anymore. This is over. Please don’t message me again.

That was Wednesday, and it wasn’t until the following Monday that Payton arrived back in the WME offices.

Four days before launch.

I walk through the office and spot her blonde hair pulled up in a high ponytail and she has a pair of jeans on.

Her ass looks fucking fantastic.

When she turns, I try to ignore the way the white t-shirt she wears hugs her curves and makes her look happy and carefree.

Payton has moved on.

I can see from the smile on her face and the way she glances away. She’s happy and glowing.

Not because of me.

Meanwhile, I stroked away in the shower this morning, recalling the way she slid down my cock in my Maserati as the engine grumbled beneath us.

And how my sperm shot from my unsheathed cock and filled her pussy.

Christ, now I’m hard again.

I slide my satchel an inch and ask what’s going on.

“We’re setting up at the venue today. You can come by tomorrow and take a look if you like. There will be more to see by then,” Payton says, barely meeting me in the eye.

“Good.” I nod, then head through to my office.

Today I am meeting with Ward and Miranda, the head of human resources, for the first stage of the interviews for his job.

There will be four stages, plus psyche evaluations and a handful of other tests they want applicants to undertake.

Unlike the others, I won’t have references because this is my first and only job. One I saw leading to me taking over the company from my father.

Anyway, here we are, and this is what’s required.

Being fucked off about it isn’t going to change anything. My father has every right to make whatever decisions he feels is best for WME, and I’ve always respected that.

And admired him.

While I’ve been focused on the launch campaign and obsessing over Payton Mills, vultures have been circling for my father’s role.

Daxton Phillips, CEO of Aurora Atelier, for one. He has industry experience and the skills necessary. I’d employ him if I were my father.

Then there’s Terry Alexandra. His experience lies in retail management, and while those skills are transferable, the lack of industry knowledge puts him at a disadvantage.

There are three others I don’t believe are strong contenders. Or at least, not my competitors. I imagine they don’t see me as competition, but they are wrong.

They should.

I’m going to fight for this job until the very end.

If they knew what I was giving up- possibly a woman I could fall in love with - then they would understand.

Love?

I rub my forehead.

Jesus, maybe Atlas is right. Maybe I am falling for Payton and then the question is, what do I actually want?

I glance at my doorway, knowing she is out there, and clench my teeth again.

Fuck, I’m getting a headache.

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“THEY’RE READY FOR you, Knox,” Mindy says from my doorway.

“Thank you.” I pull my jacket on and head down to my father’s office.

Ward and Miranda are sitting at the large round table waiting for me. They both smile.

Is that pity on her face?

“Please take a seat.” She signals with her hand.

Thanks.

I will sit.

In the chair that my family company owns.

Okay, I need to lose the attitude. But this sucks. I hate it.

I sit in the chair and look directly at my father. His lips move ever so slightly into a smile. I know him. This will be hard for him. He’s been the best father any boy, man, could ever ask for.

He’s protected us.

Loved us.

Encouraged us.

I’m sure watching your son do this, knowing how painful it is for him, is difficult.

So I smile at him.

“Let’s get started.” I clap my hands. “Hit me with your questions.”

I see a hint of pride in his eyes, and the small dip of his head as he glances over at Miranda.

The interview starts.

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AFTERWARD, MY FATHERfollows me out the door and into my office, where I stop. He slaps me on the back.

“Proud of you, son,” Ward says.

“Am I wasting my time?” I ask. “Have you already decided and are just putting me through the paces?”

“Why would you ask that?” He frowns and sits on the edge of one of the armchairs.

I let out a long breath. “I just need to know.”

“Talk to me.”

I plant my hands on my hips and shake my head. “I know I’m young. I know I’ve been fucking around—literally—but if I was to lead this company, I would give it one hundred percent.”

“I know,” Dad says.

“Do you?” I glance up at him. “Then why do we need to go through all of this?”

I gave the interview my all and know I did a great job. I am confident I can lead Montgomery Enterprises despite my inexperience and youth.

Between my irritation at having to do this whole damn process, having my relationships with women at work monitored and not having Payton in my bed, my patience is waning.

A lot.

Why did she have to look so fresh and gorgeous today?

“Every applicant is following the same process. Knox, the right person needs to run this organization. Until we’ve done our due diligence, I won’t know who that person is.”

“You think I’m too young.” I shake my head. “Otherwise there would be no question of me just naturally stepping in.”

“Yes. If we were ten or twenty years into the future. Probably,” Dad admits.

I can’t argue with that.

Yet...I want to.

“Knox, I think you’ve been doing what any man your age, with your status and wealth, would do.” He smirks at me. “But you’ve both surprised and impressed me. Ms. Mills is a beautiful woman and quite the dancer, but you’ve kept things very professional.”

A part of me dies inside.

I hate deceiving my father.

“Dad—”

“Knox, just be patient.” He stands. “I know this is a lengthy process. If I didn’t think you were a strong contender, you would not be taking part.”

I grit my teeth.

I’m grateful he interrupted me. Telling him about Payton when she’s clearly moved on would’ve been career suicide.

Now I’m just left feeling resentment.

Why can’t I have both her and the CEO role?