CHAPTER FIVE

KNOX

––––––––

That mess of a womanis not working on the Verity Co. account. No matter how fucking gorgeous she is. And she is.

Of course she is.

The universe hates me.

“She’s not going to work out,” I say, planting my hands on my hips as my jacket hangs open.

“Knox, I understand. I despise lateness myself. But Payton was very impressive in her interview and has outstanding references.” Alexandra’s eyes dip away. “Plus, the market is empty of good candidates.”

Jesus.

Payton Mills.

Alexandra sent me a link to her LinkedIn profile, and it didn’t take me long to review her experience. She has had one damn job.

“Come and meet her,” she told me.

So here I am. Not only was she late, but she has a fucking coffee stain down the front of her and looks like she walked through a tornado to get to the office.

That is not the look I want representing our luxury brand.

To make matters worse, my cock—the traitorous bastard - reacted to seeing her on her knees. When she lifted her eyes and drew in a surprised breath, making her supple breasts heave like a bar wench from a historical romance fucking movie, I felt my already hardening cock turn granite.

Never in my life have I reacted to a woman so quickly and so powerfully. And she’s an absolute mess.

I’m writing it off as a stress reaction to the conversation with my father last night.

One I’m still reeling about.

The fact he doesn’t think I’m capable and that he’s dictating what I can do with my cock is infuriating.

There hasn’t been any media exposure to my joy rides, as he so cleverly put it. No issue with client relations or impact on our bottom line.

Ward can’t tell me that CEOs around the world don’t sleep with women they encounter via business.

They absolutely do.

All my joy fucking riding has been done, for the most part, in stealth. How Ward knows about them, I’m not sure. Like he always seemed to know when I stole cookies out of the pantry before bed.

I swear parents have fucking superpowers.

After lying awake all night tossing and turning, I realized that my father won’t be moved from his decision.

If I want this job, I’ll need to stop sleeping with women I meet at work for the next three months. Which is one hundred percent of them, given I live and breathe this life.

Too bad.

I am a Montgomery. Ward’s son. The CEO role is mine. No one else’s.

I’m not fucking happy about it, but it is what it is.

Still, I’m not a sadist. The way my body reacted a moment ago was way too powerful for me to resist.

Payton Mills is too inexperienced, way too pretty, and a sexy little mess. I cannot have her working on our account.

“Jesus, Alexandra. Can’t you find someone from another agency with more experience?” I growl.

“I tried.” She shakes her head. “We don’t have time to replace her. Now, Knox, about this early launch date. Do you want me to speak to Ward?”

I clench my teeth.

Alexandra is a beautiful woman closer to my father’s age. The two have worked together for over ten years and have a good relationship. This isn’t the first time she’s offered to speak to daddy for me.

Or the first time it has irritated me.

StoryCraft is one of the best agencies in the state and for that reason alone I tolerate the implied superiority, however my patience is low today and her question crosses the line.

I’m not a little boy who needs her help and if Alexandra hasn’t noticed my six-foot-four frame and bulging arms under my Verity Co. jacket, then we have a problem.

She knows I went to Brown, and she knows my surname. I’m not a young executive she can intimidate.

That might be her intention, but being told by my father that I’m not qualified to take over his job has me short-tempered.

I smirk darkly. “I would highly recommend you don’t, Alexandra. Ward and I have made the decision, and I expect you to fulfill your contractual obligations. Not question us.”

She has the decency to nod.

“Fair enough. Then I recommend we do our best with Payton. Have her spend half her time in the WME offices and the other half here.”

No fucking way.

Laughing her idea off the table is tempting with the mood I’m in, but unfortunately, it’s a smart one. Damn it.

I ignore my cock, which is pressing against my pants at the thought of having that sexy little thing with her pretty eyes and deep cleavage in my office regularly.

It’s also a really bad idea.

For me.

But Alexandra is right. If we were going to meet the launch early, and counter this aggressive move by Flounce, we need to make sure we have an incredible campaign ready to go early for our Spring/Summer Collection.

Which means Payton needs to integrate and work closely with the Verity Co. brand team... and me.

Shit.

“Fine. I’ll have a desk set up for her,” I say as Alexandra lifts her black executive folder off the boardroom table and hugs it to her chest.

“Good.”

I pocket my mobile phone and drink down the rest of my drink.

“Why don’t you take her back with you now and introduce her to the team?” she says.

Now she’s pushing her luck.

“Because, Alexandra, I have other meetings to attend.” I don’t bother hiding the irritation this time. My patience is up. “Tell Payton to be at the WME offices at eight sharp. Unstained.”

I pull open the door and stride through the office.

Just as I’m about to turn the corner which leads to the elevators, I sharply glance to my right and spot Payton.

God, she’s fucking beautiful.

Her big, nervous eyes meet mine as she jolts in surprise. Once again, her lips parts and I immediately imagine her on her knees begging for my cock.

Fucking hell.

We have six weeks until launch. After that, I am having Alexandra replace her. I’m not missing out on my birthright for a quick hot fuck.

ON THE WAY back tothe Montgomery offices, my phone rings. It’s Levis.

I know Dad spoke to the boys and Bella last night about stepping down. A part of me hopes they talked him out of it, but I know they won’t have.

I push answer on my steering wheel.

“Hey, little brother.”

“You ever going to stop calling me that?” Levis asks.

I grin. “Never. Even if you do actually gain another inch and end up taller than me.”

“Could happen,” he mutters.

I snigger.

“So, how pissed are you?”

I let out a sigh. “It’s business. He needs to know I’m the right man for the job.”

“So a lot.”

Yup.

“He thinks I should stop fucking women I meet through work. Where else am I going to meet them?” I grunt.

“Parties. The gym. Get a hobby.”

“Work is my hobby. And fuck you,” I growl as he laughs.

“We told him we want to have dinner and discuss it as a family,” Levis tells me, and a spark of hope ignites.

If we can get him to delay his resignation, it would buy me some time. Like five years.

“Oh yeah. Good idea.” I turn into the driveway that leads to the parking garage and swipe my security key.

“Can you make it? Atlas is arranging for Bella and Jacob to attend.”

“When?”

“Tonight.”

“I’ll be there,” I tell my brother. “He’s telling the board on Wednesday, tomorrow, so let’s see if we can understand why and delay his decision for a few years.”

“That’s what we were thinking,” Levis says. “Atlas thinks this is about Mom.”

I frown and pull into my parking spot, then lay my wrist on the steering wheel.

“Knox.” Levis’ voice is thick. “What are the implications if you aren’t successful in securing the position?”

I hear the concern in his voice.

“I don’t know. It depends if they put someone in there permanently or on contract. If it’s the former, then they could hold that position until I take aggressive action to have him or her removed.”

“Jesus.”

“We’re still shareholders,” I remind him.

“I know. But I’m leaving college in a few months and need to make some decisions of my own.”

I shake my head.

This is a clusterfuck.

Montgomery Enterprises is our future. Mine, Bella, Levis, and Atlas. And our children. None of us are going to starve, but we’re proud of what our father has created and committed to ensuring it continues for generations.

At least I am.

Someone else taking the reins will do things their way. That may not be good. Removing someone from a role like that is not easy.

Has Dad really thought this through?

“Let’s see what happens when we talk to him,” I tell Levis. “And don’t worry about the future. Just figure out what you want to do. If that includes working at WME I will make damn sure you have a job there.”

I mean that with every cell in my body.

Ward raised all of us to work hard and prove our worth. He also taught us that family is everything.

If I must, I will do whatever it takes to step into the top job and protect my brother’s future.