Sneak Peek - Tangled Ambitions

We grew up together. We work together. We hate each other. I think.

Alexander Bruce. People know what to expect when they hear my name.

Arrogant, rude, and big-shot CEO of Stark Innovations, a cutting-edge tech company.

Cassandra Harper. Fiery redhead and my childhood nemesis. Also, my co-leader on a high-stakes project my company snags.

Here's where it gets interesting – workplace tension leads to a reckless night that changes everything.

Now, we have a no-strings-attached arrangement.

This may sound simple, but it's not.

When you throw in a sneaky ex and a mysterious pregnancy, our little game of pretend gets a whole lot messier.

Our egos are in battle as we fight for the spotlight. But when my office door is closed, and our suits come off, this tangled web of ambition and lust leaves us on a level playing field…or desk.

She's a storm in stilettos – a tornado of passion and disdain. But I don't know if she's a storm I'm willing to weather.

Chapter 1 -- Cassandra

"As you all know," said Alexander Bruce, my godfather, and chairman of Stark Group; "Stark Innovations has always been at the forefront of groundbreaking technology. After many months of anticipation, I am thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a project that will redefine our industry," his voice echoed throughout the conference room, as he towered over the long rectangular mahogany desk.

I could barely keep my excitement in check. This was it. This was what would change my life. I just knew it. The conference room was filled with stakeholders who had gathered to hear the big news. My eyes roamed around the room, carefully avoiding one particular person, and I smiled, satisfied. They had all come to see me shine. And shine, I would.

My godfather rambled on about the government project, and I had already begun to draw a rough sketch in my head of how I would start handling it. As Head Project Manager of Stark Innovations, the leading tech company in New York as well as the world, I oversaw every project that came into the company, defined goals and objectives, managed teams and risks, and ensured that everything stayed on track. I had been looking forward to managing such a huge project since word spread about it six months ago.

"I have chosen a co-leader for this project—a partner with a proven track record of success," Alexander continued, and my ears perked up. A co-leader? "My son and CEO of Stark Innovations, Valentine, will be working alongside Cassandra Harper, my goddaughter, to ensure the success of this venture."

The smile on my face fell. "What?"

My eyes dashed to Valentine Bruce, the one person I hated in the whole wide world and the one person I could never seem to avoid, no matter how hard I tried. It was like he was constantly there, mocking me with his stupid, handsome face.

"I'm not working with…that," I said, unable to contain my disgust. A murmur rippled through the room as eyes darted between Valentine and me. Everyone knew of our fierce dislike for each other. The tension escalated as my carefully crafted plan disintegrated before my eyes.

I would rather stick pins in my eyes than be in the same room with Valentine for God knows how long. I looked at my godfather. "I appreciate your confidence, Uncle, but I've been preparing for this project for months. I have the expertise and vision needed to lead it to success. I don't need a co-leader, especially not him."

"That is the most ridiculous thing you've ever said," Valentine retorted, his eyes an unusual shade of gray and currently fixed on me. "For someone who considers herself so fucking smart, you say the dumbest shit."

I shot him a glare. "And you would know, obviously, since you're so used to saying dumb shit."

This was how it always was with Valentine. Right from when we were teenagers, we hated each other from the get-go. He was, quite frankly, the most annoying person I'd ever known. Rude and arrogant too. He was one of those boys who were hot, who knew they were hot, and used it to their advantage so that they could go around breaking hearts because they felt like it.

I hated him. And there hadn't been a day since I made that stupid mistake at fifteen that I didn't wish that kiss had never happened.

It haunted me to this very day that my lips had once been on his—not of my volition, of course. I There was absolutely nothing about Valentine Bruce that appealed to me. At least not anymore. Not his tall, long limbs— he towered over me easily, probably at 6'2 or more— or the mop of dark hair that rested on his head, which had now been slicked back to accentuate a well-chiseled face. Not even his perfectly straight nose or sharp cheekbones.

And certainly not those plump lips that haunted my dreams at night.

He might not have been ugly to the rest of the world, but I'd seen better.

"I've put you both in charge of this project because I understand the gravity of what we're dealing with here," my godfather said, lowering himself to his seat. No doubt, needing an anchor for the storm that was brewing. "Whatever rivalry you seemed to be hooked on, now is not the time. The future of Stark Group rests on both of your shoulders, and I've never been one to tolerate disappointment."

"Then give me complete control, Uncle. I have a master's degree in business management."

"Then you should know that this is beyond whatever resentment you have toward me," Valentine said. "I share your sentiments, however, and would be happy not to have to work with you daily for the next few months. If anyone should have control of such a big project, it should be me."

Ugh! I hated him. With that stupid smirk on his face, I wished I could slap it right off. "Refrain from talking to me in the future, if you please. If I wanted to hear from an asshole, I'd fart."

Someone in the room snorted, and I flashed Valentine a smirk as satisfaction spread through me. I loved working at Stark Innovations. Alexander, took me in after my parents died, put me through school, and when I was ready, gave me a position in the company and asked me to work my way up. I was immensely grateful for that because now I knew that everything I'd achieved at Stark Innovations resulted from my own hard work and sheer will. While my godfather had opened a path for me, I'd been the one to dig my way through.

I was loved and respected for my work and had many satisfied clients and successful projects to prove it. And though sometimes it didn't feel like it, putting up with Valentine was a small price to pay for my success.

"My decision is final," my godfather said. "In the next two weeks, I expect to see a detailed proposal on how the project will be handled." His gaze darted from me to Valentine. "This is an opportunity for you both to show me you're ready for the next level. If you fail, I'll strip you of your positions and make you crawl again from the ground up."

With that tone, neither of us could argue. One by one, the stakeholders filed out of the office, no doubt hurrying to leave the tense atmosphere until it was just Valentine and me.

We stared at each other for what seemed like hours, and for some reason, my gaze kept dropping downwards to his lips. Wrenching my eyes away from them with a swallow, I got to my feet. Being with Valentine alone in a room, whether spacious or not, unnerved me. I didn't like it, so I made it a rule never to let him close to me, especially in an empty room. The last time it'd happened…

"Where are you going?" he suddenly asked.

As I'd been seated on the other side of the table, I had to walk around just to get to the door. Stopping in front of it, I turned to face him. "What do you care?"

"Didn't you hear my father? We have two weeks to come up with a proposal."

I knew what he was getting at, but I chose to remain stubborn. "So?"

I saw his eyes flash for a second and couldn't decide whether it was anger or amusement. Either way, I'd gotten a reaction out of him.

"Listen, Cassandra," Valentine said, his lips twisted in a wry smile. My name on his tongue sounded…foreign. "We don't have to like each other, but we do have to work together one way or another. So, I will be the bigger person—"

I snorted, "Oh, spare me the bullshit. There's nothing big about you."

His eyebrows raised high enough to almost disappear into his hairline, a slight smirk playing at his lips. Instantly, I caught the innuendo, and my cheeks burned.

The way he looked at me made me want to jump out of my skin. "That's disgusting. It's not what I meant, and you know it."

He held up his hands in the air in mock surrender. "Your words, not mine."

I crossed my arms over my chest, wanting to stop the fierce racing of my heart against my ribs.

Why did I say that? I hadn't meant to reference his… male organ any more than I wanted to talk to him. In fact, now that I knew he would be on it, I didn't want this project anymore. But I couldn't reject it either. This was my chance to cement my name in the history of Stark Innovations. I did not want to disappoint my godfather. He'd given me so much and ensuring that this was a success would be a way to pay him back.

Valentine's gaze dropped from mine, and I followed the line of his sight. Looking down, I saw that my crossed arms had pushed my cleavage up so that it was visible from the top of my shirt that was unbuttoned. He was staring at my skin like he hadn't eaten in days.

Gasping, I threw my hands down.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yelled, annoyed. Valentine had the irritating ability to turn anything sexual.

His gaze dashed to mine, and I didn't need a rocket scientist to tell me he was unremorseful.

Standing, he yawned. "When I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it." His tone was boring and unimpressed.

I clenched my fists in anger, resisting the resilient urge to march up to him and slap some sense into him. Our verbal rivalry had spanned far and wide, but never about our bodies.

How dare he…how dare he make such a derogatory statement about my body!

"And thank the heavens because you'll never see them," I said, reminding myself that the shiver I felt at the thought of Valentine seeing me naked had nothing to do with me liking it and everything to do with disgust, especially since I had a boyfriend. "I'm not one of those pathetic girls who cling to you like you have the cure for cancer. I can do way better than your sorry ass."

He chuckled. "Is that really all you got?"

My nostrils flared. Something whispered in my mind that he was baiting me, and it was working. I should have walked away before either of us said something we would regret, but why, then, was I still standing there?

"I know you believe you're Mr. High and Mighty," I said, "and because you've got a face that's not so ugly and a few billions in your bank account, you have the right to use women and throw them away like you're changing underwear. But deep down, you know that's it. Your face and your money are all you have to hide behind because, at the end of the day, you're without depth. A fucking bottomless hole of a man."

Valentine fixed me with a blank stare, blinking lazily. "You're boring me, Cassandra. I hoped for a battle of wits, but it would be wrong to attack someone totally unarmed."

He walked past me with one last look and was gone. Shit. That was harsh. I shouldn't have said that to him. I'd meant to hurt him, to cut him as deeply as he had cut my self-confidence, but maybe I went too far.

I needed to have the last say, needed to see that look of resentment on his face before I walked away. Then, I wouldn't have to focus on the fact that Valentine had been shamelessly staring at my breasts, and deep down, it had made me feel...not bad.