Chapter 3

3

LANA

“ E xcuse me?” I ask Aiden, arching my eyebrow.

The tall windows behind him give a fantastic view of the coastline and Downtown Avonia. Light gray carpet blankets the floor to muffle any sounds coming from this office. He removes his jacket with a subtle flair that draws my eyes to the exquisite body hiding under a light blue shirt.

I am not one to ogle men. It’s never my style, but for some reason, everything Aiden does makes my body react.

I gulp down my attraction with the hope of remaining professional, but Aiden’s words penetrate my intangible armor. The way the corner of his lip turns up reveals he knows exactly what he’s doing. My heart thumps against my chest as I wait for him to clarify.

“I want to see how well you fit around me and my son. Tell me about your security experience,” Aiden says.

“I’ve spent the past five years on the security detail for the U.S. ambassador’s daughter in Belize. When she turned eighteen, she decided to step away from the political arena. I helped get her settled and returned to the States.”

“How many languages do you speak?”

“Six, and I’m studying Mandarin.”

“What are the other six?”

“English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese,” I proudly tell him.

His subtle grin brings out a hidden dimple on his right cheek, and I know he’s impressed, as he should be since I learned all those languages as a teenager.

He nods in approval but changes the subject. “I pulled into the parking lot a few moments before that SUV did and saw you grab Jeremy out of that woman’s hands. You’re fast.”

I nod. “I’m strong too. I had to be so I could defend my client against some formidable men. I know my height is misleading, but even at 5’6, I can bench and squat 225 pounds.”

That raises those devil-arched brows of his. “I’d love to see that. That skirt is deceptive, hiding those powerful legs. I assume I can verify that?”

“How much do you weigh?” I ask him, knowing I could easily lift him off his feet. But still, I’d like to gauge how much effort it takes to prove my strength. I enjoy showing men that I can overpower them with the drop of a hat.

Aiden laughs. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to let you throw me over your shoulders to squat me. No. If either one of us lifts the other, it will be me lifting you to sit?—”

... to sit on his cock...

My mind’s a dirty place to be right now. Men giving me attention isn’t abnormal. Aiden’s wanton gaze isn’t abnormal, but it would get in the way of me doing my job. I don’t want the distraction, but Aiden looks like he might be worth it. At least while I’m searching for a new job.

He stops speaking, and I’m sure he notices my flushed cheeks as images of him doing just that flood my mind. Now, I can’t stop imagining him lifting me on that desk and doing God-knows-what to me in this office. The conflicting emotions riling the pent-up sexual tension inside of me increase every minute I’m alone with him.

Aiden clears his throat and runs his fingers through his hair, causing a few strands to fall out of place in a way that’s too sexy to ignore. A slight whimper escapes my throat, but I shake it off and straighten my posture.

I shift the conversation to ease my desire for him. “You’ve been the CEO of Apex International for over a decade, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and rumored to bring in nearly a billion dollars in annual revenue. What exactly does your company do? And do its operations give you any enemies that might want to kidnap Jeremy?”

“We specialize in a few areas, but the main one is corporate mediation regarding mergers and acquisitions. Our company basically sets the terms in hostile takeovers to make them less hostile.”

“And that nets over a billion dollars in profit?”

He shrugs, lacing his fingers together on his desk. “It’s a portion of our revenue, yes, but the consultant fees on those deals come with other perks. Stocks, options, and information that we’ve been able to capitalize on.”

“Sounds like insider trading,” I blurt out but clamp my mouth shut.

“Those are dirty words in this office, Lana. I’m no criminal, but I’m not exactly a superhero either. I’m considerate when I exploit the weaknesses of other businesses to my company’s benefit. I like to think of it as necessary growing pains for other corporations.”

“That brings me back to my previous question, Mr. Archer. Have any of those corporations with those growing pains become a pain in the ass?” My mind immediately drifts to him, bringing pain to my ass with a slap from those massive hands.

Shit. I have to stop thinking about him like this, especially if he’s shaping up to be my new boss.

“You’ll have all the information you need to do your job, Lana, once you’re vetted for this position.”

“What’s the position exactly?” I ask him.

On my knees?

My back?

Against the wall?

Aiden nods. “I’d like you to come on?—”

Your tongue? I’d love to.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” I ask him to get my mind back into the conversation.

“I’d like you to come on as my head of personal security. Once I have your background check on my desk later, you’ll be salaried and able to pick your team. You'll have access to my security resources to hire whoever you feel is suitable.”

“What’s my budget?”

“You’ll have as much money as you need to protect my son. I’m sending our meeting notes to HR now. Everything should run smoothly when you head down there.”

I nod. “Thank you. Can I ask that I surveil you and Jeremy for the next week to get an idea of the kind of people I’d need to hire?”

“Of course.”

“Where’s Jeremy now?”

He tips his head to the wall. “In the office next door with my secretary.”

“Okay, and as I gather this information, is it possible for me to teach Jeremy some self-defense tactics to help him handle situations like today?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, except...” He pauses, dragging his eyes up and down my body with a questioning glare that appears to mix with his own desires.

“Except?”

“I want to see how you defend yourself against someone like me. I wanted to train Jeremy myself, but I’m not in a space to give it my all. The person training him can’t hold back the way I would.”

“I don’t hold back because this training is what can keep him alive or at least give him enough time to get away. Is there a Mrs. Archer that I need to show defense moves to as well?”

“No. As a matter of fact, I have a list of people who aren’t allowed to step foot near Jeremy without my knowledge or my consent. His mother is number one on that list.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. You’re not the one who abandoned Jeremy to go on a six-day bender after I threatened divorce if she didn’t stop fucking her personal trainer.”

My eyes widen at the open admission.

Aiden huffs, pinching the bridge of his slender nose. “I apologize. I hate how angry she makes me, but she’s made it perfectly clear that she only gave birth to Jeremy to keep her hooks into me financially. She didn’t expect that my lawyer would be better than hers. I have full custody, but she gets supervised visitation that must be pre-arranged. She’s yet to arrange a visit.”

Poor Jeremy. My eyes glance at the wall separating me from the young boy who clung to me after I pulled him away from the woman trying to get him into that SUV.

“Wait, did you happen to get a look at the woman I tripped?” I ask him.

Aiden gets up from his chair to look out the large window before walking around his desk to pace behind me. “It wasn’t his mother. I doubt his mother is even in the country. I pay her enough alimony to keep her living lavishly, and I think her quiet conceit is leaving me and Jeremy alone.”

“Okay. When would you like to test my abilities?”

“Now.”

“I’m in a skirt.”

He shrugs. “You were in pants at the school.”

“I went home to shower and change before coming here. I didn’t think it was appropriate to show up in my scuffed-up suit.”

“You’d be right, Lana. However, you’re not always going to be in comfortable clothes. I think this is the perfect opportunity to give me an idea of what you can do.”

Before I can reply, I feel Aiden moving behind me. He’s fast as he grabs me from behind and lifts me out of my seat. He takes me by surprise, but it’s not enough to throw all my years of combat training out the window.

I throw all of my weight down to the ground, forcing myself to drop like a stone. I push back between Aiden’s wide stance and use a bit of restraint to knock the back of his knee. It brings him down on that leg and gives me enough time to get to my feet.

Now that I’m behind him, I pause with uncertainty.

Hesitation gets you killed in this job. My apprehension evaporates as I wrap my arm around his neck to put him in a headlock. Aiden doesn’t let me get the better of him for long. He uses his strength and height to push himself to his feet, bringing my feet off the ground as he stands. I’m hanging around his neck like a cape.

In one swift move, he slides me around his torso. We spin and grapple while my skirt’s elasticity clings to my frame for dear life. I push off him, hike it up, and charge back at Aiden at full speed.

My shoulder lowers as I try to rush him like a linebacker, but he drops as well. When Aiden comes up, he’s able to grab me around my waist, picking me up to pin me on my back against the window.

Our adrenaline, lust, and physicality collide.

Our eyes dart back and forth until Aiden breaks the sexual tension with a kiss.

The soft but firm slickness of his tongue dipping between my lips gets me wet and willing to do anything for this job. His hands ravage my body, desperate to feel every curve and muscle I work day and night to sculpt.

When he moans, I slide one knee up to give him room. He takes the invitation to slip his hand between my legs and stroke my clit over my panties. The low, long moan from my own mouth surprises me.

When he slides my panties to the side, I’m eager for him. He works me with his fingers and swallows each guttural sound I make. My body has never felt this alive. Never. I want it to take longer, but my body has other ideas, and orgasm hits me like a freight train.

I come almost as quickly as when I do it myself.