Chapter 25

Clutching her notebook against her chest, she blinked innocently. “We weren’t holding hands. We were shaking hands and saying hi.”

He ran his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he inwardly tried to hold back. She was speaking in that tiny voice she only used when he was angry with her. That voice was usually his sign to back off and leave her alone, but he was struggling to do so right now.

Not after seeing how Patrick Noel, that cornball, had been looking overly friendly with her. “Do you know who that man is?”

She nodded and straightened. “Patrick Noel, 28 years old, the youngest Head of Risk Assessment that Ashcroft Capital has ever had.”

“Why’re you reciting his resume? You fangirling or something?”

She paused and then sighed, looking away as impatience started simmering under the surface. “Sir, are you still upset that I’m your secretary?”

“Do you blame me?”

“Well, then fire me.”

This was the boldest Kendall had ever been with Lucien, and it was obvious in the way he narrowed his eyes.

“Did you sign a contract?”

She nodded. “Yesterday, it was emailed to me.”

“Then I cannot fire you without justifiable cause,” he spat through clenched teeth. “But that doesn’t mean I will tolerate distasteful behaviour.”

“Distasteful behaviour?”

“Flirting in front of my damn office, Kendall,” he said. “Never again.”

“I wasn’t flirting!” she denied. This was strange. She and Lucien never argued; that was his and Sabrina’s thing. With Kendall, it was always calm talks and patient conversations. Would this job ruin their relationship?

“I didn’t say you were flirting,” he said. “He was. Some colleagues will step out of line; it’s up to you, as my secretary, to always maintain a professional distance. Ashcroft Capital has high standards, so maintain that image, or quit your job.”

Her throat was thick with a mixture of emotions, her stomach clenching with nerves as she tried to maintain her composure.

He was just being overly mean to scare her out of the job, she couldn’t give in.

“Mr Noel wasn’t flirting with me,” she said. “He just made a few jokes, shook my hand.”

“Held it. Which is flirting—”

“It’s a normal human interaction,” she interrupted. Not that he’d know anything about that, being the workaholic robot that he was.

“And I wouldn’t know anything about that, huh?”

Kendall’s eyes widened. Had he read her mind?

“Th-that’s not what I said!”

“You thought it.”

“I didn’t!” She shakily scoffed. “And, anyway, you probably know way more about human interactions than I do!”

He tilted his head. “What’s that supposed to mean, young lady?”

She forced a casual shrug. “Nothing, Sir. Should we run through your plans for this afternoon?”

“I hate it when people don’t say what they mean,” he said. “And I’m sure you know that.”

She pursed her lips. “I was just… I just think it’s a little hypocritical of you to scold me for talking to Mr Noel.”

His eyes narrowed. “Elaborate.”

Kendall swallowed hard. Could she really? Without getting fired? The conversation didn’t seem safe to proceed with. But he was staring at her as though she wouldn’t go home, even if the sun set, until she elaborated.

She sighed. “Well. If we’re considering professionalism and high standards…”

“Continue.”

It was like a dare. Her grip on the notebook tightened. “I’m just worried that word will spread about the private activities in your office…” Her voice was nearly a whisper. “Gossipers love to talk.”

“And would my being their topic of discussion be something new?”

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. “Well, no, but this time it would be worse. I mean, you… had a woman in your office—”

“Would my having a woman in my office be something new?”

Her jaw slowly dropped open, and her eyes showed the shock she was failing to hide. He did this often?! “I… what? But… that’s not the kind of person you are.”

He frowned. “I’m a businessman, Kendall. Did you think I only worked with men?”

“Well, no, but you weren’t working!”

“What are you talking about?!”

“You had sex in your office!”

The words exploded into the air like misplaced fireworks on the fourth of June, released by someone who was a month off, and confusing everyone in the vicinity.

He was frowning at her like she was a human puzzle he’d been sure he could solve, only to find himself lost again. “I beg your pardon?”

Redness seeped into her cheeks, her shoulders stiff as she stared at him. She clutched her notebook in front of her like it could shield her from the wave of embarrassment about to snatch her under until she drowned in regret.

It was too late. She might as well see it to the end. Lucien Sinclair hated it when people didn’t say what they meant.

“I knew it when she arrived,” she started shakily. “But I didn’t think i-it would go that far. I mean, just judging by what she was wearing, I could tell it was serious business.”

He blinked. Serious business? What was she going on about?

“And then I found out that she’s your… girlfriend.” Her blush deepened. “And I understood. But then, she came out! And Mr Noel was there, even he saw. The second-hand embarrassment I felt. And I know this is your company, Sir, and you’ve built Ashcroft from the ashes, but… I just didn’t think you were that kind of person.”

Sighing, he finally understood what had happened. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared flatly at her. “What kind of person?”

She bit her lower lip, unable to look at him. “The kind that… sleeps with women in his office. The kind that’s done that several times before, enough for the gossips to already know about it, as you said.”

“Is that what you think I am?” he said.

She sighed. “I just don’t want people to lose respect for you. I think… it would be best if you kept your lovers away from the office.”

Silence stretched between them for a moment, and Kendall regretted her every life choice. She should have kept quiet.

Suddenly, he stood and made his way around the table. She grew more tense the closer he got. When he was in front of her, his hands buried in his pockets, she slowly looked up to meet his gaze.

She gulped at the annoyance in his grey eyes. “I… I’m sorry, Mr Sinclair.”

His expression didn’t even twitch. “No apologies. You know, Kendall, I've always only seen you as the cute sixteen-year-old kid I once met, but clearly you’ve grown out of that. Grown enough to give me advice on my sexual relations, haven’t you?”

He was pissed. Kendall wanted to die.

“Fine,” he said, nodding. “Since you’re an adult and want to discuss my adult topics, I’ll make things very clear for you, as maturely as I possibly can.

Yes. I fuck, as you've so accurately concluded. But let's get more into detail, shall we?”