Chapter Twenty One

"Yes it is" Kelly snapped, and took a step closer, one hand balanced on her hips, "You are not surprised, are you? And I don't need anyone to tell me that it was you who told him about the company's financial problems. You are the one who wants to bring it down, and so told him to withdraw his funding so you can get what you want. What kind of a person does something like that?"

"A man who knows exactly what he wants" Dimitri interrupted, watching her through hooded eyes, but he remained in his chair, calm as always. "And for the record, I didn't make Edward do anything. I told him what he needed to know and he did what any responsible person would do if they found out that they were about to invest their money in the wrong place"

He wasn't even going to deny it. Kelly thought. She had known he was the one, but for some reason she'd somehow hoped that he wasn't such a horrible person. Why she thought he wouldn't be able to do something like this, she didn't know. Even from the expression on his face, she could see that he wasn't even sorry. She fought the urge to pick the file from the desk and fling it at his head.

"Why did you do that? You don't see us trying to stop you from getting your loan from the bank, Dimitri. Don't push me and make me do something I don't want to do" she threatened.

"Go ahead baby" Dimitri said, grinning as he stood up and began to walk slowly towards her, like a tiger stalking it's prey. She refused to move and let him come stand in front of her.

"Stuff like this makes the game even more interesting and honestly it's been a long long time since I have had a worthy opponent. It's been very boring here lately... Until you came along. So bring it on, Kelly Darcy, don't hold back. I'm sure that whatever it is you dish out, I can take it. I'm doing whatever needs to be done to get what I want and I will not apologize for that. I wouldn't have gotten to the place I am today if I was worried about people's feelings. I don't understand why this is such a big problem.... You guys will benefit from this too"

"My dad and I are not interested in that,” she replied. “And I’m so sorry my

response to you ruining this company didn’t meet your standards. Should I throw myself at you and squeal with glee? Or maybe get down on my knees in gratefulness.” She asked sarcastically.

Something dark and…hungry flickered in his eyes immediately she said that, and she stiffened against the spark of need igniting deep inside her, tingling in the tips of breasts, clenching between her legs. Damn, even when she was so angry at the man, her body responded to him. Like it had a mind of it's own.

He shifted forward until inches separated them. Then he lifted a hand and stroked her chin slowly.

“When you get down on your knees for me, Kelly, it won’t be out of gratitude,” he said in a silken tone that caressed her flesh even as it triggered every feminine warning in her body. This wasn’t a threat.

It was a promise.

“Don't touch me,” she breathed, moving slightly away from him.

For a heart-stopping moment, he didn’t drop his hand, and in that same moment, she didn’t want him to. She wanted him to drag her closer, consume her mouth like he had in that shadowed hallway at the theater and possess her, claim her. Mark her.

But at the same time, she was very angry with him, and now she didn't care anymore about words she should or shouldn't use in the work place. And she wasn't one bit sorry when she told him to fuck off.

He grinned and let her go then, and she exhaled. Relieved. Or at least that’s what she tried to convince herself as she stormed out of his office.

Relief.

Not disappointment.

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Kelly straightened her shoulders and met Lizzy's gaze. “This is really nice, but not necessary.” She said.

“Wait, before you toss me out of your house—which you’re well within your rights to do,” Lizzy said, holding up a hand. “I know that you are not the kind of person who goes crazy about clothes and makeup. But you called me tonight for a reason, because you want to look comfortable and confident tonight... So let me do my job and do it right. You are so beautiful, and that's why that Dimitri guy has a thing for you. A gorgeous dress never hurts. Besides… You are paying me well for this.... And you haven’t seen the shoes I brought, Kelly.”

Lizzy smiled, an almost avaricious glint in her gaze. “The. Shoes.”