City of Sin Read online

  "Maybe he'll actually appreciate your ideas. He doesn't think of you as a secretary yet, so don't let him. Show him you have what it takes."

  I nodded my head. "So this company just called and asked for me to come in for an interview?"

  "Yeah, I think they're trying to find fresh talent. They're probably calling people all over the city."

  My stomach churned. "Way to boost my confidence."

  "But you have experience with the rest of the Kruger employees. You're a shoo-in."

  "Okay." I took a deep breath. "I'm going to go change."

  "Yeah, get out of here, you're interrupting my show."

  "Who's the cat lady now?" I said and lifted off the lid of one of the boxes I had left in the middle of Kendra's living room. Kendra never did anything she didn't want to. Which apparently included leaving boxes in the middle of her living room all week. I grabbed a nice blouse and a skirt and walked behind her couch to change. I'd move the boxes into the spare bedroom tonight.

  "Maybe you had it right all along. Comfy pants and a good show? This could be a fun Friday night. I totally see it now."

  "Yeah. I guess." But that wasn't wanted what I wanted anymore. Unless I was doing it with Mason.

  Kendra turned around. "Geez, Bee, you need to cheer up before your interview. I can literally hear the depression in your voice." She stared at me for a second. "Are you going to hear him out? I don't think he's going to stop trying to talk to you any time soon."

  "My plan is to go over to his place tonight and talk to him. I have a lot to say too."

  "He's already heard an earful from me. Unbutton the top button of your blouse, Bee."

  "What? No." I put my hand in front of my throat.

  "Trust me. Everyone uses their assets to land a good position. All the other hires are probably unbuttoning the top two buttons. The new boss is young. Make him drool. Then maybe we can be cubicle buddies."

  I laughed. "You don't think I can land the job with my ideas?"

  "I didn't say that. Suit yourself." She turned back to the T.V.

  I sighed and unbuttoned the top button of my blouse. It couldn't hurt. As long as I made it clear that I was never going to give him sexual favors. I was not going to have another Mr. Ellington situation on my hands. I still couldn't believe someone was suing him. I should probably find out more about it so I could give my statement too. I quickly pulled on a pair of heels.

  "How do I look?" I asked and walked in front of the couch.

  "Hirable. Oh!" Kendra stood up and ran into her bathroom. She ran back out and tossed me a tube of lipstick. "Do the whole red lip classic thing. Guys dig that too."

  "Is this how you landed your first advertising job?" I untwisted the lipstick from the tube and applied it.

  "A girl never kisses and tells. Just kidding. Maybe. It's Valentine's Day, though. It wouldn't hurt to be a little flirtatious. Guys get sentimental about this holiday too, you know. He'll probably hire you just for batting your pretty eyelashes at him."

  I smacked my lips together. "I'm not doing that. How do I look now?"

  "Perfect. Drool worthy. I can't wait to hear how it goes."

  "I think I'm going to get it." I made sure my notebook was in my purse before heading to the door. "Wish me luck!"

  "You're not going to need luck." She winked at me.

  I'm glad she was so confident in me, because I was getting nervous.

  Chapter 65

  Bee

  It was hard focusing on the words written in my notebook. I was distracted by the thought of talking to Mason later. His words had hurt me. But with each day that passed, they stung a little less and I just missed him more and more. He had been partially right about me. I wanted to move on from Patrick when I had met him. I had been a little easy. Maybe a lot easy. I shook my head. I didn't see why any of that mattered, though. It didn't take away from how I felt right now.

  I just needed to make him listen to me. I didn't care that he had stolen my idea. I didn't care that he had pushed me away. He was stopping by Kendra's every night waiting for me to show up. Clearly he realized he had made some mistakes too. But maybe tonight wasn't the best time to do that. I didn't want his judgment to be clouded just because it was Valentine's Day. Or maybe that would help my case. A little extra nudge toward romance never hurt anyone? Says the girl that's been burned.

  I took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the words in front of me. Getting this job would be great. Having a good salary would be great. But I'd still feel empty if I didn't have him.

  I turned to the page I had written about fairytales. Maybe I'd pitch that idea today during my interview. Then I wouldn't have to separate out the thoughts of Mason rolling around in my head. My missing him would just make the pitch even more sincere. And it was appropriate considering the holiday.

  The subway came to a stop. Normally it was jam-packed during my morning commute, but in the middle of the afternoon it wasn't crowded. I didn't have to shove through anyone getting off. The past few weeks before running away, I had been sharing a cab to work with Mason. If we could work though things, it was still going to be different. He'd be staying home and I'd be heading to work by myself back on the subway. I loved those cab rides. The way he kept his hand in mine and squeezed it whenever he wanted for me to look over at him. Not that he had to do that very often. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him.

  I walked up the steps and lifted my shoulders, bracing myself against the cold wind that rushed toward me. If I did get this job, I wondered if any of my former coworkers would throw me under the bus and tell the new boss I was just a lowly secretary. I'd definitely have to prove myself.

  I ducked my head down as I walked past a homeless person sitting on the curb. Today I didn't even have a penny to give him. I grabbed the handle of the door I never thought I'd be going through again. I still couldn't believe Mr. Ellington had been fired. I liked the new boss already.

  My heels made that annoying clicking noise as I made my way toward the elevator, but it was better than the sound of my beating heart. I could feel it in my bones. This was the turning point.

  When I stepped off the elevator, I was amazed by how different the office already looked. The Kruger Advertising sign was gone, and there were people painting the office a pretty shade of light blue. It already seemed more cheery. A large reception desk had been put at the front of the office and a woman was there organizing some papers behind the desk. I really hoped I wouldn't be working alongside of her. Not that she didn't seem nice. I just couldn't do that again.

  I walked up to the woman. "Hi, I'm Bridget Cowan. I'm here for an interview."

  "Oh, yes." The woman sifted through the papers. "Bee Cowan? Is that it?"

  "Yes." I smiled. Kendra must have told them I preferred to be called Bee. I already felt a little more comfortable. I tried to focus on my breathing so that my pulse would be tricked into slowing down.

  "He's expecting you. You can just take a seat right over there and I'll let him know you're here." She gestured to her left and picked up the phone that was on her desk. There were a row of soft looking chairs and a plush couch outside of Mr. Ellington's old office. They were all empty.

  "Thank you." I walked over and sat down on the chair farthest away from the office door. My desk that had been right outside Mr. Ellington's office was gone. I vaguely wondered what had happened to the picture I had left behind. Patrick and my smiling faces were probably sitting in a dump right outside of the city. I ran my thumb along the spot where my engagement ring once sat. When Mason had said I should just run back to Patrick, not even a small part of me considered it. There was nothing to run back to. All I'd be doing was running away, and I didn't want to run away from Mason.

  I looked down at my hand. For a while there had been a small tan line where my engagement ring used to sit. It was almost gone now, like all the evidence of Patrick and my relationship would soon be gone. And the thought was terrifying. Not because of Patrick, but becaus
e of Mason. I didn't want Mason to become a distant memory. I'd regret that for the rest of my life. I had been thinking more and more about what my mom had said. Without a doubt in my mind, Mason was my great love. Was not answering his calls a mistake? Had I already lost him too? Maybe Valentine's Day was getting in my own head.

  I needed to focus. I pulled out my notebook and opened up to a random page, but the words didn't seem to make any sense. Focus.

  The receptionist walked over. "He's ready to see you now." She gave me a small smile.

  I'm not ready. Shit. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest.

  She opened up the door to Mr. Ellington's old office and gestured for me to enter.

  "Thank you," I said over my shoulder as she closed the door behind me. I swallowed hard and turned around. My throat made a small squeaking sound when I saw him.

  Mason Caldwell was sitting behind a new desk, where Mr. Ellington's old desk had been, with a smile on his face. No, he was standing and walking toward me.

  "Mason." I could feel all the emotions from the other day coming back. But mostly I felt the warmth wafting off of him. His warmth was the only one that could seem to make the cold disappear.

  "I wasn't sure you were coming back." He had stopped right in front of me. He didn't reach out for me or try to kiss me.

  But I still felt warmer than I had all week. "I meant what I said, Mason."

  He scratched the back of his neck. "I know I'm an asshole."

  "No. I mean, I love you." There, I said it without sounding like I wanted to rip his head off. That was better right? Would he believe me now?

  He lowered his eyebrows slightly. "I need to talk to you."

  I bit my lip. "I'm so sorry about everything I said, Mason. The only thing I said the other day that was true was that I loved you. I love you so much."

  He closed his eyes for a second as though what I was saying hurt him. When he opened them, he didn't lock his eyes with mine again. "Can you take a seat?"

  He still didn't believe me. Or maybe he didn't want to hear it. He still wasn't touching me. I couldn't stand the distance between us. I walked past him and sat down in a chair in front of the desk.

  I heard him sigh. Instead of going around to the other side of the desk, he sat down in the chair beside mine and grabbed my hand. Finally. I felt the familiar spark ignite through my hand.

  "You bought Kruger Advertising?"

  "For barely anything, yeah. I'm just going to tell you everything from the start okay? I just need you to listen and not get upset. Promise to let me say everything I need to say?" He ran his thumb across my knuckles.

  I nodded.

  "This is everything. The good, the bad, the in between. And I bet you'll want to take back what you just said after you..."

  "I won't."

  He shook his head. "I don't go on blind dates, Bee. Actually, I don't go on any dates at all. I wasn't interested in a connection, in the whole romance thing. Just sex. That's it. That's all I wanted."

  "I know."

  "Carter and Marie were pretty insistent. I kept saying no. I keep my private life and work separate. All they knew was that I was single and that you were too. I knew you were wondering why the hell they would set you up with me that first night. But it's just because they didn't know me. It had nothing to do with whether you're easy or not, which you aren't. But they offered me Knicks tickets if I agreed. I'd get to go to a game and possibly get lucky? It sounded like a fair deal to me. So I said yes. I never expected someone like you to show up."

  "Someone like me?"

  "You took my breath away, Bee. But I only have one move. I mean," he shrugged, "plenty of moves to get to an end point. I wanted to fuck you. That was it. That's always the end game for me. And when you drove off in that taxi, it just made me want you even more. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I kept telling myself it was about the sex. Just getting to have you. It was more than that, I know that now, but I was fighting with myself about that. Instead of accepting that I actually had feelings for you, I made it some sick game in my head. I knew you were damaged. I mean, not damaged, that was the wrong word. But wounded, you know? From what happened with Patrick. So I took things slow for the ultimate prize. You."

  "That's why it was so hard for me to read you. You kept changing. You were brash yet kind. You were so confusing. But that doesn't change the way I feel about you now."

  He cleared his throat. "Mostly brash actually. I had a friend of mine dig up information on you. That's why I took you to all your favorite restaurants and..."

  "You stalked me?"

  "I didn't..." He stopped himself and ran his hands through his hair. "Loosely, maybe. And just at first. I don't know what came over me. You just seemed like this goal that I had to achieve. And I didn't care if I had to cheat and play dirty to get you in my bed. But the more time that went by, the more I started caring about you. It wasn't just about sex anymore, it was about you. I liked hanging out with you. And yes, when we finally gave into that temptation, it was explosive. But it wasn't about that anymore. You've consumed me. And it terrifies me, because I've never felt this way before."

  He laughed and ran his hand through his hair again. "I kept getting this weird tightness in my chest ever since we met. I thought I was dying. But I think I was just worried about losing you. I've never been that attached to something before. Someone." He leaned forward and put his hand on the side of my face. "You are not like any other girl in this city. I don't want you to think that I kiss everyone I meet the way that I kiss you. Or that I look at anyone else the way that I look at you. I'm addicted to your laugh and the dimples in your cheeks when you smile. Your warmth and optimism despite everything that's been taken from you. You're beautiful inside and out. And the only thing for sure that I know in this crazy city is how I feel about you."

  "And how do you feel about me?"

  "I love you, Bee. I love you so much."

  "I thought you were done with me?"

  "I can't ever quit you." He grabbed my arm and pulled me onto his lap. "I love you so much." He leaned down and kissed me.

  I was never going to question his motives or resist one of his advances again. I was always happiest when his arms were around me. I didn't care if he had gotten Knicks tickets or stalked me. I cared about what all that led to. Us. And all of that lead to where we were right now.

  He groaned into my mouth as his hands slipped to my ass. "God I missed you."

  "I missed you too."

  "I was so worried you weren't coming back." He kissed the side of my neck. "I was so worried that I lost you."

  I pulled back. "You're not so easy to quit either, Mason Caldwell."

  He moved his hands back to the sides of my face. "I'm so sorry that I hurt you. I'm never going to hurt you again."

  "I'm sorry too. I just freaked out when I heard you on the phone. But I know you weren't trying to steal my ideas. I know you're a good person."

  "I didn't even finish everything I needed to tell you. You're good at distracting me." He didn't make a move to push me off his lap. Instead, he pulled me closer, letting me rest my head against his shoulder. "Seeing your marketing ideas was an accident. I was just trying to leave you a note. But it was hard to look away. Your ideas are good, Bee. Good enough to land the Sword account."

  He was fiddling with the ends of my hair. I closed my eyes and just breathed in the familiar scent of him.

  "James called me after that Layla's Predictions fiasco. He had a friend on the board that knew the company was losing all their accounts. It was pretty clear that Kruger was going to go bankrupt in a few days. I needed to take that shot. It was just an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

  "I'm glad you got it. I'm not mad at you."

  "But I knew everyone at Kruger was going to lose their jobs..."

  I laughed and lifted my head off his shoulder. "That explains your reaction that night. You knew I wasn't going to get a promotion. Why didn't you just tell me?"
/>   "James made me promise not to tell anyone. His friend could have gotten in a lot of trouble if anyone who had stock in the company suddenly started selling their shares."

  "So, you got Knicks tickets to go on a date with me, stalked me, turned our relationship into a game, stole my advertising ideas, let me believe I was getting a promotion when you knew I was getting fired, and then bought the company that fired me? Is that about right?"

  "Yeah, but I..."

  "What's your end game now?" I tried to raise my eyebrow. I hated that I couldn't give him the same challenging look that he was so easily able to give me.

  He smiled down at me. "A good friend of mine told me that until life gives you something right, it's hard to realize how wrong you've been." He pushed a strand of hair out of my face. "I haven't really been living. Not until I met you. You're my end game. Making you happy is my new permanent end game. And," he grabbed my waist and stood up. He set me down on the edge of the desk and leaned into me. "The same friend told me that women prefer the truth over grand gestures. But I'm kind of a fan of grand gestures." He grabbed a business card off his desk and handed it to me.

  "Bee Inspired Media Group?" I looked up at him. "You're naming your new company after me?" I felt a flutter in my chest. It wasn't just a symbol of his love. It was the grandest apology I had ever seen.

  "No. Well, yes, but there's more." He tapped the side of the card.

  I looked back down at it. Bee Cowan, co-founder of BIMG. My eyes darted back up to his. "Mason, I can't do this with you. I've never even had an advertising job."

  "You landed our first account."

  "Our first account?" I looked back down at the card.

  "For the record, we have seven other accounts that I landed with my own ideas. That was the only one I stole, I swear. We can probably get a few more with some of your other ideas, though."

  "You really want me to do this with you?"

  "I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. You have what it takes, Bee. And I always want you by my side."

  It was like every dream I had rolled into one. "This is a very elaborate Valentine's Day gift, Mason." I couldn't seem stop looking at the business card. I had never even had my name on a business card before. And now I was the co-founder of a huge company?