Chapter 12: Chapter 12

LAUREN

“Lauren? Are you there?” Shana asked.

This was too much right now. Lauren needed a moment. “Wait, Shana,” she said, getting up and going to her bathroom. “Just give me two seconds, okay?” Not waiting for a response, she muted the call.

She went to the sink and turned on the cold water, splashing it on her face until she was fully awake and her mind was clear. She took a moment to stare into her reflection before unmuting the phone.

“Hey, I’m back,” Lauren said. “So what do you need?”

Shana sighed. “I need my laptop. It’s charging on the desk in the living room, and I didn’t think I would need it, but Mr. Hawke wants—”

“Can’t I just read you what you need? Or email something to you?” Lauren did her best to prevent panic from invading her voice.

“It’s too much,” Shana said. “Can you just pretty please bring it in for me? I know you wanted to rest today, but please? I need you. Please, please, please?” Shana was asking in her innocent, baby-girl voice that Lauren had never been able to say no to.

And she couldn’t say it now. Her friend needed help, and she would give it. There was no reason she couldn’t just drop the laptop off and leave. Sighing, Lauren said, “Fine. I’ll leave now.”

Shana squealed. “You’re a lifesaver, girl. Taxi’s on me.”

“And lunch,” Lauren said, getting out of her pajamas and into jeans.

“Deal,” Shana said. Then she sighed and said in a lowered voice, “I swear, Mr. Hawke has been super pissed this morning, like, more than usual, and you’d think after getting his rocks off last night, he’d be in a better mood.”

Lauren froze, her shirt over her head. “How do you know he got his rocks off?” She tried to sound casual, but her voice shook as she spoke.

Shana chuckled. “He has hickeys all up his neck. Like, huge ones. And let me tell you, he has always said he hates them, like, can’t stand it when a girl marks him like that. And now they are all over him.”

Cheeks burning as Shana spoke, Lauren collected her things and grabbed the laptop before heading toward the door.

Laughing now, Shana continued speaking. “She must have been really special because he was always so adamant—he kicks girls out of his bed in the middle of sex for that shit.”

Lauren’s heart raced, beating against her rib cage as she pulled on her jacket. Did that really mean something? Was she someone special? Her thumping pulse echoed in her ear, and she swallowed hard, offering Shana a light chuckle.

“I’m leaving now,” Lauren said. “See you soon.” She hung up the phone and leaned against the door to catch her breath.

Valentine’s Day was over, so should be its curse. But here it was, rearing its ugly head again.

Not only did she have a nasty sex hangover, her body still aching from him—and for him—but now she was forced to see him after sneaking out on him and telling him to mail her back her bra.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and guilt, but as she got into the cab, her pussy was getting excited. A chastity belt was looking better and better.

***

Lauren stepped out of the elevator onto the top floor of Hawke Industries, her stomach twisting into knots. It was different in the daytime, less dangerous, less intimidating. She waved at Shana and walked over, letting Shana finish her call while she waited by the glass window wall.

“Oh, thank gosh,” Shana said as soon as she hung up. “You’re truly my saving grace.”

Walking over, Lauren pulled out the laptop and handed it to Shana, who was now standing behind her desk.

Shana grabbed it and leaned forward. “He is so moody right now,” she whispered, her eyes flicking toward his office doors. “Pretty sure he’s almost fired everyone in the building. Twice.” She rolled her eyes.

As Shana set up her laptop next to the computer screen, Lauren’s eyes strayed to the double doors. What was he doing right now? Frowning over his work? Thinking about her?

Lauren was sure he was, but they likely weren’t all positive thoughts. He’d probably never had a woman sneak out on him before. And while her reasons for doing that had sounded good in her head, he was obviously pissed about it.

He hadn’t messaged her back, he was being moody at work, and he was taking it out on his staff. And as soon as he saw her here, she had no doubt that he’d take it out on her too.

Lauren had been lucky enough to have avoided him for this long, but she couldn’t tempt fate anymore. She needed to leave. “So,” she said, getting Shana’s attention, “can we go to lunch? Or do you need more time here?” She gestured toward the laptop.

“Nope,” Shana said, pressing a button and closing the computer. “All done. Where should we g—”

The forceful opening of the double doors cut off Shana’s words.

Lauren snapped her head in the direction of Logan’s office, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him in the doorway, at the way he was looking at her in the doorway.

His eyes were narrowed on her, and the hostility in his glare confirmed her assumptions.

He was definitely pissed.

And he was definitely pissed at her.