King's Rule. Jackie Ashenden

      ‘Listening to music—what does it look like?’ She didn’t seem bothered that I’d caught her not paying attention. Which was almost as infuriating as the way the smoky quality of her voice got under my skin.

      ‘You’re supposed to be listening to what I have to say. That was the whole point of this meeting.’

      She rolled her eyes. ‘When you have something interesting to say then I’ll listen. So far, all I hear is dull.’

      The way I was leaning over her had brought us very close and I could smell her scent, something sweet, like jasmine. An odd choice for a woman so sharp and spiky.

      I also found it intoxicating. Another thing I hated about her.

      ‘How do you know it’s dull if you can’t hear it?’ I wanted to sink my fingers into the soft curls that cascaded over the sides of the chair and tighten them. Hold her there. Make it so she couldn’t move.

       Make it so she can’t do anything but beg.

      ‘I don’t need to hear it.’ Her gaze held nothing but challenge. ‘It’s you. Everything you say is dull.’

      It was obvious that she wanted me to fight back, to give her a response of some kind. But, no matter how much I wanted to, I never obliged her.

      ‘There’s an architectural firm in London,’ I said, playing the ace up my sleeve. ‘I hear you’re quite interested in working for them.’

      That wiped the insolent look off her lovely face.

      As it should. I’d done my research. Before you engaged with any enemy, you found out all you could about them, their strengths and their weaknesses. Most especially their weaknesses. And I’d discovered Poppy’s.

      Her mother had let slip that she’d been angling for an internship at a prestigious London architectural firm, and that she wanted it quite desperately. Which was fortuitous since I knew the owner of said firm rather well.

      Leverage. And I had it.

      Poppy scowled. ‘Could you stop looming over me? It’s pretty damn annoying.’

      So. Lily hadn’t been lying. Apparently Poppy was very interested in working for them.

      Satisfied, I straightened then coiled up the earbuds and put them in my trouser pocket.

      Her jaw hardened and I could tell she was debating whether or not to demand them back.

      I saved her the trouble. ‘You can have them once I’ve finished.’

      ‘They’re mine.’

      ‘I don’t care. This is a business meeting and I don’t have time for your sullen teenage dramatics.’

      ‘You’re an asshole.’

      ‘And you’re a bitch. Glad we’re clear on where we both stand.’ I moved back down to my seat and sat, folding my hands on the table in front of me.

      Her gaze met mine, anger sparking in the molten copper depths. She hadn’t bothered to take her feet off the table, deliberately keeping them there, and I had no doubt it was to mess with me.

      Well, I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. ‘Now that I have your attention, are you ready to listen? Or shall I have Security show you the way out?’

      She leaned back in the chair, putting her hands behind her head once more. This time, she kept her gaze on mine. ‘Okay,’ she said, as if it wasn’t a big deal. ‘Mum said you had some kind of wonderful offer to make me. Let’s hear it then.’

      As if I was the one who’d come to her and not the other way around.

      Really, it was a constant mystery to me why my cock was so interested in her when the rest of me couldn’t stand her. And it wasn’t just because she was beautiful.

      There was something about the way she continually challenged me that I found...exciting. And I wasn’t sure why that was, since I’d never had that reaction to any other woman before.

      I would never understand it.

      ‘I need a PA,’ I said, getting straight to the point. ‘The last one I had left yesterday and I can’t operate without one. However, I’m having difficulties finding someone who’ll work for a King.’

      ‘Can’t think why that might be,’ Poppy murmured. ‘Oh, wait. Could it be all that crime? Or no, maybe it’s just because you’re a prick.’

      ‘It’ll be for a month,’ I continued, as if she hadn’t spoken. ‘Until I can find myself a permanent replacement. The hours are long, but you’ll be well recompensed and—’

      ‘No.’

      It wasn’t often that people interrupted me. In addition to having a reputation for being a cold and ruthless bastard, I was also infamous for giving people one chance and one chance only. If you screwed up you were out, no questions and definitely no argument.

      It wasn’t personal. It was simply business. Time was money and if there was one thing I hated to waste it was money.

      I wasn’t the CFO of King Enterprises for nothing.

      ‘I haven’t finished,’ I said coldly.

      ‘You might not, but I have.’ Shoving her chair back, she got to her feet and sauntered around the table, heading towards the door. ‘You can keep the earbuds.’

      I let her get all the way to the door.

      Then I said, ‘I’ll tell Ms Jordan that you’re not interested in an internship then. I’m sure she has a few other candidates lined up so I don’t imagine she’ll be too concerned about losing you.’

      Poppy had her hand on the door handle, her back to me, all ready to leave.

      Silence fell.

      ‘You’ve spoken to Ms Jordan?’ This time her voice was devoid of her earlier disdain.

      I would have smiled if I’d been a different man. But I wasn’t and I’d had enough of this stupid game.

      ‘Yes,’ I said flatly. ‘She’ll agree to the internship on one condition. That you get a good reference from me.’

      Poppy’s shoulders tensed, but still she didn’t turn. ‘Why is that necessary?’

      ‘Because I told her it was.’ I stared at her stiff figure, the rigid tension in it at odds with all those soft curves. ‘Now, are you ready to sit down like a good girl and listen to what I have to say?’

       CHAPTER TWO

      Poppy

      I DIDN’T WANT to turn around because I knew what I’d see: satisfaction plastered all over Xander King’s stupid, handsome face.

      I hated him so much. Hated him.

      How had he known about that internship? Who’d told him? There was only one person I’d mentioned it to and...

      Dammit. Of course. Mum. She was always interfering. And she’d always had a soft spot for Xander, God only knew why, and she would have told him if he’d asked.

      I should have known this demand for a meeting would have come with strings, because there were always strings when it came to men. Nothing came for free with them. I only had to look at my mother to understand that.

       Are you ready to sit down like a good girl...?

      A shiver chased over my skin, the way it always did whenever he spoke in his cold, deep voice. With that hard note of authority, the one that hooked deep into something inside of me. A part of me I loathed.

      God, I didn’t want to look at him.