The man stormed out, and James sat staring at the picture of Olivia on his desk, waiting for the fury churning in his gut to abate. When it had calmed somewhat, he stood and strode down the hall to her office. She was on the phone when he opened the door, so he quietly shut it again behind him and waited for her to finish.
Glancing over, she gave him a sassy wink. “That’s great news! Once I get the paperwork, I’ll call my clients. They’re going to be thrilled at the offer. Thanks, Jenny. Uh-huh. Bye!”
When she hung up the phone, she did what he always thought of as her ‘money dance.’ She jumped out of the chair and wiggled her hips while pumping her fists in the air. “I just got an offer for ten thousand over listing for that house on Maple.”
“Because you’re brilliant. Good job, Liv.”
“Thanks. Did you need me?”
“Yes.” As much as he hated to ruin her good mood, he wasn’t about to let this slide. “We need to talk.”
Her face fell into an adorable pout. If they’d been home, he would have pulled her over his knee for a quick, fun spanking before he fucked her senseless. Goddamn office protocol.
“What did I do?” she asked, her voice bordering on a whine.
“Mr. Jackson was just here.”
The pout disappeared, and was replaced by a combination of embarrassment and icy disdain. “And?”
“He had some very... unkind things to say about you.”
Olivia rolled her eyes, but for once he didn’t correct her. If anyone had earned the right to roll their eyes at a client, it was her. “Not surprised. Did you assure him I’d been properly reprimanded?”
“I did. A few minutes before I kicked him out of my office and told him we would no longer be doing business together.”
Her mouth fell open. “You—you did what?”
“I won’t have clients who insult and berate my agents. Especially my wife. Why didn’t you come to me, Olivia? I would have taken care of it if you’d told me how abusive his behavior was.”
“I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
After checking to make sure nobody was passing by, he rounded her desk. Reaching down, he gave her ass a long, hard squeeze. She yelped, and tears filled her beautiful eyes. He had no doubt she was still sore from last night, and short of breaking every rule they had by bending her over and paddling her in the middle of the office, this quick reminder would have to do.
“Listen to me very carefully, Olivia Jane Monroe. I respect your desire to handle difficult clients on your own. But I will not have my agents berated, belittled, or abused by clients. The next time I find out you’ve been ‘handling’ a client like him without telling me the full story, you’ll spend a full day holding a plug inside a very sore bottom. Do you understand me, young lady?”
“But I can—”
He cut off her protests with another hard squeeze. “I know youcan. I’m saying there’s no need for you to. Have I made myself clear?”
“Yeah.”
“Olivia.” He put as much warning as he could into her name.
Color darkened her cheeks. “Yes, sir,” she whispered.
“Good girl.” James patted her bottom and gave her a quick kiss. The reminder on his phone dinged and he lifted a hand to her cheek. “We have to leave soon.”
The grief in her eyes shattered him. He’d give every last cent they had to never see her in such pain again. “I know.”
“We don’t have to stay. We can go for the viewing and then head home if you’d like.”
“Maybe.”
He kissed her again, but this time he lingered, offering comfort and solace the only way he knew how. When they broke apart again, her eyes were slightly glazed, and he couldn’t help but grin. She was so adorable when she was all flushed with pleasure.
“Meet me in my office in half an hour. We’ll leave your car here tonight and drive home together.”
“‘Kay.”