Tobias had always seemed the most contained, the most professional of the Lockwood brothers, but I caught the moment that façade cracked and something much darker, more animalistic broke through.
“We’ll need you to work closely with each one of us, very closely, to establish the parameters of the project and then to ensure we are using the new processes correctly.”
I stared him down, one part of me unable to believe that the future of the company wasn’t motivator enough, but god knew I’d dealt with needy bosses before.
Except what these bosses needed, I could never give them, not if I wanted any kind of professional reputation past this job.
“Of course,” I replied crisply. “I’ll offer you all of the assistance you need. That’s what you’re paying me for.”
23
“Me first,” Lucien said, getting to his feet and grabbing my hand before sweeping me out of the room.
“Let go,” I snapped, trying to wrench my hand away, but his grip grew tighter. It was then I didn’t mind weighing what I did because I dug my heels in, forcing him to at least slow his roll. Lucien looked back at me, a thunderous frown on his face. “Let go or I quit right now.”
“Good. I never should have let you take a position here.” Still, he let my hand go, that frown growing thunderous as I rubbed at my wrist. “I…” He let out a sigh, looking past me to where his brothers now stood outside Tobias’ door. “Sage, can you come into my office, please?”
I thought of what had gone on in there before, the kind of conversation we’d had, when his voice was all raspy with need, and a smart part of me started waving red flags around like a crazy person.
Of course, I didn’t pay any attention to that.
I stepped into his office of my own volition, jumping when he slammed the door behind him. I smoothed my hands down my thighs and then stared at him.
“The door should remain open,” I said.
“It’s not going to, not right now.” His hands sank into his hair, turning the neat strands into a wild mess. “Fucking Jesus Christ. Fuck!”
“I’ll go make you some coffee,” I said, using the age-old tactic of PAs to give your boss some time to get his fucking shit together, while avoiding bringing it down on your head.
“Don’t.” The ragged tone of his voice had me freezing on the spot. “Please, Sage, don’t walk out that door.”
I let out a sigh, then crossed my arms, turning to face him.
“We need to keep things professional. My job, my reputation, my livelihood is at stake.”
“And you’re my mate.”
He ignored everything I was saying, all of the good sense, making me wonder if anything I’d said in Tobias’ office had gotten through to him at all. He surged forward, getting in my space, having the sheer fucking gall to make me feel small again when I confronted his massive body. His hands rose and fell, then rose again, hovering in the air.
“You were hurt—I could feel every fucking second of it like pins being driven into my skin. I needed to help you, fix shit, make it all fucking better, even while I knew you’d never have been in that situation if it weren’t for me. Sage, I’ll do whatever you damn well want. I’ll sell my fucking shares in Dacian—”
I gasped at that.
“That?” He pulled back slightly, then peered down at me. “That’s what freaks you out? I don’t give a shit about the company, not if it costs me you. Tobias can buy me out and—”
“And the board will win, right? You do something here that the others can’t. You’re all pulled in different directions, not working as a team at all, but still, you’re essential.”
“I do all of the R&D,” he said, and it was then I heard the pride sneak into his voice. “I find all the dissertations or PhD students with relevant projects, and I provide funding for the ones I think show promise. If they turn out to have a practical application, I buy their IP and often find them a position here.”
“And who will do that if you leave here for me?” I asked. “Beau?”
His face transformed as he snorted derisively.
“Beau’s the pretty boy. He’s good with getting the word out, drumming up support for our new initiatives. He could sell dildos to nuns.” I snorted at that, which made him grin, and with that seemed to come a realisation. “We probably wouldn’t have gotten as far as we have without him.” Lucien nodded slowly. “But yeah, none of the others have the eye for potential projects like I do.”
“Do you feel good when you see people buying your products all over the world?”
Something seemed to shift in him, the tension trickling away, replaced by a kind of cocky verve.