Thinking of her like that had left me painfully hard. I’d jerked off to flashes of Violet in my mind. Naked and on her knees in front of me, her perfect pink lips wrapped around my cock, my hands fisted in her hair as I held her still and thrust deep. Deeper …

Damn. I could get hard all over again just thinking about it.

“Where are you off to?”

I push the up button next to the elevator and turn to find Pilar standing in front of me, her hands resting on her hips, skeptical gaze resting on me. “Meeting upstairs.”

That damn perfect eyebrow of hers rises. “With whom?”

Should I tell her? She’ll find out anyway, so why bother hiding it? Hunting season is open and she’s locked and loaded. So am I. “My department.” I pause. “And Violet.”

The smirk that crosses her face is full of triumph. “Why you wicked, wicked boy. You certainly move fast, don’t you?”

“I only learn from the best.” I shrug, not bothering to tell her it’s a legitimate meeting. She laughs as she steps closer to me.

“Are you going to give me all the details later?” she practically purrs, drawing her perfectly manicured nails across my shoulder. “You look delicious in this suit. It fits you so well. Prada?”

“Gucci.” The door slides open and I step away from Pilar’s touch and into the elevator. “I’ll text you when I’m finished.”

“Oh, yes. Please do,” she calls as I press the number-twenty button. Violet’s floor. “Give me all the lurid details, my darling. Every single one.”

I turn to face Pilar, remaining stone-faced as the doors slowly shut with a soft swooshing sound. She’ll understand. She knows it’s my game face. My hunter face. I’m analyzing, mentally preparing myself, wondering exactly what sort of lion’s den I’m about to step into.

But Violet Fowler is no lion. I doubt she’ll give us much shit this first meeting, since it’s all about ideas and concept. She’s more like a soft, sweet little kitten. A fuzzy little ball of fluff who’ll hopefully want to play with me and eventually beg for my attention. Who’ll preen and rub against my leg and hope for more of what only I can give her.

Soon. I can’t get ahead of myself. First I need to earn her trust. Pilar needs to get her mouth around Lawrence’s dick. None of this is going to be easy, especially with the short amount of time we have to work with.

It makes it that much more challenging, though. And I love a challenge, especially when the reward is so delicious.

The elevator doors open and I exit, turning right and heading toward the conference room where our meeting is being held. I’m ten minutes early; I always am, and this gives me time to absorb the power I feel radiating in the air. The executive floor has a more hushed quality to it, an elegant, almost refined air compared to the kinetic energy on my floor. I can almost smell the money as I wander by the offices outfitted with custom desks that cost twenty thousand dollars and views of the city most executives would kill to have.

This is what I want someday. Power. Money. The confidence that nothing can break me down. And I want to earn it on my own, not ride Pilar’s coattails to an executive position at Fleur or maybe some other cosmetics company. Considering I’m an associate director, the experience I’ve gained in this position could take me practically anywhere.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t want to go anywhere else. I want to stay with Fleur. I’m damn good at what I do, which still surprises me. Who knew a loser kid from the streets could clean up nice and know how to sell cosmetics? Definitely not me.

What I really want is the job that Lawrence is this close to getting. I want the hell out of here, away from Pilar and everything else. A fresh start sounds like a fucking dream.

A dream I’m determined to make my reality.

I slow my steps, admiring each office as I pass. The conference room is at the end of the hall and Violet’s office is nearby. Last door on the left, and that door is currently open. I pause at the edge of the mostly glass wall that fronts her office, peeking around the corner to find her sitting behind her desk. She’s staring at her computer screen, a dreamy expression on her beautiful face as she runs her fingers absently along the side of her bared neck. Her index finger slides up, gently playing with the diamond stud in her ear, and I’m as hard as the stone she touches. Just like that. The very last thing I need is to walk into a meeting with a tent in the front of my trousers.

Fuck.

Taking a deep breath, I tell myself to get my shit together. All I did was watch her touch her fucking earring. Big deal. I’ve seen better. I’ve watched all sorts of depraved things happen in front of me while bored out of my skull. I’ve lived far too much, seen far too much, to think there’s even a hint of innocence inside me.

Not even close. My soul is hard. As hard as that damned diamond Violet is touching. Hard and black and ugly, and crazy fucker that I am, I revel in the blackness. The darkness. Pilar has told me more than once that sometimes I scare her.

Good. I should scare her. I may be the smooth businessman at work but during my off time, I can relax. Can become more my true self. Underneath the expensive suit and high-end watch is a man who could have easily become a hardened fucking criminal in and out of jail. Hell, I’ve been in jail. More than once.

But I’d been a juvenile and my record is sealed. Thank Christ.

If Violet knew about my past, she’d probably freak. She’s one giant ball of insecurities. Something happened to her, something no one really talks about that sent her spiraling out of control. Daddy locked her up at the most expensive and discreet mental health facility money could buy. She came out a few months later refreshed and medicated, back at work at Fleur and leaving every employee she worked with full of envy. Supposedly, they hate her.