Dangerous Obsessions Read Online Free PDF Page B

smooth, bored mask and he ushered me away as he stared down the man he’d been arguing with.
    “Anything else?” His voice was crisp.
    “You don’t get it, do you?” The other man must be young. I kept walking, trying to keep my steps quick, but I couldn’t keep myself from trying to match the voice to a name. Young. There weren’t many young people in upper management, and only one on the board. I strained to hear. “This company is about to slide out of your grasp. There are people who know what you did to Sebastian. People who are just dying to come forward.”
    “Is that so.” The voice was cold enough that I shivered. “Run along, Hayes. I’m interested to see who you dig up.”
    “You should be.” The man left, brushing past me without a glance, and my steps slowed. When I looked back, Dominick was striding the other way down the hall, the set of his arms indicating that he was adjusting his cuffs and his suit jacket.
    “Dominick!” He didn’t slow at all, and I ran after him. “Dominick, wait.”
    “Yes?” I caught up to him at the elevator and he looked over at me, almost bored. Then his eyebrows snapped together. “What are you wearing?”
    “Just…” I shrugged a shoulder.
    “It’s ridiculous. You look like a hobo.”
    I felt a stab of frustration. “Never mind. I was going to ask if you were all right, but clearly I didn’t need to.”
    “You were?” He frowned. “Why?”
    “Because…” I gestured down the hall to where the confrontation had taken place. “Was that Russell Hayes?”
    “Yes.” His gaze sharpened. “You’re very well-informed.”
    “My father told me it’s good practice to know all of the executives and board members on sight.” The well-rehearsed lie came out promptly.
    “Your father is right.” He looked at me, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Was there anything else you wanted to say?”
    I stared at him in confusion for a few seconds until it dawned on me. He wanted me to ask where he had been. He wanted me to ask why he hadn’t been in contact. And it made me furious. I knew Dominick Ellison was a ruthless bastard without a conscience, and from the stories I’d heard, he’d probably screwed his brother over royally for nothing more than the sin of having a job Dominick wanted. I hadn’t, however, thought he was cruel just for the hell of it. I drew myself up, my inner monologue berating myself for being a fool, and gave him the iciest look I could.
    “Yes,” I said. “That was all.” I tried to think of something else to say, something witty and cutting, and I just couldn’t. As the elevator dinged, I turned and walked as quickly as I could down the hall, away from Dominick Ellison and whatever game he was playing.
     
    ***
     
    That was the plan, of course. In reality, it wasn’t ten minutes before I slammed my way into Dominick’s office and stared him down.
    “You know what? I did have more to say.”
    “Did you.” He looked up at me, almost bored.
    “Mr. Ellison?” The secretary was hovering apologetically behind me. “I’m very sorry, I can—”
    “It’s all right, Sarah.” He nodded her out of the room and raised his eyebrows. “Well? Are you going to come in, or do you want Sarah to hear everything you’re about to say?”
    I hated it when he was right, and it took everything I had not to slam the door again. I took my time so that I could try to compose myself, and when I looked back, it was with a litany going in my head: Dominick Ellison was a bad man, a cruel  man who wanted to shame me for having enjoyed sex he’d asked for, and I wasn’t going to stand for it.
    “I’m not your toy,” I said finally. “I’m not yours to just use and discard and then have you expect something of me. I don’t owe it to you to ask you why you went away and plead for you to come back while you leave me. I’m used to being left. You’ve seen me.” I lifted my chin. “But being left and being alone is better than chasing after