What the hell was she—what had Cain said her full name was? Mycah Hill?—doing here? No, wait. A job. The position of vice president of operations. At the company Achilles owned a third of. His company. What were the odds she hadn’t known?
Even if she hadn’t been aware of his identity that night in the bar—and he believed she hadn’t since the news about him and Kenan hadn’t broken yet—she damn well did now. The media scrutiny on the sudden appearance of the two Farrell bastards had been hell since the funeral. And from the moment they met, Mycah had struck Achilles as a smart woman. And she wouldn’t apply for a job without first thoroughly researching the company and its owners.
Yes, she would’ve walked into this building forewarned and armed with the information that she would be sitting across from the person she’d seen biblically naked.
That made one of them.
He narrowed his gaze on her, meeting those level espresso eyes. To her credit, she didn’t avoid him. Admiration and anger tangled in his chest.
What was her plan now? Admit that she knew him? That she’d spent a night under him, over him, spread wide for him?
Or pretend that she’d never laid eyes on him before?
“Mycah, this is Achilles Farrell, our third brother, and Chief Digital Officer of our IT department,” Cain continued with the introduction.
Mycah nodded, offering Achilles a polite smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Farrell.”
So it was to be option B.
The well-mannered thing to do would’ve been to reply, but at the moment that was beyond him. He was too busy strong-arming the disappointment and anger barreling through him like a rampaging bull.
Which didn’t make any sense.
This disappointment in her. This rage. He’d been more than aware whom he was taking to bed. Known that her pretty talk aside, that if he’d met her on the cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill in the light of day, she wouldn’t have anything to do with his rough talk, rough hands and rougher demeanor. Her kind with their flawless pedigree, upper tax bracket, superior education and untouchable society.
Although, he’d proved just how...touchable she was, hadn’t he? No matter how much she probably wanted to forget.
Too fucking bad.
Still, he dipped his head, rolling one of the executive chairs back and lowering into it. Kenan shot him an exasperated glance and Achilles returned it with an arched eyebrow.
“Since calling all of us Mr. Farrell could become a little confusing,” Cain said, reclaiming his seat, as well, “why don’t we go with Cain, Kenan and Achilles?”
Another smile from her, and Achilles curled his fingers into his thigh under the table, remembering how those lips had curled against his own. Had parted so easily and greedily under his own.Shit.He shifted his gaze from her to the wall of windows over her shoulder. This interview had to end before he did something monumentally stupid.
Like beg her to give him one more taste of that heady lavender-and-cedar scent...
“I can do that,” she agreed.
“Great. Let’s get started.” Cain passed Achilles a folder, and with no choice he opened it, finding her résumé inside. “We’ve gone over your résumé, and I’m very familiar with your reputation, which is impeccable. Over at Ryland & Co., you were key in restructuring their policies and departments. Thanks to the programs and streamlined procedures you implemented, the company substantially created higher ROI as well as optimization of workflow. I have to admit, I spoke with certain management personnel over there, and they spoke highly of you and admitted that you helped attain growth and profit for the business. That’s a glowing recommendation, but one I already knew. The question is—” Cain rested his forearms and clasped hands on the table “—why are you looking to leave Ryland to come here?”
Mycah didn’t immediately answer, instead mimicking Cain’s position and meeting his steady gaze, before making visual contact with each of them. Though his eye contact was shorter. Still, Achilles found himself leaning forward, impatient to hear her reply. This woman—professional, reserved, confident—he’d glimpsed that night in the dive bar. But damn if he wasn’t reluctantly fascinated by this facet of her.
“Ryland is a good, stable company. I wouldn’t have stayed with them for seven years, the last three in the position of VP of operations, if they weren’t. But Farrell International isn’t just good—it’s the best. And here,Ican be the best. I can start at vice president of operations, but that’s just the beginning and not the end of where I can go. I’ve done all I can at Ryland, and one thing I can’t abide is stagnancy. And—” she arched an eyebrow high, the corner of her mouth twitching “—there is the matter of the salary you’re offering, which is almost double what I’m making now.”
Kenan chuckled. “Honesty. I like it.”
Cain cocked his head. “So you wouldn’t be satisfied with the position of vice president of operations?”
Again, Mycah copied him. “Would you?” she retorted smoothly.
Cain slowly smiled. “No.”
Ambitious. Probably ruthless. Achilles silently snorted. Why wasn’t he surprised? Virtues both his half brothers would admire. Achilles had seen those same qualities in the inmates who’d come into the jail and desired to rule the pod, make life fucking miserable for the rest of them who just wanted to get through their sentence with their heads down and as little trouble as possible.
He didn’t trust ambition. Didn’t trust those who hungered for it and what it brought.
The rest of the interview progressed with no input from him and more questions from Cain and Kenan about her work experience, what she could bring to Farrell International, what she would implement, how she would handle certain business situations. Achilles sat back, wishing he could tune them out. Trying to ignore her presence.
