Her eyes landed on it for the briefest of moments, and her face never changed. Her eyes, however, he could see the shock inthem. Quickly, however, she recovered. “He’s likely holding out for more.”
“Really? Interesting. And…can you tell me this? Why were my calls to him, my texts, never received by him?”
Again, as stoic as she looked, he could feel her anxiety and anger growing. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. If he ghosted you, Ben, that’s certainly not my fault.”
“Wow, Joyce, you’re losing your touch. I know you had my calls and texts rerouted. You blocked them from his phone and sent them to yours. I know all about it, Joyce. Kurt confessed. Luka was as heartbroken as I was, and we’re back together now. Your ploys didn’t work.”
“Then it all worked out for you. Well, don’t blame me when he takes your money, your reputation and leaves you heartbroken for good, next time.”
He suppressed every instinct he had not to physically throw her from the office. “Joyce, I want your office cleared out and your letter of resignation on my desk by five this evening. If it’s not, I’m calling the police and telling them you had a hand in the fraud.”
Her brows rose, the first sign of her surprise he’d see plainly. “You can’t be serious, Benson. You hired me to watch over your interests, which was exactly what I did.”
“No, you’re watching out for your interests. You never wanted me to be with Luka, knowing that if I was happy, like he’s made me, I wouldn’t be cut-throat like you love to push me to be. Like that deal with George Regal. You blamed Luka for it. You wanted to kill off that company and sell the pieces. I didn’t, so you took out your revenge. That was all that was.”
“You lost millions on that deal, Benson! And yes, I saw why!”
“Get out, Joyce, or I’ll have security throw you out.”
She stormed out of the office, and he was on the phone immediately with security to have them watch her as she left.Then he called the IT department and had her security codes changed, any passwords she may have used changed, and when Luka came out of the bathroom, he was in the middle of calling a meeting with the top people from all departments to warn them she might try to hurt the company.
Benson covered the receiver and said, “I’ll be busy for a while. Would you like to go to my apartment and wait for me?”
“I’ll go to mine and meet you later,” he said before he leaned over Benson and kissed him. “Don’t leave me waiting too long.”
“I won’t ever leave you waiting again.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lukamadedinnerthatevening, something simple, that they could eat while talking over some things. Sure, he was more than ecstatic they were back together, but he worried something could break them up again.
Losing him once was enough. Luka didn’t think he could ever go through that again. So, he felt the need to communicate, then, hopefully, they could end the evening with a fuck that would get his mind off everything else in the world. Benson did that. He had that power.
The pasta wasal denteand the vegetables still crisp when Benson came through the door. He almost looked disappointed that Luka had cooked, but Luka soon discovered why. “I made reservations.”
“Too bad. We need a night alone.”
“I’m not arguing. Not at all,” he said as he dialed and canceled the reservation, then called to his car to send it home. “I’m yours as long as you want me.”
“Which is what we need to talk about. Go sit while I dish this up for us, then we can have a little wine and talk.”
Benson kissed him tenderly, reminding Luka of why he’d fallen for the guy in the first place. A kiss like he’d never had, one that held promises and happily ever after.
As they ate, Luka began slowly. “We need…a safeword.”
Benson choked a little on the swallow of wine he’d just taken and immediately turned crimson. “A safe…a safeword? Are we getting kinky?”
“Well, maybe eventually, but it’s not for that. It’s so…so we don’t have this happen again. If something needs fixing, or if one of us wants out, I mean, it could happen. We need communication, and how we can start it is with just a word.”
“I see. I think it’s brilliant. Really. You choose. I’ll pick something like chip or byte.”
“God, no. Well, how about antelope?”
“Like the animal?”
Luka didn’t want to say he’d just watched a nature show while he’d been cooking. “Is that weird?”
“Definitely, but it also won’t come up in conversation easily, so it’s also perfect. Okay, well, antelope it is.”
