I step back inside and shut the door in her face.
Conversation over.
No one shows up here by accident. And I’m not in the habit of entertaining surprises.
Lilly
It takes me a second to register that he just slammed the door in my face.
In shock, I turn around slowly and take in my surroundings.
I’m literally in the middle of nowhere.
I followed Tessa’s instructions perfectly. Besides, it’s not like there were a lot of turns I could have missed or taken by accident.
There is no doubt that this is the right place.
Luke Morgan’s house. Which means…the man who just slammed the door in my face is my newboss.
I straighten my shoulders, take a deep breath, and push down all of the uncertainty, because there is no room for it right now. Even if the man who just slammed the door on me is the biggest, scariest-looking beast of a man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
I literally have nowhere to go and nothing to lose.
I march back up to the door and bang on it. When there’s no answer, I call out, “Luke Morgan!” Still no answer. “My name is Lilly Burton,” I say, injecting confidence I don’t quite feel. “Tessa sent me,” I add. “She told me to?—”
“What?”
The door flies open so fast, I’m knocked off balance. I step back quickly, catching myself before I can stumble backwards.
I straighten quickly, smoothing my jacket like that might somehow restore my dignity. “Luke?—”
“What did you say?” he demands, his voice low and dangerous.
Up close, he’s even more intimidating.And sexy as hell. At least he would be if it were any other situation.
He’s a solid wall of muscle, a thick beard hides his mouth, but his dark eyes are sharp with suspicion. He’s easily a foot taller than me. Everything about him screams control and restrained violence, like a predator deciding whether I’m a threat or a nuisance. Or both.
I refuse to shrink.
“Excuse me?” I shake my head and force myself to remember to breathe. “I was just explaining why I’m here.”
He waves his hand, like he doesn’t have time for what I’m saying. “Who did you say sent you?”
“Tessa.”
The change is immediate.
It’s not dramatic, but I see the way his hard edges soften. There’s a flicker in his eyes that replaces the pure hostility from a moment ago.
He even takes a half step back, as if he might actually let me inside.
Relief loosens something in my chest. Until I keep talking.
“She hired me.”
The softness vanishes as if it were neverthere to begin with, replaced by something colder and far more dangerous.
“She didwhat?
