Page 10 of Leverage & Obedience

The conversation dies the moment Dana glances over her shoulder and clocks me in the doorway. Her expression shifts into something bright and professional so fast I almost admire the pivot.

“Lily! How’s the Haverford file coming along?”

“Almost done. Should have the updated binder on Bren’s desk by three.” I keep my voice light and pour my coffee, getting out of there quickly.

The hallway is quiet as I walk back to my desk, and the information settles in my gut. He lost his wife almost eight years ago. He was, what, mid-thirties? I don’t know his actual age, but he can’t be more than 45.

A younger, softer version of him is in my head now, going home at the end of a workday to a wife he loved deeply. The picture won’t leave. Neither will the squeeze in my chest.

At 3:47, the intercom buzzes.

“Lily.”

His deep voice sends a rush of wetness between my legs. The information I learned in the break room isn’t fazing my inner slut.

“Yes, Bren?”

“The Haverford binder is excellent. You reorganized the entire file structure.”

“The old system was giving me hives.” I keep my tone light. “I hope that’s okay.”

“More than okay. Good girl.”

I flush and pray my face isn’t giving me away because Rachel is three feet away at the filing cabinet next to my cubicle. The wetness between my thighs has decided the panic is the best part.

“Thank you, Bren. Happy to help.” My tone is professional.

The intercom clicks off. I exhale and reach for my coffee.

Rachel looks at me and tilts her head. Oh god, did she hear that?

“He seems impressed with you,” she says.

“I reorganized a binder. The bar is low.” I reach for the stack of client intake forms on my desk and start flipping through them like they’re the most urgent thing in my life. “Hey, do you know if these need to go to Dana or straight to filing?”

Rachel glances at the forms. “Filing. Dana already signed off on those last week.” She closes the cabinet. “See you tomorrow.”

“See you.”

She heads down the hall, and my pulse races. Fuck, that was too close.

I set down the intake forms I don’t need and take a long sip of coffee, willing my hands to stop shaking. Secrets are thrilling, and almost getting caught is hotter. I hate that I love the combination.

At 4:42, my phone rings. Heather, the paralegal on the Pemberton matter that has been a slow-moving disaster since I started here. The call is going to take twenty minutes and require me to be lucid.

“Lily Carter.”

“Lily, hi, it’s Heather. I have updated documents on Pemberton. I need to walk you through some changes before five.”

“Of course. Let me pull it up.”

I unlock my screen and navigate to the Pemberton folder. While she’s pulling her notes, I scan the floor. Rachel is gone. Dana is on her own call with her back to me, and Kevin is working with his head down. The pod near mine is empty.

Bren is walking down the hallway toward me, no jacket, with his sleeves rolled up. His expression is professional. The heat in his eyes is not.

I straighten in my chair and angle the receiver away from my mouth. Before I can speak, he holds up one finger to quiet me. He moves into my cubicle and kneels. No one would see him if they glanced this way.

Holy hell.