Page 137 of Cuffed (Everyday Heroes 1)
“Don’t jump today.”
“Head up. Wings out,” I say as I walk into the conference room and away from the truth she’s telling that I don’t think I’m ready to hear.
And straight into Christopher.
Startled, I jump back, but he keeps his hand firmly on my arm.
“How did you get in here?” I ask, completely uncomfortable as I yank my arm away from him.
“The side door was open. I didn’t want to interrupt your girl time.”
My skin crawls with the knowledge that he was eavesdropping. “Next time use the front door please.”
“Or you could answer my calls when I make them, or were you too busy sleeping around with the Malone boys?” He tsks. “Big mistake on your part.”
“Mistake or not, it’s none of your business.” I grit my teeth for the umpteenth time. Patience.
Only a few more days, and I’ll never have to deal with this slime bag again.
His hand is back on my bicep without warning. “Apparently, you don’t want your loan, Ms. Reeves?” he says, purring out my last name and causing my stomach to revolt.
“You asking me out for dinner has nothing to do with my loan.”
“It has everything to do with your loan.”
“Excuse me? I wasn’t aware that when I signed the loan application with you that prostitution was part of the deal.”
He runs the tip of his finger down my arm, and I want to slap his hand away. “You have everything to do with the deal. Don’t forget that I am the only one willing to take a risk on you, Emerson. I’m the only lender even remotely willing to issue a loan with your credit history . . . so, I think it’s you who should be bending to me.”
“No. I don’t bend for anyone. It’s as simple as that.”
“No?”
“You heard me, Chris. Your sexual harassment bullshit doesn’t fly with me, and I’m sick of putting up with it. I’m sure the board of ethics wouldn’t approve of it, either,” I say without even knowing if there is such a thing as a board of ethics for lending practices. “Get the loan approved. Fund the money to the owners. Close the deal. Do your job.”
His chuckle scrapes over my skin like nails on a chalkboard. “Your loan was denied this morning.”
“What?” If I could get whiplash from the change in conversation, I would have it. “What did you just say?”
Is he fucking kidding me?
“Yep. It was rejected today. If you would have answered my calls or listened to any of my voice mails, you would have known that already . . .” He crosses his arms over his chest and leans one shoulder against the wall. “Don’t worry, though. When the lender notified us, the Skies’ broker said they were going to move forward and accept their backup offer. I’m sure if you ask nicely, they’ll put in a good word for you with the new owners. Maybe they?
?ll give you a job.”
“How is that even possible?” I shout as every part of me rages in a disbelief I can’t even process.
“Well, when you drag your feet and don’t provide your loan officer the things he needs, it can happen quite easily.” His smarmy smirk matches the tone in his voice. “One missing piece, one mistyped figure, is all it takes for the lender to throw it out.”
“You bastard.”
“Not from where I stand.”
“You knew my loan was denied, and you pretended it wasn’t to try to get me to sleep with you.” My fists clench and body vibrates with anger. “Get. Out.”
“Too bad, this place could have been all yours.” He holds his hands out to his sides and winks. “Good luck finding someone to lend you the money now . . . but then again, it doesn’t matter. Your dream is already being sold to someone else.”
And with that, he slams the side door shut as I stand there and just stare at it.
