Page 105 of Brutal

George’s face is red with humiliation. “You… You can’t?—”

“We can,” Chase says cheerfully. “In fact, we’re doing it right now. Amber, you’ll add that to the board minutes, of course.”

Mimosa nods. “Yes, it’s all recorded, and I’ll compile the minutes as soon as we’re done here.”

I smirk at George. “There you have it. You’re gone. And Oliver… I’d suggest handing in your resignation tomorrow.”

“Yeah, fuck you, Drake,” Oliver says. He flips all of us off. “Can’t wait for all this to blow up in your faces, assholes.”

And that’s it. George follows Oliver out, and the meeting is essentially over.

My company is saved.

And, I guess, so am I.

CHAPTER 27

Drake

I can’t keep my hands off Mimosa as we take the elevator up.

I kiss her jaw, her neck, her lips. I pull her flush up against my body—and I keep smiling.

I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.

It’s a strange feeling, not one I’m used to at all, but I know that if she sticks around, it’ll become more present.

I have my job — my legacy — and I have Mimosa. What more could I want?

All right, so maybe there are a few more things I would appreciate, but it’s still so much better than it could be

So much better than it had been, too.

I wonder if she’d let me say those words now.

I can’t handle it if she doesn’t, though, so I just think them loudly, like that might imprint themselves on her brain.

I love you.

Mimosa smiles and kisses me back. “Okay. You’re going to have to let me go so we can get out of the elevator.”

“What if I don’t want to get out of the elevator?” I ask her. “What if I just want to have you right here?” I ask her. It’s not like many people get to use this particular elevator.

She raises her eyebrows at me. “Not much we can do in the elevator. No bed, no pillows, no lube, no toys…”

I groan. “Yeah, but it’s still adventurous, isn’t it? I don’t need lube to fuck you against the elevator wall.” I point up. “There’s even a camera to indulge any latent exhibitionist kinks you might have.”

Mimosa’s nose wrinkles. “Are you sure you want the entire world to see you take it up the ass?”

I jolt against her. “Wait, what?” I ask. I had to have misheard her. “We didn’t talk about that!” Well, we had. Just not about doing it today, and I’m still not sure I’m ready for that much of a commitment.

Which is bizarre, considering.

“I thought you wanted to do something adventurous!” she teases. Her smile softens, and she continues, “But I’d rather not have an audience.”

I eye her for a moment, then reluctantly step out of the elevator “I haven’t agreed to this yet,” I tell her, but in reality, I know that all she needs to do is say the word and I’ll be face-down, ass-up in my bed for her.

I take her hand, and we walk toward the bedroom. She doesn’t say anything, but she does twist her fingers around mine.