Club Destiny 1 Conviction (40 page)

“In relation to career
advancement, you would still have the opportunity to be Banten’s replacement,
should the man choose to take another position within the company, retire, or
otherwise leave. Aside from that, I’m afraid these are my only options.”

Sam didn’t like to hear that she
had limited options, but she understood where Xavier was coming from. In fact,
Sam knew he was being extremely gracious in offering even that much. If the
shoe was on the other foot, and Sam was in Xavier’s place, she couldn’t say
that she would be so flexible.

“Do you have any other
questions?” Alex asked, thrumming his fingers on the edge of the chair, his
easy smile making her want to jump at the opportunity, but she couldn’t seem to
find the words.

Before she could speak, Xavier
said, “And, if you choose not to accept either of those, we would have to be
forced to terminate your employment. Don’t misunderstand. That’s the absolute
last thing we want, Sam.

“This situation has come as a complete,
though not unpleasant surprise, if you want to know the truth. As I’ve told
Logan, I’m happy that he’s found someone that makes him happy, but I can’t let
this interrupt my business. Even if the issues hadn’t been raised, I can’t say
I could have let this continue. Alex pegged it earlier when he said this is a
conflict of interest. I’m hoping that by doing this, we can protect you and
Logan both, as well as XTX in general.”

Sam again nodded her
understanding. When he put it that way, it made perfect sense. She wanted to
work for XTX. She loved her job, liked the people and ultimately wasn’t ready
for it to be over. As generous as they were in offering her the position, Sam
couldn’t find it in herself to refuse.

“Thank you for the offer, and
thank you for allowing me the time to contemplate my next step. I know that you
have both gone out of your way to come up with this, and for that, I am truly
grateful. I have enjoyed my tenure at XTX immensely. I got my start here, and
I’d be more than honored to have the opportunity to continue working for this
company, regardless of the logistics.” Sam stated firmly, trying to hold back
the tears. Although this was a new beginning, she couldn’t help but feel as
though it were an ending just the same.

“Does that mean you’re accepting
the position?” Alex asked.

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying. I
would very much like to accept your offer, Alex.” With that, Sam leaned
forward, meeting the outstretched hand Alex offered, shaking on the deal. He
once again smiled, making Sam wonder if he didn’t know something more.

~*~*~

Logan knew Sam was in the office,
he even knew she was meeting with Alex and Xavier at that exact moment. Sitting
in one of his many Monday morning meetings, he was doing his level best to pay
attention to Larry as the man rambled on and on about something or another.
Logan could care less at that very moment. Which, he acknowledged, was highly
unprofessional.

His mind was on the fact that Sam
had spent the last two weeks avoiding him like the plague. She’d put roughly
three hundred miles between them while she took time to think about what she
planned to do next.

That didn’t sit well with Logan,
but she hadn’t listened to him when he’d attempted to talk her out of it.
Instead, Sam had hightailed it out of Dallas, leaving Logan to sit and worry
for fourteen whole days.

Worse than that, she hadn’t even
bothered to call him when she got back in town the night before. Hell, she
hadn’t called him at all for two fucking weeks. The only communication they had
was through the few texts he’d sent to her; trying to make sure she was ok. Her
one or two word responses hadn’t been what he wanted, but then again, he didn’t
have much of a say in the matter. Sam had made sure of it.

The only thing Logan did know at
this point was that Samantha Kielty had become his one and only weakness. She
somehow managed to sneak her way past his defenses, into his heart, and now she
was the one calling the shots. That definitely didn’t work for him.

Although, Logan thought when he’d
taken her in his shower the day she’d chosen to take a walk to clear her mind,
rather than talk  it out with him, they’d come to an understanding.

Logan understood all right. He
understood that Sam was scared shitless. How did he know this? He knew her,
that’s how.

Sam was a sexy, sensual woman and
the depths of her desire ran deep. She liked the darker side of her sexuality,
and she’d met her match with Logan. She might be trying to run away, but Logan
didn’t back off easily. When he wanted something, he went after it.

Apparently he needed to step up
his game. He’d had the last two weeks to think about exactly how he would do it
too. Sam might have the illusion she could run from him, and he would just sit
back and wait for her to make up her mind. That was so far from fact, Logan
smiled at the thought. He might be biding his time, but it wouldn’t last much
longer.

“Does anyone have any questions?”
Larry asked, obviously finished with his presentation.

“When are we going to have a
happy hour to celebrate?” Jill Baker, one of Larry’s direct reports asked
eagerly.

It was standard procedure for the
team to get together and celebrate the small victories with a happy hour every
now and then.

The room erupted in eager
conversations about when and where they would meet. From what Logan gathered,
they’d be getting together that evening at the place they frequented often.
Pushing out of his chair, Logan answered someone’s question on whether or not
he would attend. Of course he would be there, he assured them. Wouldn’t miss
it.

Waiting for the room to clear out
enough that he could get around the long, dark wood table, Logan noticed
Abigail and Tricia Shoenrock chatting it up at the table. Apparently the two
women didn’t realize he was still in the room. If they had, he was pretty sure
they wouldn’t have wanted him to hear what they were saying.

“Don’t worry. I think we’re about
to have more to celebrate than Larry’s project launching. I heard their firing
Samantha, and you’re a shoe in for her position. Just have some patience.”
Abigail assured the younger woman.

Clearing his throat as he walked
out of the room, he didn’t bother looking back. Abigail’s sudden gasp told him
that she saw him. That’s all he cared about.

To his knowledge, Sam was nowhere
close to being fired, but he didn’t feel the need to share that with Abigail.
The woman was digging her own grave if she thought making promises she couldn’t
keep was appropriate V.P. behavior.

Manipulative and vindictive
behavior was frowned upon at XTX, and Logan wasn’t above addressing the
situation with Abigail the next time they saw each other. He wouldn’t, however,
address her in front of Tricia.

More importantly, he wanted to
find out what exactly was going on in Xavier’s office. Sam might think she
could avoid him forever, but she would soon learn a valuable lesson.

She might own him, heart and
soul, and she might doubt every word he’d ever told her, but Logan didn’t say
things he didn’t mean and he damn sure didn’t tell a woman he loved her without
expecting her to give him the respect he was due.

He understood insecurities, knew
Samantha was plagued with them, but that didn’t make what she was doing right.
She knew him well enough to know that he could only be pushed so far. And
tonight, she’d learn just how far he could be pushed… before he pushed back.

~~  ** 
~~  **  ~~  **  ~~

Sam spent the afternoon in
various meetings, one with human resources at XTX, the other with human
resources at CISS – Alex. During both meetings, they discussed the terms of her
termination agreement, as well as the terms of her new employment agreement.

She’d managed to avoid Logan for
the better part of the day, only running into him once during the early
afternoon. He hadn’t approached her, but the look of lustful promise on his
face had been unmistakable, followed by the sinful, knowing grin he’d shot in
her direction.

Seeing him had brought back all
of the feelings she’d pushed aside for the most part over the last two weeks.
During the time she spent at her parents, Sam had rationalized her behavior,
only to wind up feeling an overwhelming sense of shame. She didn’t even
recognize the woman she was when she was with Logan. Samantha Kielty didn’t
have raunchy, mind blowing sex with two men, letting them do unthinkable things
to her.

But, no matter how she tried to
convince herself that she had a lapse in judgment, not to mention sanity, Sam
still came back to the inevitable. She loved Logan McCoy. She trusted him with
her heart and her soul, no matter her behavior when they were alone.

The memories played on constant
repeat, her body flushing with the need only Logan instilled in her. She wanted
him. But, she wanted him on her terms.

They were responsible, career
minded, successful adults, who should not be indulging in such lewd behavior.

Oh, who the hell was she kidding?

Sam kicked off her heels,
shutting her front door behind her, as she stepped inside her darkened
apartment. She’d stayed at the office longer than she planned, but she had
needed to talk to Xavier one more time. They’d discussed exactly how the
transition would take place, and the communication that would go out.

There was a rumor running around
the office that Sam was being terminated, a rumor, according to Tricia
Shoenrock, that even Logan hadn’t denied. Sam highly doubted that, but she
hadn’t given in to the gossip. No sense in drawing attention to the situation.

She pulled the clip from her
hair, letting the long strands fall around her, feeling the relief on her
scalp. Tossing the clip on the counter, Sam turned to go to her bedroom, but
she stopped short.

“I wondered how long you would
try to avoid me.” His velvety drawl coursed through her, sending chills down
her spine.

“How?” She couldn’t get out much
more than that as she stared at Logan, sitting on her couch, looking as though
he owned the place.

How the hell had he gotten in?

“You gave me a key, remember?”

She had. A few weeks ago, he’d
had to run by her apartment to get something for her when she was working.
She’d given him her spare house key, and come to think of it, he never gave it
back.

“Go change.” He ordered, and she
swallowed hard.

Hadn’t she just had this
conversation with herself? She’d vowed to move this relationship to the next
level, but she had agreed under the terms that she would no longer succumb to
Logan’s alpha male tactics. Her body betrayed her decision as a tingly warmth
flowed just beneath her skin.

“I’m not taking orders from you
anymore.” She stated, not feeling nearly as confident in her decision now that
she was standing in front of him.

Even sitting on her couch,
looking as laid back as she had ever seen him, Logan McCoy’s presence
overpowered the small room. Confident or arrogant, either way she sliced it,
when Logan made demands, something inside of her wanted to listen.

She couldn’t listen to that part
of herself anymore. This wasn’t who she was. Wasn’t who she wanted to be.

Was it?

“Is that right?” He asked, slowly
pushing to his full height, making Sam look up at him, the brilliant amber-green
of his hazel eyes glowing in the dimly lit room.

“That’s correct.” Sam reached
deep for some of her well-honed professionalism; using it to drown out the
voice in her head screaming for her to surrender to his every command.

“What changed?”

Sam heard the question, but Logan
didn’t appear to care what her answer was. For some reason, she got the
impression that he was pushing her, tempting that dark side she’d sworn off two
weeks ago.

After their tryst in the shower,
when Luke had taken her so intimately, satisfaction surging through her,
ricocheting off of every nerve ending, every molecule she possessed, while
Logan whispered suggestive words in her ear, Sam had known she couldn’t handle
what the two men had to offer. What would others think if they found out? She’d
be ridiculed. It wasn’t normal behavior, she told herself.

“Everything.”

“You might want to elaborate.” He
told her, standing only inches away, his masculine body a tempting sight in his
well-worn Levi’s and forest green polo shirt that brought out the green hues in
his eyes.

“I did some thinking while I was
away.”

“I can see that.”

Ok, so apparently he wasn’t going
to let her get by with not fully explaining herself. “I’ve made some
decisions.”

“Do tell.”

Feeling her frustration rise to
the surface, Sam took a step back, trying to get a better look at him. He
seemed even bigger than usual. Or maybe she just felt smaller. Either way, she
hadn’t been prepared to have this conversation just yet, hence her avoidance of
it.

“I took the job with CISS.” She
offered, hoping that would suffice.