“Your credit card is for dinner, groceries, that kind of thing. It isn’t for large purchases, that’s what I gave you a job for. So why is it you took out 10k in cash?”
Ryan shifts his weight from one foot to the other nervously. “I… um,” he stammers, clearly flustered. Maybe I wasn’t wrong about him at all. He isn’t that good of a liar. If he knew about Alanna and me, he’d have let it slip already.
“I’m not lifting the restrictions until you can tell me what you used the money for. Until then, I need you to get back to work. Do not fuck around at work, Ryan. Do not come here during working hours if you don’t have a legitimate reason to be here. You’re not exempt from maintaining professional standards just because you’re my brother. I will fire you.”
He looks at me contritely and nods before turning away, his shoulders slumped. The more I observe him, the more certain I am that he’s just a puppet in his mother’s schemes. He’s just an angry kid, like I once was. Mona must have pushed him toward Alanna, but to what end?
Chapter Forty-One
Alanna
I step into the hallway and pause in front of the mirror, my heart racing as memories of Silas and me dance through my mind. I can’t look into this mirror without thinking of the way he bent me over in front of it, his eyes on mine as he pushed inside me.
The dress I’m wearing tonight hangs around my frame loosely, and I bite down on my lip harshly as I reach for the zipper on the back. I sigh softly as I stare at my reflection, admitting defeat to the little zipper that refuses to budge.
“Need help?”
I freeze when Silas walks up to me, pausing once he’s stood behind me. His eyes find mine through the mirror, our position similar to that night.
“You’re home.” We’ve been living together for a few weeks now, and in that time, he’s been home at night no more than a handful of times. I see him every morning, but never in the evenings. I’m unsure if he just works late every day, or if he’s spending his nights elsewhere.
My gaze roams over his body through the mirror, a dull ache spreading through my chest at the thought of him spending his nights in someone else’s bed. It’s irrational, and it’s crazy, but I can’t help the tinge of jealousy I feel. I keep trying to remind myself that sleeping with him is something I should be ashamed of, something I should regret, but being here in his home just makes me want it more.
Silas takes a step closer to me, his fingers trailing over my bare back as he takes his time to do my zipper up. “Where are you going, dressed like this?” His tone is commanding, a hint of possessiveness laced through it.
“The bar around the corner from the office.”
“With who?”
Silas places his hands on my shoulders and looks at me, our reflection staring back at us. Does he feel what I feel?
“Why do you ask?”
He smirks and turns me around, making me face him. Can he tell that I’m nervous? My chest rises and falls rapidly, my body tense. Being this close to him in this private space unnerves me. It makes it so much harder to pretend I don’t want him.
“Why can’t I ask?”
I smile at him nervously. “Jessica asked me to come. She told me the company does a mixer every month, so I thought it’d be good to go.” I haven’t really been able to get on well with my colleagues. Since I’m part of the ψ division, I’m not allowed to talk about any of the work I do, which makes it so much harder to have a conversation with any of my colleagues. It doesn’t help that rumors spread about Ryan and me dating, so now everyone thinks I’m only here because of him. I’m hoping tonight will give me a chance to set the record straight, if nothing else.
Silas nods. “I’ll drive you.”
“I… um, I can make my way there myself.”
He shakes his head. “I’m heading out, anyway.”
I hesitate for a moment before heading to my room to grab my clutch and slip on my heels. I’ve grown accustomed to seeing him every morning, and it’s rarely awkward. We usually just have a coffee together and make some small talk, both of us preoccupied with the day ahead, but tonight feels different.
Silas smiles at me when I walk back into the hallway, his eyes roaming over my body. The flash of lust in his eyes has me clenching my thighs, heat rushing to my cheeks. When he looks at me that way, it gets hard to remember that he’s my boss, my ex’s older brother.
“Let’s go,” he says, leading me down to the carpark.