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“Thank you,” I say, truly meaning it.
"Don’t forget this is a tit-for-tat arrangement, though, Dylan. If I do this for you, I will expect something in return… at some point.”
Her eyes narrow as she watches my reaction.
Don’t I fucking know it. That’s why I haven’t been willing to cross this bridge until now when Raven was at risk. I offer a simple nod, not knowing exactly what the price will be. Whatever it is, to get Evan away from Raven, it will be worth it.
“Deal, then?” she asks.
I give her a terse nod, feeling like I’ve made a deal with the devil, but I would be willing to do so much worse for Raven. I would burn the entire world to the ground if she asked me to. Fuck, she wouldn’t even have to ask. One bat of her lashes and I’d do it gratefully.
Still reeling from our discussion and plan, I go back to the office, where I immerse myself in work until the end of the day. Not a single task could hold my focus, but I made headway, at least. It’s only five forty-five when my door opens and Raven comes almost bounding in, her face filled with excitement. “I did it!”
Tamara must’ve stepped away from her desk. Either that, or Raven blasted past her in joyful bliss.
With a cocked brow of interest, I push my keyboard aside, amused. “And what did you do, Miss Hill?”
My use of her name reminds her that it’s still early, but she barely seems to register it. “Mr. Sharpe,” she says most professionally, her eyes still alight. “I did it. My first seven-figure day.”
My lips pull into an uncontainable smile. With the rumors and all, not a damn CEO in this city would claim they didn’t want to fuck her too. Gorgeous, brilliant, and worth seven figures her first month… Let the gossip light the damn city on fire for all I care.
The average associate in my firm works two hundred and forty days a year, accounting for weekends, trading holidays, and time off. The max someone can work is about two hundred and fifty, give or take a leap year or strange Monday holiday here or there.
For someone below the level of a senior trader to make a million dollars in a week is an accomplishment. For a junior trader to do it in a day is something someone gets to hang their hat on for a long time. For someone who’s technically a probationary associate? It’s fucking unheard of.
Until Raven.
And hearing the happiness in Raven’s voice, I can tell that not only is she excited, but she’s expecting more days like this. It’s only the beginning for her. She reminds me of how I was at the start of my career… addicted to that rush.
“I’m very proud of you,” I tell her sincerely, getting up and coming around my desk.
Raven peeks behind her and closes the door, her simper turning needy. It’s too early, too risky, but I can’t help myself. I want to celebrate this momentous moment with her.
I close the distance in an instant, barely giving her time to shut the door, adrenaline racing though me mixed with my own desire. I wrap an arm around Raven’s waist, cupping her jaw with my other hand, and take her mouth in a kiss. She gasps in surprise, cautiousbut also floating so high emotionally that she doesn’t stop me when I use her open-mouthed reaction to slip my tongue in to tangle with hers.
“Mr. Sharpe, I just got a call from?—”
It’s Tamara, who started talking from my outer office as she opened my door, clearly in a hurry. She’s frozen in my doorway, and Raven rips herself away from me, her expression one of both fear and shock. “Oh!”
“What is it, Tamara?” I question, swallowing thickly and correcting my tie.
Tamara clears her throat, and ever the utmost professional, she jumps straight to business. “Excuse me. Mr. Sharpe, Ms. Nicholson called, said she’s, quote, working on it, end quote. I assume you know what that means.”
“Yes, thank you, Tamara. Good night.”
To her credit, she nods her head at both me and Raven. “Good night to the both of you.”
Once she’s gone and the door is shut, Raven turns wide, concerned eyes to me. “Oh, my God, everyone’s going to know.”
I arch a brow. “Everyone does know, remember? We talked about this already,” I remind her.
Raven breathes out her frustration, as if I don’t get what she means. “It’s different when there’s a rumor going around that we’re making out in your office.”
I smile, reaching out to take her upper arms in my hands. Simply holding her seems to ease the concern etched into her forehead. I hold her gorgeous gaze. “Raven, Tamara is the last person you should worry about. She would never breathe a word about the things she sees, hears, and knows from being near my office.” Raven pins me with a deadly look, and I rush to amend, “Professionally speaking, of course. And she’s known about us for weeks now. She even gave me advice on going slow so you didn’t burn out with your investments… or with me. Seems you’re not the only one who thinks I’m ‘a lot’ to deal with.”
I’m trying to make light of the situation so Raven doesn’t panic and regress, not when we’re doing so well. Because truly, nothing has changed. Tamara already knew about Raven and me, and I trust her implicitly.
Raven nibbles at her lip worriedly. “You didn’t see how she was looking at me.”
