A moment later he turned to face me. “I don’t think you realized that you have agreed to work with me. I head the car plant. I am in charge of everything…” he paused. I pulled my eyes up to meet his. He was trying to gauge my reaction. He was right; I didn’t realize I had signed up to work closely with him. “Your office will be down the hall. I will take you there in a minute…” He paused again.

“Did something happen with Scott since last night?” he asked throwing me off and I squirmed. “Tell me,” he said, his voice full of command.

“Yes, he was leaving Bryce’s office as I came in to meet him this morning. He didn’t stop to talk to me because Bryce followed him out and came to greet me, but he winked at me and continued on. I thought he may be waiting for me in the lobby while I finished up with Bryce.”

“I saw that you looked paranoid when we arrived at the lobby,” he confirmed exactly what I felt. The way he read me, or maybe people in general, was an astounding gift.

“I know you aren’t going to like my suggestion but I will need to confer with security downstairs. I need to know when Wellington enters the building and where he is at all times. With you working here, we need to keep you safe,” he grinned. “I would prefer banning him from Tyson all together, but I know you don’t want this brought to Bryce’s attention. Although I think he is bluffing about revealing the tape. He must know that if he revealed the tape he would be charged with rape,” Luc said shaking his head.

I was so scared of Scott. I was so blinded by the violence he inflicted upon me that my mind became muffled from his name alone. I should have known this myself. So what is it that Scott wanted from me? If he didn’t want to publically humiliate me then what did he want?

“Vicky, can you think of any other reason why Scott is threatening you?” Luc asked and I felt baffled. I couldn’t have been good in bed. I was a mess. I cried. I vomited all over his sheets.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t understand his motive, Luc, other than he is a sick and deranged man.” I could see Luc mulling this over in his mind. It made me uncomfortable.

“I will figure this out, Vicky. Relax. I am used to figuring out psychos; I was raised by one,” he said, trying to reassure me.

“Thanks.” I smiled because his words made me feel safe. He didn’t seem like the type to make broken promises. Knowing that Scott would be monitored in the building was a relief. Luc’s intense green eyes bored down on me and made me feel warm.

“Is being alone what drives you to attend the sex parties?” he asked, throwing me off. Where did that question come from? I didn’t act surprised because I could feel something building between us. After everything he’d been through, I understood that he wanted all of our cards revealed.

“Aren’t you supposed to show me to my office?” I turned my head, wondering where it could be. I also realized that I was a challenge to him, and if I was not mistaken, he was a guy that liked a challenge. I saw the way the woman in the elevator came onto him. She would have been an easy lay, but Luc Lebaum doesn’t want easy. I may be easy at the parties because there was no emotion involved, but Luc was after emotion, he was after feelings and none of those things were easy for me to convey.

“Soon…I need to understand you. I want to know what makes you tick.” His gaze was on me and his tone was serious, only I threw my head back laughing at that one. “Seriously, Vicky, after I left your apartment last night, I was a fucking mess. I have built this wall up and I have told myself that it needs to stay there to protect you, but I’m losing it here. I want you…I want you bad,” he admitted, opening up to me again. When he opened up like that it made my heart split in two, and then gush all over the floor. Didn’t he understand that he was my undoing?

“Haven’t I scared you off with all this Scott Wellington drama? Can’t you see how messed up I’ve been. I’ve made bad choices. I’ve been burned. It’s hard for me to trust and to love,” I answered with defeat.

“No… I want to know more,” he said with a straight face.

“Luc, we are two broken people this…this thing between us…it’s not going to work… we should cut our losses now before we get too deep. Even this thing with Scott Wellington is messed up… you don’t need me causing problems for you.”

“Scott Wellington will be taken care of, I told you I’m working on it,” he replied curtly.

“Huh…what…what does that mean?” I asked with my mouth slightly ajar.

“All his crazed sex videos have been erased from his hard drives. He shouldn’t have anything on you anymore. Unless he managed to upload it onto a USB key, but being here in New York may mean he didn’t have a chance. So there is nothing messed up about you and nothing for your father to find out,” he explained matter of factly. “I’m not sure what his agenda is, or how he will react when he finds out that everything has been erased, but we will deal with it when the need arrives.”

I fell back into one of the chairs and huffed out a long breath then I refocused on Luc. “Thank you, Luc. How can I ever repay you?” I asked.

“I hate when you thank me or ask me that. Just leave it be, Vicky…” He seemed irritated now. Maybe I’d gone too far with holding back and keeping my heart at a distance. I don’t mean to, it’s a protective mechanism I’ve built up since I caught Jamie balls deep in Lily Sanders. Jamie was my high school sweetheart, my everything, and when I needed him most; he let me down in the worst way possible. My heart felt like it was sinking and Luc continued, “I get it, you want to cut our losses. You want to put an end to whatever is happening before it breaks either of us. Fine. Agreed!” he replied, throwing me off. I had to admit it hurt me that he agreed. He’d been so open about liking me I couldn’t believe he was backing down so quickly. I was more than disappointed.

“Where is that office you wanted to show me?” I asked, trying to rein in my emotions and not show him I was hurt that he was willing to back away from me. Why was I even hurt? I didn’t get it; there really was nothing between us.

“Right this way,” Luc said, guiding me out of his office. I followed him down a short hallway and a moment later he said, “Welcome to your new office.” He opened the door to a nice sized office with a simple desk, two chairs and a small window looking out to the busy New York skyline. I smiled at the simplicity because it was perfect and suited me.

“So where are the other interns? Are their offices also around here?” I asked, peeking out the door.

“Vicky, interns don’t get offices. Most of them are working at the plant itself. I’m assuming your father wanted to keep you close,” he replied and the thought warmed me.

“There is a computer at your desk. All the programs we use are already set up on it. You can familiarize yourself with everything and then come by my office and we can discuss next steps,” Luc explained with a professional tone. He had clearly shut down; he was no longer flirting and his eyes stuck to straight eye contact instead of devouring my body with a hungry gaze. He was giving me exactly what I asked for…he had cut our losses. He seemed insulted at first but now he was thriving on the idea. Damn him. I got to work and Luc left the office saying he would touch base later on. Fine, I can play that game.

***

After a few hours of familiarizing myself with the programs, I sauntered over to Luc’s office. He piled me up with a ton of research to do for the project. I didn’t mind. It was all interesting and a good learning experience. Bryce was right on. I kind of expected Bryce to stop by at some point but I understood he was busy.

At five o’clock Luc sent me a text.

Do you need a ride back to the apartment? I will need to cancel dinner… I am working late and then going to a party…