“Me.” She met Elena’s gaze with a smile. “You’re here with me. Of course I’m ready.”

# # #

THE BRUTAL LIE

Power and intimidation oozed from the New York penthouse office of Bartell Corp’s international headquarters, with its sleek round floors, chrome, and tinted glass.

Maddie Grey padded along the thick carpeted floor, one hand tight around a bottle of champagne, in search of the fashion-editing world’s newest conqueror.

The first time she’d been here, almost two and a half years ago, Maddie had felt like a boot scraping, out of place and lost. Tonight, wearing a blue T-shirt, leather jacket, and worn jeans, Maddie wasn’t a much better fit, but she was no longer awed. This space was now as familiar to her as the imposing woman who ruled it. Elena Bartell: Media mogul and the founder, President, and Chief Operating Officer of Bartell Corporation.

Elena didn’t stalk the corridors of this building often anymore, having divested the day-to-day running of her company to her deputy. Her heart and focus had shifted, as had her home base. These days she was engaged in a furious magazine war against iconic fashion bible, Catwalk Queen. Elena had been in the trenches, from Sydney to London, trying to make her fashion magazine, Style International, the world’s number one.

Eighteen months later, it was official. The latest circulation figures had landed a few hours ago while Elena had been holding Bartell Corp’s annual general meeting. Style hadn’t just beaten its rival, it’d ground it under heel.

This was definitely cause for celebration.

Maddie found Elena scribbling notes at her desk, still wearing a cocktail dress from the party after the AGM, as if she’d been distracted and forgotten to change. Maddie leaned against the door, appreciating her lover’s dress—a scarlet second skin with a plunging neckline that hinted at the delights within.

Dear God. Elena did wear red well. It reminded her of a particularly sinful garnet dress that had undone Maddie once. She’d been a junior night-shift crime reporter and had made a total fool of herself, face-planting in front of her then-boss. And Elena had seemed…amused.

“Hey, sexy. When you didn’t come home, I brought the party to you.” Maddie placed the champagne on Elena’s glass, designer desk.

Elena’s head lifted in surprise. Regret darted into her eyes as she glanced at the clock. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to be so long.”

“Time flies when you’re vanquishing your mortal enemies.”

“Now there’s a pleasant thought.” Elena’s eyes lit up. She tapped a sheet of numbers. “Almost as pleasant as my figures.”

“Well, I do like one of your figures in particular.” Maddie’s gaze lingered. “God, that dress. It reminds me of a certain other creation.”

“You remember that?”

“Is that a trick question? I’m astonished I could still walk after the first time I saw you in it.”

“If I recall, you spent more time on your face than walking.” Elena rose, smoothing the dress down her hips and thighs. “I also recall you watching me in the reflection of the window.” Moving toward it, her hips gave a languid sway. “I was standing right here, staring outside.”

Maddie came up behind her, close enough to feel Elena’s warmth. “Gazing at me in the glass you mean.”

Elena’s eyes twinkled at her in the reflection. “I distinctly remember the impressive New York City skyline.”

“Uh-uh.” Maddie pressed herself into her lover’s back. “Fess up: What were you thinking that night?”

“Truthfully?” Elena’s expression in the reflection became distant. “I was transfixed by how hungry your eyes seemed. You surprised me.”

“And me. I had an epiphany that night.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm. How hot my boss was. How I wanted my hot boss. And a few other unspeakable things.”

“Unspeakable?” Elena’s voice dropped a register lower.

“Mm-hmm. You know…” Maddie licked her lips. “We could re-create that night. I may have suggested to Tony on the front desk not to interrupt you except for emergencies.”

“That seems somewhat presumptuous.” Elena’s voice warmed.

“It’s late. Barely anyone’s left in the building.” Maddie paused and added slyly, “I mean…unless you have other plans?”

Elena pretended to consider that. “Well, I am rather busy. One doesn’t destroy CQ’s circulation in a day. It must be ongoing. There’s planning.”

Maddie dropped a kiss at the base of Elena’s neck, then another under her ear. “True, but today you’re a golden goddess who can ignore her work and accept her glorious reward.”

“What form does this reward take?” Elena’s voice was low and interested.

Maddie slid her hands down that sleek dress, and then reversed course, bringing the hem up with her. Her fingers slid to between Elena’s thighs. “Well, the usual accolades and tributes. Plus sexual favours, naturally.” She rubbed Elena’s thong pointedly.

Elena’s mouth parted slightly. Her eyes became half-lidded, and there was no mistaking the arousal in her expression.

Fingers dancing and teasing, Maddie listened to the shift in Elena’s breathing. Oh, how she loved this bit, where Elena wouldn’t ask for more, not yet; because she enjoyed the games and foreplay as much as the sex. Elena’s jaw clenched, biting back a gasped moan, and her eyes pleaded for things Elena’s lips would never ask for.

Maddie played with her lover for long minutes, soaking in the naked want on the beautiful face in the window: high cheekbones, pale skin, jet-black, sculpted short hair, and arching eyebrows that always seemed mocking. But there was nothing but desire in those hooded eyes tonight. All for her.

She loved seeing Elena in a way no one else did. Emotionally naked and vulnerable. Mine.

“Take this off for me.” Maddie tapped Elena’s soaked thong.

Sometimes Maddie ordered Elena to do intimate things just to watch her wordlessly obey. That was arousing. Telling the woman who controlled almost a billion-dollar empire what she had to do.

Elena always seemed to know what that meant for Maddie. That this was where Maddie had power too. After a delicious pause, Elena reached under her dress and slid her lace thong down. She met Maddie’s eye and her need was clear.

“Madeleine.” She drew out the word until it sounded French and naughty, becoming a demand. Elena’s way of saying, enough playing.

Smiling at her impatience, Maddie reached for her soft thigh. She trailed higher. Without a barrier, Maddie’s fingers moved easily across swollen skin.

“Tell me something,” Elena said, voice breathless. Her eyes became far too knowing.

A shiver skittered down Maddie’s spine at that taunting, devilish gaze. Uh-oh. Elena did love to fight back, to try to wrestle the power away from Maddie when she felt her own control slipping too fast.

“What did you wish you could have done that night two years ago?” Elena asked. “When you watched me in this window?”

Maddie parted Elena’s folds and slid her fingers through wet flesh. “That night, I wished you’d kissed me. Pushed me against a wall and kissed me senseless.” Her nipples tightened at the reminder. God, that night.

“Is that all you wanted?” Elena rolled her hips forward, pressing harder into Maddie’s fingers. She quivered and bucked into Maddie and seemed to struggle to keep her arousal in check as she finished the deliberate words designed to crack Maddie’s restraint.

If only Elena knew how pitifully close Maddie already was.