Beneath the Surface by M.A. Stacie Page A

chalked up as nothing. I don’t have the answers. I don’t have anything.”
    Dale sagged, too tired to fight with him. “Maybe you should figure stuff out and get back to me. I know that was the best sex I’ve ever had. I know my body is still hungry for you, and I know one touch from you will have me panting all over again. When you know what’s going on, call me.”
    Pulling the door open, Dale straightened her spine, her resolve stronger than ever, and she started walking away from Kyran.
    “Why am I the one who needs to find the answers? You were here, too, dammit.” She kept walking. “I’ll be at the club tonight.”
    Not quite ready to back down, she shouted, “Good for you!”

Chapter 9
    The woman made him crazy. He didn’t recognize himself anymore. The man staring back at him when he looked in the mirror was a complete stranger.
    Kyran stood in his office bathroom, trying to calm his shaking hands.
    He had splashed water onto his face, needing to snap out of his sexual stupor. There was work to be done, and even though he shouldn’t have fucked her in the boardroom, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. Dale had rocked his fucking world.
    The whole situation made him cringe, though. It was far too much like his father and Clara. Kyran had spent years proving that he was nothing like the man. The apple and tree analogy rattled around in his head, refusing to disappear no matter how much he wanted it to.
    “Are you in here?”
    Kyran stilled at the sound of his father’s voice. He hadn’t expected him today, though Jacob enjoyed dropping in and catching them all unaware. And there was always the hope that he’d come to sort Taylor out.
    Kyran had asked enough times.
    While checking his appearance, Kyran shouted, “I’ll be out in a minute.” He stared into the mirror, positive his lips were still swollen. He could still feel the way Dale’s body molded against him, still smell her vanilla scent, and all of it drove him crazy.
    Kyran straightened his tie before opening the bathroom door and saying, “I didn’t expect you today.”
    Jacob’s eyebrows rose as he turned to face his son. “Isn’t that the idea?”
    “Apparently.” Kyran walked over to his desk, taking a deep breath before sitting down. “Any special reason?”
    “I need to speak to your brother. However, I’ve been told he left and hasn’t returned.”
    “So it seems.” Kyran cleared his throat. “Have you spoken to his new assistant? Maybe she knows where he is?”
    “No, I haven’t.” His father took the seat across from his, rearranging his shirt and pants in the process. The man didn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word casual . In fact, Kyran was amazed he wasn’t wearing a suit.
    “Truthfully, I’d have been more surprised if Taylor were busy at his desk.”
    “So why do you let him get away with it?” Kyran said.
    Jacob’s pursed his lips. “You sound very childish sometimes, son.”
    Anger bloomed within him. “There you go again, jumping to his defense. When will you open your eyes and see what a mess he is?”
    “You think I’m blind to his flaws?”
    “To be honest, Dad, yeah, I do.” Jacob opened his mouth, but Kyran continued, regardless. “You let him get away with using this company like a hobby. He doesn’t do half the work I do, and when he is here, he might as well not be since he’s usually in some kind of drunken stupor. It’s disgusting.”
    “He’s working through his own stuff, Kyran. You do your thing, he does his.”
    “Meaning?”
    Jacob shook his head in dismissal. “Nothing. I’m just telling you it’s not being ignored or allowed.”

    “You’re not here every day. You don’t know the half of it.” Kyran’s hold on his temper was diminishing by the second.
    “Son, I know enough. What exactly do you want me to do? Write him off? Disown him? Would you expect me to treat you the same if you landed yourself in a sticky situation?”
    “It was hardly