heated skin, and reapplied her modest amount of makeup. Then she propped herself up against the sink and stared at her image.
“You are McKenzie Beaumont. You have survived so much, and you will continue to survive. No one can make you feel inferior. No one but you can decide your course of action. No one can trample on the life you have made for yourself. Bullies are bullies because they can’t earn respect any other way. Deep down, they’re cowards.”
This was a speech she had delivered to herself many times in the course of her life, and she had a feeling she’d say it many times more. Yes, she wasn’t immune to fear, and yes, she’d have weak moments — everyone did — but no, she wouldn’t let those moments define who she was. And she wouldn’t allow anyone to keep her down for long.
With her head held high, she left the restroom and headed back toward Byron’s office. Her armor was back in place and she was going to keep this job. She was going to make a success of her new business and beat back Nathan Guilder, damn him to hell. He was nothing more than a weak man trying to make up for his tiny dick.
McKenzie nearly smiled at her thoughts. That was until she stepped into Byron’s office and saw the way he was looking at her. This wasn’t going to be her easiest battle.
Not her easiest battle by a long shot.
Chapter Ten
J ust when Byron thought he had a clue about who McKenzie Beaumont was, something happened to throw his suspicions into disarray. He didn’t know her at all.
She was a mystery, and hadn’t he decided already that he was going to figure her out, find out what made her tick, and make her pay for meddling in lives she had no business meddling in? Yes, that was exactly what he’d decided, but he couldn’t fathom why all of the sudden he gave a damn about her.
That phone call she’d been on had changed not only her voice but her entire demeanor. Byron knew when someone was scared — and though McKenzie was obviously irritated, she was also afraid. He would find out why. He might have believed it was an act except that she hadn’t known he was there. She wasn’t acting for his benefit.
So what was going on in her life?
“Who were you talking to, McKenzie?” Byron had learned long ago to not let his opponents have time to think. If he caught her by surprise, she wouldn’t have time to make up a good lie. He was pretty miffed she’d managed to get away for the twenty minutes between the phone call and coming to his office. It was enough time to build a likely-sounding story, so he needed to be quick on his feet now.
“It was no one you’d know.”
“Hmm. Try me. I know a lot of people.”
“Trust me, Byron; you don’t know this person,” she said.
“Whoever it was seems to be wanting something you’re not willing to give,” he said, and by the widening of her eyes, he could see she’d hoped he hadn’t heard the entire conversation — her half, anyway. But it was too bad for her.
Byron didn’t want his opinion of McKenzie to change. He wanted to think of her as cold, calculated, and interested only in herself, but he couldn’t help but notice the frightened look in her eyes, or the way she was so carefully holding herself together. But he found himself wanting to be her Knight in shining armor, or an Armani suit, ready to rescue her from whatever dragon had been on the other end of her phone line.
“I’m here to do a job, Byron, and it’s a job that could be handled by any number of people I know. But I’m still here, and I’m doing this job well. If I take a call, that call is none of your business,” she said, her eyes connecting with his and showing him that she certainly had some steel in her character.
Byron’s pulse started to speed up. He shouldn’t feel anything like rage now. Nothing this woman did should upset him, but he was so frustrated with himself and with her that he found himself wanting to grab her, shake her, and get past that icy
“You are McKenzie Beaumont. You have survived so much, and you will continue to survive. No one can make you feel inferior. No one but you can decide your course of action. No one can trample on the life you have made for yourself. Bullies are bullies because they can’t earn respect any other way. Deep down, they’re cowards.”
This was a speech she had delivered to herself many times in the course of her life, and she had a feeling she’d say it many times more. Yes, she wasn’t immune to fear, and yes, she’d have weak moments — everyone did — but no, she wouldn’t let those moments define who she was. And she wouldn’t allow anyone to keep her down for long.
With her head held high, she left the restroom and headed back toward Byron’s office. Her armor was back in place and she was going to keep this job. She was going to make a success of her new business and beat back Nathan Guilder, damn him to hell. He was nothing more than a weak man trying to make up for his tiny dick.
McKenzie nearly smiled at her thoughts. That was until she stepped into Byron’s office and saw the way he was looking at her. This wasn’t going to be her easiest battle.
Not her easiest battle by a long shot.
Chapter Ten
J ust when Byron thought he had a clue about who McKenzie Beaumont was, something happened to throw his suspicions into disarray. He didn’t know her at all.
She was a mystery, and hadn’t he decided already that he was going to figure her out, find out what made her tick, and make her pay for meddling in lives she had no business meddling in? Yes, that was exactly what he’d decided, but he couldn’t fathom why all of the sudden he gave a damn about her.
That phone call she’d been on had changed not only her voice but her entire demeanor. Byron knew when someone was scared — and though McKenzie was obviously irritated, she was also afraid. He would find out why. He might have believed it was an act except that she hadn’t known he was there. She wasn’t acting for his benefit.
So what was going on in her life?
“Who were you talking to, McKenzie?” Byron had learned long ago to not let his opponents have time to think. If he caught her by surprise, she wouldn’t have time to make up a good lie. He was pretty miffed she’d managed to get away for the twenty minutes between the phone call and coming to his office. It was enough time to build a likely-sounding story, so he needed to be quick on his feet now.
“It was no one you’d know.”
“Hmm. Try me. I know a lot of people.”
“Trust me, Byron; you don’t know this person,” she said.
“Whoever it was seems to be wanting something you’re not willing to give,” he said, and by the widening of her eyes, he could see she’d hoped he hadn’t heard the entire conversation — her half, anyway. But it was too bad for her.
Byron didn’t want his opinion of McKenzie to change. He wanted to think of her as cold, calculated, and interested only in herself, but he couldn’t help but notice the frightened look in her eyes, or the way she was so carefully holding herself together. But he found himself wanting to be her Knight in shining armor, or an Armani suit, ready to rescue her from whatever dragon had been on the other end of her phone line.
“I’m here to do a job, Byron, and it’s a job that could be handled by any number of people I know. But I’m still here, and I’m doing this job well. If I take a call, that call is none of your business,” she said, her eyes connecting with his and showing him that she certainly had some steel in her character.
Byron’s pulse started to speed up. He shouldn’t feel anything like rage now. Nothing this woman did should upset him, but he was so frustrated with himself and with her that he found himself wanting to grab her, shake her, and get past that icy
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