Denying Mr. Parks (The Parks #1) (20 page)

“Where on earth have you been?” he whispered.

“I didn’t feel well. I took time out.” I glanced behind Clarke and saw Parks coming into view. Clarke instinctively followed my gaze and shot his head back to me, his expression horrified.

“No,” he gasped, staring at me like I was unhinged.

“What?” I shrugged, trying to act coy. He closed his eyes, muttering something under his breath. To me, it looked like he was saying a silent prayer. When he was done, he placed his hand over mine. “Evey,” he whispered, “please don’t tell me you’re sleeping with the CEO of this company.” From the way Clarke looked at me, I could tell I had his sympathy. Well, I didn’t need it. I ignored him and pulled my hand from underneath his, but he continued with his babbling. “No wonder he insisted you be at this meeting.”

“He did?” I looked up at him, feeling surprised and stupidly happy.

“Ah.” He pointed his finger at me. “Are you confirming?”

“No, Clarke. You have it all wrong.”

“Evey, I didn’t become of the best solicitors in London for shit all. I can tell when someone is lying. Your hair is a mess, your cheeks are flustered, and the zip on your dress is down and showing even more cleavage. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you have both been fucking in that store cupboard.”

Wow. I recoiled completely at his uncharacteristic outburst and felt sick all of a sudden. Looking down at my dress, I saw my zip
was
completely undone like he said.

I pulled it up quickly and hissed, “Then I’d say you would make a rubbish detective.” I pushed to my feet abruptly, making everyone turn their heads. “Excuse me.” Yes, I used my manners. Parks shot me a look of concern before I left the room swiftly.

In record time I got outside the building and ran across the road towards Starbucks after the traffic broke. I needed a break. Well, I needed a wine, but I was at work so that was a no-go. For now.

“Hey, Evey.” I turned and saw Keira, a short redhead, in her black shirt and green apron. She was waving me over to the counter.

Starbucks wasn’t as full as it normally was, with it not being lunchtime yet, so I knew I was in for a talkathon with the girls who worked there. Not that I didn’t like them—they were all great girls, and I had gotten to know them well over the last couple of months—but I needed space at that moment.

Upon reaching the counter, I was quick to see Mindy had already fixed up my coffee, which she then passed to me. “Looks like you need a seat.” She gestured at the chairs behind me.

“Sure.” What else could I say? The girls were sweet, and listening to them tell me about their new boyfriends at college—like they always did—would make me forget my own problems for a moment.

Just as I sat with Mindy, another girl walked through the door. I only took notice of her because it felt like she halted as soon as she saw me. I frowned, racking my brain to try and think of whether I knew her from somewhere, but I couldn’t say I did. Maybe from a court case, I thought.

She looked around the same age as me, with long, almost white-blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail. The size of her beautiful, big blue eyes made them look almost cartoon-like. Her cheek bones were ones Kate Moss would be jealous of. Her skin was as pale as a china cup, but it glowed beautifully, and her smile lit up her china-doll face.

Mindy shouted over to her. “Oh, Tabby. Come say hi to Evey. She’s the girl I was telling you about.”

I raised my eyebrow over the top of my coffee cup, glad for the distraction. “You were talking about me?”

Mindy flapped a girlish hand and laughed. “I was just saying how nice you always look.” Then she spotted my watch. “OMG. That is to die for.” She ripped my wrist towards her, and it was lucky I had only just placed my cup down or it would have spilt everywhere. “Tabby, come look at this. It’s real Chanel.”

Tabby coyly moved towards us, and I could instantly tell she wasn’t as lively as the rest of the girls. She placed a non-existent stray tress behind her ear as she approached and spoke softly, almost innocently. “It’s beautiful.”

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, and Tabby smiled timidly at my reaction. “It was a gift.” And just like that, my thoughts went straight back to that damn Parks.

“A boyfriend? You said you were single. Tell me more,” Mindy squealed.

“Calm down. I haven’t got a boyfriend.”

She finally let my arm go. Her eyes were confused as she waited patiently for me to drink down my coffee and tell her more, but more was not what I was going to tell her. However, to my surprise, Tabby spoke.

“You must have a boyfriend. You’re stunning.” She smiled skittishly again. It was strange because, though she seemed genuine, there was something not right about her.

“No. I don’t,” I admitted. “It was just a gift. It means nothing.”

Mindy smirked and gave me a “yeah, right” look. “Listen, I may be ditzy, but if a man bought you that watch, which is around six thousand pounds, then I’d say buying you that for
nothing
is a lie.”

My mouth fell open. Six grand just for a watch? That was four months’ rent. I dropped my arm into my lap so my wrist was hidden under the table. “It meant nothing. Leave me alone.” I chuckled.

Mindy whined, “I will get to the bottom of it.”

“I’ll help you get to the bottom of it.” Tabby laughed, beaming at me before turning to leave me alone to think.

Parks gave me the watch to help me get to work on time. It meant nothing, and neither did I want it to mean anything. He didn’t see me like that; all he wanted was sex, no more, no less.

When I was finished, I took my cup back up to Keira. “Hey, who’s that girl?” I nudged my head in Tabby’s direction discreetly.

Keira took my empty cup and shrugged. “Tabby? She’s the new girl. Quite strange. Pretty, though. I told her she should be working in Hollister.” With that, she turned on her heel and left me wondering. At least I didn’t wonder about Parks. After all, I came to have a quiet coffee and get my head wrapped around what I had just done. Sex in the cupboard with a meeting being held just outside? What was wrong with me? And what the hell was going through Parks’s head? He needed to think of his reputation more than I did, and getting caught fucking an employee in a store cupboard wasn’t going to look good for his name or brand.

***

Everyone still seemed to be at the meeting when I slipped behind my desk. I couldn’t think. I was agitated, fidgeting, biting pen lids. I couldn’t work out if I needed more sex, a drink, or to punch Parks in the face. I think it was all three.

Soon I heard the bustle of my colleagues outside the door. I quickly brought up a client’s appeal and got to work before they all came chatting through. I glanced up quickly and caught Clarke’s approach, but I carried on typing. I could see the cogs working in his brain about what to say.

“Evey, my girl.” I closed my eyes on a head shake, cautioning him not to speak, but he didn’t listen. “Look, I was wrong to say what I did back there. But I want to look out for you. That’s all. I know Mr. Parks would seem a highly likely candidate for a partner, and don’t misunderstand me when I say this, because I am not—in any way shape or form—criticizing him as a person, because, well, no one knows him well enough personally to make that judgment. All I’m saying is, he is a business mogul, Evey, and for you to gain feelings for a man of that calibre—”

My gaze shot to him on that remark. “Wait, what are you trying to say, Clarke? That I’m not good enough for him? Oh, don’t worry, I already know that.”

Clarke looked appalled at what I was insinuating. He pointed at me like I was a delinquent child of his. “Good heavens, young lady. I never once did say you were not good enough for him. If you let me finish instead of interrupting me, you would have heard me say that I do not want you to gain feelings for a man that will not take care of your needs. He flies all around the world, Evey. He has businesses to manage that evidently take up all his time and effort. He has never settled down, and men like him do not have the desire to do so. I see it all the time. I have acquaintances whose wives divorced them because they simply did not give them the time and love they deserve.” He was getting redder and angrier the more he spoke. “Now, I do not want a woman—who I happen to think is beautiful, funny, and extremely benevolent—to become a victim of a CEO’s system. You deserve better.”

He thumped his fist on the table whilst I stared at him in shock, left speechless and wounded. Wounded because I had no idea he thought that about me. It warmed my cold heart to hear that someone, apart from Steph and my aunty, had such meaningful things to say about me instead of calling me cruel names I deserved.

I sat debating what to do, and after considering a few choices I made light of the situation, because saying thank you would show him his words meant something to me.

“Clarke, what does
benevolent
mean?”

His eyes softened as he sighed and shook his head on a single smile. “Oh, Evey, you are a star.” He was about to explain himself, but I stopped him.

“There’s no need, honestly. There is nothing between me and Parks. Besides, I can take care of myself.”

He took my hand gently. “I know you can. You’re a real solider, my girl.”

***

I had finished typing up an appeal, so I hit the ‘print’ button and was gathering my things to get ready to leave until I heard a bleep telling me I had an email.

From: Wade Parks, CEO, Parks Industries

To: Evelyn Banks

Message: You anger me like no one else. Running after sex, not unusual. Why?

Stopping myself from screaming like a banshee at the screen, I violently typed a message back.

From: Evelyn Banks

To: Wade Parks, CEO, Parks Industries

Message: I needed air after feeling used. Not that it’s any of your business. And in reference to your possessive, wanting, needing comments, you need to go find someone else to possess and obsess over.

We are done!

I hit the Send button in a heated frenzy and vowed that if he emailed back, I would not under any circumstances whatsoever reply. My inbox bleeped again, and my fingers itched to open it. I did.

From: Wade Parks, CEO, Parks Industries

To: Evelyn Banks

Message: Used? How many times do I have to tell you I do not use? I will not keep repeating myself.

We are done?

No. We are only done when I say so.

You have a bad attitude problem, Evelyn. I think I will have to teach you some manners.

You need to decide what the hell it is that you want.

“Evey.” I jumped at Clarke’s voice, thinking he’d seen my emails, but he hadn’t. “Before you leave, would you take this file into Carla’s office for me, please?”

“Sure.” I took the folder and planned to leave it on her desk without speaking to the mongrel, but she wasn’t in her office.
He
was.

I jumped back when I saw him sitting in her chair with his laptop in front of him. “Where’s Carla?”

He clasped his hands together, and his eyes were dark and taking hostages. “Out.” He was cold and withdrawn again as he slowly rose from the chair.

“Just give her these, will you.” I threw the files on the desk, but he was already walking towards me. I turned away from him, acting insouciant until his hand came into contact with my arse. The slap was hard and unexpected, making my body jerk forwards a step. I came to a standstill, my eyes wide and my breathing on hold.

When the sting left my arse cheeks, I turned around slowly and was met by his lewd but entertained one-sided smirk. My mouth was open, stunned, my voice an astonished whisper. “Did you just…” I couldn’t finish. I was completely bemused.

“Yes, Miss Banks. I did. You defy me, you’ll get punished. Bad manners is an ugly trait, wouldn’t you agree? We are only
done
when I say so.”

I blinked in utter bewilderment. “I’m Miss Banks now? I don’t think I like what you just did, Parks.”

He bent down a little so his mouth was near my ear and whispered, “Only Miss Banks when you misbehave. You didn’t like it? Sue me, or better still, behave,” he taunted, then slipped past me nonchalantly and sank back in to his chair. I had a mental image of throwing something at his infuriating head. He had previously fucked me for punishment, but I was
not
okay with spanking. What the hell gave him the right to do that to me? He thought he could smack my arse like that, tell me to behave, and reap no consequences?

Well, not from this girl.

He blinked up to where I was still standing. “Are you still here?” He was being rude and obnoxious and an arrogant bastard. He had two personalities, and they both angered me to no end. I was so angry I couldn’t form words, and he must have been able to see the rage splashed across my face. However, he was loving every second of it.

“Enlighten me.” He smirked. “Have my actions pissed you off?”

My mouth fell open on an exasperated gasp. “Are you serious? You smacked my arse. That’s a violation.”

“I’m guessing you’re not familiar with spanking?”