Never Tell a Lie Read online

  When the elevator finally stopped at the fiftieth floor she stepped out, making her way to her office. There was so much she had to get through today. For one thing, there was that final interview she was going to have to deal with.

  Reaching for the printout on her desk, she quickly scanned the list of names. Today was the day she’d be interviewing the last candidate for the position of her own assistant. It seemed surreal. After six months of working at Prescott Global, it was time to buckle down and make a choice. Using the executive assistants was running them ragged. She’d been Dane’s assistant and knew what it required. That’s why the decision was so hard. She needed someone willing to work as hard as she had. Someone who—

  A knock at her door caught her attention. She smiled when her husband opened the door.

  “Good morning, handsome.” She winked. “Sorry… good morning, Mr. Prescott.”

  He leaned forward, his impossibly tall frame taking up the entire doorway. The smile on his face made her heart flutter wildly. He still made her giddy. Right now he looked absolutely delicious in the navy-blue suit that fit his hard, muscular body perfectly. “Hello, Mrs. Prescott. Or can I just call you ‘Sexy’?”

  “I believe that borders on sexual harassment, Mr. CEO.”

  He held his hands out. “What’s my punishment?”

  She winked. “I’ll figure that out when we get home.” She realized her office door was still open and she cleared her throat. If they hadn’t been at work, she would’ve raced into his arms and kissed him, coming up with some kind of naught-but-nice punishment. But they were at work, so she reminded herself that they needed to be on their best behavior. She straightened and cleared her throat. “How was your meeting with the investors?”

  “Boring.” There was a glint in his blue eyes, as if the meeting had been anything but boring.

  She raised an eyebrow. “What are you up to?”

  He shrugged. “Nothing. Why do I have to be up to something?”

  “I know you, Dane,” she said. “And you’re up to something.” Setting her coffee cup down on her desk, she turned complete focus onto her husband. She motioned to the door and then beckoned to him, the sudden urge to have him close overpowering. Screw being professional, she’d rather screw him.

  Dane turned and shut the door, grinning like a Cheshire cat, then sauntered over to her. He wrapped his big, strong arms around her waist. His touch was bold. Possessive. The heat of it practically melting her.

  Knowing it was more than a little scandalous to take things further with her husband at work, but eager for more, she pressed her lips to his. He groaned.

  “Allyson… I didn’t lock the door.”

  “Makes it… a bit… more… exciting,” she mumbled between kisses. She ran her hand down the inside of his jacket and paused on his belt.

  He groaned again. “Damn, woman.”

  Before she could deepen the kiss and slide her hand anywhere else, he suddenly pulled away. Panting slightly Dane held up a key chain, two keys attached to it.

  She frowned, disappointed that he seemed to want to keep things professional. “Keys?”

  “You have to promise not to get angry.”

  “I’m not promising anything like that.” Her eyes locked on his, defiance surging through her.

  “Pity,” he said. “I’d hate to incur my wife’s wrath at work.”

  Allyson moved to the side and crossed her arms. She could feel the flush on her cheeks. She’d been teasing him, but she was clearly the one more flustered. “I knew you were up to something! What is it?”

  “You really haven’t figured it out?” He grinned like a mischievous schoolboy. “It’s got four bedrooms, five bathrooms—”

  “The house!” Her arms flailed. She was actually flailing. “You didn’t!”

  “I bought the house,” he said. “That’s why I left the apartment early. I had to deal with all the paperwork—”

  She threw her arms around his shoulders to hug him tightly. “I can’t believe you bought the house!” She rained kisses all over his face.

  Dane laughed. “I take it you’re happy then?”

  Happy? She was overjoyed. Finally, she stepped back from him, her heart racing. When she had first seen the listing for the house online, she had been intrigued. Sure, it seemed overpriced, and a little spooky and old- fashioned on the outside, but she knew the interior had potential. One look at the inside of the house yesterday afternoon, and her heart had been set on the place. She had known it was her dream house.

  It wasn’t just going to be the place she and Dane lived together. This house was going to be a home. Their home. For the first time in her life she had a place that was really hers. And she was going to be living with her husband. Forever.

  “When do we start moving in?” she asked breathlessly.

  “This week if you like,” he said. “By the way, I talked the owner down to five million.”

  She laughed softly. “Of course you did.” Her husband could negotiate anything. When he wanted something, he got it.

  Another knock on the door dragged her from her thoughts. Guess sex at work was better left at home. “Come in,” she called.

  A dark-haired man in glasses stuck his head in. He smiled, his handsome tanned face brightening. He was model good-looking. The kind of guy built for a business suit, and the confidence to catch people’s attention. “Good morning. Mr. Prescott, I presume?”

  With narrowed eyes, Dane appraised the man. “Yes. And Mrs. Prescott. Who the devil are you?”

  Allyson glanced at Dane. Was he seriously stressing the Mrs. part? She smiled. Did she detect a hint of jealousy in her husband? Just because a handsome guy was knocking on her office door?

  “I’m Cameron. Cameron Bentley.” The young man stepped into the room and reached out to shake Allyson’s hand. “I’m here for the interview.” Cameron was almost as tall as Dane, with wavy brown hair, piercing gray eyes, and a square jaw. His grip was strong, confident. She liked that.

  Cameron released her hand to shake Dane’s. “It’s an honor to meet you both.”

  “I’m sure,” Dane muttered, his tone right on the edge of caustic.

  “The way you both took back control of Prescott after the crisis six months ago…” Cameron ended the handshake to adjust his glasses. “It was amazing. The stuff of legend. Everyone’s still talking about it.”

  “Everyone?” Allyson prompted.

  “Corporate New Yorkers,” Cameron said. “Bankers, CEOs, Wall Street types. It’s a fascinating topic during lunch breaks. All in a good way, of course.”

  “Bluebloods with too much time on their hands,” Dane said dismissively. He turned to press a kiss to her cheek and headed for the door. “Good luck with your interview, Bentley.”

  As she watched her husband stride out of her office, she frowned. Cameron was either too polite or too oblivious to notice that Dane didn’t seem to like him much. Her husband had reacted in the same derisive way he had yesterday when she had brought up her friends. In fact, there had been a dark cloud over him when they toured the house. It was like he didn’t want to be there. Which is why it was such a surprise to discover that he had impulsively bought the place.

  Now that she was replaying yesterday in her mind, an awful sinking feeling started to weigh on her. Dane hadn’t been as excited about the house as she had been. Clearly, he had only bought the place to make her happy. At the cost of his own happiness.

  In the months since getting Prescott Global back, things had gone so well. The company was thriving under Dane’s steady leadership. Just like she knew it would. His contract was going to expire soon but, surely, he would agree to renew it?

  A nagging feeling took hold. Yesterday, she had gotten the sneaking suspicion that Dane’s hesitation over the house ran deeper than how old the outside looked. He hadn’t revealed anything much to her, but sometimes her husband could be hard-headed. Stubborn. Unwilling to relinquish control. Men like Dane didn’t give
up their secrets easily.

  Oh, shit. What if that was it? Was Dane keeping something from her?

  “Mrs. Prescott?” Cameron’s voice brought her back down to earth.

  “Sorry.” She motioned for him to sit before taking a seat at her desk.

  After Cameron settled down in the seat across from her, he opened the huge binder he had been holding. Quickly, he whipped out some printouts and set them on her desk. “I’ve included several references with my resume.”

  “You only needed to bring one reference,” she said, glancing at his resume to refresh her memory.

  “Can’t be too prepared,” he said with a smile.

  She forced herself to return his smile. Despite the turmoil raging within her, she wanted to put Cameron at ease during his interview. It wouldn’t be fair to let her newfound fears about her marriage interfere with work.

  Taking a deep breath, Allyson started asking Cameron questions about his education and experience. She focused intently, shoving aside her rising anxiety. They chatted like they knew each other, almost finishing a few of each other’s sentences, and when she suggested some work scenarios she was happy to see him respond in a way that she would have working under Dane.

  When the interview was over, she smiled at Cameron. He had given an impressive interview, and she thought they might get along well. Like her, he came from a middle-class background, but he had also worked at some high-profile financial firms. Though he seemed a little overeager, he was professional and smart.

  “I’d like to hire you, Cameron,” she said suddenly.

  His gray eyes widened. “Really? That’s great.” He pushed up his glasses. “When would you like me to start?”

  She was taking a chance here, but something about him had her thinking this could work. Her gut was telling her not to miss the opportunity. “Tomorrow,” she said. “I’ll draw up a contract for you, so you can go over it tonight and bring it in tomorrow.”

  “Thank you,” he said earnestly. “Thank you so much. I can’t wait. You won’t be disappointed.”

  After going over some basics, Allyson escorted him out. Then, she settled down to start checking her email.

  Dane hadn’t liked him but Cameron was supposed to be her assistant, not his. This was a major decision, and over the last six months she had started to learn how to be more independent. Take the initiative and not wait for approval. The work she was doing with the women’s division meant so much to her. She knew that her work at Prescott Global was making a difference, and for the first time in her life she felt like she was making real accomplishments. Accomplishments her family might finally be proud of.

  Still, a question burned in her mind. Allyson got up and stepped out of her office. Dane’s office was right across the hall, so talking to him was always easy. She liked how close his office was.

  With a knock on his door, she stepped inside his office.

  “How did the interview go?” Dane looked up from his laptop.

  “I hired him,” she replied.

  “I’m shocked,” her husband muttered.

  She raised an eyebrow. “I detect a hint of sarcasm in your voice.”

  Her husband’s wore a smug expression. “Really?”

  “Why don’t you like Cameron?” She eased into a chair across from her husband’s desk.

  “The same reason you seem to like him so much,” her husband said. “He’s not a bad-looking guy.”

  She practically choked with laughter. “Cameron? Good-looking?”

  “Oh, come on. You know he’s handsome,” Dane grumbled. “If I can see it, you have to see it.”

  Truth be told, she hadn’t noticed. She had been much more focused on making sure Cameron was the right person for the job. Sure, now that she thought about it she recalled his warm gray eyes, easy smile, and square jaw, but Cameron had other qualities as well. “You honestly think I hired him for his looks?”

  “He was the only male candidate,” Dane pointed out.

  “No, he wasn’t,” she countered. “There was the guy your mother suggested. The one who dropped out of Harvard.”

  “And what did he look like?”

  She cringed. The Harvard guy hadn’t exactly been a looker. “That’s not fair.”

  “Why not?” he asked. “I know how easy it is to fall for your assistant.”

  With a roll of her eyes she said, “And we all remember how long it took you to actually do something about it.”

  “Fine,” Dane said. “Keep your pretty boy.”

  Allyson rose to her feet, crossed the room, and without warning sat down in her husband’s lap. “I only have eyes for my husband, Mr. Prescott.”

  He gave her a hard stare, as if trying to admonish her with just one look. “What if someone were to walk in and catch you sitting in the boss’ lap?”

  She shrugged. “Perks of the job.”

  The hard expression on his face disappeared, and he started laughing. “I’m going to have to discipline you for insubordination.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” she said with an exaggerated gasp.

  Dane locked his arms around her waist and gazed at her. His kissable mouth was mere inches from hers. Angling her head, she covered his lips with hers. He swirled his tongue into her mouth, tasting her expertly. She let out a muffled moan as her tongue entwined with his.

  The place between her thighs throbbed. Her entire body was on fire, aching to be touched.

  With a groan, Dane suddenly tore his mouth away. Her husband was breathing as heavily as she was. “Allyson, you’re going to get me into a lot of trouble.”

  “You usually like trouble.” She started fiddling with the buttons of her blouse.

  His huge hands covered hers. “Not at work.”

  It took every ounce of her strength not to pout, but of course he was right. Working with her husband made her so giddy that sometimes she couldn’t think straight. In fact, for the last six months she had been so happy and so blissfully in love that she was terrified. Terrified that the other shoe might drop, and her happiness would blow up in her face. She had never been an overly-pessimistic person, but after the roller coaster with the Handels she really was surprised that disaster hadn’t struck again.

  And with Dane buying a house that his heart didn’t seem set on, fear rippled through her. He was keeping something from her. It hurt her to know that he didn’t trust her enough to confide in her. Or maybe his secret was so terrible, confiding in her would destroy their happiness.

  Her chest tightened, and her heart began to race. Now was the time to get the truth out of him. “Dane…are you happy about the house?”

  Surprise flashed in his eyes. “I’m happy if you’re happy. Why?”

  “Yesterday, while we were touring the house, you seemed… a little distant.”

  “You’re reading too much into that.” His body stiffened. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  But she was worried. Getting up from his lap, she stood up and stared at him. “Something’s wrong. I can sense it. Why won’t you tell me what’s really been bothering you?”

  Chapter 3

  He didn’t want to talk about it with his wife. Not now. And he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about it at work.

  With an exasperated sigh, Dane crossed his arms. “We’re not doing this right now.”

  “So something is going on.” His wife swallowed hard. Shut her eyes as if trying to steel herself. “Just tell me. We can only deal with our problems if you tell me the truth.”

  Before he could say anything to try to ease her fear his office door opened, his father standing in the doorway.

  Dane’s jaw locked. “Dad, could you give us a minute?”

  The look on his father’s face was grim. That’s when Dane noticed that he looked pale and sweaty. Like he’d been running a mile. After recovering from his heart attack, his father had come back to work a few weeks earlier. His father’s workload was still light, but maybe it was too much in the wake of
his ill health. “We have problem.”

  Dane frowned. The thought of his father being sick again made his palms start to sweat. “Are you okay?”

  “It’s not me. I’m fine.” His father glanced behind him, and quickly shut the office door. “Nobody can hear us if the door is closed, can they?”

  He narrowed his eyes, sensing his father’s unease. “Nobody can hear.” The argument that was brewing between him and Allyson looked like it would have to wait. “What’s going on?”

  “I’ve been looking at the company accounts. Just trying to get back into the swing of things,” his father said. “But things don’t seem to be adding up.”

  Allyson’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean, Alfred?”

  “I think someone has been embezzling funds,” his father replied breathlessly. “And from the looks of it, a lot of money has gone missing.”

  “How much?” Dane asked.

  “Tens of millions,” his father replied.

  Allyson inhaled loudly. “Are you sure?”

  His father nodded. “I’ve checked and rechecked. I’m certain of it. Someone has been skimming money off the top for the past six months. Maybe more, but that’s as far back as I’ve gone.”

  “Where have they been getting the money from?” she asked.

  “That’s just it,” his father explained, “I can’t pinpoint exactly how they’re doing it, but I do know they’re getting a lot of the money out of the employee pension fund.”

  Her green eyes grew huge. “What?”

  “How is that possible?” Dane demanded.

  Alfred grimaced. “Whoever it is, I think they’re skimming money from employees’ pension and benefit accounts, and then funneling it through somewhere. That’s why nobody has caught it yet. It probably looks like the money’s just getting redistributed rather than taken.”

  “This is serious.” Allyson slumped down into the chair across Dane’s desk. “We’re going to have to tell the employees. Find out what’s going on.”