His Absolute Passion — Cerys Du Lys

Taking matters into her own hands, Jessika concocts a plan to reveal the true nature of Beatrice Landseer and Solomon Royce's scheme against Asher.

Unfortunately the planning stage is always easier than the actual action. Can she pull through and figure this out? If she does, will Asher despise her afterwards? What she's about to do could very well change his entire life, and not entirely for the better. How will Asher take the news that his distant wife and previously trusted public relations director are planning to destroy everything he holds dear?

Hoping for the best, Jessika continues on. All she wants is for Asher to be happy.

But what about her? With her mind set on protecting a man she secretly loves, will she remember that he's not the only one potentially in danger here? Solomon and Beatrice have far more secrets than Jessika knows, and they aren't above harming anyone in their way. Or taking what they want from those who try to defy them.

*EXCERPT*

That all mostly went according to plans, except when Solomon entered his own office. Before I could hurry past him, apologizing for intruding and telling him my excuse, he grabbed my forearm and pulled me back in. Closing the door behind him, he pushed the button on the knob to lock it, then hauled me to his couch.

"You, again," he said, smiling. "To what do I owe this wonderful surprise?"

I murmured my answer, the words coming out in a garbled mess of nonsense.

"What?" he asked. "Speak up. Calm down."

I repeated myself. "I'm sorry, Mr. Royce. I must have had the wrong room."

"What were you looking for?" he asked.

"The weekly reports," I muttered. "Joel Newgood asked me to get them for him."

"Did he?"

"Yes. I thought he said they'd be on your desk, and since you weren't here I figured it wouldn't be any trouble if I just grabbed them, but..."

"Joel Newgood went on vacation yesterday," Solomon said. "He won't be back for two weeks."

I stared at Solomon blankly. Was he serious, or trying to catch me in a lie? The look on his face seemed deadly serious, but I really had no way to tell. Either way, I didn't belong here. I could deny it, continue on with my false excuse, and dig myself deeper, or...

Or what? I had no other options.

"I've been thinking about you," Solomon said. "The other day, on the couch. Do you remember, Jessika?"

I gulped and nodded. "Yes, sir."

He squeezed my arm in his fingers, leaving thin red marks, then threw me onto the couch. "I'd like to re-enact that little scene, if you don't mind. I wasn't entirely satisfied with your work performance then, and I think you owe me something."

I stammered. "I-I, no, it's... I don't feel comfortable with that."

(This steamy novelette of romance and submission is ~12,400 words in length)