A Matter of Trust: London Calling Book One (3 page)

***

Bennett knew his worst fears were realized as soon as Natalie returned. She walked up, shoulders back, with a satisfied gleam in her blue eyes.
 

“I’ve found her,” she said. “And there was no need to ask her to wait or bring her round.” She paused, expectant.

Taking the bait, he replied, “Yes? Why would that be?” Impatient with her, he snapped out, “Why don’t you get on with it, Natalie? Who is she?”

Chastened, she answered, “Because you’re already meeting with her.
She
is Devon Sinclair.” At Bennett’s silence, she continued, “The financial economist interview candidate? You’re meeting with her a little later. You asked me to block out more time than usual, remember?”

Bennett remembered.
 

She was the most promising economist to hit the job market in years and there was fierce competition to get her. He had no doubt about his company’s ability to attract and retain talent. Sterling International was one of the top financial investment firms in the country, if not the world. They were small and niche, but ultra successful. Their clients were guaranteed privacy, discretion, and they’d delivered top monetary returns for decades. Their reputation had skyrocketed since Bennett took the reins in his early twenties, a maverick with an eye for risk that paid big dividends.

Unless something was fatally flawed in her personality, she was guaranteed the job. He knew London School of Economics also wanted her and he was willing to work around her schedule if need be.
 

Anything was up for compromise. Anything to get her.

He met Natalie’s gaze. Her brows were slightly raised and the satisfaction from earlier was gone, replaced with a question. “Yes?” he asked.

“Her day is packed up with interviews, meetings and tours. Human Resources didn’t leave her much down time. But I can carve something out for you. Would you like that, Bennett?”

He touched her arm, knowing what it had cost her to ask. In this at least, he could reassure her.

“No. There won’t be any need for that. I wouldn’t want her to get the wrong impression.”

He turned, missing the relief that briefly flashed across Natalie’s face. He stepped into his office and moved to close the door.
 

She stopped him, worry etching her voice, “Bennett.”

“Yes?” He was suddenly tired. The solace of being alone beckoned, even if it was for a few snatched moments.

“Aidan seemed so excited about her, this candidate. From everything I heard things are going extremely well today with her interviews. Do you think you’ll hire her?”
 

His shoulders tensed, his hand tightening on the edge of the door where he held it. He looked over his shoulder back at Natalie.

“I suppose so,” he replied.
 

There was a dullness in his chest and his arms felt heavy as he closed the door behind him. With a little luck and good negotiation, Sterling International would gain an incredible asset soon. As CEO, he should be elated, victorious.

Instead, all he felt was empty regret.

***

Later, Devon would marvel at the fact that she’d gotten through the day, let alone been hired on the spot.
 

She’d attended her meetings and interviews, toured the building. As the time for her interview with the man she knew to be Bennett Sterling had neared, she’d been keyed up yet resolved. She was determined to get the position. It was everything for which she’d worked, studied, and sacrificed. She would not let a moment of confusion, insanity really, make her lose sight of what mattered.

She needn’t have worried.

Gone was the man whose gaze she’d fallen into. Gone was the man whose trivial questions had charmed and amused her as they’d galloped down the stairs while alarms jangled overhead.

Instead, she’d met Bennett the CEO, president and heir to Sterling International. He’d been cool and professional, as if they’d never met at all.

Which was just the way she’d wanted it. Absolutely.
 

And she’d gotten the job of her dreams, another checked box on a list made years ago. Back then, she’d decided to be different, and do differently than her father and business partner, beloved as they were to her.

She certainly wasn’t disappointed when she found out she’d be working directly with Aidan Kennedy, one of Bennett’s top directors and his Chief Financial Economist. No. In fact, it was a
relief
to find out she wouldn’t have to see Mr. Sterling so often as she’d feared, given their initial associations.

She was definitely relieved.

So, it was a mystery why she had to swallow hard against the sudden tightness in her chest when he’d informed her. In one breath, he’d offered her a generous employment contract, and then told her the position wouldn’t liaise directly with him.

“You’ll work with Aidan, my Chief Economist. I believe this will be a better fit all around and lead to the best outcomes for both you and the organization.” He’d spoken with authority, not quite meeting her eyes.
 

In fact, he hadn’t met her eyes at all. Not once since finding out who she was.

“Yes, of course. Thank you for this opportunity. And I look forward to working with Mr. Kennedy. We got along quite well during my interviews.”

Bennett looked up sharply, but she’d already been moving forward to hold out her hand. She’d pressed her lips tight, waiting as he hesitated. Then, he’d firmly clasped her hand in his larger one.

And it had all begun again.
 

It was if an electric current passed between them, one to the other, impossible to say with whom it originated. She’d jerked her hand away, foggy eyes locking onto shocked navy before breaking away to look down. She’d backed up one step, then another as she’d pressed a hand, hard, to her heart. Muttering something polite, hopefully business appropriate, she’d groped for the door and fled before losing the job she’d just gained along with any dignity she had left.

If she’d stayed, she might have seen Bennett pressing his own hand to his chest too, before leaning back in his chair with a bitter smile.

CHAPTER THREE

A
FTER
SEVERAL
WEEKS
, Devon began to relax. Aidan had a way about him that made her feel like a peer rather than a subordinate. In fact, he cleared up any misconceptions regarding her status early on.

“Devon, I’m the Chief Financial Economist and one of Bennett’s senior directors here. As your supervising manager, I’ll assign projects and oversee your work. But this isn’t an old-fashioned hierarchy. You’ll be part of a team that operates as equals. We’re all excited to have you come on board.”

She gifted him with a broad smile, which seemingly robbed him of speech. While aware of her beauty, she was largely oblivious to its impact.
 

“That’s so nice of you to say. And such a wonderful way to lead. I’m very happy to be here.”

He stared back at her, blankly. Her smile slipped, replaced by puzzlement. Finally, he shook his head, squared his shoulders.
 

“Right. Let’s get you started.”

That had been the beginning. Aidan was everything he promised to be, assigning projects that met her expertise then stretched her knowledge. She was autonomous, which signaled trust. She couldn’t have asked for more.

Meanwhile, Bennett Sterling became a ghost. He drifted somewhere near the peripheries of her existence. If she entered a meeting, he’d leave. If she exited, she’d later hear that he came in after. Occasionally, she stepped into the elevator and caught his scent. It was darkly spicy, the woods after a rain. And always,
always
, she was catapulted back into the navy abyss of his eyes.
 

She caught herself looking for him, straining to hear the deep bass of his voice. Seeking him. If she didn’t know better, she’d think she missed him. Of course, that was ridiculous. She didn’t know him. But all in all, it was stretching her nerves.

Devon Sinclair was never nervous.

She nearly shot out of her skin when she looked up one day to find him seated across from her. “You scared the life out of me!” Breathing hard, she placed a hand on her chest and nervously laughed. “What can I do for you?”

“Well that’s
one
way to bring some color to your cheeks,” he said blandly. Devon could feel her face getting even hotter as his gaze slipped down, following the line of her neck. Unconsciously, she glanced down, checking to see that her buttons were all done up. She looked up to see his eyes creased with suppressed laughter.

Was he
flirting
with her?

Flustered, she snapped, “Is there something you actually want? Or did you just stop by to scare me, or toy with me?” Horrified, she clapped a hand to her mouth, dropping her eyes. She’d overreacted, caught off guard by seeing him after weeks of absence.
 

“Really, Devon, I had no idea you had such a mouth on you.” Steepling his fingers, he stared while she fidgeted in the uncomfortable silence. She was never unprofessional, no matter how provoked. Until today.
 

Finally, he spoke. Tapping the papers in front of her, he said, “That report you’re working on? Be ready to present it by 8 a.m. tomorrow. My team needs the data to make decisions on an investment I’m considering. They’ll meet with you in the boardroom. Don’t be late.”
 

At that, he rose to walk out of her office, leaving her to consult the watch on her arm to see that it was already late afternoon. Picking up the phone, she dialed Aidan. They were in for a long night.

***

Bennett took the private elevator back to his office suite. It was reserved for his use and that of special clients, those requiring high levels of privacy and security. He rarely used it himself, preferring the same services and facilities as those of his team.
 

But he needed a moment.

It had been a tense few weeks since Devon came to work for him. He’d avoided her, congratulating and telling himself it was for the best. Then, he realized it was unnecessary. She was just a woman. One among many.
 

He chalked up his reaction when meeting her as an aberration. Too much work, too little sleep, or some combination. He needed a night out, a date with any one of the women he had listed in his phone’s contacts. He was certain he’d call one of them soon, any day.

He told himself all of that while he made his way to her office, an area from which he’d steadfastly kept away. And he told himself he was immune until he stood staring at her in the doorway, momentarily stunned anew. She worked on, unaware of his presence. Taking a seat, he clasped his hands before she could see their fine tremor.
 

He was caught a bit off guard. He tried to put them both at ease with some light conversation, but he certainly wasn’t flirting with her. She’d been wrong to be rude. He had no intentions toward her; he was merely being friendly.
 

He walked out of the elevator, pausing by Natalie’s desk.
 

“What’s on my calendar for tomorrow morning, first thing?”

“You have a video conference with the Leeds branch. You’ll be talking to your directors there.”

“Cancel it. Reschedule. Clear my time from eight to nine. I’ll be attending Aidan’s presentation in the board room.”

Natalie’s eyes narrowed. He knew she was aware that Devon was leading the project. He normally never attended project meetings, preferring to hear the summaries from his directors with their recommendations.

But he sometimes made exceptions. Of course he did.

***

It was brutally early the next morning when the incessant ringing of her phone jarred Devon awake. Blearily, she fumbled before answering, “Hello?”

“Dev! Top o’ the morning to you, lass!” Devon winced as Dominic Martin’s voice boomed out his greeting.
 

“Dom,” she sighed. “You know I’m in England. Not Ireland. And please lower your voice,” she groaned while fumbling to sit up amongst her covers. Tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder, she folded her legs to keep covered in the chilly morning air.
 

“I see someone still isn’t a morning person. Late night, sugar?” Dominic purred in the gravelly voice natural to him, with a hint of an American South accent.
 

She blinked at the bedside clock, trying to bring it into focus. “
Yes.
We didn’t finish up until after 2 a.m. Is it
4:30
? God, why are you calling me at 4:30 in the morning?” She started to tip sideways back into bed.
 

“Well, it wasn’t to hear your chipper voice,” he snarked. “No, I’m waking you up to share good news. I’m coming to visit. Looks like I’ll be coming to London a little later this year. How’s that for a good reason to get out of bed and start clearing up?” Dominic knew Devon’s interests lay in spreadsheets and books, not cleaning and dusting. They always joked she worked in an organized state of disarray.

Wide awake, she froze in the act of swinging her legs to fully sit up. “That’s… wonderful. Why?”