Free Because He Watches Me (Because He Owns Me, Book Nine) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) by Hannah Ford Page B

smile and thank him. He pressed the button for the fifty-fifth floor and put his hands behind his back. When the elevator pinged and stopped, he held out his hand and tilted his head gently toward the hallway.
    The blond receptionist didn’t leave the elevator. “Red’s expecting you,” she said with an enigmatic look in her eye.
    Nicole suddenly didn’t want to leave. Her feet felt rooted to the floor. But she forced herself to move and then she was in the hallway and the elevator doors had closed behind her.
    The top floor felt like a different world entirely from the rest of the building. More like a penthouse apartment. The walls were dark and there was lush red carpeting. The hallway hooked abruptly to the left and then she came to a set of heavy wooden doors.
    Next to the doors was a rolling table with a tray of food on top of it. The food was just some fruit and a half eaten sandwich. Somehow the sight of wilted lettuce calmed her. It was only food after all. This was just a hallway in a building. Yes, he was rich beyond her wildest dreams, but he was also just a man who ate fruit and sandwiches with old lettuce sometimes. He hadn’t even finished his meal.
    She knocked on the wooden doors.
    “Come in,” he said from the other side. His voice was slightly muffled but distinctly his. She’d watched hours of interviews and footage of him on YouTube, after all.
    She opened the doors and strode into his office as confidently as possible.
    When she entered, she was still shocked by the enormity of the room. It was bigger than three of her apartments put together. There was a full-length pool table on one side, a fully stocked bar near that. On the other side of the room was a set of leather furniture facing a television screen that took up an entire wall.
    Red was sitting at his desk. It was a monstrosity; old, ornate, it must have weighed a ton. Behind him was a floor to ceiling picture window that overlooked the entire city. However, he’d lowered one of the curtains, which blocked most of the light. She could still see the city filtering through the semi-opaque material.
    “Don’t be intimidated,” he said, standing and walking around his desk. He was wearing one of his typical gray suits. It was almost reflective. His tie was purple and thin. In person he was larger than she expected, and his magnetism was stunning. She found herself star struck and nearly speechless.
    “Hello,” she murmured.
    He continued to close in on her. His presence was so intense that she didn’t know what to do. Literally. She was frozen in place and he just kept moving until he was no more than six inches from her. He was like a movie star stepping off the big screen and smiling at her. His eyes were so confident, his manner was so strong and powerful. No boy or man she’d ever met could come close to projecting his sex appeal or his intelligence.
    “I’m Red Jameson, founder and CEO of Jameson International.” He held out his large hand to her.
    She shook it. “I’m aware of who you are,” she said, sounding more abrupt than she’d intended.
    He grinned and held her hand for longer than was comfortable. “What else are you aware of?”
    She pulled her hand back. “I’ve read a lot about the company.”
    “Have a seat, Miss—“
    “Masters.”
    “Miss Masters. What a wonderful name.” He smiled briefly. “Would you like something to drink?”
    “Please.” She was grateful for him asking. Her mouth tasted like chalk.
    He moved toward the bar, which was so far away it might as well been in a different state. “What would you like?” he called back.
    “Water’s fine.”
    He grabbed a bottle and came back, his movements graceful and sleek.
    She sat down in the chair opposite his desk and crossed her legs, suddenly aware of the way her skirt rode up her thighs. She felt, in his presence, a vulnerability and nakedness that surprised her.
    “Here,” he said, handing her a cold bottle of Evian. “Let me know if