“You want to sleep with my wife?”

Kaine raised one shoulder, lowered it. His lips twisting into a frown stating he thought the matter inconsequential.

“You want something from me, Thom. No small thing either might I add.”

Thom laughed, though there was no humor evident in the sound. “And all you want in return is to fuck my wife.”

He turned his back, his gaze now shielded as he looked out the large paned window over the city, but Kaine assumed, hoped maybe, that the man was fighting back tears. He doubted it however. He wasn’t sure Thom had a heart or was capable of feelings. The irony of course was that most people thought the same of him.

Kaine may have been an arrogant ass and a deviant prick, but he at least had a code of honor to which he followed like a devout monk. A code that included not pushing someone in the mud for the sole effect of not having your own expensive Italian loafers splattered with the substance. Kaine did not, nor would he ever take advantage of people to get ahead. Especially women. He’d never noticed that tendency in Thom. In all the years Kaine had known Thom Sterling, nothing he’d learned about the man ever made his opinion rise higher than monkey shit.

He straightened the crease along his pant leg, shifted in his seat and fought back boredom while Thom put on his display of distressed devoted husband.

“I assume—” Thom leaned an arm against the window frame, talking without even a glance in Kaine’s direction. “you’ll be including Monique.”

“She is my partner and after that conversation we had at Grace Bryer’s cocktail party last month I don’t see it as an issue.”

In fact, it had been that very conversation that had put Kaine’s plan in motion. Kaine Kingsley had wanted Hope Sterling from the second he’d laid eyes on her four years ago. Living a life of excess in every way imaginable, Kaine had learned a few things. One was patience, two was the wait was always worth it, and three… he always got what he wanted.

“So then am I welcome to join as well?”

Kaine held back laughter but wasn’t certain if he’d been successful with the smirk and of course Thom had turned and faced him right then. Kaine schooled his features. Thom may be an ass, but he held the keys to the kingdom Kaine lusted after day and night.

“No.” He managed to keep his voice level. “You are not.”

The tightness around Thom’s mouth made it obvious how he felt about Kaine’s answer, but to his credit, he didn’t show any other outward sign to his feelings.

“And if she refuses?”

Kaine stood. A half hour was all he could stand in Thom’s presence and having stated his desires plainly, he felt no need to hang around.

“I don’t take advantage of women, Thom. That’s your forte.”

“Wait!”

Kaine had his hand on the bronze knob, ready to twist and be free of the cage Thom called an office. He stilled, but did not face Thom. Two could, after all, play that game.

“If I do this. My contracts, they’ll clear committee?”

Kaine smiled. Item 3: He always got what he wanted.

“By morning.”

Kaine waited.

Something smashed against the wall.

“Friday night. Eight o’clock.”

Kaine left the door open behind him, smiled at Thom’s receptionist, and all the way to the elevator. Hope Sterling was finally his.