blueteamnovel Chapter 86 Cassidy Reed
Chapter 86 Cassidy Reed
The tension in the room had shifted—not gone, but simmering just under the surface. Cassidy sat like she owned the damn chair, back straight, one leg crossed in that effortless way that made it seem like she was posing without trying.
Her blouse stretched just enough to make Parker aware of exactly how unfair genetics could be. Full. Heavy. Unreal. Like, how the hell was all of that on someone so petite? The neckline dipped just enough to tease, smooth skin catching the light, practically daring him to lose focus.
She knew. She fucking knew.
The skirt? Tight. Hugging her hips just right. And the stockings—sheer, shimmering against the curve of her thighs—led to black heels that made her legs look even longer. If she was trying to intimidate, it was working.
And yet Parker didn't break the gaze. He didn't feel any unnatural lust for Cassidy.
The same woman who used to ruffle his hair and call him "kiddo" was sitting there, fully aware she looked like a million bucks, her sharp gaze locked on him as if daring him to speak first.
Yeah, okay, but two can play this game.
Parker finally spoke, setting down the crisp black folder Ava had handed him earlier. Cassidy's résumé—if you could even call it just that.
Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire
"Your numbers check out," he said, voice calm, measured. Not too friendly, not too cold. After settling down, he had been looking into her file, her résumé to see her qualifications.
The recent awkwardness had faded together with their familiarity, now it was between a billionaire looking to hire someone to run his company that will facilitate the rise of his empire. The Infinity Holdings.
The file was impressive. Corporate takeovers. Crisis management. Liquidation turnarounds. She'd walked into some dying companies and owned the room, flipped their losses into millions.
Sure, she'd never run a private holding company before, but hell—she'd been dealing with worse than that.
He skimmed another line. Fluent in three languages. Negotiated eight-figure deals. Top-tier connections across both coasts.
"Yeah, okay. She's good. Real good." He muttered, Ava had told him what to look for when looking to hire someone to run his company.
Still, Cassidy wasn't about to just sit there in silence. Her lips curled into a subtle smirk, head tilting slightly.
"That a compliment, Mr. Parker? Or just you pretending to be hard to impress?"
Goddamn it.
He forced his expression to stay neutral. Calm. Professional.
"I don't pretend," he replied smoothly, folding his hands in front of him on the table. "I am hard to impress."
Cassidy's brow arched, her eyes narrowing just a touch—like she was reading him, deciding if he was full of shit or not.
But inside?
Inside she was fighting off the wildest sense of déjà vu.
She could deflect. She should deflect. But something in Parker's gaze—calm, steady—cut through the usual bullshit.
And she hated it.
She exhaled slowly, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward just enough to close the space between them.
"You want the truth, Parker?"
"Always."
Cassidy's eyes darkened, the smirk gone.
"I'm broke."
Silence.
The word hung there, raw and unpolished.
"And not just 'had a rough quarter' broke," she continued, voice lower. "I mean circling-the-drain broke. A few bad decisions, some assholes spreading rumors—" She stopped herself, jaw clenching.
"But I'm not here for sympathy. I'm here because I'm damn good at what I do, and I don't lose. Ever."
Parker blinked.
No bluff. No forced charm.
Just truth.
Finally, he nodded, leaning back, expression thoughtful.
"Good. Because I don't hire people who can win."
Cassidy's brow furrowed. "I hire people who won't fucking lose."
The corner of her mouth curled.
"Then it sounds like you need me."
Ere, from his spot on Parker's lap, made a soft, approving purr.
Parker didn't smile. Not fully. But there was a flicker of something in his eyes. "Yeah. I do."
And just like that, the deal was sealed.
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