Page 48 of Secret Santa

“Hello, son,” his father said, grinning wolfishly. Chills rippled down my arms. I wanted to hide. I wanted to run. Slowly, he lowered his eyes to mine, and his teeth flashed. “Who do we have here?”

“This is the girl I was telling you about,” Jon said, his eyes roaming over my body.

“Ah.” That was it. That was all his father said. Was that good or bad? I couldn’t tell, and I didn’t know why I even cared.

He lazily scanned me, his face bored. Finally, he turned his attention back to Aiden. “Shall we?” He waved his hand toward the door.

“No,” Aiden snapped. “You can leave.” His father’s chin lifted, and he tried to look down at his son, but Aiden was a few inches taller, so he just looked ridiculous.

“I have an offer you can’t refuse,” he said coolly.

“Not interested.” His father grinned.

“No?” He dissected Aiden with his eyes, seeing everything. “You haven’t heard my offer.”

“And I don’t want to.” Aiden folded his arms over his chest, his face a blank mask. His father turned his eyes to me.

“Why would you ever want to work for him?” he asked. “He clearly doesn’t care about you or your job if he’s not willing to make his company a lot of money.” I stared calmly back.

Don’t say anything.

His father smiled. “I’m Samuel Rhodes.” He held his hand out to me, but I didn’t take it. He smiled broader. “I think I like you.” He dropped his hand back to his side, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Don’t talk to her,” Aiden growled. Slowly, Samuel’s eyes slid to his son’s, that smile still stamped on his face. “Leave.”

“I’m here for more than business,” he said. “It’s your mother.” I lifted my eyes to Aiden and stared at the side of his face, waiting to see any hint of emotion other than hate, but there was nothing.

“I don’t care,” he said. “Leave.”

“She’s sick–”

“I do not care.”

“She doesn’t have long–”

“I don’t fucking care,” he hissed. “Both of you died the second I stepped out the fucking door.” I put my hand on his forearm. He was trembling, his jaw tense. Samuel’s eyes dropped to my hand, and he grinned. I fucked up.

“It’s like that?” he said, still smiling. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it, son?” He spat the word out, his smile falling and eyes blazing as he glared back at Aiden.

“Danica, go to your office.” Aiden’s voice was cold, so fucking cold and detached, it made me ache. When I didn’t move, he looked down at me and lifted his brow. “Now, please.”

My breath stuttered. I’d never seen him look like that.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to take a step back.

“I’ll walk with you,” Jon said, leering at me. Aiden stepped in front of him.

“No.” Everyone stared, waiting for him to elaborate, but when he didn’t, Jon chuckled and moved back, holding his hand up innocently. Finally, Aiden tipped his head down to me.

“I’m fine,” I muttered, and he barely nodded.

I hated leaving him alone, but I didn’t have a choice. It’s what he wanted. So, I quietly moved back to my office, leaving the door open a sliver so I could hear if things got too intense.

Sinking into my chair, I just stared at the door, waiting, anticipating what was to come. Aiden’s voice barely rose, then it abruptly stopped.

The silence made me bristle. Then someone, Aiden, I thought, roughly cleared his throat. “This way,” he said reluctantly. My eyes narrowed, still on the door as I waited for them to come through.

But they never did.

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