Page 49 of Playing My Rivals

I will not lose her.

My drive to find out everything there is to know about Jamison takes on a new level of desperation.

If he has something I don’t and Dorothy sees that in him…

Panic fills my blood. I knock over a bottle of water as I call my private investigator and order a rush background investigation on Jamison Stone. I need something more extensive than the one we have on file with HR.

My heart pounds wildly in my chest. I clean up my mess and lock myself in my office, ruminating over the videotapes. A couple of hours later, when Hailey announces a visit from Joe Ison, my shirt sticks to my skin with hours of stress-induced sweat.

I stand with a sigh and run a hand through my hair. Then I open my closet and rummage for a clean shirt. I change into the crisp white button-down and toss the dirty one in the laundry basket.

Put your game face on, Hunter.

Noticeably shaky, I make it to my door and welcome a fifty-year-old man who has a leather jacket draped over his forearm into my office.

“Hello, Joe. Please come in.”

“Hunter. Good to see you.” He enters my office.

As I’m shutting the door, Dorothy strolls by and smiles like she wants to take me to bed. The necklace hangs from her neck. Agony shoots from my eyes as pain seeps from my bloodstream.

She goes out of view as the door to my office closes. Because I love her, I can’t help but be broken that she wears that stupid locket Jamison gave her.

I round my desk and take a seat. “I assume you have the information I requested.”

He has a folder in his hands. My eyes stay peeled to it.

He hands me the packet. “Yes, I do. Inside, you’ll find all the information I could find on such short notice.”

“Give me a quick rundown while I go through these.” I swallow hard and pull out the contents.

Dread fills my soul. The enormity of the situation sinks in. I sift through some transcripts and diplomas.

Joe rests his arm on the back of the couch as he reclines. “Jamison Stone is from Colorado. Graduated from the School of Mines with a Master’s in engineering. Before that, he went to school at CSU. Engineering was his major.”

“Wait, what is CSU? Colorado State, I assume?”

“Yes, sir. He went to Colorado State University. After that, he went to the School of Mines. His parents died in a car accident right after he graduated with his undergraduate degree.

“From what I could find, he spent the following year at the School of Mines, rehabbing from his injuries and tying up loose ends of his parent’s estate.”

This information doesn’t sit right with me. Dorothy’s from Colorado and the coincidence makes me want to crawl out of my skin.

“Find out if he has any ties to my employee, Dorothy Fisher.”

“I’ll get on it as soon as I leave.”

We go over some other information about Jamison, but it’s all stuff to do with his time in Miami with Mateo. Joe hasn’t given me any indication that Jamison and Dorothy have a connection, but my gut is telling me to prepare myself.

Ten minutes later, Joe’s out of my office and off to dig deeper into Jamison. I swivel in my chair to stare out the window at the bustling city below.

Dorothy’s the billion-dollar jackpot and I’ve put everything I own down on our love. I can’t help but wonder if I’ve made a terrible bet.

Someone knocks on my half-opened door, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turn to see Dorothy standing at the opening of my office, her hands clasped in front of her and her shoulders rolled forward. Her thick auburn hair lays in waves around her face, making her more beautiful than ever.

Rein in your aching heart, Efron.

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