Page 11 of Best Laid Plans

Her face lit up. "Yes. Noah was a partner here, and now Stella is. It's been great to have a close relationship with a construction company. It's been really good for our project timelines and quality. And we all love Noah."

"You know him?"

She looked perplexed. "He's married to a good friend of mine, so, yes, I do know him. And he worked closely with Savannah Lace while he was a partner, and I was Nina's EA."

"How have you managed to fool all these people?" I couldn't help spilling what was in my heart. It angered me that she had friends and a life when she didn't deserve one.

She pursed her lips. "Thank you so much for speaking with me about Sentinel Heights, Mr. Larue." She stood up, her back ramrod straight. "I think I can get everything else I need to get started from your assistant. I will see you next week at your offices in Sentinel."

I didn't get up. I stayed seated. "Am I being dismissed, Nova?"

She looked at her watch, and then at me with manufactured regret. "I'm afraid I have to. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes, and I need to get some coffee into my system before that."

My heart shuttered. Was she chit-chatting with me? Was she pretending we were going to be actual colleagues? The fucking bitch.

"Sit down. I have more information to share," I ordered.

She did as I asked, and triumph surged through me.

"I can give you another ten minutes, Mr. Larue, but after that, I'm afraid I need to take a meeting."

She ended up giving me seven minutes, which is when there was a knock on her door. A man entered her office without waiting for a response.

She hadn't lied. She did have another meeting, with…Callum Pierce?

I knew of him. New money. Started a development company—primarily played in Texas, and was trying to get a foothold in Georgia. There was enough growth in the state for healthy competition to thrive, but when I saw him hug Nova, I wanted to crush his fucking company.

"Rachel said I could walk right in." He kept his hand on Nova's waist, and finally noticed that I was in her office.

He extended a hand. "Anson?"

I shook his hand, though, I wanted to break it for touching her.

Fuck!

What did I care who touched her? I doubted she'd been saving herself for me all these years, waiting for me to accidentally walk into her place of business.

"Why don't you finish up with Anson? I'll just drop by Aurora's and see you here in…." He looked at his watch, and then me. "Ten minutes?"

"Thanks, Callum." Nova didn't wait for me to say anything.

Once the fucker left, I rose and got into her face. "You fuckin' him?"

She blinked. "Mr. Larue, this is highly unprofessional, and I—"

"I don't give a shit what it is. Are. You. Fuckin'. Him?"

"None. Of. Your. Fuckin'. Business." Her eyes were slits, and fuck, if that didn't make all my blood go south to my dick. "Now, I must ask you to excuse me as I have to go see another client."

"I know Callum Pierce. He's a straight shooter. Does he know about your criminal record?" I went for the kill. It hurt her to be reminded of that time; she'd given herself away each time she'd stiffened. And she did so again.

"I don't have a criminal record, Mr. Larue. If you wish, you can run a full background check on me."

She stood toe to toe with me. She wasn't cowering in fear like most people would when I was riding my temper as I was now.

"Oh, Sugar, the things I'm going to check on…don't you worry, I will split your life open for everyone to see." I saw fear in her eyes, and excitement licked through. She had something to hide. Whatever it was, I'd find it.

Chapter 6

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