Page 5 of The Art of Deception

So she never can.

Tomi’s far too perfect.

“Pull yourself together, Alex. This isallbusiness,” Dad relays, then turns, storming out of my office.

I glance over at Sasha, my personal assistant, who’s peering over her high desk and watching on, but when she spots my eyes on her, she turns back to her computer and starts typing.

Letting out a long exhale, I sink back into my chair.

Thisisthe job I signed up for.

It’s not pretty, but with the bad comes the good.

Some people have to suffer for good to flourish. When this megacomplex is built, the job opportunities will be tremendous. I know that, but the people losing their jobs because of the complex is what’s getting to me.

I can’t be here anymore.

Today’s been a day of crazy highs and dramatic lows. I need to go home, have a drink, and relax. So, I turn off the screen on my computer and hit the buzzer on my desk to call for Henry, my driver.Yes, I’m that fucking uppity.I hate myselffor it sometimes, but Father insists if you’re the Vice President of Scott Enterprises, you must play the part. That includes the penthouse apartment and having a fucking driver at my disposal. Personally, I’d rather drive myself, though Henry’s been with me for an incredibly long time, and he’s more of a friend these days.

And don’t get me wrong, I’ve worked hard to get here. It wasn’t handed to me on a silver platter.But am I suited to it like my father?I know when I’m the president of the company, I will run things differently, especially when dealing with business acquisitions.

Grabbing my briefcase and duffle bag, I head out the door, dipping my head to my personal assistant on my way. “Night, Sasha.”

“Evening, Mr. Scott, see you in the morning,” she chimes with a toothy grin that could light up the entire room. She’s a beauty for sure, a little ditsy sometimes, but she gets shit done, and that’s all I care about.

I stride past her toward the elevator, then ride it to the parking garage. The doors slide open, and Henry’s waiting in his black Audi, as always.

Smiling, I open the rear door and jump in. At the start, Henry always opened the door for me, but I quickly put a stop to that shit. I’m not fucking royalty, and I have a hard enough time with the idea of him driving me around, so I’m good to open a damn door by myself. Though I must admit, I do like his company.

“Evening, Henry, how was your day?”

“Hello, sir. Quite pleasant, thank you. Straight home tonight?” he questions.

My answer is typically yes, but tonight, something clicks in my mind. All day since seeing Tomi and having her tattoo my arm, I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind. So, I make a choice. “Not tonight, Henry. Can you drive me to themegacomplex site, I want to check something out?”

“Certainly, sir.” Henry pulls out, then drives up the ramp and out onto the city streets. The pale moonlight shines through the glow of the streetlamps, giving the night a harmonious hue. My chest squeezes at the idea of seeing her twice in one day. It’s usually weeks, sometimes months, between visits. I don’t even know why I’m going to see her.

I just know that I want to.

I need to.

We drive for a short time—it’s not far from the office to the megacomplex. With every turn of the tires, my heart beats a little faster. My breath quickens. I haven’t had a female in my life for a long time. I’m twenty-seven, and my last girlfriend was in high school. I’ve been far too focused on work and occupied with getting where I need to be to impress my father and to be the man I need to be for him. Sure, I’ve had women in my bed, but none I’ve wanted any more from. There’s something about Tomi—a definite attraction. I care about her. We may have only had a few interactions, but in those, I’ve gotten to see the real woman. She’s not fake or hiding anything. She is who she is, and she makes no apologies for it.

Plus, I love her pin-up, retro vibe. She doesn’t wear dresses, but more skinny jeans with flannel shirts. Her platinum-blonde hair is always pulled up in a ponytail with bangs and a red bandana around her head. Not to mention the bright red lipstick she always wears with the killer red heels to match. She’s drop-dead gorgeous. Her unique style is her own, and it suits her perfectly.

As Henry pulls up to the megacomplex designated area, I direct him toward Hope & Faith Ink. But as we get closer, I spy Tomi on the side of the street, hopping into a bright red and black Mini Cooper. The car is just her style as I lean forward toward the driver’s seat. “Henry, see that red Mini?”

He glances at me, then at the Mini that Tomi has disappeared into. “Yes, sir.”

Taking a deep breath, I steady my shoulders. “Follow it.”

Henry nods as Tomi takes off down the road, and Henry follows safely behind. My heart hammers. This is new territory for me—being a stalker. I didn’t know I had it in me or that my night would turn into this. I came here to talk to her, but I don’t want to stop her from going home if that’s where she’s heading. Plus, I’m still in my suit.

That’s kind of a problem.

So, now, I’m in my car following hers like some creeper.

Good one, Alex.

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