Page 56 of Traitor

And as I gazed into the eyes of every single person sitting there, waiting for my strategic words of wisdom, it finally clicked. It finally dawned on me why Teo wanted me at this meeting. He didn’t want me here to work, or take notes. He didn’t want me here for legal advice, or to keep me in the loop. He wanted me here to show me exactly where I deserved to sit. He wanted me here to show me the kind of place I occupied in his life now.

I might not have wanted it in the beginning when I was feeling lost and adrift. But, I sure as hell didn’t feel that way now.

So, I drew in a deep breath and settled into my new purpose.

“Who here is familiar with the idea of ‘less is more’?” I asked.

All ears were turned in my direction as I started forming a plan with my words as quickly as it came to my mind. My words were golden to everyone in the room as they waited with bated breath for me to spell out the plan right in front of their very faces.

I finally know where my place is.

And I threaded my fingers with Teo’s to make sure he understood that I got the message loud and clear.

23

Mateo

After mappingout Char’s brilliant plan, we all went our separate ways with our piece of the puzzle that we needed to fulfill. Things had to come together with the next forty-eight hours, though, otherwise it wouldn’t work. Step one of my own plan worked, though. By finally showing Char exactly where she sat with me, I had her in my arms tonight.

Instead of her landing an ocean away and taking her mother on by herself.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” I murmured against her neck.

She giggled. “I’m glad I’m here, too.”

I kissed her collarbone. “And your plan’s fucking brilliant. I hope you know that.”

She turned to face me. “I’m glad you think so. I really think this approach will--.”

For the smallest moment in time, all sound in the world ceased to exist. It was as if someone numbed my eardrums and cut them off from the rest of my body. I gazed into Char’s eyes and watched as they slowly grew wider. And when her lips parted, her yelling voice was the first thing I heard.

“Teo! Get down!”

Then, the catastrophic boom that rattled the windows of my beach house kicked my brain into action.

Char went to go scream, but I kissed her and swallowed the sound whole. I wrapped myself around her and rolled us off the bed before scooping her into my arms. Another explosion rocked the side of the house, almost knocking me off my damn feet.

“What’s going on!?” she yelled.

Another explosion rocked my legs from beneath me and Char spilled onto the floor. I heard my head of security shouting obscenities while he commanded my men to cover certain doors and windows. For a split second, I caught the fear in Char’s eyes. As I scrambled to my feet and tugged up her from the floor, I saw the raw, unfiltered fear that washed behind her eyes.

“Come with me!” I exclaimed.

I pulled her down the stairs before we took a sharp left. I heard my head of security discharging his weapon over and over, his rifle tearing through God only knew what as a stampede of feet sounded outside. Char finally got her feet beneath her as glass shattered in the distance. Pictures that hung in frames slid down the wall with every boom and shake, causing small shards of sharp, clear-cut pieces to propel themselves through the air.

“Get in my office. Now,” I commanded.

I tried to shove Char in, but she whipped around too quickly. “What about you? Why aren’t you coming?”

I cupped her cheeks. “I have too much to do. Get inside and don’t open this door for any reason. There’s a reason why my office is a panic room.”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait!”

She gripped my arm as I tried to turn and run, and it rooted me to my place.

“Char, let go,” I said.

“I’m confused. I don’t know what’s happening. Tell me, Teo!”

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