Page 64 of Billionaire Romantic
“Sure thing, Chief,” the driver replies, pulling into traffic.
Right. Of course the evil CFO has thoroughly done his due diligence and knows everything about me, my business and my home. Every gory detail of my life has bled all over those spreadsheets and paperwork he’s no doubt been poring over for weeks. I cringe when I think about all that red ink, which might as well be printed in my own blood.
I scooch all the way over to the door on my side, ignoring him. He can dominate me in the bedroom of our dreamy, one-off, unrealistic little bubble all he wants, but not in the boardroom. And not out here in the real world.
As if I’m not furious enough, he keeps glancing over at me with actual concern and an inkling of amusement. Like he feels for me. Like he’snotmy heartless arch nemesis who’s in the process of unfeelingly destroying me.
The cab pulls up in front of my building and Noah hands the driver a hundred dollar bill.
Fine. He can pay for it. He can fucking afford it, no doubt about that.
I get out of the cab while he’s paying and hurry to try to find my fob that opens the front door of my building.
But he’s already there.Damn it!
“I can ask the front desk to call security, you know,” I tell him. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you into my apartment.”
“Lucky. You’ve got this all wrong.”
“Allwrong? Actually, you made everything crystal clear, Mr. Maddox. I didn’t have any difficulty whatsoever understanding the terms of your offer.” My hands are fisted on my hips. “You think you’re a big shot who knows everything and controls everyone, but you’re not. And you don’t.”
The bastard has the nerve to bite back an empathetic smile. “I never said I control anyone.”
“You act like you do.”
“Lucky. Invested Enterprises’ offer is off the table, we agree on that. No harm done.”
“No harmdone? That’s easy foryouto say. Your life isn’t imploding!”
“Let me come up. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“No! You’re the reason I’mnotokay! How can I beokaywhen you’re pulling out all the stops to devalue and destroy my livelihood and dismantle my father’s legacy?” I fully understand that it’s not Noah’s, Cash’s or anyone else’s fault that I’m in the position I’m in. It’s my father’s fault. His legacy is a crumbling empire with a mountain of debt. Still, Noah’s the one standing here and I need to take out my frustration onsomeone. It’s true he’s made my day a whole lot worse.Because I fucking fell in love with him and everything about this hurts.“Since when do you care ifanyoneis okay?”
“I’m not trying to devalue anything. It’s just business. A business I did not know was associated withyourlivelihood oryourfather’s legacy.”
“But you knew it wassomeone’s! That’s just as bad! It’s evil!”
He gives me a look. “Shrewd, yes. Seeking out opportunities that will make a profit, definitely. I think ‘evil’ is overstating it. It’s all part of making deals. You know that.”
“Well,Idon’t make deals with the devil!” Maybe I’m overreacting but I don’t care. “Stop following me. Stay here. Donotfollow me.”
“Let me come up.”
“No! Absolutely not.”
I can read his thoughts as he stares down at me with that sincerity I used to love about him.Now I hate it.Always say yes.Saying yes to this man has brought me nothing but trouble.
His voice is annoyingly smooth and deep, with that smoky husk that used to turn me on. “I’m Noah, remember? The one who can talk you off a ledge and always saves the day.”
I let out a scoffing laugh. “You haven’t saved anyone’s day today. Except maybe your own.” I almost call himSteel. But of course that was just a mask.
I hate how much I missthatNoah.MyNoah. I miss the haven of his comfort. I miss laughing with him. I miss our corny nicknames. I miss how good he made me feel.
How can a single weekend with a total stranger feature so many of the best memories of my life?
But that was just an illusion, of course.
“Actually,” he says, “my day isn’t going well at all.” There’s regret in him. Maybe even sadness.
