Page 7 of Allure
Syra let out a breath, thinking how simple Delilah’s advice seemed. It should be easy to take it one day at a time and figure everything out as it came, but she knew her history with both men. As much as she wanted to relax about everything piling up in front of her, she knew she wouldn’t be able to. But there was one thing she could do now and that was set up a time to talk to Marco. They owed each other a conversation, one in which they could get everything out in the open and make sure they cleared the air.
“You’re right,” she patted Delilah’s hand. “I think I’ll ask him to meet up.” She just hoped the conversation didn’t turn into her ending up on her back. If their track record was anything to go by, there was a high possibility that’s exactly how their talk would end.
“Maybe I should make sure we’re meeting up in a coffee shop,” she murmured, reaching for her phone.
Delilah snorted. “As if that’s stopped you before.”
Syra looked back at Delilah in shock before she narrowed her eyes. “Hey, that happened only….” She stopped talking, knowing she had known the exact number of times that happened.
And this is why she didn’t tell her friends things. They liked to keep her honest when she wanted to bury her head in the sand and lie to herself.
“Don’t you have to throw these out?” Syra nodded toward the empty containers of Chinese food as she passed the slew of messages from Joel. She’d have to deal with him soon, but not right now. She opened up her email app and copied and pasted his email from the list that had been sent after their meeting today. She kept the message short and hit send.
Here’s hoping they cleared the air.
And you do it while keeping your clothes on.
He walked around the abandoned building, mourning the loss of this place. He had grand plans for this property and two that sat on either side of it. It was meant to be his, but as always Garrison Inc got here first. Gobbling up everything in its path like they had a right to own whatever they set their eyes on. The buildings in Industrial City and Bleecker Street should have been used for a better purpose, but because Garrison Inc was greedy, these buildings sat empty; wasted space. Their greed would be their downfall soon enough if he had any say in it.
He waited for the sound of the alarm to beep before he walked over and input the code. He opened the door and reset the security alarm, waiting for the beep to go off again. Once it did, he placed a tiny, almost microscopic button against the security system and closed the door behind him. The button would sporadically set off the alarm, and when someone from Garrison Inc came out to check the property and change the code again, he’d have it. It was easier than sitting here and having to watch them. He had other plans in place that needed his attention.
He checked off all the areas that he needed before he pocketed his notebook and walked over to his car. He took his gloves off, looking at the buildings once more, wondering how long it would take to turn the sky around them into a fiery blaze of orange and black smoke.
How long would it take for Garrison Inc to realize there was a threat in their midst before they decided to act?
He chuckled. “The arrogant always thought they were untouchable.”
His phone buzzed and he looked at the incoming text.
Luncheon at Hibiscus for Crimson National, they should be there.
He nodded, pocketing his phone before he got in his car. All the pawns were getting into position, and he couldn’t wait to watch Garrison Inc, Marco especially, go up in flames.
Marco kept his eyes on his phone as he made his way into Hibiscus, a restaurant he and the members of Crimson National, an exclusive club in Lockwood frequented for lunch meetings. Crimson was a place where like-minded, same tax bracket people could collaborate and give back to the community and society as a whole. Marco thought Crimson was just an excuse for people with too much money and time on their hands to come together and compare their net worth. He avoided Crimson as much as he could, but he knew he couldn’t completely cut ties either. Most of his connections came from Crimson, and he did enjoy the galas they did for charity.
Marco’s phone buzzed in his hand, but he ignored the incoming message. He usually hated seeing the little red notifications on his phone, as well as the email and text icons, but he couldn’t pull his gaze from the email he was staring at. It was from Syra, and it wasn’t the confirmation he’d been hoping for. She sent it last night and he had read it over several times. It was a simple seven words that should have felt inconsequential, but they made his heart trip over itself.
Syra: We need to talk. Can we meet?
Those words were loaded with possibilities and it made him want to forgo this luncheon and meet up with her now. His mind raced with what she would need to say or ask him before she decided to work with Garrison Inc—to work with him. He went over everything he could lay out for her from a business standpoint, but what about from a personal one? He wasn’t sure for her if it would make sense for them to work so closely together, especially with all the history intertwining them.
Did she understand the two of them together was just an explosion waiting to happen and was therefore ready to cut her losses now?
Marco hoped that wasn’t the case. He needed…no, he wanted her back under him and around him. He wanted to purge his desire for her from his system and simultaneously bury himself deeper into the marrow that the very blood that gave her life came from.
It was illogical, but everything about him when it came to Syra was, and it was only further proof of how far gone she made him. He was a businessman. He saw the best strategy and acted on it. It wasn’t smart to deal in emotions—unless it was his instincts he let guide him, and even then that was few and far between.
Maybe it was better to pull back from partnering with the women and let them have the building out right. He could stay away while they built Sirens, but how long would that last before they were in each other’s orbit again? The one night they shared was probably just a coincidence, but it went into the column of proof that it was inevitable for them to cross paths. He knew Asli wouldn’t be able to stay away from Sirens once it was built, and eventually Marco would find his way there too.
No, it was better that they went into business together. It would save time and maybe hurt him a little less when they eventually crashed and burned.
“I haven’t seen you look at your phone with a smile on your face in forever.” Asli’s deep chuckle had Marco pulling his gaze away from his phone. “You’re like a teenager again waiting for whatever her name was to call you back.” Asli rubbed his chin, making a little humming noise in the back of his throat, and Marco knew what memory was flashing through his mind.
Anya Rivera. The first woman Marco and Asli shared. She taught them valuable lessons when it came to pleasure.
“That was a fun time for us.” Asli’s smile grew. “Is the little star emailing with a confirmation?” He nodded toward the phone as they waited for their table to be ready. The luncheon was between Garrison Inc and a few of their shareholders as well as two other companies, all part of Crimson National.
And Joel fucking Hernandez.
