Page 13 of Boss Unyielding (Boss 1)

Thank God, Farren thought.

He approached her, so she stood from the chair she had been occupying. She felt a strong urge to say something to erase the awkwardness, but she had nothing.

“There you are. Are you ready to go?” he said.

She nodded her affirmation without a word. He turned to change his direction toward the door and she followed, giving a last glance at the club, the ritzy people who milled about with drinks, and caught a last notice at the mellow music that played in the background.

She was quiet on the ride back to the hotel, which apparently didn’t escape Rayner’s notice. He nudged her shoulder.

“Great job tonight. You continue to impress me at every opportunity, Miss Fields. The way you handled yourself with the executives in that meeting…” He nodded in proud approval.

“Thanks,” she murmured, not sounding all that grateful.

“You disagree?” he asked, shifting so that he could see her better.

She shrugged and shook her head. “Not at all. I thought you did well, too. I think the DeGradis made an excellent choice hiring you for the project. You charmed the pants right off of them tonight.” Some more than others, she finished the thought silently.

She looked out the window, taking in the gorgeous views of this ancient city lit beneath the night sky. It was so rich with historical culture here, yet modernistic at the same time. She had never seen anything like it. It awed her and broke her heart in one fell swoop.

“They haven’t hired us yet. We’ve still got another couple of meetings to go before they give the final word, but I’m confident we’ll have their business before the week is over.”

He was quiet for a moment, awaiting a response, but none came. “Why are you so quiet? Speak candidly, Miss Fields,” he urged.

She peeled her eyes from the window to face him again and fought an internal struggle on whether to actually speak candidly or to just keep her mouth shut. If she were smart, she’d do the latter.

Instead… “Do you really think it’s a good business move to get so… personal with the owner’s daughter? I mean, if that goes south, then so does the deal. You’re willing to risk that for a piece of ass?” She couldn’t believe she had said it, but there it was.

He nodded, acknowledging her message, but didn’t respond right away.

“Sorry. That was out of line. It’s none of my business.” She was backtracking, but little could be done about it now. She steeled herself for the undoubtedly anticipated appearance of the Insensitive Ass-hole, thinking she probably deserved it this time, even if he did encourage her to give it to him straight.

Finally, he spoke. “You know, you’re a lot more business savvy than I give you credit for. You never cease to surprise me, Farren.”

That was not what she was expecting. Farren? She couldn’t recall him having ever called her by her first name before, and it was strange coming from his lips. So personal. She was speechless.

“I can see where you’re coming from, and were it not for the decision hinging on the Senior Executive, Roberto DeGradi’s final determination, the young Miss DeGradi would not be an issue. But such as it were, she has his ear, and I’m counting on her to sway her father in our favor,” he explained.

“I see,” she said. So he was using her? She guessed it only mattered that he keep up the charade until he got the contract, and then he could discard young Miss DeGradi like a penny in a wishing fountain.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said in a low, quiet voice.

“Do you?” She faced him, looking him square in the eye, almost as if in a challenge.

“I have an obligation to my company, Farren. I may not always like the tactics I have to use to get things done, but rest assured I get things done.”

She got the idea there was more to the story than he was telling her there, but she let it go for now. He was right, after all. He earned every bit of his reputation for getting things done, no matter how ruthless his tactics were. She couldn’t fault him for that. He wouldn’t be the successful, dominating, powerful man that he was if he didn’t do whatever it took.

After several quiet moments passed, Farren decided now was as good a time as any to ask Rayner a question she’d been meaning to ask all evening.

“Oh, by the way, sir, I was wondering,” she began.

“Yes?”

“Is there a night I might have free while we’re here this week? Maybe a night that I don’t need to be at a meeting or anything?” Her nerves made their appearance once again, and she started scratching the nails of her middle fingers against her thumbnails in her lap.

“Yes, I think probably so. Why? Did you have something in mind?” He glanced down at her hands and covered a large hand over hers to still her nervous movements.

She looked at him with an apologetic expression and tightened her fists. When he moved his hand away, she continued.

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