Page 132 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

He probably won’t even answer.

“Hello,” Alexander’s voice came across the line and I dropped the phone.

“Shit.” I cursed at my clumsiness as I picked the phone off the floor.

“Hello, it’s me.” I meant to sound confident, but my voice came out shaky. Maybe he didn’t recognize my voice so I quickly added. “Liberty.”

“Yes, I know.” His voice was cold and calm, so opposite of mine. But my heart still raced, my hands trembled. This man would be my undoing. He ruined me for any other man because I would never be able to look at another man and not compare him to this man.

Silent seconds stretched on. It seemed he wouldn’t make it easy on me and keep the conversation going. Not that he was a big conversationalist before.

“Ahm, I wanted to talk to you.”Duh, seriously!I couldn’t come up with a better sentence. “Callen called. He said you're buying up the shares of his publishing company.”

I waited for the confirmation, but nothing came. I guess he wasn’t going to make this easy at all. Agitation slowly started to rise and I had to take a deep breath to ensure I didn’t say something stupid.

“He would like for you to leave his company alone.” Now, I was starting to get angry at myself. There was nothing I could do to help. I was stupid to even get in the middle of it. I mean what was I supposed to tell him… give him his shares back?Yeah, right!

“Actually, never mind-”

He cut me off. “Come to my office and we can discuss the adequate ways Callen can get his company back.”

“Now?” I asked dumbfounded. He was actually willing to give Callen back his company?

“Yes.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for Callen to come to your office?” I was scared to see him. I might fall into his arms and beg him to love me. “You two could hash the terms out.”

“No.” Nothing else, just no.

“Can’t you at least explain?” I lashed out, my nerves on the edge. “Yes. No. I mean, really? Why do I need to come?”

“If you don’t want Callen to lose his last fifteen percent of the company, come and discuss terms with me,” he replied calmly. “Is that enough words?”

It took me a second or two to recover enough to answer him. “You are a jackass,” I muttered. “Fine, I’ll grab a cab and come. Where?”

“My office.” And the line went dead.

The twenty minutes in the cab to Alexander’s office were the longest minutes of my life. Why did I agree to this bullshit? I had enough problems without trying to help Callen. I wasn't even sure he deserved my help. He should have put his big boy pants on and hashed it out with Alexander directly instead of calling me. I was helping my ex boyfriend with my soon to be ex husband. If this wasn’t weird, I didn’t know what was.

I walked straight to the elevator where I first saw Alexander Caldwell and a slight shiver went down my spine. If I was smart, I would turn around and leave. If even a memory of him had such an impact, I was doomed.

Gosh, if I only knew where we’d end up, maybe I would have turned around and left that day. Maybe we wouldn’t be in this position now. My stomach in knots, I pressed his floor and as the elevator lifted up, my nerves teetered on the edge.

As soon as the elevator opened, I went towards his office, passing Janet on my way.

“Liberty,” she greeted me with a relieved smile, agitation in her voice. “Good thing you are here, because I am leaving. Your husband is behaving like a caveman. Tell him I am sick again.”

Seemed Maxim wasn’t exaggerating when he said Janet was calling in sick. I was so nervous. I couldn’t pull off a smile.

“Are you ok?” Her voice turned from agitated to worry.

“Oh, yes,” I retorted quickly. I couldn’t very well tell her I was nervous to see my husband after two weeks.

I heard shouting from Alexander’s office and raised my eyebrow at Janet.

“Who’s in there?” I asked her.

“He’s on the phone. He’s been yelling at everyone for weeks,” she complained. “If he continues this, I am retiring. I am too old for his moods.”

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