Page 19 of Fiancé for Hire

ChapterTen

This was probably a bad idea, but Drevon couldn’t help himself. After hearing Antika’s story at lunch Saturday, learning why she hired him, and texting back and forth with her during the week, he wanted to do something special for her.

He wanted to make her happy.

Was it crazy? Probably. Did he care? Nope. He could admit to being impulsive on occasion, and that didn’t always turn out in his favor. At least this action would bring a smile to Antika’s face.

Shaking his head, he chuckled. He barely knew the woman, but there was just something about her that drew him in. He could already tell that she was a sweetheart, and any woman who could make him laugh after the crap that Kendall put him through deserved a little kindness.

He parked his Range Rover in the parking garage connected to the building where she worked and climbed out. Grabbing the cookie bouquet from the back seat, he headed to her office. Sure, he could’ve had the treats delivered, but he wanted to see her. And if he was honest, he also hoped to run into the Edward guy she had told him about.

Drevon hated when men mistreated women, and Edward sounded like a real bastard. He knew for a fact that there were always two or three sides to a story, and this guy might have a different version than what Antika told him. But he’d bet money that her version was closer to the truth.

What he’d say or do to Edward was yet to be seen, but more than anything, he wanted the jerk to see him with Antika. They might as well get their farce of a relationship started and plant a few seeds before her company’s big celebration in a few weeks.

When Drevon entered the building, a citrus scent permeated the air, and soft jazz flowed through hidden speakers. He was pleasantly surprised by the modern design—a contrast to the nondescript exterior. Exposed brick on some of the walls, painted concrete floors, and high-end pendant lights hanging from the ceiling gave the space a loft-like vibe. The large area reminded him of some wine cellars he’d seen.

He glanced to the back of the building where a catwalk was overhead, located above the elevator area. Several people were crossing it, and he assumed offices were on the upper levels.

“Hi, may I help you?” the young woman behind the customer service counter asked.

Drevon removed his sunglasses and smiled.

“Oh, my God…you’re Drevon Ross,” she said breathily, her mouth agape for a second too long before she hurried to close it and sat up straighter.

Drevon almost laughed when suddenly her professional demeanor was firmly back in place.

“Yes, I am. I’m here to see Antika Wilcox. Can you point me to her office?”

“Sure. Well, I can get you to her assistant, and she can help you from there.”

Drevon nodded. “Thanks.”

As per the woman’s instructions, Drevon took the elevator up to the third floor. He strolled down a hallway, passing a few people who gave him head nods along the way. He didn’t stop until he saw a woman standing near an open door, smiling.

“Mr. Ross, nice to meet you,” she said and welcomed him into a glass-enclosed area where a desk and a few guest chairs took up the space. Beyond her was a hallway that he assumed led to offices.

“I’m Megan, Antika’s assistant. Is she expecting you?”

“No, I wanted to surprise her. I hope that’s okay.”

Megan grinned and nodded. “That’s cool. She just got out of a meeting but hasn’t made it back to her office yet. She’s probably in the staff lounge. Give me one second, and I’ll show you.”

She typed something into her cell phone, then stuffed it into the side pocket of the yellow dress she was wearing.

Drevon followed her down a hallway that intersected with another one. The place was larger than he originally thought. They turned left and strolled to the end, but slowed when they neared a closed door and heard raised voices—one being Antika’s.

“Leaving so soon?” a man said from the other side of the door, a bite to his tone that Drevon didn’t like.

“Yep, because I’d prefer to be anywhere you aren’t,” Antika said.

Her voice came through, and it sounded like she was moving around, her heels clicking on the tile floor but then stopped.

“Careful, Edward. We’re at work, and I’m not above reporting you to human resources for harassment.” A chair scraped on the floor. “Now move out of my way.”

Megan mumbled something under her breath that sounded likeI can’t stand him. That made Drevon wonder if there’d been other conversations like this at the office.

There was commotion in the hallway behind him, people whispering, but he didn’t turn. Instead, he moved a little closer to the staff lounge, debating about pushing his way in.

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