Rio's POV
She freezes like a deer caught in headlights on a highway.
"I asked you a question…" I say, leaning back in my chair and swinging a little. I can't help but drag my eyes along her curvy body, how her hair falls in waves how her waist is snatched… that red skirt is illegal.
She turns around. Her blue eyes find mine, and I hate that she looks at me like that no emotion whatsoever ,and it pains me even more that I'm the cause.
"It's none of your business," she sasses back, arms crossed on her chest, faking that confidence like she isn't squirming under my gaze.
"Oh, but it is, Elena…" I say, rising from my seat. I round my desk, shove my hands in my pockets, and stop a respectful distance from her. I feel the urge to tell her everything, just take her out of her misery.
"I don't think so, Rio. Your business is me working for you. Whatever happens outside this office doesn't concern you anymore," she snaps back, pointing at me, flipping her hair to the side , all attitude and fire. I hate that she's right.
I sigh, running my hands through my hair.
"I just want to know what he told you when he kidnapped you and Sam. I—" I step closer, but she backs away, and I feel my heart crack from the sight.
She raises her hand, shushing me.
"As I said, none of your business. Now leave me alone…" she says, turning to walk toward the door.
"I hope he hasn't touched you, or I swear—" I say through gritted teeth at the thought of another man's hands on her .
She turns around, and the glare she sends my way is enough to kill a man, but instead it makes my slacks a bit tighter.
She scoffs.
"Or what, Rio? Hm? Let me guess—you'll kill him for touching what's yours? Bullshit." Her tone is sharp, her voice raised, her face red with fury, and it does things to me.
"Exactly." I simply shrug.
"Well let me break it to you, Rio…" she whispers, chest heaving as she steps closer to me.
"I don't belong to you anymore. You have a pretty blondie in your bed, so how about you leave me alone and stay out of my life," she yells before stepping back and slamming the door shut.
I close my eyes for a second. This is going exactly how I planned. Making her hate me—but it's killing me inside. That I can't hold her, tell her I love her, tell her I'm protecting her from the ugliest truth.
My phone dings from where it sits on my desk. I walk to my chair, sit, and grab it. Marco has been useless, I hate to say, because there's nothing he's found about this Hunter guy.
We knew his name through Mariana, and I know Elena tells her everything, but she won't budge talking about "girl code" and "not her story to tell."
I didn't even know girl code was a thing. It's stupid. Mariana is like the neutral party ,she knows what's going on on both sides, but she's playing her cards right.
I read through Marco's message. They haven't found anything. They've tried all possible means with Leo, my tech guy, but still nothing. It's like he doesn't exist. And that pisses me off because I hate not knowing. I hate being in the dark. I hate being outsmarted.
I shut my phone off and grab the schedule Elena brought me . And yep—she definitely lied when she said it wasn't a lot.
I haven't been showing up at the office, so I have a shit load of work to get started on. I smile when I see the first thing I'm supposed to do is attend a meeting with the manager of Lee Enterprises.
He'll be here in a few minutes with his assistant and possibly the CEO. Which means Elena will have to attend the meeting with me.
Just sharing a room with her is enough to drive me insane .
My office phone rings and I answer immediately.
"Sir, they are here…" Margo's voice says, and I instruct her to send them to the boardroom and to bring Elena and Chad as well.
Moments later, I'm in the elevator on my way to the meeting. The doors ding open and I step out.
I push the door open to the boardroom, everyone is present, and just as I thought, Lee is here. The CEO. A guy I don't like very much, but business is business.
They rise, and I do the casual handshaking with him. The grin on his face is already making my day worse ,and even worse because he's seated next to my Elena.
She doesn't even spare me a glance; she's busy powering up her laptop.
I take my seat at the head of the table, gripping the pen in my hand, deadly glaring at Lee because he's seated way too close to her and whispering something in her ear and Elena is smiling, her cheeks reddening. I bet all my millions she's doing that on purpose.
"Shall we begin?" Lee's manager says, snapping me out of my thoughts before I strangle his boss.
I nod. It shouldn't take long. I just need to know about the contract, what percentage we're each getting, and obviously how it's going to benefit me more.
"So uh… the contract states, because the project idea of a new skyscraper at the heart of New York was ours, we get seventy percent, you get thirty of the profit, because—" he rambles, and I find myself scoffing at how stupid that sounds. I raise my hand and he shuts up.
"What's your name?" I ask the dude because I don't even remember.
"Zack, sir…" he says, straightening his tie.
"Well, Zack… what you just said is very, very stupid," I say, leaning forward.
"And why is that, Mariano?" Lee asks, and I snap my gaze at him. Elena shifts uncomfortably next to him when I glare at her.
"Well, because that ratio is unreasonable. I mean, sure, it's your idea ,but you need my partnership, my funds to build your little project, right?" I ask.
"And what were you suggesting?" Zack asks.
"Well… I get sixty percent, you get forty," I say with finality.
Lee scoffs and stands up, offended. Oh, now he wants to play bad boy.
"That's not happening. I'll take my proposal somewhere else," he says, gathering his stuff.
Elena stands, and I inwardly grin because I know she's about to convince him.
"Hold on just a second…" she says, holding his arm, and I shift. Something about Elena's hands on someone else makes my mind spiral.
"What?" he snaps at her.
"Watch your tone, Lee…" I growl, and he physically flinches. Good.
I nod at Elena to proceed. She nods back and turns to Lee with a smile on her face.
"Lee, remind me again why your company is ranked number 8?" she asks, turning to Zack. That causes a shift in the air. And I inwardly grin. They don't answer. They stare at the floor.
"Oh that's right.. because your company is shit and all your investors are dropping you ." she says , with a scoff .
Her heels click as she rounds Lee like a predator cornering prey. She leads him back to his seat and he complies like a good puppy.
Her hands on his shoulders, she leans down to his ear level.
"Listen, Lee… your company is ranked number eight, and we're at the very top for a reason. So you need us ,not the other way around. The fact that we even consider your project? You should feel honored. Isn't that right, Mr. Mariano?" she asks with a smile aimed at me and the way she says my name… my dick twitches and I grin back, enjoying this too much.
"Exactly," I say, twirling the pen in my hand.
"We don't need you," he grumbles under his breath, and Elena giggles… God, she's a menace.
"But you do. So this is how it's going to work out… I will rewrite that contract with our numbers—sixty for us, forty for you. And also, well… you don't want your wife to know you've been fucking your female employees do you now ?…" she whispers the last part, and Lee jolts up, sweating. And I smile, proud of Elena.
"Th–th–that's not true… it's all lies..it's …" he stutters.
"It's not lies ,and you know it . We have evidence we would release to the public. And you and your little three-rated company… poof!!—gone," Elena snarls, sitting on the table. Her skirt rides up and I have to physically swallow at the sight.
"Your little moment with… what's her name again? Linda? In your office?" she asks, and Lee's eyes widen.
"That's blackmail…" Zack says confidently, but shuts up when I glare.
"What do you say, Mr. Lee?" Elena asks with a sweet smile, like she didn't just threaten a whole CEO.
Lee nods. "Fine," he says, straightening up.
Elena jumps off the table and claps slowly, stepping closer.
"Nice doing business with you. I'll send you the contract in two days. You're dismissed,well unless you have something to add ?" she asks casually, stepping back.
Lee grabs his stuff and leaves with his manager and the silent assistant. Without a word .
"You're iconic," Chad tells Elena with a proud grin as he walks out too.
The door shuts, leaving just me and her.
She immediately starts grabbing her stuff.
"You went through his file, I see," I say, standing up and leaning on the table.
"Yeah. Like we always do," she says, tucking her hair behind her ear as she slings her bag over her shoulder.
"That was impressive," I say, stepping closer. She doesn't back away like before. Her beautiful blue eyes stay on mine as I stop in front of her, looking down.
"Need something?" she asks, trying to sound brave, looking away.
"Yes…" I whisper, my voice deep, my eyes flicking to her lips for a second before meeting hers again.
"What?" she asks, her chest heaving slightly—and I'm glad I still affect her like this.
"I need you to accompany me somewhere, Thursday night…" I say, lost in her eyes and in the way her lips are slightly parted.
"Where?" she asks, voice small.
She won't like the answer, but she'll come.
"My father's house…" I say, and her face drops into confusion and slight panic . She steps back this time, and I don't follow. She shakes her head.
"No, Rio, I can't do that. I—" she starts ranting, but I cut her off.
"It's a family dinner with my father's allies. And I need you by my side. I need you to be physically present when I warn him and his allies to stay the hell away from you ..,And…" I swallow hard, shutting my eyes briefly, fists clenching.
"And I'll tell you what I've been hiding from you,..I hope you'll understand why I didn't say a thing " I whisper.
Her eyes widen ,curiosity and worry winning.
I know it's enough to convince her.