“Thank you. I appreciate your concern, but I promise I’m fine. There is nothing between him and me that contains anything other than sex,” I vow, and Yuki’s look conveys he doesn’t believe me.
I don’t know if I believe myself either.
If it was just sex, then I wouldn’t have stayed. I also wouldn’t have sought him out last night. Things are getting . . . messy again.
I spent so long healing and sorting my life out, I can’t afford to mess it up, especially now.
Is Yuki right? Am I getting attached?
Maybe I am, which means I need distance from Nikko and everything he represents.
I need to stop before it’s too late.
My day takes a turn for the worst during my second meeting. I’m already in a bad mood. I’ve been ignoring Nikko’s texts, but I know what I’m doing is for the best. This has to be just sex, nothing more. I’ll call him or go to him when I need his body. He doesn’t need to have anything else to do with my life, but I know it will make him feel confused and hurt, and that’s pissing me off.
Can’t he see I’m doing this for him?
I’m lost in my thoughts when the chair opposite me pushes back. The meeting room is already full to review the plans for the quarter, so nobody else should be here, yet dropping into that chair is the last face I want to see.
“Faiz,” I snap, and the room falls silent at my sharp tone. “What are you doing here?”
The rest of the meeting attendees look between us, but our eyes are locked. He leans back and smiles. “Well, it’s my land. The contract we signed says I have every right to check on progress and attend meetings with you, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“You never wanted to. It was just a technicality?—”
“You know better, sweetheart.” It slips out, and I startle at the familiar endearment. “It’s within my rights. You shouldn’t have left it in the contract if you didn’t want it. You could try to kick me out, but then I’ll cancel the contract, so it looks like I’m staying.”
My nostrils flare in anger, and Yuki leans down behind me, lowering his voice so no one else hears. “Do you want me to call security, sir?”
“No, he’s right,” I mutter, the words tasting like venom and defeat. “If I make him leave, I’ll look weak and breach the contract. Let him stay. I don’t care.”
Yuki leans back, and I focus on Faiz, who raises an eyebrow, waiting to see what move I will make in this game we are playing.
“Fine, but you have no say in these proceedings. You may only attend.” I remember the contract and know I will need to review it. If he’s using it against me, then I need to know every small print point.
“Of course,” he replies, holding his hands up innocently.
I nod at the head of this project, Ms. Lopez. “Please begin.”
She launches into her presentation. It’s one we’ve heard before, but we made changes, especially to the timeline thanks to Faiz. I listen intently, mentally noting questions to ask at the end. I need this project to succeed to show everyone I can lead like my father did. He hates having to hand all of it over to me so quickly, but he has to for his health. This is a burden I’m willing to share.
Faiz is quiet during the meeting, and I almost forget he’s there until I feel his feet trap mine under the table. My eyes snap up to see him watching me. Glaring, I tug my feet free and sit back so he can’t reach me.
His lips quirk as he arches his eyebrows, daring me to call him out in the middle of the meeting. It’s how we used to flirt at school, and I hate that it brings back familiar, happy memories, which is no doubt why he did it.
I ignore him as best as I can, and he changes tactics. My phone vibrates, and I narrow my eyes when I see it’s him. I open the message before slamming my phone down, aiming another glare at him.
It’s a photo I took of him when he was shirtless and smiling below me.
He blows me a kiss, and I turn my phone off as I look at him.
The rest of the meeting is quiet, thank fuck, and when I thank everyone, I leave without glancing at him.
I’m striding across the lobby, Yuki behind me, when Faiz catches up, smiling as he steps into my path. “You have a meeting with Judge Landis about the land next to mine, right? I’ll come with you.”
“No.” I sidestep him, and I grow concerned with how quickly he gives up.
I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy because when I stepinto the cozy, empty restaurant and head toward the judge’s table, I see him laughing with someone sitting opposite him.
