He walked toward the couch and sat down slowly, scanning the room once more, impatience radiating off him like heat.
He pulled out his phone and began typing a message to Timothy.
‘Jerry isn’t here yet. Find out where he is.’
He hadn’t even finished the sentence when—
A pair of arms wrapped around his neck from behind.
Overwhelming heavy perfume flooded his senses.
“Magnus,” Celia’s sweet voice came from near his ear.
Her body pressed against his back. Her lips brushed against his neck, leaving a lingering kiss against his skin.
Magnus reacted instantly.
He grabbed her wrists and jerked forward sharply, throwing her arms off him.
Celia gasped, stumbling sideways. She lost her balance and fell back onto the couch with a soft thud, her hair spilling across her shoulders.
Magnus was already on his feet.
Towering.
Fury burned in his eyes.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded.
Celia looked up at him, recovering quickly, smoothing her hair back as if nothing had happened. A smile curved her lips.
“Magnus,” she said lightly. “I came to meet you. Can’t you see?”
Magnus took a step forward. His eyes were murderous.
“I came to meet your father,” he snapped. “He askedmehere for a damn meeting.”
Each word grew harsher.
“Where. Is. Jerry?”
“I came instead. Isn’t it more convenient?”
Celia’s lips curved into a soft, calculated smile. The scent of her expensive perfume lingered in the air as she stepped closer to Magnus, closing the distance. She reached out and slipped her hand into his, her fingers curling around his firmly.
Her heels clicked lightly against the marble floor as she leaned in, her voice lowering into something sweet and tempting.
“I’ve decided, I’ll give you our diamond mine. But how about I give it to you for free?”
She tilted her chin up, gazing into his eyes with open ambition.
“If you marry me, then not only our diamond mine… but our entire business will be yours. What do you think?”
For a split second, there was silence.
Then Magnus violently yanked his hand out of her grasp as if he had been burned.
“Motherfucker!”he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening.
