Page 267 of The Heart You Kept

MONDAY MORNING.

I stride through the casino on a mission, I have way too much work to get through this morning. My first Zoom starts in fifteen minutes and I haven’t even gone through my notes yet. I take the elevator and step out on my office floor to see an angry face.

Fuck.

I am not in the mood for this fucking bullshit today.

“King Volter,” I say. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

He glares at me, his face solemn. “I’d like a word.”

“Of course you would.” I brush past him. “This way.” We walk up the large corridor and into my office and I close the door. “I am on a very tight schedule.” I gesture to my desk. “Take a seat, but we will have to be quick.”

We both sit down.

“How can I help you?” I ask.

His cold eyes hold mine and he links his fingers together on the desk. “I’ve heard a story.”

“Story?” I ask.

“Don’t act oblivious. You know exactly what the story is.”

“No.” I shrug. “I don’t.”

“Let me enlighten you.”

I roll my lips as I concentrate on not rolling my eyes. “Please do.”

“It has come to my attention that you were on a night out with my daughter when you bid on Alora Sorenson at a charity auction.”

“For charity.”

His eyes hold mine. “I know what you did.”

“And what was that?” I snap. “Land the plane.”

“You were having an affair with her behind Hermione’s back and now there is a sordid story about to come out in the press.”

“You’re wrong.” I stand and on autopilot go to the bar, fuck…it’s too early for scotch. “Water?”

“No,” he barks. “I don’t want fucking water.”

“I knew Miss Sorenson.” I sip my water as I choose my words carefully. “We dated years ago and I bid on her internship at the auction to help her professionally.”

He narrows his eyes as he listens.

“Hermione and I had not been working for a long time and our relationship had run its course. It organically ended and if I hadn’t done it, she would have.”

His calculating eyes hold mine.

“Hermione is fine, I have kept in contact with her. This was the best decision for both of us.”

He slams his hand onto my desk. “Hermione is anything but fine,” he yells. “I want to know what this scandal is.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’ve heard rumblings from our guards that there’s a scandal brewing and it involves you and Hermione.”