Chapter 8

8

D AVID

Sabina?

Really?

I'm getting ambushed by Sabina?

Julie was so damn right, but somehow I didn't want to believe her.

Still…

Sabina doesn't have a crush on me.

She's trying to fuck with me.

I'm waiting for James to give me the update on our New York business deal, and then I'll fire the woman.

Julie asked me to handle Sabina gently. But Julie is wrong. She's nineteen. What does she know about life?

I palm my phone to mute the microphone and look at Sabina.

"Meet me at the bar in ten minutes," I say. "I need to handle this first."

Biting her lip, she spins around and walks across the lobby. Men glance at her. She seems oblivious to them.

Gripping my tie to loosen the knot, I shift my eyes to the door Elizabeth just walked through a few moments ago.

That was such a fucking bad idea.

Us meeting here.

Did Sabina follow me here?

Does she have a snitch inside the hotel?

I doubt anyone would risk their job to do this woman a favor.

I walk to the exit, my eyes on the small group of people outside.

Where did Elizabeth go?

"Sounds good," I say, my phone pressed to my ear.

"All right, man," James replies. "I'll see you tomorrow."

We end our conversation, and I push the door open and walk outside.

Where did she go? She just vanished?

How?

I call my driver.

She didn't call him––the man says.

I take the stairs down and ask the doorman if he's seen her.

I describe her.

Pretty redhead, high heels, bare legs.

She could stop traffic––I could add, but I keep it casual.

None of the people in the front have seen her.

My jaw locks.

I step to the side and scan the area. A few cabs are parked at the curb, waiting for their clients.

And then I spot her.

My chest tightens as I witness the moment she slides into the cab yet stalls for a second to talk to the man holding the door for her.

It's not the cab driver.

He's young––about her age––and wears a uniform.

A parking valet?

That is surely not his job.

The valets are supposed to handle the hotel business.

Yes, they can go out of their way and be helpful, but who am I fooling here?

She was all stern and pouty moments ago, and now she's smiling.

He's grinning too.

Whatever the hell he's saying must be so fucking entertaining since she's giving him a cute laugh.

The weirdest thing happens as my memory brings back the moment she sat on her knees in the elevator and sucked me like her life depended on it.

Those beautiful lips wrapped around me.

That beautiful hair moving like red silk down her back.

She was naked. Tits bare, almost nothing to cover the spot between her thighs.

And now, she's giving him a moment. A smile and some of her beauty so he can have something to think about while happily jerking off.

The thought that this handsome guy ends his shift, goes home, takes a shower, and rubs one out, imagining her beautiful mouth around him, makes a vein almost explode in my neck.

A strange feeling rolls over me.

It's like she walks into the wind, and the wind swirls around her, taking her away from me.

Meeting her here wasn't the only bad idea. Having people like him work in this hotel is just as bad.

But I can't fire him because he likes her.

I like her too, for fuck's sake.

So why am I foaming at the mouth then?

If my stare could kill him, it certainly would.

She even touches his hand or forearm. The hand holding the door open for her, I suppose.

What are they talking about? And why does it take him so damn long?

Tuck her in and send her home, man.

I could start a bloody war now.

Finally, he laughs and nods a few times.

Oh, she said something funny?

Like what she likes to do in her free time, maybe?

That whole story about the men she likes to meet and the freebies that she likes to give them?

She got me good. And she was so genuine.

I bet she didn't plan any of that to happen.

That's why it worked so well.

The fucking naughty girl with red hair makes up her mind and lowers herself into her seat.

He closes the door––it was about time––but the window goes down.

Of course it does, and then he lowers his head and peers inside.

At this point, his hand is on the door again, and maybe she has hers on his.

He is so much closer now.

He's probably inhaling her sweet scent.

It doesn't matter that I marked her with my scent.

Men go crazy over women who just had sex.

Am I getting hard again?

I fucking am.

He better move away from her, or this might be his last day here.

He says something and reaches inside.

Oh, they probably exchange names, and even phone numbers.

Big, big problem.

Too annoyed to witness the end, I spin around a little too fast and almost crash into the woman behind me.

"David?" Julie says, her hand on my arm. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" I retort.

Is everyone I know here tonight?

"I spotted you from inside, and you weren't moving, so I wanted to know if everything was all right."

"It's not like I'm having a broken leg or something," I toss at her sarcastically.

She flashes a smile.

"You and I need to talk," she says.

I look at her as if she's grown a second head.

"Come again?"

"We need to talk. It's about Sabina."

"Too late. She's here already."

"Where?"

"At the bar."

I run my eyes down. Julie wears flared pants, a cropped top that exposes her midriff, and a dozen necklaces.

"Where were you?" I ask suspiciously. "Weren't you supposed to be home?"

"I'm not five. I can go wherever I want."

"It's Wednesday night."

She waves me off.

I can't help myself, and look over my shoulder, hoping to see that damn cab move away and the young dude heading wherever he was supposed to be heading.

"Who are you watching?" Julie asks.

I shift my eyes back and catch her looking in the same direction.

Our eyes connect, and she gives me that questioning look I know so well––an eyebrow lifted, her eyes cutting through me like razor blades.

That usually precludes some heart-to-heart talk, and I have a feeling tonight is no exception.

The reality is she couldn't work as my assistant and clean up the occasional mess if she didn't know a lot of stuff about me.

"Let's go inside," I say, having no choice but to talk to her.

I show her to the door, hoping to make her move.

The cab was still there when I looked, although the valet was gone.

Reluctantly, Julie turns around, still very much curious about the people I was spying on.

I shift my eyes behind her and notice the cab finally pulling away.

When I turn my focus back, Julie looks at me disapprovingly.

"Were you and that redhead together tonight?" she asks, and my jaw tenses.

"Inside," I say sternly.

DAVID

"Not at the bar," I say, grabbing her by the elbow and nudging her past the reception desk.

She shoots me a sharp look.

"May I ask why?"

"Sabina is waiting for me there," I mutter, showing her to the corridor leading to the events rooms.

"So, she talked to you?"

"Of course she talked to me. Somehow, she knew I'd be here. How did you know she was here?" I ask as we walk down a quiet corridor.

"The receptionist called me."

We lock eyes briefly.

"What does she want?" she asks.

"It doesn't matter what she wants. I'll fire her tonight."

We reach the doors to the conference rooms.

Any of them would do, but I don't want to talk to my assistant in the boardroom.

"This is not good," she comments, pointing to one of the doors.

"My office," I say in a dark mood.

How could this get so complicated so quickly?

The fact that I'm hunted down by an employee in my hotel, have Julie here asking questions, and Elizabeth on a cab after talking to that guy makes my teeth grind.

I'm sure the guy figured out she was naked underneath.

Men may not notice a lot of things when it comes to women, but boy, do they know when she's in the mood for sex.

And she sure was in the mood for sex tonight.

"Here," I say, shooing my thoughts back.

I push open a heavy door leading to a dark room with leather armchairs, a solid walnut desk, and a fully stocked bar.

"I feel like drinking. You?"

"Are you offering me alcohol?" she says humorously, but I can't make myself smile.

"Water? Soda? Coffee?"

"Nothing. Thank you," she says, pulling away from me and claiming one of the armchairs in front of my desk.

I head to the bar and pour myself a glass of scotch,

"So, what happened?" I ask, still relishing the heat of alcohol in my mouth.

"I've told you already. The girl at the reception desk called me when Sabina walked into the hotel and started asking questions about you. She knew, somehow, that you were supposed to pop in. You didn't tell me you'd be here tonight."

I need another drink.

I get it, down it, and try to calm down.

The empty glass goes on a tray before I walk around my desk. My fingers work my jacket open while I study her face.

She doesn't flinch.

"Someone inside the hotel must've told her," I say.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you don't need to know everything I do," I say seriously, leaning back against the desk and crossing my arms over my chest.

"Why is it such a big secret? And how am I supposed to keep people away from you if you don't give me the information?'

Her frustration is palpable.

"I didn't think it would be an issue. And it shouldn't be an issue. I had dinner with James, Lex, and Tiago. And then I came here. I don't need to inform everyone about my whereabouts."

"They are still at the Casino, having dinner," she says, her expression frozen.

"How do you know?"

"I just know. And you came here with business. Scheduled business, I might add. That's why Sabina's snitch knew you'd stop by."

I shrug.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter."

"No, it doesn't. I'll talk to Sabina tonight. And you'll send her a gift basket tomorrow morning and a severance package. I don't want to run into a similar situation again. She stalked me."

"That's why I asked…" she says evenly. "Were you with that gorgeous redhead?"

She doesn't blink while I ponder her words.

Am I flattered by her observation? I probably am.

And while this is one of the oldest tricks in the book, I fall for it without having the slightest regret.

"You think she was gorgeous?"

Her expression remains frozen for a few more seconds, her eyes not leaving mine before her lips move into a smile.

"Men are so easy––Miranda taught me that. And I was convinced it wasn't true. And I even argued with her that a man wouldn't be so foolish to fall for it. Men and flattery, a dynamite combo when it comes to fishing for information."

I smile.

"I knew what you were doing, so it doesn't count."

"You couldn't wait to talk to me about her…" she says, and my lips pull into a straight line.

"It's not about that. You don't always need to know everything about me. As I just said."

"That means yes."

Her eyes sparkle with a smile.

"You and her are meeting secretly."

"That's, um… not it."

"Yes, it is. You've become so obsessed with keeping Sabina away. Okay, okay…" she says, pushing upright and holding her hands up. "I'm not asking you why it has to be a secret. But, as much as I find it romantic… Why does it have to be a secret? "

I say nothing.

"All right," she says in a softer voice. "It's your business."

She looks away and then back to me, questions flickering in her eyes.

"Were you truly with that woman?"

Again, I remain silent.

"You were. I saw you in the lobby. She walked ahead of you, but there was something about you two. Despite not paying attention to her and talking on the phone, she was too… I don't know. She was glowing. And that hair. She looked stunning. And those legs. Oh, my… I don't want to imagine what went on in your suite upstairs."

"Please don't imagine anything."

"How old is she?" she goes on, unable to suppress her curiosity. "She must be young. She looked young. I mean, Sabina looks young, but you can tell she's thirty–something. This woman is young. About my age."

I push off my desk, take a long breath, and walk around to my chair.

Sliding into my seat, I swing my gaze to her.

"She's not your age."

"But she's not much older either."

"She's young. Let's leave it at that. And I want her to remain a secret."

A shift happens on her face, and I tear my eyes away from her to avoid her scrutiny.

"There is something about this woman," she murmurs. "She's not like the others, is she? Are you paying her?"

I tip my head to the side in resentment and lean back in my seat.

Julie and I have an unusual relationship.

She gets away with a lot, and of all people, she probably knows the most about me simply because she works for me and knows things most people don't.

"I won't answer that question."

"You are not paying her," she says with unexpected exuberance in her voice. "There is a slight chance that you might like her."

"Okay," I say, checking the time on my watch. "I'd love to catch up with you more, but Sabina is waiting for me. I need to talk to her before heading to my place. Do you need a ride?"

Her silence makes me shift my gaze to her.

She looks like an ice statue.

"Julie?"

Her stare is blank, her face not moving.

"Julie," I bark.

Her eyes sharpen their focus.

"You shouldn't fire Sabina," she says curtly.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah. You shouldn't. She works for you. So she's the best decoy if you want to keep this girl a secret. I trust you have your reasons for keeping her a secret, and they are honorable reasons. If you kick Sabina to the curb, they'll all have their eyes on you, and the line of interested women will be longer than my arm. Sabina is in it for the money anyway."

"Hmm. So you knew that?"

The irony is not lost on her.

"Of course I knew that. That doesn't mean she doesn't like you.Or that she doesn't want a real thing with you."

I shake my head in disagreement.

"They want a real thing, and then they fuck with me. I'm firing her. I have no reason to keep her on my payroll."

"Again… Think about it for a moment. All you need to do is to give her some directions."

"She'll throw a fit."

"Not if you increase her pay. And you can afford it."

I search her eyes before tilting my lips into a slow smile.

"You know I'm right," she says.

"Yes. I know you're right, but this is not my thing. I hate playing games."

"You're not playing games. You pay the woman and tell her to show up where she needs to show up. You also ask her not to make a scene. You don't need to be harsh. Your arrangement will work for a while, giving you enough time to figure things out."

"I didn't mean her," I say.

"Oh… You mean the girl?"

I nod.

"Are you two exclusive or something?"

"We are nothing."

"Uh-huh. Okay. I see. You are nothing. So she thinks you are single?"

"She knows my history, but I don't want to rub it in her face."

"All right… But she's also on board with keeping this a secret, I suppose."

"Yes. She is."

"Then use this strategy on an as needed basis. Like when you're going to events and such. This way, no one suspects anything. She'll understand. Plus, this could be your leverage. You never know when you can get something in exchange for firing Sabina. It gives you something to negotiate with."

"Good thinking," I say, smiling. "You're learning too damn fast," I add.

"This stuff is easy. I'm sure it's crossed your mind as well. It's just that you've been a bit discombobulated this evening."

"That's why I have you. To help me out," I say humorously. "Discombobulated? Who uses this word?"

"I do," she says, grinning.

"You're going to get far. I can tell," I say, pushing to my feet. "One day, you might run my company," I joke, and she gives me a phony chuckle.

"I don't believe you," she says.

"Believe me. Let's go," I add, gesturing for her to follow me. "I need to talk to that woman."

She rises from her seat.

"You think I'm good?" she says, joining me as I head to the exit.

"You are good."

"Woohoo."

Her eyes are alight with joy when she looks at me.

"Thank you. Can I give you a quick hug?"

I push the door open.

"I thought you were a goth girl. Goth girls don't give hugs."

"Says who?"

"I do."

"Okay."

I hold the door for her so she can exit my office, and then I snake my arm around her and lower my head.

She winds her arms around my neck andwraps around me like a scented napkin, almost kissing my cheek before we break away from each other.

"That was not very professional on my part," she admits. "And I'm still not interested in you. Don't get any ideas."

"Don't worry. I won't."

We stroll down the corridor, making the trip back when she speaks.

"What's that girl's name?"

I shift my eyes to her, not slowing my stride.

"Her name is not important. But I'll say something to you, though. Something very important. In case you happen to be in a room full of people, and she's there, just so you know, she's part of our circle."

"No way," she says.

I nod.

"She's Thea's cousin," I continue.

She pulls to a sudden stop, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Oh, my God. Is it them you're keeping a secret from?"

"Yes. And I have my reasons. Don't think it's something bad. I want to protect her. And for now, we're only friends."

"Friends with benefits."

A smile tickles my lips.

"Maybe."

"Yes."

"Yes," I confirm, and a pause ensues.

"Thank you so much for trusting me with your secrets," she finally says as we set ourselves in motion and approach the well lit lobby.

We enter the room and stop in front of the reception desk.

"Who else could I trust?" I toss at her casually, and her eyes glint with surprise. "This remains our secret," I add quietly. "Now go home. Call Joel to give you a ride."

"All right," she says. "Have a good night, sir," she murmurs just as the clerk at the reception desk moves toward me.

Julie walks away when the woman addresses me.

"Sabina left, sir," she says. "She also said you know where to find her."

I surreptitiously crush my lip, regretting for a moment that I had to listen to Julie and not follow my instinct.

Sabina is a pain in the ass, and as much as Julie is right, she won't give up on screwing things up for me.

"Okay. Thank you," I say icily before heading to the exit.