Her office was attached to Wyatt’s and she could hear him shouting next door. And it was only six-thirty in the morning. The noise level was unusual so she had a feeling she knew who he was talking to. Dropping her purse onto her seat, she didn’t wait for a response before heading to the connecting door he almost always kept open. Since he’d gotten married, he’d more or less made his office at the Serafina his main base of operations. They’d moved offices a year ago, not long after the hotel had opened, and Ellie much more preferred this location. Probably because she was friends with so many of the staff.
When she paused in the doorway, Wyatt looked up from his desk, his expression dark. “I’ll call you back,” he gritted out before slamming the phone down. “That Brit drives me insane.”
Ellie bit back a smile, knowing who he was referring to. Rhys Martin Maxwell IV, a man Wyatt had had business dealings with in the past, but usually they just tried to outbid each other at auctions. It was a strange, semi-friendly rivalry that Ellie didn’t quite understand. “So this isn’t business related then.”
“Bastard said he was going to sell the painting to me, but this morning he changed his mind. Said since I’m already married to the most beautiful woman I didn’t need any more beauty in my life. I want to throttle him.”
Ellie laughed. “I don’t know why you’re surprised. He’s never going to sell.” The painting in question was a starkly beautiful image of the aurora borealis. Having seen it in person once, she could attest that it was truly breathtaking. It had been the very first thing the two men had bid on against each other. It had also been the birth of their rivalry and sort-of friendship. “If he does, I think it would be akin to admitting defeat in this weird rivalry you two have.”
“Weird?”
“It’s not normal, Wyatt.” Now she didn’t hide her grin.
Wyatt’s expression softened as he leaned back in his custom-made ergonomic chair. “It’s good to see you smile.”
She wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped into his office. It was the first time she’d ever truly felt nervous around him. “Thank you. For everything. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you and Jay and everyone for…just thank you.”
“You quit because you didn’t want to be in a position to have to steal from me. That alone shows me how loyal you are, Ellie. I don’t want your thanks. I just wish you’d come to me or more importantly, to Jay, instead of running.”
She crossed the distance to his desk and sat on one of the ridiculously comfortable arm chairs. He was all about comfort and luxury. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”
“I get it, maybe more than you think. But no more running. We’re handling this and no one’s going to bother you again.” The underlying deadly threat in his voice sent a shiver up her spine, but it wasn’t a surprise.
“So you weren’t kidding about me still having a job? Even after Kevin is…out of the picture?” She knew Wyatt enough that she was sure he’d been serious when he spoke the words, but after everything he’d learned about her, she couldn’t fight the insecurity battling inside her.
He snorted as if the question was ludicrous. Which made her feel a hundred times more secure. “You’ll always have a job. And right now, we’ve got to get ready for today’s appearance. My speech—”
“Is in your inbox.” She’d sent it a week ago. “And I’ve already got a list of pre-approved questions. I’m sure you’ll get a few surprises, but you’ll be fine.” He always was under pressure. In fact, he thrived on it.
“Good.” Back to business, they spent the next ten minutes going over the rest of the day, down to the last detail.
Ellie was nervous about being in public after what had happened to her car, but she knew it was the only way to make things appear normal. It wasn’t as if Kevin wanted her dead. At least not yet. Because she had no doubt he’d want to get rid of her after she got him what he wanted. Thankfully the idiot needed her alive for his ridiculous plan.
After finishing up with Wyatt she headed to her office. Roman and Logan stood when they saw her, but she shook her head. “I’m staying put for the next few hours so you two might get bored.” The floor was secure, only accessible with the right key card and the security room had constant visual access outside their offices so she wasn’t worried about a surprise attack or visit from anyone. Right now they were probably more secure than anywhere else in Vegas.
“Let us know if you need anything,” Logan said before nodding at Roman. “We’ll be standing guard outside.”
“Thanks, I will.” Once she had her office to herself, she got to work catching up on over a hundred emails, over two dozen phone calls around the world to various business interests of Wyatt’s, and some tedious filing that needed to be done. Pretty soon she’d need an assistant of her own. Something she needed to talk to Wyatt about, but that could wait a few weeks.
Even as she embroiled herself in work, her mind was never far from thoughts of Jay. She was surprised he hadn’t wanted to guard her himself, but she figured he was doing something for part of their mysterious plan to bring Kevin down. Pulling out her cell phone, she texted him.
Thanks for having breakfast sent up. Wish you’d woken me last night.
A moment later, her phone pinged with a return text. No prob. You looked like you needed sleep.
She bit her bottom lip and eyed her phone. They didn’t text much since they saw each other so often so she hoped he was up for a little text-flirting. I needed you inside me more.
There was a long pause this time. Are you trying to kill me?
She grinned at his response. Right now I’m wearing that gray skirt suit you like so much. The knee-length pencil skirt and matching tailored jacket were perfectly respectable, but every time she wore the skirt Jay couldn’t get inside her fast enough. She had no idea why either. He just went crazy when she wore it, taking her as soon as they got home or in one instance in one of the hotel bathrooms he’d cleared out.
Jay: You look like a naughty librarian in that thing.
Ellie: That’s why you like it so much?
Jay: I thought you knew.
Ellie: Tonight I’ll wear just the skirt and jacket. Meaning no blouse, bra or panties underneath. Something she didn’t need to spell out.
Jay: You are trying to kill me.
Ellie: Too bad I’ve got guards today or we could do it in my office.
Jay: You’ll pay for this teasing.
Ellie: I hope so.
Jay: Gotta run, xo
Ellie: K, xo
She grinned at Jay’s xo symbol. Yeah, he was definitely a man worth fighting for.
Chapter 12
Ellie stood a couple feet back and to the side of Wyatt’s podium as he was asked another question. This time it was about his fairly new marriage instead of the new property he’d recently bought—which was what the media questionnaire was supposed to be about today. Not Wyatt’s personal life. The room went silent, the more seasoned reporters looking at the idiot newbie with pity.
Wyatt didn’t mind making appearances and was very approachable about all things business. But no one asked him about Iris. It was an unwritten rule. His wife was off-limits as a topic. Always.
“Next question. Ridley?” Ellie said, ignoring the man who would soon find himself on Ellie’s little black list of media personnel she didn’t invite or allow at these things.
Thankfully Ridley didn’t miss a beat as he asked about the potential revenue the city could expect with this newest construction effort. And neither did Wyatt as he answered.
Ellie glanced over at Jay, who was standing on the other side of Wyatt. Tall, imposing and he might as well have been carved from stone as he scanned the small crowd. Always in battle mode during these things. Which just made her want him even more. Something she shouldn’t be thinking about right now. She saw that he’d increased the security today, but not so much that it would seem odd. Ellie had two guards on her and so did Wyatt, not including Jay.
Plus there were a few of the hotel security members sitting among the crowd, blending in perfectly.
As everything started to wind down, relief threaded through Ellie. Wyatt had moved this meeting to the end of the day instead of its originally scheduled time right after noon, and her stomach had started to make low, growling noises because she’d missed lunch. Her cell buzzed in her pocket, indicating a text. Still on the clock and knowing the text could be important, she fished it out while Wyatt smoothly answered another question.
She swiped her finger across the screen, typing in her security code. As she read the incoming text, the bottom of her stomach dropped out. Green is a good color on you. The clock is ticking, bitch. Get me what I want or that suit is dead.
Ellie’s muscles tightened as she tried to keep herself from shaking. She didn’t care about the bitch comment or the time frame. The number wasn’t the same as the one Kevin had been calling her from before, but she knew it was him. And he knew what color her blouse was. Even worse, she knew the ‘suit’ mention referred to Jay. Which meant Kevin had to be here.
But that was impossible.