“Enough. Come out and say what you mean.”
Adrian smiled, and he clearly wasn’t going to be rushed. The slimy bastard was enjoying himself too much. “Well, I’ve got a mystery on my hands. I was only hoping you could help me shed some light on it all. But I can fill you in on what I’ve deduced so far. This executive assistant of yours is sharing your bed as well as part-time parenting duties. You must be keeping Maxine here in the tower under lock and key. And you have accurately assessed that if Trisha found out about either Maxine or your little office affair, she’d have a change of heart about keeping you around.” He shrugged, pacing by the table and frowning in a mock display of concentration. Finally, he raised a finger. “So far, the last Stone brother has proven he’s no different than Hector. This Lola Thorn woman is your Candice. And if you don’t mind me saying so, after meeting her in the parking lot, I can understand why you’re ready to risk your career for her. She’s spectacular.”
I stood suddenly, sending my chair rolling with a thud into the wall behind me. “I’m done listening to this. And if you so much as put a finger on Lola, I’ll break it off and shove it down your slimy fucking throat.”
Adrian shoved both hands in his pockets, rocking back with a small grin. “I suppose that confirms my suspicions about your illicit relationship, doesn’t it? The rest falls into place quite nicely.”
“Get out of my building.”
“I will, but I’m curious if you’d rather I take all I’ve discovered directly to Trisha. Or maybe, if you like, I could talk to my father and see if you’d like to enter into some sort of arrangement. You scratch his back, he’d scratch yours.”
“I’m not working with a criminal.”
“Of course, of course. Well, I’m personally in no rush. Take a month, if you want, but if you don’t do us a little favor, I’ll tell the board. Think about it, you’ve got time, after all.”
“Fuck you,” I gritted.
Adrian left at a casual pace. When he was gone, I brought both fists down on the table hard enough to rattle my own jaw. I swore loudly, pounding the table again and again.
Everything I’d been afraid of was happening. All the reasons I knew I should’ve kept my distance from Lola, all the times I’d resisted, and what for? So I could run my mouth to defend her honor in a split second of stupidity and give it all away?
If Adrian thought I was going to roll over and play along, he was wrong. I’d go directly to his fucking father if I had to, but at least he was right about one thing. He’d given me time. A month was enough time to think of something–to find a way to avoid this crashing down on me. But how?
28
LOLA
I got one of Christian’s patented, growly, “get to my office” emails shortly before it was time to head home.
My lady parts hadn’t got the memo about playing it cool, because they were doing their best impression of a dog who just heard the words “walk,” “bark,” and “treat,” all at once.
I let myself into his office and found him pacing behind his desk. One look told me something had gone wrong, and I had a sinking feeling it might be related to the man I met in the parking lot.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. I braced myself to be yelled at. He was going to be beyond pissed if he found out I took Max out of the tower again.
“Sit,” he grated.
For a split second, I considered telling him not to order me around. But I found myself plopping down in the chair all the same, unable to do anything but look up towards him and wait for my judgment. I’d done what I felt was right, though, and I was ready to face the consequences for it.
“I need to apologize to you,” he said with a heavy breath.
“Wait, what?”
“I’ve put you in an impossible position.” He leaned on his desk, planting both palms, as if squeezing this apology out of himself was physically painful. “I know Max can’t stay hidden away forever. She’s just a kid, and she shouldn’t have to be locked in this tower all the time. But I’ve been too damn scared of getting found out to do the right thing. And I know you two have become close.” He hesitated, then his head suddenly hung. “You did the right thing sneaking her out.”
“Um, thank you?” I said. It felt like my head was spinning. I hadn’t been sure Christian Stone was capable of apologies, let alone for thanking me when I’d expressly disobeyed him.
“But you two were seen by Adrian Bellamo.”