His grin pierces my heart like Cupid’s arrow. It explodes into glitters and lights. Hot, intense emotions I’ve never felt before and can’t quite identify surge through me.
But the strangest thing is that the scheme no longer sounds tempting. It sounds sleazy and manipulative.
“I am, and thank you. But I can’t let you do that,” I say.
He stops abruptly and gives me a look normally reserved for an asylum escapee. “Why not? It’s really not that much money.”
The question feels sincere, but I don’t understand how he can be so blasé about that kind of sum. “It’s not about that. It’s about the fact that I want to earn my promotion. I need to make my place within the firm on my own. If you do this, I’m buying it, and it won’t be right.”
He considers me for a moment. There’s none of the easy humor in his blue eyes now. “Is it your ego?”
I shake my head. “It’s more than that. It’s a matter of pride. I don’t know all the reasons you’re offering to do this, but I know it isn’t because you think I’m the best choice to manage your money for you.”
“I can respect that.”
“Thanks.”
And I realize something. I like Court in a way that goes beyond just physical attraction or chemistry. I can’t remember the last time a guy I was dating showed consideration for my career ambitions. My exes usually presumed that since I’m working for my dad, I should just wheedle my way up the ladder. Even when I tried to set them straight, they thought I was just protesting as a formality or something.
“My brother’s having a small dinner party tomorrow,” he says. “Be my plus one.”
My immediate instinct is to say yes, but I pull back. After telling him that we can’t date so I can get my promotion, it sounds silly and hypocritical to jump on the invitation, even though I really, really like him.
He adds, “It’s just a dinner. And not at all intimate.”
“Well…”
“I know you did your survey and all, but I don’t think what’s going on at your dad’s firm is about dating. I just can’t imagine anybody caring that much about somebody’s personal life.”
I cross my arms, slightly irritated because my data is solid. The feeling is intensified by the fact that Court has a motive to see me incorrect—he wants to date me. “Then what do you think it’s about?”
“Something at work you aren’t considering?” He shrugs. “What you need to do is figure out the real reason you’re getting passed over.”
That feels like a slap. A hard one. My cheeks heat, and the muscles along my spine tighten. “Are you telling me I’m not good at my job?”
“No. If you sucked at it, you would’ve definitely taken my offer, because you wouldn’t care how you hang in there as long as you do. But you have pride, which tells me you strive to be good at what you do. And you’re smart, which means you probably excel at whatever you set your mind on.”
I can tell he isn’t saying it just to flatter me. My shoulders relax, and I let my arms drop.
Then he adds, looking off into the darkness, “So if you’re good at your job, but you’re still struggling to get recognition and promotion, somebody’s probably sabotaging you. Think about that.”
Chapter Seventeen
Court
Skittles turned down my invite, and still hasn’t called or texted. What I said probably came as a shock. I’m sure she hasn’t experienced the kind of scandal my family has. But sometimes the people who hurt us the deepest are those who are closest to us. They
know all our hopes, dreams and weaknesses because we’re too unguarded around them.
Well. If she wants me to not open an account at SFG, so it doesn’t look like she’s sleeping her way up the ladder or something, that’s fine with me. There are other ways I can scale the wall around her.
When I arrive at Tony’s mansion, the huge place is in an uproar. It’s to be expected, though. Yuna doesn’t travel light.
With most people, that means traveling with a million suitcases. But in her case, it means traveling with an entourage.
When she first visited, she came with her father’s secretary. The second time, it was with two of her mom’s assistants. She’s probably here with at least two people. Her parents are paranoid about her safety, and I can’t blame them. They’re worth tens of billions, and their daughter would be a juicy target for a fortune hunter—or worse.
But the biggest reason the place is bustling is Yuna herself. The woman just doesn’t believe in restraint.