“Ivan Lawson doesn’t chase anything. If anything, he sets traps and lures his kill right to him.”
“His kill?”
“Ivan is very cutthroat when it comes to business. Oh God.” She pauses. “When you called me, we’d been working on this huge deal. I was setting up for it when I answered the phone. I had you on speaker and Ivan came in and overheard. I was sure he was about to snap at me and tell me to get off the phone. That I was on his time and this deal meant more than anything else.”
“But he offered you a plane ride.”
She nods. “But it’s not only that. That deal has to be fucked. He’s been here. Chasing you. Damn.” She leans back. “Call it whatever you want, obsession or love, but Ivan is done when it comes to you. Nothing gets in the way of a work project. Work is that man’s life.” She locks eyes with me. “Was his life.”
“We’re here, Mrs. Castillo,” the driver says.
“Justin, what did I tell you about that?”
“We’re here, JJ,” he responds before slipping out of the front seat.
“JJ, can we—”
“Go get your man,” she responds before I can ask. My door opens, and I slip out onto the sidewalk.
“Thank you, Justin,” I say before I turn to see where Ivan is. I spot him immediately because he’s not staying in the SUV. He gets out. His eyes lock with mine from down the block.
I do what I’ve been wanting to do for days. I run… but toward him this time.
13
Ivan
For years, I’ve believed my father had gotten what he deserved in the end. People started to see the truth. The mask of who he really was slipping the more he drank. After a few scandals with women, he’d had no choice but to step back. The kingdom he once ruled was no longer his.
At that point, I’d been making my own moves, and I was even able to buy out some of his investments and turn them around before selling them off for a profit. My father might have been a shit father, but at one time he did know how to close some deals. I think some of his success came with a bit of insider trading. He was good at talking people out of information.
I’m starting to wonder if this is my karma now. I’m getting back the coldness that I’ve put out. Rae was giving me a taste of my own medicine. The quiet is slowly driving me insane, and now this damn dress. Rae is breathtaking in a work uniform and an apron, but this gives you a glimpse of the girl beyond.
What the fuck is she wearing? That was the only thing I could think about as we followed her and JJ. It barely had straps on it. If one was to break, those lush tits that belong to me would break free. Rae is all curves, and all of them are mine. I don’t know if it’s because it’s been days without her, but this has pushed me right over the edge.
There is no way she’s going into some restaurant during happy hour where men would be all over her. I’d fucking kill them. This is it. I’ve snapped. The last bit of my control is gone. I’ve never understood how a person could snap, but here I am doing it because she’s not going into the restaurant.
I’m done. I’m going to drag her ass back to my place and remind her what I can do to that body of hers. I’ll make her forgive me. I don’t care if I have to beg. Hell, I’ll do it on my knees with my face buried between those lush thighs of hers.
When I see her SUV stop, I fling open the backdoor of my own vehicle and step out before James can come to a full stop.
“Sir.”
“I’ll be right back.” James starts to say something else. I’m sure it’s to try to talk me down.
He’s gotten a bit more vocal lately. I think he knows I’m not going to fire him, so he speaks freely. He’s right, I’m not going to fire him but only because Rae would ask me where he was if I did. I ignore whatever he tries to tell me. I’m sure it’s along the lines of Calm down and don’t fuck this up, but it’s too late. All I can focus on is her when she steps out of the back of the SUV.
She turns her head, and I know she’s looking for me. It’s something she always does. My gut tells me she thinks one of these times I’m not going to be here. Reading and understanding people is something I’m normally very good at. I suppose I get that from my father. Only we use that skill in very different ways.