Page 52 of Texting the Possessive CEO
I stare at the message, wanting desperately to send it. The only thing that stops me is the thought that maybe this is part of their plan. This could be a double bluff, with Izzy telling me they threatened her… but really, she planned to make me care, even if they were caught out.
Do I believe that? Or do I just need to believe it?
Ethan knocks on my door, tilting his head appraisingly as he walks across the office. He’s been looking at me like that a lotlately, as though he can see through the shield I’m attempting to put up.
“We’re going to be late,” he murmurs.
Ah, right. The meeting at Pike Construction. Aaron sent word this morning, wanting to talk urgently. Which means he’s discovered the documents were false. Good. It’ll be some small relief to wipe that smug look off his face.
Sebastian Armitage and Aaron Pike are waiting for me in Aaron’s office. Once I knew Sebastian was a large shareholder in the megacorporation, finding his true name wasn’t too difficult. I also learned he’s been abroad until very recently. Something brought him home. At first, I thought it might be my wealth and success. But I’ve been wealthy and successful for years.
Sebastian leans against the wall, tapping his cane against the floor. Aaron sits behind his desk, toying with his big beard. I stop opposite the desk, Ethan at my shoulder.
“Are you sure you want him here?” Sebastian says, gesturing to Ethan with his cane. “I’ve got some hard truths to share with you. Sooner or later, they may become public. But trust me, you won’t want to preempt that.”
“He can trust me,” Ethan snaps.
“Trust,” Sebastian mutters, tittering. “What a lovely word that is. It sounds so solid.”
He winks at me. We both know he’s talking about my songbird.Fuck. Notmyanything… He’s talking about a woman named Isabella Marlowe that I knew for a week or two.
“It’s about your father,” Sebastian goes on, shrugging. “It’s your choice if you want him here.”
“What about my father?” I demand.
Sebastian raises an eyebrow.
Damn it. They could be bluffing. But at the same time, I can’t deny it. Trustisa difficult concept, especially considering recent events.
“Ethan,” I say, gesturing to the door.
He looks at me with disappointment. “For real?”
“Give us a few minutes.”
His head drops, shoulders sagging. “Uh, sure,” he murmurs. “Okay.”
Aaron sneers the entire time Ethan is walking from the office. I resist the urge to bounce a paperweight off his bald head. The security agency also had some information about Aaron, namely that he was arrested for drug trafficking four years ago, but the case was dropped when some key evidence mysteriously went missing.
“That was a clever move,” Aaron says. “With the documents. You had us throwing one hell of a party before we realized they were bullshit.”
I shrug. “Not difficult to fool a fool.”
Aaron grins, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “That’s good,little man. Very witty.”
Sebastian snorts when he sees the look on my face, joining us at the desk. “Calm down, tough guy. I haven’t told Aaron everything. After all, he’s just a little CEO of a little company. I’m the big bad wolf.” He titters and taps his fingers against his wolf’s head cane.
It’s strange to see Aaron so easily chastened. He bristles silently at Sebastian’s dismissal, but he doesn’t argue or try to fight it. He just takes it like the little rat he is.
“You think you’ve got us beat?” Aaron hisses. “There’s still alotwe could do to you, Vale. I could start with that old bitch. You think your wannabe tough guy guards outside the hospital mean a damn thing? Irunthat place, and I can do any damn thing with her or my bitch niece that I wan?—”
I don’t plan it. One moment, he’s ranting; the next, I’ve lunged across the desk and hauled him off his feet by his beard. He gasps as I shove him against the wall, making him shake like a scared kid.
“You’ll never speak about her like that again,” I snarl. “This won’t be about business if you do, Pike. It’ll be about you staring down into a puddle of your own blood.”
“Mother—fucker,” Aaron wheezes, shoving uselessly against my chest. “Do you have any idea what you’re doing? I’ll take your whole life!”
“Take it,” I grunt, “as long as you keep her name out of your mouth.”
