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  “No. What funds my father intended to give me have already been imparted,” Hunter said with a harsh voice. He looked out the window. “We have no more ties other than blood. No more shared holdings or mutual interests.”

  If I didn’t know any better, I would swear pain was working through his words. His eyes, too, had a tightness around them that hinted at anger, but also hurt. He was struggling with something. I was no stranger to feeling hostility toward a parent, but this was more than that. His father must’ve caused him a great deal of hurt for Hunter to not only shut down, but to express his emotion plainly before he did.

  Fascinated, I stared, wanting to ask more about it. Wanting to see if I could open him up and get him to trust me with whatever burden he carried. People were gathered around us, though, and the plane gave a soft shudder as it began to roll forward. Now wasn’t the time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  When we arrived, we stalled beside the limo. Pat touched up my hair and makeup as Hunter checked in with Brenda in the office. Eventually he turned to me with his arm out. “Ready?”

  “Ready for battle, huh?” I asked quietly as we made our way through the parking lot toward a grassy area. The afternoon was old, throwing long shadows across the ground.

  “Always. And remember, you’ll be under fire. Some of the women will try to get information out of you, though of what sort, I’m not sure. I don’t pretend to know what goes on in the minds of women.”

  “Understatement.”

  Hunter steered me to a path that cut through the grass. “Some of the men, though, might see if you can be swayed to work for them. People will assume you are exceptional for me to have chosen you. I advise you to politely decline and walk away. Some of them are great salesmen.”

  “And don’t have personal contracts.”

  Hunter’s jaw tightened but he didn’t respond.

  A large tent stood in the middle of the grassy area. From within, voices floated out on the breeze, a soft murmur punctuated by occasional laughter. Round tables dotted a wood floor, with flowers and candles acting as centerpieces. At the front of the tent was a bare area where a microphone stood. Behind it several men and women in suits and dresses played string instruments.

  Heads turned as we entered. The noise level got distinctly lower.

  “Mr. Carlisle, glad you could make it!” A man in his fifties stepped forward with a hand outstretched.

  “Mr. Smith.” Hunter shook the man’s hand with a straight face. “This is Olivia Jonston.”

  “Hello, Miss Jonston,” the man said, putting out his hand for me. “Lovely to have you.”

  “Thank you,” I said, shaking his hand.

  “Let me show you to your table.” The man walked forward, leading the way with a hand outstretched. “I trust the journey wasn’t too long?”

  “It was fine,” Hunter answered.

  “Great, great. And will you be staying in the city, or…”

  “We’ll be heading back tonight.”

  “Yes, of course.” The man stopped in front of a table near the microphone. “Please, let me know if you need anything at all.”

  Hunter ignored him as he took the wrap from my shoulders and draped it across one of the chairs. “Do you want to leave your clutch here?” he asked. “It’ll be safe.”

  “With a makeup team standing by, I hardly need it for my lip gloss.” I put my clutch on the seat. When I straightened, I felt Hunter’s hand slide across my lower back until it curved around my side.

  “Afraid I’ll get stolen?” I asked in a murmur as a man and woman approached.

  “It wouldn’t be the first time, and it wouldn’t be for business. It would be the first time I cared, though.”

  “Hunter!” A man in his late forties stopped in front of us with a smile. “Good to see you. You remember Betty, my wife.”

  “Yes, of course. And this is Olivia. Olivia, this is Pascal, one of the big players in the marketing industry.” Hunter glanced around, his face perfectly straight.

  “I just love your dress!” Betty raved.

  “Oh, thank you.” I smoothed my hands down my front as a man with trays of champagne drifted by.

  “Champagne?” Hunter asked me.

  “Yes, please.”

  Hunter grabbed one of the glasses before saying to the waiter, “I’d like a scotch, neat.”

  “Of course, sir.” The man hastened away.

  “So where did you two find each other?” Betty asked.

  “Why don’t you girls go chat while I talk to Hunter about a few things. Once you girls start to talk, we’re suddenly all in one big sewing circle.”

  I stared at him, incredulous. That was an extremely demeaning and dickish thing to say. And the laughter he followed it up with grated.

  I felt Hunter’s arm tighten, pulling me closer to his body. Apparently he thought so, too.

  “C’mon, Olivia,” Betty said, seemingly unconcerned by her husband’s comment.

  “Don’t be long,” Hunter said in my ear softly as he took his hand from around me.

  “So how did you land the most eligible bachelor in the universe?” Betty asked as she walked us away.

  Immediately, a woman joined us, dressed to the nines, hair teased and tousled to within an inch of its life, and sporting that heavy makeup Pat had initially wanted to put on me. “Betty, who is this?”

  “Olivia,” I said, sticking out my hand.

  The woman barely touched her palm to mine before looking over my shoulder. Her eyes sparkled with desire. I knew exactly who she was looking at.

  “This is Yasmine,” Betty said.

  “How did you get hooked up with Hunter Carlisle?” Yasmine asked in a sultry purr. The sparkle turned to condensation as she looked down my body, her gaze lingering for a long time on my necklace.

  “I work for him, actually,” I said. “I’m fairly new, but he generally brings his admins to events.”

  “Yes, he does. I’ve never even seen him and Blaire in public together,” Betty said in a tone that implied scandal.

  “No, he never brings her out. She goes to a lot of events, but she always says he’s working. And now we know with whom.” Yasmine pursed her lips as she eyed me again.

  “I’ve really only just started.” I needed to get out of this conversation. One of the women was fishing for information, and the other was trying to put me on the carving block. I didn’t like the motives of either. “Do you know where the restroom is?”

  “Trying to get away so soon?” Yasmine smirked and glanced at Betty. “I saw Mary come in not long ago. I’m going to go say hi. Nice to meet you, Olivia.”

  Yasmine wandered away with a slow saunter. Betty smiled at me. “Don’t mind her. She’s been after Hunter Carlisle for years. Had to settle for a rich investment banker who doesn’t give her the time of day. It appears daddy wasn’t as well off as he pretended.” Betty’s brow rose with wide eyes, an expression that said she was giving me juicy gossip. Or maybe she was implying I should pity Yasmine? I actually wasn’t sure.

  “Ah. Mhm.” I bobbed my head. “Sorry, the restroom?”

  “Oh sure. Here, I’ll walk you. There’s someone that way I want to talk to anyway.”

  We crossed the open area with the microphone. Betty nodded and said hi to a few people as we passed. I noticed more than a few stares following my progress. The men’s eyes usually gleamed, dipping to my chest and no doubt lower as I passed. The women’s looks were either suspicious or curious. I paid attention to those that didn’t glance my way at all. Those were probably the people I wanted to talk to.

  Betty dropped me off near the restroom with entreaties to track her down again so we could continue chatting. I smiled and nodded politely, almost bowling someone over in my haste to get away. I was starting to have second thoughts over the part in the contract about being the plus one.

  As I walked back to my table, a woman sidled up and stopped in my way. Tall, slim, and drop-dead gorgeous, she wore a supe
r-tight blue dress that molded to her body and popped out her breasts. Golden hair fell around her model-worthy face in loose curls, and light blue eyes assessed me with a pretty scowl. “So, you’re the new admin, huh?”

  My brows crawled into my hairline. “I work for Hunter Carlisle, yes…”

  “This is what he’s going for, huh? Bambi-eyed and curvy…” She huffed. “He doesn’t much care for brains anymore, I guess. You probably walked in and dropped down to suck his cock right away, huh? Those of us who actually have two brain cells to rub together got overlooked by a pretty face.”

  “I just interviewed like everyone else…” I said with sweaty palms, blindsided by the venomous hatred and jealousy she was throwing my way.

  “Yeah, I’ll bet. Well, watch yourself. I’ve met his fiancée, and she’d feel much more comfortable with me handling his affairs than someone like you.”

  I stepped away, her cold blue eyes following me. I didn’t think that conversation warranted a closing statement. She’d said plenty.

  Although I kind of wanted to tell her that I looked like crap when I interviewed. There was no way he’d hired me for my looks or taste in clothes, and since I hadn’t given in to his advances, it wasn’t for that, either.

  In other words, all I’d had was brains. So thank you very much for the compliment on my appearance tonight.

  Happiness shedding from me like glitter, I found Hunter near the table standing with two men. He was looking at me with a faint scowl. When I got close, he stepped toward me and once again put his arm around my back. “Are you okay?”

  “Just had an interesting conversation with one of your other applicants…”

  “I’ve never known one of my admins to…have a good time.”

  I giggled, smiling up at him. With his handsome face, and showering me in affection, he could’ve been a prince in one of the storybooks. “She basically said I got the job for my face and my suction ability.”

  Hunter led me away from the table, not bothering to excuse himself from the conversation. We exited the tent into the cool night air. His brow had crumpled into a frown. “And this is amusing you?”

  “Yes. Or don’t you remember what I looked like when I interviewed?”

  He stopped near a large tree, turning to face me. “I do, yes.”

  “So she delivered a compliment. I’ve met jerks before—I can easily ignore that part of the…discussion.”

  His eyes filled with longing as he looked at me. He laid his hand on my neck before stroking my jaw lightly with his thumb.

  “Don’t people find it strange that you’re always with an employee, rather than your fiancée?” I asked in a whisper, feeling the thrill from his contact.

  His eyes roamed my face. “I don’t care what they find strange.”

  “Do your admins care?”

  “They’ve never mentioned it if they have. Do you care?”

  “I mean…” I shifted, feeling the light breeze. “I’ve been with you, Hunter. And you’re engaged. I didn’t think much about it at the time, but it’s not right. And always touching me, with your arm around me—that’s got to reflect poorly on her. How does she feel?”

  Hunter gave a sardonic smile. He let his fingers trail across my shoulders. “She is the most promiscuous woman I’ve ever met. Her life bores her, so she reaches for sex to cure her of idle time. To continue to find a thrill, she now has to reach for the outlandish. I first learned of her tastes when stumbling upon a three-way in my living room. That was tame compared to what she engages in now. I’m more concerned with her habits reflecting poorly on me.”

  I grimaced. “Then why are you with her?”

  He shook his head in small jerks. “We signed a contract benefiting our fathers, and indirectly, benefiting us so as to be rid of them.”

  “How long have you been with her?”

  He brushed a strand of hair from my face. “Three years. And before you ask, I haven’t broken it off with her because I didn’t intend to. The contract is complicated and extensive, and it’s allowed me to sever ties with my father. Marrying her would fulfill my duty, and after, I would be free to terminate the obligation at any time.”

  “What about kids? A life? Hunter, that seems pretty dismal.”

  He lightly traced the bottom of my lip with his thumb. “I’ll never have kids, Olivia, and the life I live is fine. There is security in dismal. I know what to expect.”

  “It’s lonely.”

  “I’m okay with lonely,” he whispered.

  “Are you sure?”

  Uncertainty crossed his face before I saw a deep and profound hurt steal his expression. His eyes almost dripped with it, a pain so acute it pinched my heart with its potency. Before he could answer, someone said, “Well, well, I’d heard a rumor Hunter Carlisle would be here.”

  Hunter stiffened. His eyes, a moment ago so open and expressive, turned hard. His hand gripped my shoulder in something that seemed both possessive and like a reflex.

  A man of about Hunter’s height sauntered up with a beautiful girl that looked about my age on his arm. She had fake boobs, a strangely narrow nose, and lips much too big for her face. If I had to guess, this girl had been through a lot of plastic surgery.

  It was the man who gave me pause, though. Tall, broad shoulders, and an unmistakable handsomeness that age hadn’t withered. He looked strangely familiar.

  “Father.” Hunter shifted away from me and dropped his hand to his side.

  My eyes widened as the man looked me over. “And who is your pretty guest?”

  “This is Olivia. She works for me.” The distance Hunter put in those words surprised me. I glanced at him, only to see a wary, guarded look I’d never seen before.

  “Olivia…” Hunter’s father let the name curl into the air like smoke. “Beautiful name to go with an absolutely beautiful girl. I’m Rodge, since I doubt Hunter has spoken of me.” He stepped forward with an outstretched hand. I clasped it and was surprised when he glanced his lips off my knuckles. His eyes dripped lust and possession. His lips lingered past what was polite.

  “Hi.” I ripped my hand away, uncomfortable.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce your date?” Hunter asked with scorn.

  “Of course.” Rodge turned to the woman and laid a hand across her shoulder. “This is Cami. She agreed to accompany me tonight.”

  “What about your wife?”

  “She and I don’t exactly see eye to eye on Cami.” Rodge smiled and threw me a wink as he explained, “She and I haven’t seen eye to eye on much lately. Divorces will do that.”

  I gave the expected smile, since saying “yuck” would be frowned upon, and angled my body toward Hunter. I really wanted to walk away.

  “I know why you’re here, son,” Rodge said in a taunting voice. “And I know how you work. I think charm and experience might win over the prodigy boy sitting on top of his corporate throne, especially since I trained you to be what you are.”

  Hunter’s body went rigid. He stared at his father for a moment with his jaw clenched. Without a word, he turned and started walking.

  I hastened to catch up, following him into the tent and to our seats. He didn’t say a word until he pulled out my chair. “Sit.”

  Taken aback by the curt demand, I did, waiting for him to sit a moment later. Around the tent, others were laughing and chatting, finding their way to their seats. Dinner would be up shortly.

  “You okay?” I asked quietly as someone took a seat across our table.

  “He’s going to go after Donnelley. If he gets the deal, we’ll most likely have to go through with the merger. Donnelley is the best option for me, and my father knows it.”

  Donnelley was the head of the company Hunter wanted to take over. “Will it help your father as much as it’ll help you?”

  Hunter huffed with derision. “No, not at all. He doesn’t have the resources to properly harness what Donnelley has to offer. He’s doing this as a big fuck you.”

 
Someone came around with salad as the last of our table took their seats. A smiling man walked up to the microphone in front of us. Before I would be overshadowed by everything else, I quickly asked, “And what about your reaction with me? Is it because of your—”

  “He always wants what I have,” Hunter interrupted, pain mingling with a sneer in his voice. “If he saw my affection for you, you’d be his primary target. He’d love to take another one from me.”

  “To take—”

  “Excuse me.” Hunter got up and walked off toward the restroom.

  I watched him go with wide eyes. I could take that comment to mean Rodge had taken an admin or two, which would make a lot of sense, but the desolate look in Hunter’s eyes meant Rodge had stolen something infinitely more precious.

  Hunter might be hiding from love now, but I bet it wasn’t always like that. It seemed that being lonely was safer than having his love ripped away.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Olivia, just wait here, I want to speak with someone.” Hunter left me at the edge of the tent.

  Dinner had passed with the woman next to me gabbing, and Hunter speaking to the man next to him. The only words I’d said to him were to ask him to pass the wine. He had barely even looked at me.

  I glanced around for my entourage, but they were nowhere to be found. Pat had a habit of springing up out of nowhere and dabbing me, or fixing my hair, or giving me lip gloss, but after that, the woman blended in pretty well, because I never saw her. Her assistants hadn’t been needed at all.

  I rocked back on my heels and pulled my wrap around me, trying to wait patiently, but bored out of my mind and just wanting to go home. The issues with Hunter were unsettling me.

  “He left you alone?” Rodge moved in beside me and gave me a charming smile. “He hasn’t left your side all evening, I’ve heard. That’s rare treatment for an admin of his.”

  “I’m new. He probably thought I’d get lost or something.” I gave him a tight smile.

  “Hmm. Maybe so. You’re a very pretty girl.”