Let's Play A Dirty Ass Game, Mr. CEO

Chapter 13: STALKING ME?

LAURA

"Tristan, what are you doing?"

Madison’s harsh whisper was loud enough to get a few heads turning in our direction. Making the whole thing an actual scene.

The uniformed staff placed the box in Tristan’s hands and stepped forward, a forlorn expression on his face. "Laura, I want you to have this."

I stared at it for a long moment, too dumbfounded to speak. A number of emotions swirled in my chest. Anger, pain, confusion, excitement.

But I did not take the box from him.

Instead, I let out a nervous chuckle. "What is this? You can’t just.. you don’t..."

"I insist." He thrust the box forward gently, no pressure, but the pressure was definitely there in his heated gaze. "You’ll know when you open it. No one would know it better."

The last words set off a burning flame in my chest. Because suddenly...I knew what this ’gift’ was. And maybe, Madison just figured it out too. Because she grew so red I feared she might explode into huge chunks of rage.

"Tristan!"

Ignoring her, Tristan took another step forward and thrust the box into my hand. "Please accept this. You deserve it."

Then he turned, grabbed Madison’s wrist, and left.

Just like that.

I stared at the box through a blurred vision, heart racing, breathless. I could feel it even through the thick cardboard. This was my dress. The same one he had just won its bid for ten million fucking grand.

Why did he give this to me? Was he teasing me? Testing me? Pushing me to see how I’d react?

Damn him.

Whispers floated across the space. But none of that mattered. It was Harlan’s intent gaze on my face that prickled my skin.

I could not let him know about the fleeting, personal relationship I had with Tristan. I had this nasty feeling it might drive a rift between us.

"Well." He flashed me a grin that did not quite reach his eyes, steering me away from the floor. "Someone got a gift."

"I can’t understand why."

"I think I might," he replied, a thoughtfulness crossing his features. "I mean, he’s been trying to get your attention for a while. Business-wise, to the best of my knowledge. You’re a superstar, after all."

"Hmm."

"Don’t let it get to you. It’s probably nothing."

My night was ruined already, so I had no intention of staying any longer. Plus...it appeared that Tristan and Madison had left already.

Those two... God. This would be easier if I stopped bumping into them. I would be lying if I said I did not spot the huge diamond rock sitting on Madison’s finger. It was kind of hard to miss.

I mean, she made sure she flaunted it in my face. Making glaring hand gestures that caught my attention and burned a hole in my chest. I hated it. Feeling this way about their possible engagement.

Tristan and Madison...engaged. I thought they had no power to hurt me, ever again. Yet...here we are.

"I think we should leave, Harlan." I sighed, dragging my fingers through my hair. "I’m knackered."

"Come on." He took my hand and steered me towards the exit. "I’ll take you home."

°°°

The next week moved quite fast. I immersed myself in work to avoid thinking about the two people who should not even be anywhere near my mind.

But the intentional avoidance made things even more difficult. I encountered more accidents, made more mistakes. A needle pricking my skin here, a roughened dress pattern there, a spilled coffee here, a forgotten meeting there.

It was a dilemma I wished would disappear. But it seemed inevitable at this point.

Especially when I ran into Tristan again, at a conference meeting.

It just kept getting worse, I wanted to run and hide from the overwhelming feelings.

Thankfully, I spotted him first. So the moment the meeting was over, I bolted. But the guests who wanted to have a word or two with me, made it difficult to get away without being seen.

At the end of the day, after entertaining the ones I could and politely dismissing the rest, I hurried out of the hall and towards the parking lot.

But Tristan was fast. Sleek like the snake he was. He cornered me just as I got out and made for my black BMW. I heard his voice and increased my pace.

"Laura, wait!"

I groaned and rolled my eyes to the sky. Fuck. This was the last thing I needed at the moment. Him in my space, or in my face, breathing the same air I did, lasering me with that midnight blue gaze that did strange things to my body.

But I did not stop walking. I kept my movement brisk as I tossed my bodyguard a signal, pretending to not notice that Tristan was right on my tail...closing in.

No, no, please, no. Get away from me.

But he did not. He eventually caught up with me and grabbed my wrist with a possessiveness that stunned me to my bones.

My bodyguard was fast, jumping in like a Jaguar. "Hey! Get your hands off her!"

Tristan simply shot him a cold stare as he tried to step between us. I held his gaze, bristling with heat and rage.

"It’s alright, Jose. I’ve got it from here."

Jose stepped back a little reluctantly, staying within the radar. "Anything goes wrong, just say the word, ma’am."

I offered him a small, appreciative smile and turned a glare on Tristan, who waited patiently.

Then I moved a good distance away from Jose and cleared my throat. "Look, are you stalking me?"

"You wouldn’t blame me if I was," he murmured, his hot gaze falling to my lips and sliding further down, taking in my cleavage. "Look at you, Laura."

I let out a sardonic scoff and folded my arms across my chest. I did not like what those eyes were doing to my body. Making my nipples pebble under a pool of heat.

"What do you want?"

"To talk."

"About what? I don’t recall a business deal we’re supposed to follow up on. Am I right? So. What. The. Fuck...do we have to talk about?"

"Then give me a reason to talk to you. And I believe with time, other things would come up. Things we have to talk about," he added, laying an uncomfortable emphasis on the verb.

I let out an exasperated sigh and lasered him with my best ’fuck off’ look. "What exactly are you saying?"

"You can say my name, Laura."

"I don’t have the time for this." I started to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist. Again.

I snatched it away and turned to face him.

And he hit me with another bomb. "Work with me, Laura. Please."