NOVGO.NET Chapter 37: HOW MUCH TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM
Chapter 37: HOW MUCH TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM
LAURA
"No."
The words slipped from my mouth in a firm syllable.
Madison scoffed in disbelief. "Why?"
"We’re fully booked for the season."
She laughed. "You don’t even know when my wedding is."
"We’re booked from the whole year, Madison."
"I’ll pay you generously."
It was my turn to scoff. "No amount of money you want to pay me will change my mind."
"And what amount will you accept to stay away from my husband?"
I started to respond in the heat of the moment. Until I really registered what she said. And my jaw cracked with rage. "What?"
The machines stopped rolling in the background, and the seamstresses let their attentions loose on us.
Madison folded her arms across her chest and stalked over to me. "You heard me. Drop the partnership deal. Stay far away from my husband. I’ll pay you whatever amount you name."
I stared at her for a long moment, then I burst into a soft laugh.
Her face turned pale and she couldn’t hide the sickness under that fake, repulsive smile anymore.
"You think it’s funny? This is your chance to make some extra lazy cash. You seem to be running low."
"How desperate are you to be doing this?"
Her face went completely white with rage. "You might wanna watch your tongue now."
"You’re not even married to him yet, and you’re willing to pay me off. What happens when you tie the knot?"
She stepped too close for my liking. I tilted my chin and met her gaze.
"Tristan is mine. He will become my husband in a few weeks, anyway. So I’d better give you the heads up in case you might be getting any funny ideas now he’s let you back in."
I threw my head back and laughed a little harder than the first time, but not enough to draw attention to us. "This is hilarious. You think he let me back in?"
She looked confused for a moment. I should’ve known she was empty-brained.
"Newsflash, it was me who let him back in!" I got in her face and my voice dropped to a whisper. "And now he’s dragged you all back into my life, there’ll be a reckoning for everyone who messed with me."
Her eyes widened and she scoffed wide. "See? I knew you had a motive for working with the company again! Did anyone hear that?! Ohhh, Tristan should hear this!"
I chuckled bitterly. "It was for your ears alone, birdbrain. You have no evidence to take to the world. Now, if you’re done embarrassing yourself, get yourself out of my office or I’ll call my wolf guards on you."
Her face twisted into a shrunken pumpkin, her lips curling in a phony smile. "I hate to say it, but you’ll regret this, Laura. And hey, the offer remains on the table. I really want to become Tristan’s wife in the dress made by your hands."
"How ironic. You don’t think I’ll steal your man away and end up wearing the dress in your place?"
She tilted her chin, smirking. "Well, I’m not afraid of a little competition." Then she turned and walked away.
I stood there for a long moment, legs trembling in my pants. And a new resolution formed in my mind.
She wanted me far away. But I’ll only get closer. Close enough to make her lose her mind...and maybe mine too.
°°°
I got a call from Tristan about ten minutes after his fiancée left my office. Apparently, our first official photoshoot had been moved two hours earlier than the scheduled time.
And I was expected at the company in less than ten minutes as preparations were beginning soon.
"Is this how you intend to work with me?" I blasted into the phone, enraged. "I have a life and a brand to manage, Mr. Pierce. You can’t just pull me out whenever you want!"
"I promise to draft a working schedule as soon as possible. I apologize for the inconveniences caused, but I need you here, Laura. Ten minutes, please."
Then the line clicked dead in my ear and I sat there for a long moment, staring at the blank screen and biting my tongue to control a lashout.
After a while of seething, I shot my bodyguard a text and as soon as he arrived, we left for the company.
"Do you need me inside with you?" Jose asked as soon as the car rolled into the driveway of Pierce Holdings.
"No, I’ll give you a call if I do." I had been nervous the whole ride, and I knew it was because I’d be seeing Tristan soon...just hours after I finger-fucked myself and came spilling his name.
God. Would he be able to tell what I’d done?
To my relief and disappointment, Tristan was not waiting to receive me, yet again. In his place was a young woman with a pretty smile and captivating eyes, waiting patiently on the steps. "Ma’am, this way please. Mr. Pierce has asked me to bring you up."
"Too busy for his partner, I see."
Her lips twitched into an awkward smile a second before she led the way to an executive board room set up for a photoshoot with bright lights and customized plaques of Tristan’s company name fused as one with my name.
PIERCE HOLDINGS AND LAURA HAYES: THE NEW EVOLUTION OF FASHION
I eyed it warily, wondering if they really had to go the lengths. Until Tristan’s hard voice caught my ears and I whipped my head around. It was the first time I ever heard him raise his voice. And from the look on his face, I could tell he didn’t like that he’d lost his cool either.
He ran his hand over his face and turned his back on me. Right after our eyes collided!
My earlier worries evaporated like they hadn’t been there.
Something was wrong. He seemed to be on edge, irritated. Seeing him like this was a first, surprising and unnerving. It soured my food and injected a bit of excitement into my veins.
He was not the perfect, cold, untouchable bastard, after all.
He knew how to lose his shit.
He barely acknowledged me for the next half hour as I was pulled into a chair and made to endure the wiping and dusting of my face until every inch was perfect for the camera.
Afterwards, a garment rack was rolled over and I was made to pick the color I preferred from an array of corporate, prim suits.
I settled for the navy blue color and paired it with a set of white stilettos.
That finally got Tristan’s attention when he returned from the ton of calls he’d been making.
His feet slowed in his tracks, blue eyes burning like twin flames.
The words were there in his eyes. Beautiful. Stunning. I saw it in the way he swept those eyes over my body like he’d devour me right here if he got the chance.
But he didn’t say the words.
He said something entirely different. Something from his mood board. "You’re late."