by Bellus, HJ
“Oh my god, I don’t stand a chance,” Chloe says to herself, jumping from her chair. She opens the closet door in her office, revealing a full size mirror on the inside. Staring back at her reflection, she doesn’t recognize a hint of the Chloe from the past.
Her jet-black curls drape down to the middle of her back. Her firm figure hasn’t been easy to come by over the last four years, but she made it her priority. Long days of work and hitting the gym have toned her muscles. Her palms roam over her white blouse, admiring her boobs. Those have changed drastically. She bought them with her first bonus check when she moved to California.
Chloe’s finger goes to her necklace. She drags the diamond heart charm from under her shirt. It may be the one thing that hasn’t changed over the years. The one constant she wears every single day. Chloe doesn’t even understand why she can’t take it off. It was a gift from Eli. Quickly, she tucks it back into her blouse and tries to clear her mind.
“Chloe.” Annabel’s voice echoes through from the speaker and bounces off the office walls.
She flinches and her nerves are right back where they were. Her voice is shaky, but she responds.
“Yes.”
“Clint is on his way up with the Sterlings. It’s game time, sweetie.”
Never once since leaving her hometown has Chloe wanted to give up on this journey—until now. She wants to run far away instead of facing Eli. Life sure has a cruel way of playing jokes, and she knows she’s worked her ass off way too hard to leave now. There’s just one business deal lying between her and her own division.
Her heels dig into the white carpet as she strides to her office door, summoning every bit of courage she has. Her hand trembles as it grips the door handle, but when she peers down at it, it appears steady. It’s everything inside of her trembling and buzzing with anxiety at the thought of the familiar face she’s about to see.
The long hall sits unusually quiet. Everyone’s office door is closed. Chloe yearns to see a couple smiling faces before walking into the den of wild animals, but none is visible. When she approaches Annabel’s desk, the elevator dings. The metal door glides open while a group of men blur her vision.
Clint is standing in the forefront. Chloe recognizes Cole first as he steps off the elevator in full-on Sterling confidence, ready to get everything his way. Her heart can’t take the pain of seeing each of the men and the risk they might recognize her before the meeting.
She turns swiftly and knocks a container of pens and pencils to the ground. The clattering noise startles her, but doesn’t stop her from racing into the conference room. She’ll take her chances of one of the brothers recognizing her in the middle of the meeting. The men are all business, and she hopes it’s enough to distract them.
Chloe looks over all the folders and technology, triple checking everything is in its place. Her finger presses the home screen button on the iPad to ensure the mirroring is still working on the big screen TV.
The manly chatter causes her gut to twist and brings tears to her eyes. She finally hears him, the one who has always mattered to her. She hears Eli crack a joke, and the whole group erupts in laughter. Chloe twirls to face to the large picture window, staring out over the city skyline. Her forearms clutch around her stomach, trying to numb a bit of the lingering ache.
The noise draws nearer, yet she keeps her back to them. Clint’s voice fills the room, and she knows it’s time, whether or not she’s ready to face it. In this moment, Chloe is actually thankful Clint is such a glory hog and will want to take all the credit for the presentation, because the focus will be on him. She’s used to him not introducing her to clients or offering her the credit she deserves. In every other meeting it would make her blood boil, but today she’s silently thanking the prick.
“Gentlemen, have a seat.” Clint gestures while standing at the door and letting each man pass by. Chloe watches the scene play out of the corner of her eye.
She forces her body to turn the rest of the way, but doesn’t make eye contact with anyone. She focuses on the data, documents, and her presentation. The reality of her situation weighs heavily on her chest and makes it hard to breathe and keep her eye on the prize. Dizziness sets in, and she grips the arms of the chair beside her.
The men begin taking their seats while still deep in small talk about a football game. Chloe finally looks up and comes face to face with Eli. He offers her a light grin while pushing past her to his seat. His shoulder brushes hers, and Chloe’s knees nearly buckle. She pivots to watch him walk by her without giving her a second look. Eli settles in a chair and begins thumbing through his folder.
Chloe watches him intently as he flips through the documents. Age has done him well. Eli’s prominent jawline still frames his face, with a light scruff covering it. His hair is the same style, and that body of his is still built. Even through his dapper black suit, Chloe can make out the lines of his body and his hard muscles that used to press down into her as he took her to places she’d never been and hasn’t since.
Her thighs clench together, remembering the scent and feel of his skin and the way he used to own every single ounce of her down to her very thoughts. She would’ve done anything or gone anywhere with Eli, and that thought scares the fuck out of her now. Chloe can’t even trust herself. Just from a slight brush of the shoulders, she knows Eli Sterling still owns her.
Chloe’s shoulder shakes slightly, drawing her attention from studying and over-analyzing Eli. The man doesn’t even give her a second look, and that fact fucking stings, but then again, it’s what she wanted.
“Chloe.” Clint invades her thoughts. “You’re up. Ready?”
She nods and takes her spot at her iPad. Gripping it tightly, she’s prepared to deliver the information of her life and escape her personal hell.
Before she has the chance to begin, Clint interrupts.
“My assistant will now show our proposal and what we can do, together with Seidman Construction, to get your Made To Sin nightclubs up and running on the West Coast.”
“Prick,” Chloe says in her head.
Her finger glides across the home screen and drags her presentation to life. Everything, including Eli, seems to disappear as she immerses herself in her work. The numbers on the financial reports soothe away the pain, and she keeps talking. At one point she’s able to make eye contact with Eli, and once again she receives a slight grin from him, but this time his eyes linger on her. Chloe watches him as he pushes away from the table with his large hands. His long, lean legs spread out in front of him as he rests his arms on his stomach and tilts his head, shooting her a devilish look.
At first Chloe thinks Eli might recognize her, but soon detects he is trying to flirt with her. From this point on, she avoids all eye contact with the fucking pig. She focuses on the reports or over to Cole, who is rapidly taking notes.
“Do you have any questions or concerns?” Chloe inhales a long deep breath.
The room falls silent after she’s finished speaking. The men continue to study the reports while Clint paces back and forth near the window. The man doesn’t have a poker face at all.
“Mrs.—” Cole pauses trying to remember her name.
“Ms. Thompson.” Chloe emphasizes the Ms. part while staring straight at Cole.
“Ms. Thompson, I understand all these figures, but the piece I can’t put together is why this figure inflated by twenty thousand from the last estimate we got?”
“Mr. Sterling, if I may.” Chloe gestures to a slide on the TV. “This is the cost Clint discussed with you about the same company following you from city to city until all four clubs are built. It ensures the quality of work and that each of your clubs has the same feel, which I know is a priority to you and our business partners.”
“So, you get us out here and basically committed to this, then jack up the price twenty thousand?” Eli bites down on the end of his pen as he finishes his question.
Clint melts into the background, not stepping up to su
pport Chloe. This is typical behavior. Chloe doesn’t let any of it affect her as she pushes forward. All four Sterlings are sitting up and facing her, demanding answers.
“You wanted quality, and I put together a quality lineup. The best of the best. Seidman Construction is a five-star company which prides itself on prompt and high quality work. They’ve committed to this project, taking up almost three years of their time.” Chloe steps to the front of the table and places her hands down on the dark, over-sized meeting table. “So, excuse me if it may ding your pocketbooks a bit. I understood that quality was a must. If this doesn’t suit your fancy, I can find four different companies in each city, not ensuring any consistency.”
“This twenty-K covers what?” Kam speaks up.
“It covers cost of living for over twenty employees. I believe it’s fair enough when asking these people to travel.”
The men turn to each other and break out in light conversation. Chloe doesn’t try to focus in on their words. She’s flustered and wants these men out of her office and life forever. If they don’t take this deal, another one will come along. Not ideal, and it will take her probably another year to build her portfolio up enough to get her own division. Part of her wants to beg them to take the deal and sign, but her pride refuses to.
“We need time.” Eli stands, tucking his folder under his arm. “Meet us for dinner at our hotel tonight at seven.”
Clint finally cues in, bouncing to his feet. “Absolutely. I’ll be there, and I know for sure you’ll be ready to sign.”
“Bring her too,” Kam says.
Clint nears, wrapping his arm around Chloe’s shoulders. “Oh, she’ll be there. Chloe wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Now Chloe has passed pissed off and is closing in on furious. Clint had no intention of bringing her along until it was suggested. It takes all her self-control not to slam down her black high heel on the top of his foot.
Dax lets out a light groan, causing all attention to focus in on him. He grabs his head and is still in obvious pain from last night’s escapades. Cole and Kam follow him to the door, shaking Clint’s hand. Chloe stays back on purpose, wanting to avoid the men. When she looks up, Eli is rounding the opposite side of the table and striding straight toward her.
She takes two steps back until she is stopped by the wall.
“Chloe.” Eli stretches his hand out for hers. “Thompson.”
Knees buckled and breathing out of control, Chloe extends her shaking hand. Everything inside her is trembling. Chloe knows when she touches his skin this silly game will be all over. Her eyes remain locked on his, waiting for a hint of recognition to happen. Their palms finally lock. Eli wraps his fingers around her petite hand and squeezes gently. She melts into him and tries to steady her breathing. Strong and confident, he grips Chloe’s hand a moment longer than any professional handshake should last.
“Eli.” Chloe’s words are breathy. “Sterling.”
Using his hand, she pulls herself away from the wall and leans in closer to Eli. Instead of her back being supported by the wall, her front is now leaning on Eli. It’s all so familiar and something she never realized she so desperately missed. His strong, musky scent invades her senses, as does the hard feel of his chest. He was always her safe place. The one person to always protect and love her endlessly.
Chloe watches as he brings their hands up to his lips. He twists their clasped hands and lightly lays his lips on her knuckles.
“Nice to meet you, Chloe Thompson. See you at dinner tonight.”
Without warning, Eli drops their hands and walks away. His broad shoulders covered in his designer suit fill Chloe’s vision while his words replay over and over again in her mind. “Nice to meet you.” The son of a bitch didn’t recognize her. She could understand not recognizing her from her looks, but he heard her name and felt her skin and listened to her voice. That dick.
A cab. She’ll have to call for a fucking cab to make it to dinner tonight. Two empty bottles of wine sit next to her on the couch. And Chloe is still thirsty. Thirsty to drown out the pain and forget Eli. She knows better than to open the third bottle. Hell, when she stopped by the store to pick up these, they were supposed to last her the next two evenings.
Padding across the living room, she catches her reflection in the large window. Only clothed in her bra and panties, she giggles. Chloe’s hair won’t take long to do since she pulled it back in a messy bun, keeping her curls safe. One more glass, just one more glass before she calls for a cab. She cuts herself while peeling back the metal lining on top of the bottle. The pain is dull and numbed from the alcohol. Chloe sucks on her finger as she pours a glass of wine. She takes a long sip and then tops it back off.
Chloe stands in front of the full-length mirror in her room, holding her glass of wine. Her eyes admire her full breasts and tanned skin while her brain still mulls over the moments she and Eli shared today. How in the hell did he not recognize me? The question may haunt her forever, but she’s damned if she’ll give in to the prick.
A little black dress in her closet catches her attention. It’s the most risqué piece of clothing she owns. Her fingers run down the silky material. Chloe finally takes it from the hanger and slides it up her body. The dress is tight fitting, and there’s not much to it. Both of her shoulders are exposed, and the dress dips down and reveals much of her breasts. She turns to peek at the back of it in the mirror. The dress drops down to right above her butt crack, leaving her entire back bare. The scar running along the bottom of her back is visible. Chloe wonders if Eli will recognize it.
Her fingers undo the elastic holding her hair piled up on her head. Chloe’s curls effortlessly cascade down her back and are still perfect. Her necklace is tucked down into her breasts and she decides to leave it there. She knows exactly what shoes she’ll wear. They’ll drive all the Sterling men nuts, and that’s what she’s aiming for. In her drunken state, she could care less what they decided. She knows it’s wrong, but she’s too far gone.
***
Chloe wipes the brown crumbs lingering on her breast. She even digs down into her tits to get all the bits out. She’d asked the cab driver to stop at KFC to grab some chicken strips, hoping to soak up some of the alcohol buzzing in her bloodstream. It seemed to do the trick, leaving her with only a slight numb feeling. It’s just enough to get her through this evening, and then she knows she’ll be able to walk away.
Stepping out onto the sidewalk, she steadies her red high heels under her. Her tanned legs are covered with a light, glittery dust. The night air is warm, so she’s only clothed in her barely there dress. Chloe adjusts her girls, settling them as high as they go before she enters the hotel.
Not only does she need to look good for the Sterlings tonight, but she is also aware this hotel is well known for celebrity sightings. It’s the hotel of hotels, if you will. The outside brickwork is meticulous with an outrageous velvet awning lined with gold poles. Chloe’s never been inside the hotel; she’s only seen pictures online.
An enormous fountain and its sounds fill the majority of the lobby. People move about in different directions. Some are dressed up to go out for the evening, while others are returning from meetings, attired in business suits. Chloe isn’t intimidated by any of them, knowing she looks exceptional.
Clint’s laughter catches her attention. She zeroes in on him holding a drink and standing with the four men. They’re all still dressed up, but more casual than today in the office. She finds Eli in his white button down dress shirt. His cuffs are unbuttoned and rolled up to expose his thick arms, and the bottom of his shirt is untucked. The other men are similarly dressed, but it’s Eli who captivates her attention.
Before any of the men spot her, she rushes off to a side bathroom. Her fingers dig in her clutch for her lip gloss. Chloe debates pulling her hair into a quick up-do. She uses her hands to frame her hair above her head, and then lets the curls fall, trying to decide on the sexiest look. After she paints her lips, she
decides to pull it up in a loose bun, letting some of the curls fall down around her face.
The door to the bathroom swings open, and Chloe doesn’t pay attention to the two women who enter. She applies another light dab of perfume and some lotion to her long legs.
“I’m so getting one of those boys in bed tonight,” one woman announces.
“You mean you’re going to land in one of their beds, right? I hear Dax is the easiest to claim.”
“He fucked me last night at the club.”
Chloe whips her head around to face the women.
“He did!”
“He took me in the bathroom and ripped my panties off, fucking me hard before he got into a fight.”
“Tell me was he huge.”
“A woman never tells.” She giggles. “But I want the brother who dropped the two off last night. He’s the quiet one with the light beard.”
“His name is Eli.”
Chloe’s gut turns listening to the sluts brag and set their sights on the Sterlings. Back in the day, she was used to hearing classmates talk about them in a similar fashion, but never Eli because everyone knew he wasn’t available.
That thirst is back again. Chloe stomps out into the lobby, striding briskly on her long legs. She sneaks the bottom of her dress up a bit to show off the top of her thighs. Those women won’t have a chance with Eli if she can help it. The men are gone from where they were standing. She peeks around the fountain to see a large restaurant, but before entering she orders a Crown and Coke. Chloe knows it’s a mistake to mix alcohol, and it’s also a mistake to want Eli back, but she doesn’t give either a second thought as she pounds the drink and orders another one.
***
Eli nods to the waitress and signals for another drink. His afternoon was hell listening to his brothers fight about the contract. The Sterlings were split right down the middle. He was on Cole’s side, agreeing the extra money will be well-spent to ensure consistency and quality. The other two brothers were not so convinced. They stayed locked up in their hotel room until they were all in agreement.
