by Alicia Rae
“No, they don’t,” I agreed truthfully. “But I feel like you’re talking in circles.”
“I’m sorry. That’s not my intention.” He leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the table. Those grays stared into my greens, his sparkling from the glow of the fireplace. “I need to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.”
My pulse spiked, and my head was spinning. “Okay,” I answered simply.
“Are you fucking him?”
“I beg your pardon?” My posture went rigid as I felt utterly caught off guard at his bluntness and arrogance. I was pretty sure my jaw had hit the table, too. But I still didn’t understand what he meant or whom he was referring to. “Am I fucking whom?” My tone was hard.
“Cale Adam.” My partner’s name left his mouth, plagued with distaste.
My blood pressure ignited, and my body trembled with rage. Once again, I clamped my steel armor tight around my heart, locking it firmly in place. He has some balls. I’ll give him that.
I prided myself on being a lady with proper manners, but today, I would make an exception. Rising from my seat, I leaned forward to set my palms flat on the table, and I looked him square in the eyes. “Fuck you, Damien.”
His expression appeared shocked as I spun on my heels to make my escape. Damien managed to gently catch my arm before I had even made it three steps.
“Let go of me,” I hissed, spinning around on my heels to shove at his chest.
“I’m going to assume that’s a no,” he whispered discreetly, pulling his brows together.
“Of course it is!” I snapped. “I would never sleep with my business partner. He’s married!” I didn’t know why I had answered his stupid question because I certainly wasn’t answerable to him, yet I wanted him to know the truth while defending my pride.
“I’m sorry, but I had to ask, so I could understand.” His apology was full of genuine regret.
I was too livid to accept it. “Understand what?” I laughed humorously. “That you’re an inconsiderate asshole?”
“No,” he drawled before tugging his lower lip between his teeth. “Well, maybe that, too.” He shrugged, appearing guilty. “Sometimes.”
“You’re failing to redeem yourself here, Damien.”
“I know,” he said empathetically, gesturing to the chair. His eyes pleaded with mine. “Please sit. Let me explain.”
“Why on earth would I do that?”
“Because I have some insight to share with you about my working relationship with your company, and you really do need to hear it.”
My mind fought an internal war. I wanted to run more than anything, like the first time when I’d met Damien, yet something inside of me told me to hear him out. “Five minutes. That’s it, and then I’m gone.”
He was silent for a brief moment before he exhaled. “All right. But you have to promise me that you’ll let me explain and keep an open mind while I do so.”
I stepped into his space, ignoring the way my heart skipped a beat. “Only if you promise to be truthful with me. Stick to the facts, and leave out assumptions.” It was the only way I worked.
Damien nodded his head in agreement. “You have my word.” His voice was strong with the utmost sincerity.
“Fair enough.” I let out a deep breath. I couldn’t believe I was doing this.
Damien guided me back to my chair where I sat down and tried to calm myself. I was a bundle of nerves as I pondered over what prudent information he could have for me. He slowly took a seat in front of me, leaned to his side, and pulled out a thick white folder.
“When I first came to you,” he began, “I’ll be honest, my intentions were to destroy your company.”
I gasped, choking on thin air, and readied my body to take flight.
Damien narrowed his eyes at me. “You asked for honesty, Raelyn, and I’m giving it to you. Now, I need you to hold up your end of the bargain and hear me out with an open mind.”
“Continue.” I stifled an irritated sigh as I mentally planned my escape route. This is insane. I need to call a cab.
Damien outstretched his hands and neatly set the file down in front of me. I read the words on top.
CONFIDENTIAL
HEATHMAN ENTERPRISES
“As I said, my intentions were different when I first walked into your office, and then I laid eyes on you.” He paused, letting his words sink into my mind, before adding, “Then, you told me, ‘Numbers never lie,’ and it made me reevaluate my intentions.”
“I did.” I opened the file, seeing Damien’s business name on the first piece of paper, followed by lots of numbers.
“When you read through the documents I gave you, you’ll see that, starting more than four months ago, the numbers do not balance. A few thousand dollars are unaccounted for each week. Then, as you continue to the last two months, a few thousand turn into several thousand dollars. The total missing funds add up to a substantial amount.
“At first, when I saw that profits weren’t staying consistent or increasing, I thought it was a typo or a miscalculation. I became more alarmed when I saw they’d started decreasing. I compared your company’s spreadsheets to each of my own individual store sales records and saw that a countless number of figures had been altered between the two documents.”
I didn’t like where this conversation was leading. It made knots tighten and coil in the pit of my stomach. This was bad, really bad.
“Only one person handles my accounting, Raelyn,” Damien broke into my thoughts. “Your partner is stealing from me.”
That ball in my stomach churned, and I wanted to vomit.
“No,” I breathed in utter denial, rapidly shaking my head from side to side. “Cale would never do such a thing. It’s a mistake.” I shoved the papers back across the table. “It has to be a mistake.”
“It’s not.” He placed his hand atop mine, stopping me. That familiar spark shimmered between our connected hands. “I’ve checked them over countless times myself, hoping I missed something. The numbers never changed. Cale’s figures are significantly different than my own.”
“No,” I repeated with finality. This was some kind of joke…or a nightmare. “Cale wouldn’t do this. He’s honest and loyal, and he’s my business partner and a close friend.”
“He is my friend, too.” His jaw twitched with anger. “Or was, for that matter.”
My head was spinning. No words would come.
“Trust me, Raelyn. Cale is the last person I ever expected this from.”
“Trust you?” I wanted to laugh. “I don’t even know you.”
“Yes, trust me when I say, Cale is one of my oldest friends, but that doesn’t change the facts here—or numbers, as you say—and I won’t overlook his betrayal.”
“How can you be so sure? Maybe…” I trailed off, realizing I had no explanation or excuse for my partner even though I wanted to help clear my friend’s name.
“Haven’t you ever wondered how Cale just went on an all-inclusive trip to Paris two months ago? Or, better yet, how did he manage to buy a second house in Florida?” His eyes softened as my fingers began to tingle. “Tell me how, Raelyn, because I don’t see you living as lavishly as your honest partner.”
I had deliberated over those exact questions before, but I knew about Cale’s family. They were very wealthy.
“And don’t you dare say his parents paid for it because he hasn’t spoken to them in years, Raelyn. Years.”
I was overwhelmed. My brain was on overload. This was the last thing I’d expected when Damien said he had something to share with me.
When I started to dry-heave, I threw my hand over my mouth and leaped from my chair. “I’m going to be sick,” was all I had time to say before I ran out of the private room and darted straight for the ladies’ room.
I threw myself into the first stall and lifted the toilet seat, gagging and coughing, as my body trembled to hold myself upright.
This was awful. I wanted
to go home where I would be safe and away from this disaster I’d suddenly found myself wedged in the middle of. I had no idea where to go from here.
I was grateful that nothing had come up from my retching, but my belly still rolled with uneasiness as I rose to my feet. Still unprepared to face Damien, I closed my eyes and leaned back against the cold metal stall.
My head swarmed again. Cale and I were tied together in this business. If he’d stolen money from a client, my ass would be on the line, too. I could only pray that my partner or Damien had miscalculated the figures.
Yes, that has to be it. I would go through each and every detail myself and find the error.
Then, everything would go back to normal. Cale could resume accounting for Heathman Enterprises, and their friendship would be restored. Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part, but I was determined to find a solution.
I flushed the toilet, unlocked the door, and walked over to the sink to wash and dry my hands. With a calming breath, I went to the door of the restroom and pushed it open.
I walked out, and in front of a large square painting, Damien was leaning against the wall at my left with his briefcase dangling at his side.
He came to my side where he lifted his hand to my hair and tucked a loose tendril behind my ear. He scanned my face. Concern was etched across his features. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Thank you.” I smiled feebly. “Sorry about that.”
“There’s no need to apologize.” He lowered his hand and reached for mine. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. There’s someplace I’d like to take you.”
Given our current predicament, I tried to rack my mind for the best way to politely decline his offer. But curiosity got the best of me, and my protest died on my lips.
I was quickly noticing my pattern of not being able to resist Damien. Even though I knew it would be a hazard to my heart, I seemed powerless to stop it.
I was too focused on how he made me feel…alive.
Damien and I rode in silence as we ate up the miles, and I was glad for the time to process my thoughts. Every now and then, I’d rotate to face him, and he seemed to be doing the same.
Before I knew it, he pulled off onto a secluded gravel road. I glanced out the windshield. Tall palm trees lined the sidewalk, and a narrow trail led down to the water. It was Sarasota Beach.
When he parked the car in the first vacant space, I gave him a questioning stare.
“It’s a perfect night.” He tilted his head my way and turned off the ignition. “Walk with me?”
I acknowledged him with a nod. We exited the car, and he came to my side. Together, we ambled side by side to the bridge and crossed it. He stopped right before my high heels hit the sand, and he bent over at the waist to remove his shoes and socks, tossing them to the right of us. He rolled his dress slacks up a couple of inches while I pulled off my heels and discarded them next to his belongings.
Damien extended his hand for mine and turned us to face the ocean, as if it were the most natural, familiar thing on earth. My breathing slightly hitched when our bare skin connected. That delicious spark of electricity passed between us, and there were simply no words to describe it.
Damien must have felt it, too, because it halted him in his tracks. He glanced down at our hands, and my gaze followed his for a brief moment before we both looked at one another.
“It’s not just me,” he murmured quietly, his eyes piercing mine. “You feel it, too, don’t you?”
“Yes,” I breathed, feeling my neck and cheeks heat.
“Hmm…” Damien drawled slowly, seeming equally taken aback by the sensations coursing through us.
He leisurely brushed his thumb back and forth over mine. It sent my pulse into a wicked frenzy. Then, his unreserved smile sent my heart racing in my chest and slamming into my rib cage. I was left utterly speechless and dizzy from it all.
Several moments passed before he gently tightened his hand around mine, as if wordlessly conveying that he had no intentions of letting me go. He guided me toward the shoreline, and we began to walk alongside the edge of the water. The bottom of my feet became damp, and the sand slid between my toes. I could smell the salt in the air when the warm breeze blew across my face.
The beach was fairly vacant, except for a few people scattered in the distance. Nearest to us was a couple wrapped together in a towel, snuggling into each other, as they watched the waves crashing in.
“So, what made you choose accounting for a career?” Damien spoke first.
I gazed out at the ocean, watching as the moonlight beamed off the water. “I wanted a respectable, stable career—one that was safe, consistent, and would never steer me wrong.”
Damien was quiet for a short moment, as if absorbing my answer. Then, he gazed down at me and asked, “Am I right to assume that your reasoning for your career choice falls into your belief that numbers never lie?”
I was impressed with his intuitiveness, and I smiled softly. “Yes. Numbers are always easy to figure out and balance. They are unfailing and reliable.” I chanced a glance up at him and found him observing me. “What about you? What turned you into a risky entrepreneur?”
“Being an entrepreneur doesn’t have to be risky, Raelyn.”
“No. But there’s always risk in the beginning.”
“Yes,” he agreed thoughtfully, bringing us to a stop. “Though, without risk, there can never be a reward. Surely, you must know that, considering you started your own accounting firm.”
That was true. However, I’d never viewed my business as a risk because the money I’d used to fund it was an inheritance from a biological mother I’d never once met. It was as if she’d gifted me the outstanding lump sum of money as an apology for giving me up. It was almost like blood money or a bribery of false love. I hadn’t wanted it. So, to chance losing it hadn’t been a risk to me.
Knowing that explanation was too deep to get into right now, I just replied, “You make a good point.” I smiled to lighten the mood. “So, let me rephrase my question. What made you want to become an entrepreneur?”
He resumed walking, and he took his time before speaking, “I began working as a young teen. It was my way to escape.”
I wanted to ask him to elaborate, but I didn’t want to interrupt.
“I saved every dime I’d earned, and when I was twenty-two, I finally had enough money to buy my first house.” He gave me a sideways grin. “It was a complete shithole.”
I laughed as we curved with the beach.
“No, seriously.” He joined in with my mirth. “I was scared to walk on the floors in fear that I might end up in the basement.”
My brows rose. “Did you ever?”
“No. Thank God,” he exhaled. “I worked fifty-plus hours a week at my regular day job, and every second I wasn’t there, I began to restore the house while also living in it. I used every single one of my paychecks to buy building materials, and I practically lived on ramen noodles or mac and cheese in hopes that it would fuel me through to the next day.” His expression was serious, as though he were reliving those moments. “I was determined to make something of myself.”
“Well, you did,” I said sincerely. “You should be proud of yourself.”
“I am…most days.”
“Most?” I asked curiously.
“Yes. Most.”
“Does that mean you’re not done conquering the world yet?” I teased as we rounded a slight ridge with large boulders off to the side. It forced us to step into the warm water until it reached halfway up my calves.
“My objective isn’t to conquer, per se.” He shrugged, appearing deep in thought. “I just want to do my part and make the world a better place. My goal is to create elegant buildings and thriving businesses that help stimulate the economy by providing adequate jobs for families.”
His answer was respectable and admirable. It showed that he cared for others, not the total number in his bank account.
When I didn’t respon
d, he gave my hand a light squeeze. “What about you? Where’s your family?”
We passed the rocks and came back up onto the wet sand.
No matter how hard I’d tried to avoid this question over the years, it always seemed to come up and rear its ugly head.
“I don’t have any.”
That brought his movements to a halt. “What do you mean?” he asked, his sad eyes searching mine. “Surely, you must have some relatives.”
“No.” My shoulders rose and fell with the loneliness that only this topic had the power to evoke in me. “It’s just me.”
“Just you?” he pressed lightly, as though astounded by my answer.
“Just me.”
I smiled weakly and started to stride forward, forcing Damien to follow or break his hold on my hand. He chose to keep up with me.
“Although, I do have Iris.” My expression genuinely lightened, and I decided to continue elaborating so that he wouldn’t pry on the sensitive subject at hand, “She’s my best friend and roommate, and she’s all that I need. I’ve known her for years.” It wasn’t much, but I was proud of myself for opening up even if it was just a tiny sliver. “And your family?”
The vibrant color drained from his face, and an unreadable mask slipped into place, hiding his emotions from me, as he’d done yesterday in the conference room. “It would seem that we share something in common…” He trailed off, glancing at the water.
Seconds slowly ticked by, and when I thought he wasn’t going to answer me, he murmured, “I don’t have one either.” His eyes met mine. “It’s a choice I made a long time ago, and I stand by my decision.”
Confusion washed over me. By his statement, I gathered that he must have a family, but he chose not to see them. His decision had me reeling. It was a completely foreign concept to me. I would have given anything to have a mother and father.
Quicker than a snap of a finger, Damien’s demeanor shifted, and his handsome gray eyes glistened with mischief as he let go of me to unbutton his jacket. “How about a late-night swim?”
If he was trying to distract me, it worked.
“What?” I sputtered, gaping at him.
