Chapter 7 Seven

Aiden's POV

I stood at the window of my office looking out over the city. My mind was still on Lily. Her lips against mine, the pressure of her body on mine. The look on her face when I had described my father to her. Like she actually saw me.

I had never shared that story with anyone. But with Lily, the words had just spilled forth. She made me feel like being honest. Vulnerable. Exposed in terms of ways I’d never let myself be before.

My phone buzzed. Meeting in five minutes. I adjusted my bowtie, trying to calm down. Saturday couldn't come fast enough.

I turned away from the window and that was when I saw her.

Victoria Sinclair peered from my office doorway as if she had apparated there directly from my most terrible dream. So there she was, exactly as I’d remembered. Tall and blonde and assiduously groomed. She was also wearing a skin-tight designer dress, and her smile was icy cold. - Like a predator gazing on the prey.

Every muscle in my body froze.

“Hey, Aiden,” she greeted upon walking in my office as if she belonged there.

"Victoria." I’d tried to keep my voice neutral, controlled. "What are you doing here?"

“That any way to greet an old friend? She stepped closer, her heels clacking on the hard floor. “There was a time when we were more than friends.”

"That was a long time ago."

"Not that long." She settled on the edge of my desk. The same desk from which Lily had been seated only a few minutes before. “Two years isn’t all that long, dear.”

"Don't call me that." I retreated behind my desk, between us. Creating a barrier. "What are you doing here?"

She held a pen from my desk as though it might contain secrets, and turned it over. "I saw the girl in the lobby. “I thought I was kind of pretty, in a bohemian way. You’re not avoiding my calls because of her, are you?”

My jaw clenched. "My private life is my own affair.”

"Oh, but it is." Setting down the pen, she gave me a glance. Really looked at me. “You see, I have a little business proposal for you. A combination of Sinclair Industries and Cole Tech. It would be mutually beneficial."

"I'm not interested."

“You haven’t heard what it’s going to be about.”

"I don't need to. The answer is no.” I folded my arms. “Well, if you’ll excuse me I have a meeting to go to.”

She laughed, a breaking-glass sound. Sharp and dangerous. "Still so stubborn. We were good together, Aiden. Powerful. We understood each other."

"No, we didn't. You wanted power and status. I wanted something real."

“And you think that’s what you’re going to find with the starving artist?” Her voice turned sharp. Cutting. "She's a phase. A distraction. She won’t get you the way I do.”

"You don't know what I need."

"Don't I?" She raised her hand and laid her hand on my chest. I took hold of her wrist, and halted her. Nipping this thing in the bud. “I know you more than anybody.

I let her wrist go and took a step back. "You need to leave."

"Not until you hear me out." Her mask was off and I saw steel beneath. “I have connections. I could make Cole Tech some trouble.”

"Are you threatening me?"

I’ll remind you in case you forgot: we have history. That I'm not a person you make an enemy of.” She smiled. Cold and calculating. "One drink. That's all I'm asking."

I knew this game. Victoria always had an angle. Always had a plan. But I also knew she could make good on her threats.

"One drink," I said finally. "That's it."

Her smile widened. Triumphant. "Wonderful. There's a bar downstairs."

I snatched up my coat and followed her out, regretting this already.

The bar was upscale. Low lighting, expensive whiskey, leather booths. The sort of place where deals were struck and secrets kept. Victoria picked a corner table, slid inside and patted the seat beside her.

I took a seat across from her instead.

She ordered a martini. I ordered scotch. Neat.

"So," I said. "Your proposal."

“Sinclair Industries is getting into tech. We are excited to collaborate with Cole Tech for AI in corporate security.”

CreditI had to concede, it wasn’t a bad idea. On paper, it made sense. But Victoria herself would be hell to deal with.

"Why me?"

"Because you're the best. And because I trust you." She leaned across the table to take my hand. Possessive. “I’m not going to lie, I felt some type of way when it didn’t work out, but I still believe in you. In us."

I pulled my hand away. "There is no us."

"There could be." She scooted over to my side of the booth, slipping in beside me. Too close. Way too close. Her perfume was overwhelming. "We were good together, Aiden. We could be again."

"Victoria—"

"Remember how good it was?" Her hand moved to my thigh. "The passion. The power."

"We were toxic." I removed her hand. Firmly. "You cheated on me. Multiple times."

"I made mistakes. But I've changed." She looked at me. Eyes pleading now. "I want you back, Aiden."

"Good, I stopped wanting you the day I saw your in bed with my business partner."

Her face hardened. The mask dropping completely. “When are you going to let that one go?”

“No.” I scooted out of the booth. "This was a mistake. I am not interested in your business or whatever.”

She stood too, moving close. Invading my space. Before I could protest, she kissed me.

I pushed her back, wiping at my mouth. "What the hell?"

"I'm fighting for what's mine. You're mine, Aiden."

"I was never yours. And I never will be." I tossed a little money on the table. "Stay away from me, Victoria."

I went to leave and she held my arm. Desperate now.

"It's her, isn't it? The artist. All this for some nobody who paints pretty pictures.”

I stared at her hand until she released it. Until she released me. “Lily’s worth ten of you. She's real. She's honest. She doesn't play games."

“She’s beneath you,” Victoria scoffed. Venom in every word. "She doesn't understand your world."

"No. She lifts me up." I stepped closer. Meeting her eyes. "I don't love you, Victoria. I never did. What we enjoyed was a business deal. But with Lily, it's different. She guides me towards wanting to be better. So move on."

Victoria's face twisted. Ugly now. "You're making a mistake. That girl can only bring you down. She’s likely using you for your money right now.”

"We're done here." I turned and left without a backward glance.

But I caught her final words. Heard them bouncing around in the bar. "She's not worth it, Aiden! And when she breaks your heart, don’t come running to me!

I continued to march, rage smoldering inside me. White hot and consuming. I rode the elevator back up to my office, tugging off my tie. My pocket buzzed, and I took out my phone hoping it was Lily.

I had gotten a text from an unknown number.

I opened it and my blood turned cold.

It was a photo. Lily, smoking in a café, laughing. Looking carefree and beautiful. And across from her, a man. Hands

The caption beneath the photo, I just about bit through my jaw.

"She's not waiting for you. Why should you wait for her?"

I looked at the photo, feeling jealousy searing through me. Hot and irrational. Who was this guy? And who the hell had sent this to me?

Victoria. This was everything but the girl. Her manipulation. She was attempting to come between Lily and me.

The left-thinking part of my brain understood that. Understood her game. But the irrational part murmured ugly thoughts.

What if Lily was playing me?

No. I shook my head. Refused to believe it. I knew Lily. I had witnessed the way she looked at me. That wasn't fake.

But the doubt had been sown. And now as I stood in my office, I couldn’t help wondering if Victoria was onto something.

My phone buzzed again. Another text from the same unknown number.

"Ask her about Marcus. Just ask her why she is so obviously interested in you.”

I slammed my phone on the desk, disbelief and fury warring within me. Fighting for dominance. This was just what Victoria wanted. To make me doubt.

I was not about to give her that pleasure.

But I also couldn’t dismiss the photo. Couldn't unsee it. I wish I could say that I picked up my phone and sat looking at it for another 5 minutes. Lily looked happy. Relaxed. More relaxed than she’d been with me.

Who was Marcus?

Why was the thought of Lily being with another man making me want to put my fist through a wall?