Chapter 19 19
Maisie's Pov
“Maisie!”
Oh no.
I buried my face in my silk pillowcase, hoping the voice would go away, but knowing its owner, they would camp out in my hall until I inevitably had to leave for fresh air and food.
My morning visitor was nothing if not persistent.
“Maisie, are you trying to sleep in?” A sigh followed.
A groan escaped into my pillow.
Now, I was wishing I hadn't put Emma on my list of approved visitors, but I also hadn’t expected her to beat down my door…I raised my head and glanced at my digital clock… eight oh-five in the morning.
Since she was already here and the chances of her leaving were slim, I forced myself out of bed and into the living room.
I wish I’d had more time to prepare for human interaction. I hadn’t even gotten the chance to wash my face yet.
I stifled a yawn as I swung open the door and blinked at the dark suited woman in front of me.
“I thought you had been kidnapped.” Emma stood in the hall, one hand planted on her hip and the other carrying a drinks tray from a nearby coffee shop.
“With Roman still alive? Doubtful.”
I cracked a smile at her offended gasp.
“Who are you and what have you done to my boss?”
“I’m a ghost,” I said playfully and sighed as I opened the door wider.
“Yes. Consider this my bribe for all the juicy details.” Emma handed me the drink as she waltzed inside and put her suitcase aside.
“Now…” She inhaled a long, deep breath. “What about your date with Alpha Roman? Did you guys kiss? Did he drive you home?”
I winced at the increasing volume of her questions.
Bang. Bang. BANG!
How much did I drink last night? Not that much, right? I usually limited my alcohol intake to three glasses per night, but I wouldn’t be this hungover after three glasses.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to piece the fuzzy pieces from last night together.
Xavier. Stormy-grey eyes. Home.
“You were the perfect person for the job.”
“I believe in you more than you think.”
“Who would've thought I'd look forward to seeing someone again?”
The memory of my encounter with Roman slammed into me with such force it knocked the breath out of my lungs.
Everything came rushing back—our meeting at the bar, the drinks we shared, and the headiness of his scent when he stood in front of me.
Part of me was annoyed by his overprotectiveness when Cole arrived but another larger, more shameful part thrilled at the idea that he cared.
No one had cared that much about me since Aria died, and Roman and I weren’t even really dating nor were we even mates.
“...which is it?”
“Hmm?” Was Roman at home, or had he already left for the day?
I tried to picture him eating and sleeping like a normal person and couldn’t.
“Which is it? From the options I gave you.” Emma repeated. “Did Alpha Roman kiss you goodnight? Are you guys dating? You two would look good together. You're hot and he's hot.”
Another piece from last night slotted into place.
The plan.
I cleared my throat and went into full business mode. “Where are we with Dominion Industries?”
Emma understood immediately and reached for her brief case. “Xavier is still skeptical about Clyde's move to buy in but…”
She grinned as she passed me her iPad.
Sleep left my eyes the second they landed on the appointment slotted by 10AM in a high-end restaurant.
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked, gesturing to the iPad.
“Alpha Xavier wants to meet.” She said,
“Why does he want to meet me and not Clyde?” I scoffed at Xavier's audacity.
“Perhaps, he's smitten by you,” Emma added with a knowing smirk. “I noticed from the meeting yesterday that he couldn't take his eyes off you.”
I scoffed again. “That's ridiculous. Xavier doesn't care about anyone but himself. Does Roman know about this?”
“He's the one who told me, you know, as Xavier's secretary," Emma explained.
“Will he be present at the meeting?” I asked.
“He —”
She was interrupted by a quick knock on the half-open door.
Clyde entered, his gaze hardened for someone who woke up this early in the morning. If he looked any angrier, a dark cloud would hover over his head.
Emma turned to her twin brother. “I'm guessing you heard.”
“I did.” He set a pink donut box on a side table.
“Breakfast pastries!” Emma squealed with delight as she reached for it.
My mouth watered at the smell but food was the least of my worries.
“Xavier wants to meet just you to discuss our buy-out,” he slumped on the couch beside mine. “He's smitten by you.”
Emma snapped her fingers. “I said it!”
“Don't talk with your mouth full,” her brother glared at her.
I looked at the scheduled meeting and an idea formed in my head.
“Don't worry. I'll go.” I leaned back in my seat.
Silence stretched for a long, stunned second before chaos erupted.
“Are you sure?”
“Xavier is a known pervert.”
“He’s dangerous—”
“Call the cops!”
I looked at Emma who had mentioned the police and pinched the bridge of my nose.
“Look, I'll meet Xavier. It's a change in our plans but we'll improvise,” I turned to Clyde. “Will Roman be at the meeting?”
“Yes, as Xavier's secretary.” He nodded.
“Good. No harm, no foul. At the meeting, you'll be my eyes and ears.” I leaned forward.
“You got it.”
A few minutes after sharing breakfast with my team, they left for the office while I prepared for the meeting.
I was still doing my makeup in my bathrobe when the doorbell rang.
I walked to the front door and opened it.
Roman stood in the hall, looking even more devastating than usual in a dark-blue suit. With his perfectly wavy hair and clean-shaven face, he could’ve passed for a movie star on his way to the Oscars.
“You’re early.” I quipped.
As Xavier's secretary, he was supposed to pick me up and drive me to the venue of the meeting. How ironic for an Alpha.
“You’re not dressed.” His gaze coasted from my half-done face to my bare, red-painted toes. Something unreadable passed through his eyes for a split second before it disappeared.
“Because you’re early.”
He ignored the pointed reminder. “May I come in?”
I was tempted to say no and tell him to wait outside but I opened the door wider and stepped aside.
The air shifted the minute Roman entered and I suddenly became aware of my surroundings.
Heat seeped through the thickness of my robe and curled low in my stomach as his eyes swept across the room, taking in the doormat by the front door, the bamboo plant on the windowsill, and the cozy study I had set up in the corner.
He paused at the fuzzy pink pony propped against my couch pillows.
Amusement filled his eyes. “Cute.”
“It was Aria's.” I tried not to sound too melancholic.
“Hmm.”
Heat crawled up my neck at the rumble in his throat.
“I'll go get dressed.” I cleared my throat and dashed into my bedroom.
My heart wouldn't stop beating in my chest as I put on my suit. Why do I always feel like this whenever he's near me?
Roman was still leaning against the wall, staring at a small object in his hand. I couldn’t make out what it was before he straightened and slipped it into his pocket.
Our eyes connected and a fire lit in my stomach.
He wasn’t looking at the object or anything else in the room anymore.
Every ounce of his attention had been redirected toward me.
With a simple look, Roman lit me up from the inside out.
“Perfect,” he said.
It was a single word but it set the caged butterflies in my chest free before I wrestled them back into their hold.
I forced my legs to move until I stood less than three feet from Roman. Just standing close to him was enough to send a rush of heat over my cheeks.
“Shall we?” He said but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
I didn’t take his bait. It was one thing for my body to freak out around him. It was another to show it.
I bolted the door before following Roman downstairs. A discreet black town car waited for us outside the entrance.
I didn't say a word as I settled into the backseat.
Roman slid in next to me and the driver shut the door, and just like that, we were ensconced in a hushed, private world of Italian leather and sleek wood accents. A closed partition separated the driver’s and passenger seats, keeping our conversation private.
“You're not the one driving?” I asked, surprised.
“I'm not that kind of secretary.” He said, flicking his gaze towards me.
I chuckled softly. “Keep this up and you'll blow your cover.”
“Oh please, it's been 3 years. No one noticed a single thing then, they won't now.” He leaned in and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
I suddenly looked away and didn't turn my gaze till the car stopped in front of the FREYA RESTAURANT.
“You ready?” Roman asked as the driver opened the back door.
“Absolutely.” I tucked my phone into my purse and stepped out of the car.
Let's get this show on the road.