Chapter 52.

Chapter 52.
Leo's POV.

I chuckled as I watched her storm out, slamming the door behind her. Even in a state of annoyance, she was undeniably cute.

My phone's sudden ringing pulled me from my admiration of her retreat, and the name flashing on the screen made my stomach churn. Reluctantly, I answered the call, "Shoot."

“Sir, I want to thank you for honoring the invitation to the conference and for representing our company. Your presence is greatly appreciated,” came the voice of Joshua Parker, the Vice President of my father's company. The man who had practically twisted my arm to attend this damn conference. I had to admit, though, Lexi had made the experience far more enjoyable than I ever expected.

After my father’s death, I’d been stunned to find out he had left everything to me in his will—a son he’d barely acknowledged during his lifetime. It was shocking as hell, an ironic twist of fate that had turned me into the reluctant president of a company I barely cared about. Joshua did all the heavy lifting, and I was happy to let him continue.

“So, how was the conference? Did you find it worthwhile?” he asked, almost giddy with anticipation.

I rolled my eyes, knowing this was just the prelude to his request. “What do you want, Joshua?” I cut straight to the point.

“Umm…” He seemed taken aback, stammering over his words. “We have a business partner who's also in Los Angeles. I was thinking, since you're already there, why not meet up with him?”

I let out a low chuckle, laced with a coldness that matched my mood. “You’re lucky I even came to this conference. If you want to keep your head on your shoulders, tread carefully.” 

“Y-yes, sir,” he stuttered before I hung up, irritation simmering beneath the surface. 

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I hadn’t been expecting anyone, and knowing how Lexi had left, it certainly wasn’t her. I approached the door, opening it to reveal the son of a bitch who had betrayed me—Desmond, the goddamn Russian Mafia King.

“Don!” he called, his smile too bright for the tense atmosphere. 

I shot him a cold look, watching his smile slowly fade. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice steady and unyielding.

"May I come in?" he asked cautiously, his gaze flickering.

After a brief but thorough assessment, I stepped aside, granting him access to my hotel room. He settled into a chair, and I perched on the edge of my bed, my eyes locked onto his as if I could pierce through the layers of his deceit to uncover his true intentions.

"Don," he chuckled nervously. "You really shouldn’t be looking at me that way."

"Why are you here?" I pressed, unable to keep the edge out of my tone.

"To finish our unfinished business," he replied, attempting a smile that fell flat under my scrutiny.

I let out a scoff, disbelief mingling with rising anger. “You and I have no business,” I stated, my expression hardening.

"Don, I know you're mad at me," he said, his voice softening. "I don't blame you, I’d feel the same way if I were in your shoes."

"But really, I swear it wasn’t intentional," he added, desperation creeping into his tone.

"What wasn’t intentional, betraying me or leaving me stranded?" I shot back.

"Don, listen..." he began. "I didn't choose this. That bastard...he said things that made me doubt you."

"Doubt?" I echoed, my heart racing as I sought clarity amid the chaos. "What did he say?"

"Just some bad stuff that made me have cold feet," he replied, shaking his head, his gaze dropping to the floor.

I inhaled sharply, struggling to keep my fury from boiling over. "And who's this bastard?" I demanded.

"He... I don’t know," he stammered, his discomfort clear.

I scoffed again, disbelief and anger flooding my veins. "So you trusted a stranger over a business partner you've known for years?"

"Don, it’s not what you think. I never intended to hurt you." He leaned closer, the chair creaking under his weight.

"Please," he pleaded, his expression earnest. "Let’s return to how things used to be."

I studied him, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions.

"You want things to go back to how they were? Bring that bastard to me, and maybe, just maybe, we can talk," I replied, my voice steady despite the chaos swirling in my mind. A flicker of fear flashed across his eyes before he masked it with a nonchalant facade.

"Sure," he nodded, resolve etched on his features. "I'll bring him to you."

"However, before that," he leaned in slightly, "I have a little something to show you." My skepticism must have been evident, as he added, "It's really important."

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued despite my instinct. "Go on."

"I can't bring it here. You'll need to come with me to my car outside," he said, an eager spark in his eyes.

Temptation danced in my chest, but caution reigned. "Why can't you just show me here?"

He chuckled softly, the sound echoing oddly in the tense air. "Trust me, Don. I promise, you're going to love it." 

After a pause that felt thick with uncertainty, I relented and followed him outside. 

When we arrived at his car, he fumbled around the glove compartment for what felt like an eternity before turning back to me, disappointment shadowing his features. "I think I forgot it at home. I'm really sorry about this," he said, the sincerity in his voice lost in the pit of my stomach.

Something was off. My instincts flared, a warning bell ringing loudly in my mind.

"Please, don’t be offended," he continued, his eyes darting nervously.

I was silent, my expression hardening. Without a word, I turned on my heel and headed back toward the hotel, determination fueling my steps. Behind me, he stumbled to keep pace, attempting to spark a conversation that fell flat against the tension brewing within me.

Once inside my room, the door barely clicked shut before I pulled out my gun. The cold steel felt empowering in my grip as I leveled it at him. "What are you really up to?" 

His false bravado faltered. "What do you mean? I’m just here to make peace with you."

"Peace?" I scoffed, pressing the cold muzzle of my gun against his forehead. "Don't let me show you what peace really is," I threatened.

He chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with a twisted amusement. "Actually, I don't need to know, because I'm about to teach you that,” he sneered, and I sensed movement behind me. 

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw a group of men emerging from the shadows of my bedroom, their sinister silhouettes cloaked in the dim light. A surge of annoyance mixed with fear prickled at my skin; I had been so close to ending this.

In one fluid motion, I turned back to the threat in front of me, bringing the butt of my gun down hard against his jaw. He crumpled to the ground with a satisfying thud, but I had no time to revel in my momentary victory. 

The air was instantly charged with danger as one of the assailants lunged at me. I felt an arm wrap tightly around my neck, constricting my breath like a vice. Panic surged within me, and I stumbled backward, desperate to shake off my attacker as I simultaneously dodged the attacks of the other assailants.

With a sudden crash, my back collided with the window frame, the glass shattering in a spray of crystals that glittered ominously like stars scattered across the room. 

I plummeted, instinctively grasping for anything to hold onto, but I felt the weight of the assailant dragging me down with him. The world blurred around me—my heart raced as gravity took hold, the ground rushing up to meet us.