Chapter 12 Chapter 12
Violet
He slipped in his chair and turned his attention to the laptop. When I didn’t say anything, he added.
“Forgot to ask, why are you here again?”
I approached his desk, eager to explain my grand plan and began.
“I want to help you acquire the Emerald project.”
Something caught his attention on the laptop and he pulled his chair closer to the screen.
“You asked me to come to you when I had something worthwhile to give you and I noticed that Lockwood International placed a bid on the project too. I think your bid is strong but you also need to add an emotional angle to the bid. The client is known to support humanitarian causes so if you add….”
I rambled on for the next five minutes, elaborating what would make the bid stand out and how it would make him win the project, what marketing tactics could be employed further etc.
“Hmm”
He gave a non-commital grunt as I pulled out my laptop, placed it on his desk and pulled up all the charts and statistical data I had prepared all night while he barely looked at it once.
“So, I think this is a win-win for both of us” I finished and clasped my hands together, looking at him hopefully.
But there was silence from his end.
I stood in front of him awkwardly for a full five minutes, waiting for him to reply but his attention seemed glued to his laptop, completely ignoring me.
“Did you even listen to a word I said?” I asked, my voice sharper than intended when I couldn’t take it anymore.
“I did” He didn’t glance up.
“And what do you think about it?” I pressed on.
“That its a waste of time.”
The blunt dismissal hurt me more than it should have. Especially after seeing him being so affectionate and loving towards Cassie.
After recalling how tender he had been when he briefly pulled me closer amidst the rogue attack to check for the injuries.
The storm in his eyes. The emotion in his voice.
All of it was gone.
There was just a cold businessman in front of me right now.
“If it was a waste of time, you wouldn’t bid on it.” I said, my voice sounding far more hurt than intended.
“Exactly. I was referring to the real reason you wanted to take up that project.”
Elijah finally tore his eyes from the screen and looked at me.
“I told you I want you to win the bid.”
He gave me a contemplating look.
“Thats not the real reason that made you storm into my cabin.”
Surprise must be evident on my face because he chose to stay silent and I struggled to fill in.
“Seeing that you bid on it, you must be interested in acquiring it, right? I want you to win the project. Not Nate.”
“Still hung up on him, aren’t you?”
Irritation bristled through me.
“You literally asked me to give you something of my own free will. I worked months on that project, months…Elijah. And do you understand what a mate is, what being in love, or dreaming about your life with someone means? I am not hung up on my ex, the betrayal was shocking and you have no idea how I am coping with it so save your judgement for someone else.”
My breathing was ragged. That was definitely not what I had planned to say but the words were out of my mouth before I could take them back.
His gaze grew colder and he rose from his chair, slow and deliberate.
“And yet you were okay with throwing yourself at me as a bride, stranger. Wanting to trade off something that is broken and has someone else’s name on it.”
His nearness was sudden and unexpected. Just like our last meeting.
“My heart belongs to me, and I dared to choose loving someone but you aren’t that strong to feel emotions. Do you know why?” I squeaked.
His breath fanned my face and my pulse skittered but I refused to take a step back, refused to let him intimidate me.
“Because you have all these walls built around you like you are afraid of letting someone see the real you. You are a ghost with no past, no background so no wonder no woman ever stayed long enough to offer her heart to you so now you laugh at the idea of mates or marriages.”
I didn’t know why my brain decided to take out all my frustration on him when he was not the one guilty of hurting me.
But the way he wielded his words like a weapon, twisting a knife to lodge it where it hurt the most…
My chest was heaving as if I had run a marathon and I hated that he could read me so easily but talking to him felt like ramming my head against an unyielding iron wall. And for a moment, I’d wanted him to be on the receiving end.
And my last line seemed to have hit the bulls eye because I saw a hurt flash in his eyes.
But it was gone too soon and replaced by that cold, practiced mask of his.
“Violet Hayes, did you just admit to stalking me?”
Elijah’s voice was sin disguised as pleasure, an eyebrow cocked on his smug face.