A Game

Kade's POV

“Well, that was certainly entertaining,” she said, voice dripping with an almost theatrical nonchalance. “He really does have a flair for the dramatic, doesn't he?”

I stared at her, my mind reeling. There was no sign of distress, no anger, not even a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. Just unsettling amusement. “A performance?” I repeated, my voice tight. “Mona, he just accused you of… well, I don’t even know what he accused you of, but whatever it was he was clearly furious.”

She shrugged, “Eh. Emilio is always furious, especially when he doesn’t get his way.” She takes a step closer, and the jasmine scent, mixed with something else—something warm and spicy—enveloped me. “Besides,” she continued, her voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial murmur, “that's what happens when people can’t handle being played at their own game.”

I blinked, stunned. “Played? What exactly did you do to him?”

A mischievous glint appeared in her dark eyes. “Let’s just say I acquired a rather lucrative asset he believed was rightfully his. He’d always been terribly possessive.” She paused, her gaze sweeping over my face, and for a moment, I felt like she was looking straight into my soul. “Though, I suppose ‘acquire’ is a rather polite word for it. Perhaps ‘liberated’ is more fitting.”

My mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of this unsettling puzzle. Emilio’s accusations, her cryptic responses, her nickname. It all painted a picture of ruthless ambition in the cutthroat world of business, which was normal, you had to be made of strong stuff to succeed here. But her casual dismissal of him, almost as if his rage were a mere inconvenience, was unnerving.

“So, you stole something from him?” I asked, a hint of incredulity evident in my voice.

She let out a soft, throaty laugh that sent a shiver down my spine. “Stole? No, Kade. You can't steal something that was never truly owned in the first place. I merely picked up what he dropped.” Her smile was utterly captivating, full of a dangerous charm. “And now, he’s upset that I have it and he doesn’t. Hence the rather uncivilized outburst.”

I stood there stunned, but she gestured towards the bar with a graceful hand. “Now, about that drink? I'm suddenly quite parched after all that excitement.”

I could only nod and lead the way.

Mona's Pov

“You can't be serious!”

“Can't I?” Looking into the mirror, I brush a stray hair back into my bun and turn to face Desiree. “ I like him, he defended me at my gala”

Her left eye twitches, “Because you're a helpless maiden”

We paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, the sound echoing in my dressing room. Defenseless maiden my ass!

It had been three days. Three days since the gala, three days since Kade had stumbled into my meticulously laid trap- Emilio was a ver good actor. And three days since I'd last seen confusion and desire warring in his eyes. No doubt fighting with himself, if the rumors about hin were true that he valued integrity and honesty above all else. At least I was honest…with myself at least.

I took a day off work to regroup at home and yet I still couldn't get my mind off Kade. And it certainly didn't help that Desiree found out about the gala and is hounding me about it. What is it about him exactly that I just can't seem to stay away from?

“I understand Kade is exciting and new, babe.” Desiree pressed, her voice softened, a tone she used when she thought I was behaving like a child. “ I do, but despite his young age, Kade is pretty smart and he doesn’t tolerate blackmailers!” “Maybe focus on other people like The Honeycomb, I hear half their wealth is gotten from the mafia!”

I wave my hand flippantly, “I think you're giving him too much credit. I practically confessed to him that I stole something from Emilio and he still couldn't decide whether to jump me or cuff me?” “He's a guy, they think with their dicks half the time!”

She ran a hand through her hair, a tell-tale sign she was agitated and stood up pushing back from the table. “Fine, but I've warned you. Don't come crying to me if you fall in love and things go south.” She storms out, leaving me seated, a stunned silence settling in her wake.

Love? The possibility of me ever falling in love was less than zero. I'd seen what it does to people, been a victim of its destructive power. I didn't intend to fall anywhere!

I was still stewing in a quiet, simmering rage, Desiree’s words stinging, when my phone rang, its harsh vibrations startled me, pulling me back to the present. I snatched it up, listening for a few moments, my expression hardening with every word.

“Someone just acquired forty-five percent of our shares in Wing Pharmaceuticals”

“That's not possible. The shareholders were under strict non-compete clauses. Who did they sell to?”

A pause… Heavy and full of meaning.

“We don't know”