Eight.

Dante’s POV

“You are hogging all of her attention. She belongs to all of us”

Sorren dropped the comment like a bomb once it was just four of us left in the conference room and I couldn’t agree more. But I would never mention that.

Kai had filled me in on all the recent happenings with both Sorren and Velrose. How he managed to find out from halfway across the world would always be a mystery. Or how he managed to get here in record time.

I had had my men check round the company for any installed cameras with the highest detectors there were but nothing showed up.

But of course, he wouldn’t be Lucien Kai if I found it. A tough challenge really. One that I had grown to love.

In all he had told me, only two stuck. Sorren had nearly kissed her. Velrose had felt her up. She had seen his bare body as well.

It made me wonder what a bullet hole would like in between their heads. A gruesome death would actually be merciful to the both of them really.

But I wouldn’t ever voice it out. Hell nahh, it wasn’t my style.

“Hogging her attention?” Velrose’s voice laced out slowly, the tension palpable. This is going to be interesting.

“Pleasee, don’t act like you don’t know what we are talking about…”

“You, Sorren. You. I and Russo are merely at the sidelines”

Well said, Kai.

“Fine then, don’t act like you don’t understand what I am talking about here Velrose”

“I would advise that you watch your tone.”

“Or what? Whip out daddy’s money and fight me. Fight me with your resources if you dare and stop hiding behind daddy’s fame and influence”

“Sorren! Need I remind you that before she’s your consultant, she’s my assistant first.”

“Is that what you tell yourself to sleep better at night. And even though she’s your ‘assistant’, who the heck do you think you bloody are to make her personally make you coffee eighteen times in a day simply because of one excuse or the other?!”

That one made my breath hitch. I glanced at Kai as I tried to conceal the glaciers in my eyes. All of a sudden, a bullet to the head seemed to be an easy form of death. Only the heavens knew how tired she must have been.

“What I do with my assistant is nothing to any of you!”

“Well she wouldn’t be your assistant if your foolish, idiotic bald-headed lackey hadn’t messed up her father’s proposal!!!”

“Sorren!!” Kai yelled as the room boomed at his powerful voice.

He seemed to recognize his mistake as he glared at Velrose.

“I don’t care what both of your problems are but the sooner you fix it, the better. Need I remind you we have a freaking time bomb that we can, on no account, allow to detonate in our arms.”

“What time bomb?”

A soft voice sounded in the midst of the growls Thad been sounding in the room. A voice I would recognize even in my sleep. A voice that sent chills down my spine.

A voice albeit soft could make all of us stiffen.

I turned behind to see her with a curious look on her. She looked like a lost rabbit that seemed to be looking for its way home.

And that look drove me into a frenzy. I could see it without being told. She would be my downfall. And no matter how much I would fight, it would be a fight lost at every turn.

But again, nobody would ever find out.

“What are you guys talking about? What bomb shouldn’t detonate?”

“None that concerns you”

Velrose snapped as I watched her brow twitch. She was about to lose it. That much was seen.

“Well it does since it’s this company’s money that pays my bills”

She fired back at him and I couldn’t help but smile. She wasn’t a pushover and I loved that.

“We just encountered a few issues here and there. Especially with a runaway contestant. That’s the problem”

Kai was quick to explain while I on the other hand simply smiled. Kai really knew how to dodge a stray bullet.

“Oh. If that’s the case then.”

She dropped the talk and walke don to deliver the new sets of documents and the cups of coffee she had made as well.

“If I remember correctly, I told you I prefer black coffee. Redo it” Velrose ordered which earned him a snort from Sorren.

“For fucks sake, drink the damn coffee and give her a break. She’s an assistant and not your slave. Seriously, what the fuck?!”

“Last I checked, she doesn’t complain”

“Why you stupid son a bit…”

Sorren rose up to throw the first punch and I wanted to hold him back but someone was quicker to react.

I didn’t know when she had swerved through but all that was left was the distinct scent of her perfume. Or was it her natural scent? I didn’t know but I knew I was in love with it.

She hurriedly stood in front of him and quickly blocked the punch. Whether Sorren had controlled his force last minute, none of us knew but whichever it was, was enough to leave me dumbfounded.

“I appreciate the efforts and the zeal to speak up for me Mr. Sorren, but I wouldn’t advise you guys fight for my sake. Besides, as much as I hate it…”

With this she delivers a harsh glare to Velrose before continuing her speech.

“I am his assistant first before your consultant. I guess he thinks that he can abuse that right the way he wants to”

I felt the subtle jab in the statement as I smirked. Velrose’s voice turned sour as he in turn glared at her but we refused to say a word.

This was the reason why I added the clause that she wouldn’t be fired except it was a mutual decision from all four of us.

I knew how she was. She was snappy, impolite and all shades of rude. I never knew I had a thing for the rude type. Scratch that, only her had that privilege.

Another thing no one would find out.

This was getting interesting.