Chapter 5

Maverick 

She looked exactly the same. 

No. She looked better, bolder, more confident. She was curvier, with greener sharp eyes, and that auburn hair of hers was still the kind that begged to be pulled in the bedroom.

But I didn’t say any of that.

Instead, I watched her squirm. It gave me a sick satisfaction. Not because I hated her –that would’ve made everything simpler. 

But because the moment I saw her name on the new employee intake list, something inside me twisted, then burned. Eight damn years. Eight years since she stole from me and disappeared like smoke.

Now here she was, standing in front of me again.

She was still mouthy, still beautiful, and still so far from me that I had no business wanting her. But I never did abide by the rules.

Her eyes were still wide in shock from the words I whispered into her ears a minute ago. I shouldn't have said it. But, damn. She even had me cursing, stirring things in me that I’d long buried. 

I took several steps backwards, until I maintained a healthy distance. Control.

“The proposal,” I said coolly, adjusting the cuffs of my suit jacket. “You will play the part of my girlfriend for the next six months. Public appearances, events, photos and whatever I need to make people believe we’re in love.”

She blinked once. Then twice. “Why?” The word was sharp as a knife. I could see the confusion she couldn't pretend to hide.

Of course she'd ask that.

I walked to my liquor cabinet but didn’t pour anything. I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled, so I kept my back to her.

“That’s none of your business,” I said flatly. “All you have to do is comply so things can go smoothly.” 

“Why me?” she asked again. “Why not hire someone else? A model. An actress. There’s no shortage of women who’d fake being your girlfriend for a paycheck.”

I turned slowly, meeting her gaze.

“Because you owe me,” I said simply. “And I don’t trust strangers.”

“We only spent a night,” if she was a snake, she would've spat venom on me. “We. Are. Still. Strangers.”

The corner of my lips lifted into a cold smile. “Like I said, you owe me. And you should consider your next words very carefully.”

She swallowed, but I saw the wheels turning behind those emerald eyes. She was smart.

 She would weigh her options to figure out whether the humiliation was worth her job, her reputation and her future.

Unfortunately. It was.

“You have twenty four hours,” I said again, walking back towards my desk with my glass and bottle of scotch.

She stiffened. “And if I say no?”

I sunk to my massive armchair and leaned into it slowly while maintaining eye contact with her. “Then I make one phone call, and every media firm in this city will know they hired a thief.”

It was cruel. Cold. Petty even. But I didn’t care.

Suddenly, she began to laugh. It was humorless and hysterical. And as much as I couldn’t blame her, I couldn’t let her off so easily. She had to do this.

“This is ridiculous,” she breathed out, running her hand through her hair. My eyes traced her every movement. 

“Karma is really a..” I almost chuckled. Almost. “A bitch. It comes back to bite when you least expect it.”

She squeezed her fists tightly. “I needed the money,” she said through gritted teeth. “I am not a thief.”

The tension between us was thick, anticipative as if it was holding its breath for what would happen next. 

“Then prove it,” I challenged. “Twenty three hours, forty minutes left. I suggest you think about it deeply, before making any…permanent damage.”

I watched her storm off from my office. Eight years ago, she’d walked out of that hotel room like I hadn’t mattered. Now, she mattered to me more than I wanted to admit, and I’d be damned if I let her walk away again.

The door slammed shut, and I could still smell her perfume in the air. Vanilla and coconut.

God help me.

~~~~~

The doorman tipped his hat the moment I walked in. Dark oak walls, gold accents, the faint scent of aged whiskey, the expensive scent of the finest wine and polished leather.

Club Valmont was the most exclusive and prestigious club in the city, with branches all over the country and spreading to Europe.

 My father used to call it “the only place in Manhattan where real decisions are made.” He brought me here for the first time when I was just twelve to watch him close a business deal.

I agreed. There were no cameras, and no reporters. Just power, money, and the people who pulled strings behind the scenes.

Once I came out of the elevator, a waiter led me to a quiet corner booth with curved leather seats and a low-lit lamp. Ronald Cavanaugh was already there, sipping his black coffee. 

Of course he was early.

“Russo,” he said in that sharp, no-nonsense tone he was famous for. 

“Ronald,” I nodded, taking a seat.

The waiter disappeared, leaving us alone. Ronald folded his hands on the table, his silver cufflinks caught the light.

“You’re finally back from your trip,” Ronald said coolly, sipping his black coffee. There was no milk, and sugar. Just like always. My father used to tease him about that, and said that only heartless people drank bitter coffee.

“I’m back,” I said with a nod. “But let’s get to the point, Ronald. You said this couldn’t wait, and you even refused to discuss it over the phone.”

He didn’t respond at first, instead, he reached into his briefcase and dropped something on the table that landed with a soft thud.

I stared at the strange file with both of our company logos boldly printed on the cover. TitanTech, and Prime Telecoms.

I glanced at him, keeping my expression neutral, even though confusion twisted my insides.

“Before your father passed,” Ronald began, “he sent me a proposal. A merger between TitanTech and Prime Telecoms, one that would benefit both of us in massive ways.

We’ve developed cutting-edge satellite technology, and your company wants to expand beyond U.S. borders, this merger bridges both goals. The full details are inside.”

I blinked. My throat felt tight when I finally spoke. “He never told me about this. Not once.”

Ronald smiled, which he rarely ever did.

“You know your father, he loved a dramatic entrance. We both agreed to wait, until the proposal is finally finalized even before commencement of the merger process.”

 But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t adding up.

“Eight years,” I muttered. “Why bring it up now?”

Ronald exhaled slowly, his voice was calm. “I’ve been watching you since the day you became CEO, and in that time, you’ve built a solid reputation. You didn’t just keep the company afloat, you closed deals worth hundreds of millions. You ushered Prime Telecoms into a modern age with a will of steel. You earned your place.”

He took another sip of his coffee, then leaned forward. The dim light above us caught the silver in his beard.

“I think you’re ready,” he said. “This deal could generate hundreds of billions, not just for us, but for the future of both companies, and the benefit to the public.”

I looked down at the folder again. It felt heavier now, not because of the paper inside, but because I could hear my father’s voice in my head. I could see him, smirking at me like he’d just won a bet.

I let out a long breath. “Give me time to go through it,” I said. “Then I’ll make a decision.”

Ronald nodded once. Then, like it was nothing, he added, “How’s the divorce coming along?”

My jaw tightened because that was one topic I avoided at all costs.

He saw my silence and continued anyway.

“There’s a clause in the merger,” he said. “Should you accept it, both parties must avoid any kind of public scandal, meaning no tabloid drama, and no messy headlines.” He took a final sip of his coffee and looked up at me. “Do you think you can do it, Maverick Russo?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to.

I just stared at the folder again, because now, I wasn’t just making a business decision.

I was gambling everything.