By The End Of The Week.

As I exit the elevator car, I need to calm my nerves, and as I do so, I allow my eyes to roam the interior of Tobias's office floor. 

It is precisely how I pictured it, lavish and completely void of any actual thought from the interior designing company.

But then again, Tobias has always been very persistent in coming forth with how he expects everything to be; pristine and simple.

More like, dull and washed out. 

I walk towards the glass door that separates me from entering his domain.

“Oh, my gods,” A soft feminine voice says over the intercom with surprise lacing her words. “It’s you, you are her?”

I comb my fingers through my hair, “I’m sorry, have we met before?” I ask her with a quizzical look staining my face.

She must be Melanie, the one that wrote and sent me that ridiculous: Intent To Purchase Property letter.

“I, ah…” She quickly clears her throat and pushes the button on her desk to let me past the glass bulletproof doors. “No, I’m sorry, we haven’t. It’s just that-” She shakes her head as if to stop herself from saying something that she shouldn’t; like she already has. “If you are here to see Mr. Landry, he is occupied at the moment with his mother. If you’d like to-”

 “Janice is here?” I ask, cutting her off.

“Yes, Mrs. Landry is with him.”

A sinister smile touches the corners of my mouth, “Great, this will go down very well then.” I say, disregarding her best efforts to verbally stop me from walking into his office.

I turn the cold brass handle, pushing the door wide open, “It must be done, Tobias. Your father’s dying wishes were made very clear on his deathbed, you must be married by the end of the week before your thirtieth birthday, or your cousin will inherit the business.”

I remain silent, my gaze shifts between Janice and Tobias, who has his back facing me while he stares out of the large window that overlooks the city.

His body grows tense, then sags as he leans forward with a low growl exiting his lips.

“How can someone such as yourself expect me to find someone to marry that I don’t love?” He says bitterly which makes my heart leap with joy, realizing that his life isn’t all sunshine with daffodils.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen, and I hope it hurts like a bitch when his head hits the foreboding ground.

“I expect it because it is required of you. Your past is the cause of your father’s demands, Tobias and quite frankly, I don’t think you have a leg to stand on to disregard his final wishes if you desire to-”

 I flinch as his hand slams against the window frame before he spins around to face Janice with a murderous look in his eyes, “I don’t give two shits what you think, mother.” He snarls. “You knew the truth and refused to disclose it to the police that night. Because of you-”

My eyes grow wider than saucers as his gaze collides with mine. His jaw ticks and his fingers curl into the palms of his hands, balling at his sides. 

I swallow thickly, paralyzed by his sky-blue eyes that have haunted me for many years.

“Keri Appleton?” I hear Janice gasp.

After a beat or two, I finally gain full control over my body as the initial shock fades. “Yes, it is me, Janice,” I answer, tearing my gaze away from Tobias.

She walks up to me and even though every loin in my body wants to scream at her to not come any closer as I slap her across the face. But I don't, instead, I remain silent with my heart hammering against the wall of my chest with disdain and heartache.

“You have grown into a beautiful young woman,” She whispers with tears in her eyes. “My Bruce loved you and your brother dearly, after the accident… after,”

“That’s enough mother!”

My bottom lip begins to tremble as I fight back the tears from spilling down my cheeks. Janice shuts her mouth, nodding her head, and rubs the pad of her thumb over my cheekbone.

“You were always the daughter he could only wish for.” She says with such sadness as she lets her hand drop from my face.

She turns her head to look at Tobias, “Remember what I said, Tobias. You have until the end of the week, or you can kiss your inheritance goodbye,” She sniffles and exits the room, leaving the door wide open.

Tobias walks up to me, towering over me as his gaze darkens, “What are you doing here?”

Suddenly, what I had come here to say, doesn’t seem so important anymore, and I shake my head, feeling small under the intensity of his glare.

“You’re an arsehole, Tobias Landry and I curse the day that you came into our lives.” I spit at him right before I turn on my heel and make a beeline for the door.

But before I can reach it, he rushes behind me and closes it, trapping me between him and the door. His front presses against my back as he places his hands on the high-quality glass above my head.

“Activate privacy.” He demands out loud and within seconds, the translucent windows in his glass-encased office fog up.

I turn to face him, leaning against the door with my back, as the sensation of him brushing against me causes my head to spin and my sex to throb. Curling my hands into tight balls of disdain, I pierce the skin of my palms with my nails to rid myself of the dark thoughts and feelings lapping at my feverish flesh.

Tobias licks his lips like he can sense and smell the arousal wafting off me. He has always been my weak point and after everything he has done, the devastation and destruction he has caused my family...

I should want to rip his fucking heart out and toss it onto the ground like it is worthless, but I don't. No amount of vengeance will bring back what he has stolen from us and I must continue to remind myself of that or the pain will consume me and I will be lost to it forever. 

My breathing becomes shallow as he dips his head, and purposely brushes his stubbled cheek against mine, “Tell me, spitfire, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit this morning?” His voice is low, deep, and husky. “Just like old times, you couldn’t stay away from me, now, could you?”