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I sigh heavily. “No. We weren’t good together.” There was no softness between us at all. It was all clashing egos and power-struggles. During the very short time we spent together, I was more unhappy than I’ve ever been in my life. “I’m going to politely—once—ask you to leave. Please. Leave.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m not asking for a commitment, Cash.” She leans forward, adjusting her skirt, working whatever sexiness she seems to think she’s projecting. “I just…I miss you, Cash.”
“Look. I don’t know how to make this any clearer. I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again: it’s fucking over. Whatever we had fizzled out for me almost immediately and that’s not going to change. Accept it and move on. This is getting tedious.”
Rylee brushes her glossy tumble of hair over one shoulder, completely ignoring what I just said to her. She makes no move to get off the desk. “You look so tense, Cash. I could take your mind off whatever’s bothering you. It would feel so?—”
“Jesus Christ.” I walk over to the door. As I do, there’s a light knock.
I yank the door open.
“Mr. Maddox?” It’s Hayley, who glances uneasily at Rylee. Rylee has that effect on people. She makes them nervous because she’s steely and calculating and has the vibe of someone who wouldn’t hesitate to stab you in the back.
Rylee smirks, sliding off the desk and straightening her clothes. She knows what this looks like. And she’s enjoying it.
Hayley does her best to ignore the tension in the room. “Your car will be here in ten minutes to take you to the airport.”
Airport?
Fuck.
I completely forgot I’m supposed to be going to Hawaii this afternoon for a business meeting.
“Should I book a…second ticket?” Hayley eyes Rylee, trying to be discrete. I have the urge to explain to Hayley that nothing has happened here. But it doesn’t seem worth the effort.
I agreed to fly to Honolulu to meet with Ty Dyson. We’ve already bought his fund and the meeting was to discuss the closing. Considering everything that’s going on, the last thing I need is to be five thousand miles from the office right now. Then again, I want to discuss the new development with Ty. To let him know what’s happening, that we’re aware of it and doing everything we can to mitigate the damage.
I have to go, no matter how shitty the timing is.
Maybe what I actually need is some distance. Everything will be done by phone and email anyway, and Noah said the SEC is giving us some time to respond.
Maybe some perspective will help. A few days in the sun to clear my head, to think things over. Nothing is going to be solved overnight, and those clear blue waters might give me a chance to figure out the best way to handle whatever the fuck is happening.
“No,” I reply brusquely. “Could you call Marta and ask her to pack a bag for me? I’ll pick it up on the way to the airport.”
“Of course. I’ll let you know when your car is here.”
I nod as Hayley ducks back out of the office to call my housekeeper, leaving me alone again with Rylee.
“It could be perfect,” Rylee suggests hopefully. “I could come with you, and we could spend some time together and talk things through.”
“Not going to happen.” I’m almost aggressively blunt but it can’t be helped. My nerves are frayed and my patience is shot. I hold the door open for her. “Get out of my office before I call security.”
She glares at me, hurt. “All I was doing was trying to comfort you, Cash. You don’t have to be such an asshole about it.”
That was part of the problem. This woman brings out the worst in me.
Unfortunately, most women do. Which is too bad. It’s why my past love life is a debris field of one-night stands and failed attempts at something meaningful that always crash and burn before they even begin. Maybe I am an asshole. But I can’t fake feelings. And I never feel as much as I wish I did. “You give me no other choice.”
Rylee shakes off her disappointment and her expression shifts to one of cold fury. “Fine. I’m sorry to have taken up so much of your time, Mr. Maddox. You deserve whatever’s coming to you. Enjoy your trip.”
I narrow my eyes at the sudden formality but say nothing. I deserve whatever’s coming to me? What the hell does that mean?
My brothers can hold the fort for a few days. The thought of putting an ocean between myself and Rylee Winters is suddenly just a little too appealing.
4
“Thanks for coming all the way out here to let me know, Cash. I appreciate the heads-up.” Ty Dyson shakes my hand.
