“Thank you for your recommendations.” Alyssa stood. “You’ve been spot-on the past few years.”
“Thank you, Alyssa.” Brigit rolled back her chair and walked around her desk. “These changes are our first steps toward less volatile investments. Frederick, you’ve been fighting me on this, but you’ve taken some recent hits that we need to mitigate going forward. Moving into a more conservative financial arena is key.”
She escorted them to reception and almost had a heart attack. Colton Mitus and his attorney, Dez Livingston, were chatting with George Internado. Her business-as-usual day came to a screeching halt.
“Senator!” exclaimed Frederick. “Great to see you!”
After greeting Frederick and Alyssa, George turned his heavyset torso toward Brigit. His smile dropped and his rotund body grew rigid. He stood motionless, refusing to even shake her hand. His comb-over shone beneath the harsh fluorescents.
Brigit’s palms grew clammy. “Hello, George.”
“You can imagine my surprise when Seth called me this morning.” George crossed his chunky arms. “Had to rearrange my packed afternoon. Will you be joining us?”
She swallowed. “No, I won’t. Please excuse me.” Brigit faced her clients. “Thank you for coming in. Always a pleasure.”
“That’s Colton Mitus,” Alyssa whispered as she hugged her. “Would you like an introduction? Last I heard he’s unattached.”
She forced a smile. “Thanks. I’ve met him.”
Colton stepped close. “Brigit, I need a moment.”
The timbre of his husky voice rumbled through her sex-starved body, setting off a series of mini explosions that warmed her insides. Brigit loved men. But the way her body reacted tothisman enraged her. “Excuse me a second.” She stepped over to reception. “Has Seth been notified the senator is waiting?”
Shaniqua’s deep brown eyes twinkled. She glanced at Colton, a smile ghosting over her lips. “Yes. Kaleb is on his way.”
Did Colton expect she’d drop everything to speak with him simply because he’d shown up? Blowing out a muffled huff, she cut her stare to him. The man exuded an abundance of confidence. From the way his tailored charcoal gray suit complemented his sculpted frame to the determination in his dark, powerful eyes, his strong essence was palpable.
And then he smiled. A full-blown, testosterone-laden smile. A blast of heat coursed through her veins.
Whoa.
Her thoughts blurred. Delicious tingles cascaded through her as a collective sigh floated from the bullpen.
But Brigit had more willpower than to fall victim to his charm. Standing tall, her five-foot-five-inch frame was no match for his, but her four-inch stilettos greatly aided her cause. She refused to allow his massive size to make her feel small in any way.
She offered the man standing next to him a cordial smile. “Brigit Farnay.”
“Dez Livingston, Colton’s legal counsel.” They shook hands.
With his impressive bio posted on the Mitus Conglomerate website, the fifty-three-year-old had been Colton’s personal attorney for years. A man of few words, Dez was fiercely protective of him and seldom quoted in articles written about the Mitus empire. Also a distinguished dresser, Dez’s close-cut Afro, beard and mustache were in sharp contrast to Colton’s unruly head of hair framing his clean-shaven face.
“What bring you by t-t-today?” Brigit tried to keep her voice steady, but a tremble caught the last word.
Colton’s eyes narrowed. “Unfinished business.”
Panic churned in her gut. Was he going to confront her about her shares of Francesco stock? She’d done nothing illegal and had every right to scarf up that stock. “Let’s discuss this in my office.”
Heads craned from cubicles like prairie dogs poking out of their holes. Colton’s gargantuan ego needed no additional stroking. After closing her office door, she shielded herself behind her desk and steeled her spine.
Colton eyed the sticky note affixed to her clutter-free desk. “I see Seth gave you my number.”
“Yes, my plan to contact you next week got bumped to now.”
Dez reached into his briefcase and pulled out a folder. “We need you to sign a nondisclosure agreement.”
“Why?”What’s Colton up to?
“We’re providing you with a list of Mitus Conglomerate’s most distressed accounts.” Dez set the folder on her desk.
