Page 74 of Do It With Me

CHAPTER 32

HOLDEN

I stared at the phone in my hand for a second, but the line had gone dead. Leaning back in my chair, I set it down in its cradle and wondered if our phone lines were having issues.

“Maia!”

My assistant popped her head around the door, a brand new, hand-painted mug in her hand. She grinned as she lifted it in my direction. “Thanks for these. I love them. What’s up?”

“Yeah, sure,” I replied absently, my mind temporarily flung to Ellora at the sight of the mug, but then I refocused. “Did that tenant who just called give you a name? You said it was about The Renewal Initiative, but they either hung up or the line dropped. I’m not sure.”

She shook her head. “Sorry, boss. She just asked to talk to you about it.”

I nodded, exhaling heavily through my nose. Part of me was afraid Ellora had found out, that it had been her on the other end of the line, but it couldn’t be. The chances were slim to none that she’d called, found out it was me, and hung up before she’d said anything, but even so, my heart was hammering a little in my chest.

“Alright, don’t worry about it,” I said. “If they call again, put them right through, okay? Doesn’t matter if I’m available or not.”

Just on the off chance that it is her.

Maia nodded. “Sure thing. Are you okay? You seem a little jumpy this morning.”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “Things are just heating up with the project. You know how it goes.”

She really didn’t know how this one was going, though. Nodding anyway, she backed out of my office and closed the door, and I scrubbed both hands over my face, trying to think. I’d been just about to tell whoever had been on the phone that the entire project was currently under review.

We were putting the brakes on everything. I just wasn’t sure how the hell I was going to do that yet. Legally, financially, or logistically. But I knew for sure that I couldn’t let it go forward and I sure as hell didn’t want Ellora to find out what I’d been planning. She would never forgive me.

There was still time to fix this, though. There had to be. I punched the intercom button on my landline.

“Jimmy!” I barked, agitation crawling through my veins. I had been feeling it from the moment I’d discovered my mistake, but it was somehow hotter now. More intense.

Jimmy showed up a few minutes later, also with a hand-painted mug in one hand and his phone in the other. “You called?”

“I made a huge mistake.” There. I’d come out and said it. “Sit down. You might not want to be standing for this.”

He arched a dark eyebrow at me, sauntered to the chair opposite my desk, and lowered his phone as he sat down. “Well, that’s a new one. I thought the great Holden Langton never made mistakes.”

I ignored his teasing. “The Renewal Initiative. Ellora’s shop is on that block. She built the place from nothing and we’re about to knock it down to replace it with overpriced retail boxes.”

Jimmy blinked hard. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was, but I can’t do that to her, man. Not after everything. Not after…” I trailed off, dragging a hand through my hair. “I’m putting a stop to it.”

Jimmy snorted, a sharp, humorless sound. “That’s a billion-dollar deal, Langton. You can’t just stop it because of some girl you’re fucking this wee⁠—”

He didn’t get to finish the sentence. Before I’d even thought about moving, I was on my feet and I had him by the collar, rage burning through me like wildfire.

“Don’t you ever talk about Ellora that way,” I snapped, my voice low and dangerous. “Not ever. Do you hear me?”

Jimmy’s hands went up in surrender, his eyes widening as he stared at me. “Damn, man. I didn’t realize you were that serious about her. I’m sorry for being a dick. You know that’s my default setting.”

I exhaled, unclenching my fists and shoving him back in the chair. The tension bled out of me, leaving behind the dull throb of guilt and exhaustion. “Just don’t talk about her like that and we’ll be fine.”

“Sure. Yeah. I hear you.” He studied me for a minute, his brow furrowed before he let out a low whistle. “Holy shit. I never thought I’d see the day you really fell in love again.”

“It’s not love,” I said automatically.

He gave me a look that said he didn’t buy it. “It fucking better be if you’re trying to stop this whole project for her. The board is not going to agree to this, Holden. You know that, right?”