Page 97 of Set Play

“How? You heard them. I have to get my shit and get out or they’ll have security do it.” She lets her head fall into her hands and I use that moment to send off a quick text to the guys, ignoring the multiple missed messages.

Today 4:00PM

Me:

They fired her. She has an hour before security will escort her out. We’re in conference room B still. She’s not ready to go get her stuff yet.

Lukas:

They fired Avispa?! Fuck no. Security’s not touching her.

When the fuck did Lukas give her a nickname? And seriously? Why did he have to go with wasp?

Cillian:

We’ve got her back, Teo.

I lock my phone and slide it back into my pocket, looking down at the beautiful woman in front of me. “Chispita,” I say, taking hold of her hands and pulling them away from her face, “Look at me, please.” I wait for those watery emeralds to meet my eyes before I lean in to kiss her salt-laced cheeks.

“As I said, we’ll figure this out. But I need you to know something.” I swallow back the nerves threatening to clog my throat. “This isn’t fake to me anymore. It hasn’t been for a long time now. Eres mi media naranja, Chispita.”

She lets out a watery snort before cupping my face. “I still don’t know what that means, but it’s not fake for me, either. I don’t really know when exactly it stopped being fake but yeah. I’m not upset about the fact that people found out about that. Well, I am, but mostly because I’m scared of what it’ll cost you and devastated by what it cost me. This job was the last puzzle piece I needed to change specialties. Now, I doubt I’ll be able to convince another team to hire me.”

“You will. If I have anything to say about it, you will. Hell. More than just me. You have the support of basically the whole team and the staff, too. This won’t be the end of your dream. I refuse to let that be true.”

My phone chimes with a new message. It’s Garrett’s tone, so I pull it out, scanning the details for our big interview. “Our interview is set for an hour from now. You going to be okay by then?”

“I think so. Thank you, Big Shot. For being here right now. I just need to clean my face up, and then I guess go pack my stuff.”

Her smile is wobbly and I’d give anything to see her true smile right now. Like tell her the meaning of the roses?

Usually, I hear my thoughts in my own voice, but this one is distinctly feminine and I can’t help but think it’s Mamá pushing me toward Élise.

“Hey Chispita, remember the night of the gala?”

She tilts her head in confusion, and her cheeks darken with a blush. “Of course. How could I forget it? Why?”

I smirk, knowing exactly which part of the night first came to her mind. “Do you remember what I told you when you asked about the orange roses?”

Again, she nods. “Yeah…you said you thought they looked nice.” A note of uncertainty creeps into her voice. She’s trying to figure out where I’m going with this, and if nothing else, it’s distracting her from our current mess. Good.

“I lied.”

Her eyes flash with the briefest flare of anger before I confess, “I lied because I was scared you’d slam the door in my face if I told you the real reason I picked them. Well, the reason Lukas recommended them. All flowers have a special meaning, you know. Orange roses happen to symbolize hidden love.”

Her breath catches and I smile down at her. “Yeah, I didn’t realize it yet, but Lukas did. I asked him what flower to pair with tulips and that was the only option he gave me. He knew before I did that this was real.”

My lips find hers in a kiss so different than any other we’ve shared. It’s honest and emotionally raw. We lose ourselves for several minutes before she finally pulls away. “I should probably go pack up my stuff. I’d ask if you’re coming with me, but I have a feeling that’s a silly question.”

As she walks past me, she gives her hips an extra sway, practically begging for me to plant a smack right on her perfect ass. I look around, making sure no one is near before giving in to the intrusive thought. “Let’s go, Chispita. The team is waiting.”

Élise

“I didn’t realize you meant the whole team,” I whisper-yell at Mateo as we round the corner to my old office to see the guys standing in a line at the door, forming a barrier.

Lukas jumps in front of me before his twin can respond. “We’re not letting them kick you out, avispa.”

My eyes narrow at the nickname. He still hasn’t told me what it means. Mateo shoves his brother in the chest before I can question it. “You guys don’t have to do this; you could get in a lot of trouble for this.”