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WINTER
I makeit back to my office in record time, still super pissed. I’m not sure why I thought going to Alister would be a good idea. Confronting that man just left me with more questions than I care to think about right now.
I stop myself right there because I won’t let his words affect me at all. The man is a major psychopath and I know his aim was to get me flustered and make me question everything.
I don’t trust him. I don’t even trust Mason fully yet but at the moment, I need him. He seemed like he wanted to make it up to me but I’m not buying it. He has to have some kind of motive to want to get close to me again. Truthfully, he hasn’t paid for what he did, and I still hate him. But that will have to take a backseat for now.
I can’t get rid of all the pain he caused so easily, but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do. I’m exhausted beyond words, but I have to pretend I’m fine and stay strong until my enemies are dealt with.
It’s only because I’m not dumb enough to play with my life anymore. If I want to keep staying alive, then I need all the help I can get. If he wants to act like he cares, then I might as well use his help to keep me alive.
This game that someone has decided to play with my life has gone too far, seeing it’s become deadly. I need to be around people so that no one can catch me off guard again.
Plus, if I keep thinking about the past and not focus on the present, I might get myself killed or make myself sick, thinking about all the things I can’t change. I’d rather not have another stint in the hospital for any reason at all. I’ve seen enough hospital walls to last me a lifetime.
After the shitshow this morning, I know my stress levels are extremely high and I need to stay calm before I have a seizure. Over the past few weeks and that last seizure I had, I’ve tried hard to keep my body and mind healthy. I need to keep doing that, especially now.
The office is still busy with a flurry of activity when I walk back in and head straight in the direction of my office. I trust that everyone knows what they need to do with the help of Chase and Carson.
When I get to my office, I take a seat on my chair and see what I can do to help. I log in to my computer and start going over some of the files and audits and everything else that I can think of that would lead the SEC to believe that Crowne Enterprises was involved with insider trading. The idea alone is preposterous.
I’ll also need the so-called evidence from the police or the FBI or whoever the hell has it to see why they think our hotel in New York is a front for sex trafficking. Ugh, just the thought of it makes me sick!
To think that people are actually involved with sex trafficking is beyond words and disgusting on so many levels. I’d never knowingly let myself or my company be involved in that kind of shit and to hear it now is disconcerting.
I honestly hope that the information they have is wrong and nothing like that is actually happening within one of my properties. I’m being accused wrongfully, and someone is going to a lot of trouble to make it look legit.
I don’t find any discrepancies or changes with any of the documents I’ve looked over and the headache that’s resurfacing is unbelievable. There’s a knock on the door and I welcome the distraction for a few minutes.
“Come in!” I say loudly, hoping the person outside hears me since the office is still in a whirlwind.
The door opens and I look up to see Antonio standing there, and I immediately wince. The memories of last night come back. Those were not the best since we didn’t exactly leave things on good terms. Truthfully, he’s the last person I expected to see today. I wish I would’ve hidden like the chicken I am because I don’t want to think about the talk we’re supposed to be having.
“Cara,” he says, before walking further into my office and closing the door behind him. He moves until he’s standing right in front of my desk before taking a seat. He watches me for a few seconds before he speaks. “I think it’s time that you and I had a talk. Don’t you think so?” he asks with a raised eyebrow. Good Lord! Why did he have to choose today of all days? I think as I let out a sigh.
“Yes, I guess it’s time for the dreaded conversation. But first, I want to apologize for last night,” I say.
“What happened and who was that guy? I thought we were having a good time. I was under the impression that you weren’t seeing anyone else,” he says in a cool tone. I can tell he’s mad about the situation but doesn’t want to show it. I mean, I don’t blame him. If the situation was reversed, I’d be mad too, that’s for sure.
“I’m so sorry. That was my ex-boyfriend,” I mumble, but do it loud enough for him to hear.
“What was your ex-boyfriend doing, pulling you away while you were on a date?” he questions.
“He’s somehow under the impression that we’re still together,” I explain.
“And are you?”
“No.”
“Then why would you let him do that? Do you like being manhandled and humiliated like that?” he asks in a stern voice that makes me feel shittier than I was feeling. I know he has every right to feel how he’s feeling.
“I–uh, it’s complicated…” I say and then trail off. How the hell do I explain what Mason and I are right now when I don’t even know anymore.
“It shouldn’t be that complicated if you’re not together. That’s what I’m not understanding,” he remarks.
“So, um, what happened to the bodyguards I needed today?” I ask in hopes of changing the topic. He’s making too much sense right now even though he doesn’t know the history between Mason and me.
“We didn’t really get a chance to work out the details. All you said was that you needed them but not what time or even where. You were dragged out of the restaurant by another man before we had time to fine tune the details. So, I’m not at fault for you not being covered today if you needed it,” he tells me point blank. Again, I can’t blame him for being so direct.
