𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇 | 𝓙𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓮𝓻 𝓟𝓮𝓷𝓪 |

~ 5 ~

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

I sat in my office, my attention divided between the client sitting across from me and the stack of paperwork spread out on my desk. I was in the midst of an important meeting, trying to close a deal that could potentially secure a significant contract for my firm. Every word, every gesture mattered, and I couldn't afford any distractions.

Just as I was about to finalize the terms of the agreement, my phone rang, breaking the silence of the room. I shot a quick apologetic glance at my client before reaching for my phone, my irritation growing with each passing second. Javier Peña's name flashed on the screen, and I felt a surge of frustration. How dare he call me now, in the middle of such an important meeting?

With a barely concealed scowl, I excused myself from the table and stepped out of the room to take the call. "What the hell do you want, Peña?" I snapped, my voice laced with annoyance.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Javier's smooth voice came through. "Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine?" he chuckled. "I'm outside your office. Thought we could grab lunch together."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "How do you know where I work?"

"Remember what I said last night? If I want something, I won't stop until I have it."

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath. "I'm in the middle of a meeting, Peña. I can't just drop everything to have lunch with you."

"Come on, Madison," Javier cajoled. "It'll be quick, I promise. And I've got something important to discuss with you."

I gritted my teeth, my frustration reaching its breaking point. "Go fuck yourself, Peña," I spat, hanging up the phone before he could respond. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself before rejoining my client in the conference room.

The meeting dragged on, the weight of Javier's interruption hanging over me like a dark cloud. But I was a professional, and I knew how to compartmentalize my emotions and focus on the task at hand. I leaned into my feminine charm, using my charisma and wit to seal the deal with my client. When I finally stretched my hand out to shake on the agreement, my gaze flickered toward the office door, half-expecting to see Javier lurking outside.

To my surprise, the door swung open, and there he was, leaning casually against the frame with a smirk playing on his lips. My heart skipped a beat, a mix of irritation and something else stirring within me as I met his gaze.

The client hesitated for a moment, clearly taken aback by Javier's unexpected presence, but I smoothly guided him toward the door, assuring him that everything was under control. Javier's gaze followed him, unwavering and intense, making it difficult for the client to leave.

Once we were alone, Javier closed the door behind him and approached me, his expression amused. "You know, that's not the way pretty nice ladies talk on the phone," he teased, his tone light but with a hint of something more.

I bristled at his comment, my frustration bubbling to the surface. "I was in the middle of a meeting, Peña," I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. "You can't just barge in here whenever you feel like it."

Javier shrugged nonchalantly, sauntering into the room. "Just thought I'd drop by and see how my favorite lawyer is doing," he replied casually, his gaze never leaving mine.

I narrowed my eyes, my patience wearing thin. "Well, you've seen me. Now leave," I snapped.

Javier raised an eyebrow, unfazed by my hostility. "Or what? You'll throw me out?" he quipped, a playful glint in his eyes.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, forcing myself to remain composed. "I have work to do, Peña. I don't have time for your games," I retorted, my tone firm.

As I stood placing the papers on my desk, I noticed how Javier approached me. "That man was looking at you too much, it doesn't seem appropriate," he whispered in my ear, his chest brushing against my back.

A chill ran down my spine as his breath tickled my ear. My mind raced to stay focused. "I know," I admitted, and in a moment of courage, I lightly held his jaw with my hand. "Do you think you're the only one who uses their charms to close deals?" I whispered very close to his face, pushing him away with my other hand so I could continue working.

"It's not the same," he finally said, and I could hear the seriousness in his voice.

"Why? Because only men can do it?" I asked, picking up a wad of sheets to take to the shelf along with other contracts. "I get it, since I'm a woman, if I do it, that means I'm a—"

His hand gently grabbed my neck, making me look at him. "Whore?" he finished my sentence. "No, that's not why, Maddie," his eyes looked at my lips. "It's not the same because that man was an almost sixty-year-old gentleman who was looking at you like a sick depraved man, and I don't like that."

His words hung in the air, a mixture of protectiveness and possessiveness that both angered and confused me. "Peña, you're nobody to decide who can or can't look at me."

He held still for a few seconds until finally a smile appeared on his face. Removing his hand from my neck, he headed toward the door. "Come on, I want to talk to you about a few things," he said, grabbing my jacket from the coat rack.

"What part of 'I have work to do' didn't you understand?" I asked, returning to my desk.

"Your secretary told me you only had this one meeting and nothing to do in the afternoon, so don't lie to me," he countered, amused. "She's such a nice woman by the way."

Grumbling under my breath, I finished putting up the papers and walked over to him. He was holding my jacket to help me put it on. "Don't let me find out you're banging my secretary," I warned him, pointing at him.

I turned my back to him to put my jacket on, and once it was on, he left his hands above my chest, as if he were hugging me. "Tranquila mi amor, no sé qué tienes, pero me tienes tan loco que no puedo pensar en ninguna otra mujer," he murmured. (Easy my love, I don't know what you have, but you've got ne so crazy that I can't even think of another woman)

His words, though in a language I barely understood, sent a shiver down my spine. "Stop talking to me in Spanish, I don't understand you," I complained, releasing myself from his grip. "Teresa, I'm going out. I'll be available if anything comes up," I called to my secretary.

Why the hell did I do what he asked me to do? I'm meeting a multimillionaire man I've known for two days, as if nothing happened. These things only happen in fiction novels. I could even report him for harassment. What the hell.

As we left the office, Javier's hand brushed against mine, sending an unexpected jolt of electricity through me. I glanced at him, catching a rare glimpse of vulnerability in his eyes. For a moment, I wondered if there was more to him than the confident, infuriating man who seemed to think he could control everything.

But I shook off the thought, reminding myself that I needed to stay focused. This was just lunch, just another distraction I had to manage. Still, as we walked out together, a part of me couldn't help but feel a strange anticipation for whatever was to come next.

[To be continued...]