Holden Sterling: The Sterling Brothers Billionaire Saga BWWM Book 1

Episode 82: Eriola! Eriola! Part 2

Eriola's POV

My heart raced as the phone vibrated incessantly in my hand. Salvador had been calling me non-stop, but I had been ignoring him. Today, however, fueled by curiosity and a touch of annoyance, I finally picked up to see what he wanted. A voice dripping with arrogance and entitlement greeted me on the other end. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his audacity. There was no way in hell I was going to meet him alone.

With a determined stride, I made my way down the stairs to Holden's office. Held in a grandiose room adorned with rich mahogany furnishings, Holden sat at the head of a large table surrounded by his brothers and some of his most trusted men. These were the same men who had survived the brutal attack on Jonathan and me, now working under Holden's command. I entered the room, all eyes turned towards me, curious as to why I had interrupted their meeting. Little did they know that my encounter with Salvador would soon change everything.

Holden's piercing gaze bore into me, his eyes narrowing in concern as he took in my disheveled appearance and troubled expression. "Eriola, what's wrong?" he asked with a hint of worry.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts before speaking up. "Holden, I need to tell you something. We said no secrets between us, right? Well, there's something I can't keep from you any longer." I walked over to stand by Holden, feeling comforted by his presence.

"Come sit, baby girl," he said, patting his lap invitingly. I obliged and walked myself over to where he was and sat on his lap, grateful for his reassuring touch.

"Now, sweetheart, tell me what this is all about," he urged gently.

I nervously fiddled with my hands before finally blurting out the truth. "Salvador has been calling me from New York. I hadn't been answering until today when I was curious to see what he wanted."

Holden's expression darkened, a muscle in his jaw twitching with barely contained anger.

"What did he want?" he demanded.

I took a deep breath before admitting, "Salvador asked if I had considered the business proposal he presented during our dinner." Holden's hold on me tightened as he processed my words.

"He wants to meet tomorrow night at his penthouse in the Evergreen Hotel at 8pm," I finished with a shaky voice. Holden's face remained unreadable as he processed the situation, but I knew there was a storm brewing beneath the surface.

"Holden, I know what you're thinking, but it's too dangerous! You can't just waltz in there and start a war!" I pleaded, grabbing his face in my hands. "It won't just be our lives at stake anymore," I reminded him, gesturing to my belly. "If anything happened to us, these men would be left without a leader."

Holden's eyes pleaded with me, silently begging for my compliance. After a moment of hesitation, he finally nodded in agreement. "I won't do anything rash, I promise," he assured me, his voice firm and determined. "But I want you to stay here where it's safe. You're not going to that meeting tomorrow night." His words were like a steel wall, impossible to penetrate or overcome.

I knew better than to argue with him when he spoke in that tone. He was right - I needed to be safe and let him handle this dangerous situation. Still, a part of me wanted to protest and suggest we attend the meeting together, showing our unity as a team against Salvador. But before I could even open my mouth to speak, Holden cut me off with a stern glare that brooked no further argument.

"Listen to me, Eriola," he said firmly. "I can handle this on my own. You need to trust me and stay out of harm's way." His words were like an unbreakable chain, binding me to his decision and reminding me that he was the leader in this mission. Reluctantly, I nodded my head in agreement and conceded to his plan. Deep down, I knew it was for the best - but it was hard not to feel helpless and sidelined in this dangerous game we were playing.