Fatal Wounds

25

Valentina

Some things are stupid.

Like my most infuriating client deciding they want me to look into houses for them again. Yes Ryan Miller is at it again. I had thought that when he walked out of our last seeing he had given up. Presumably he had only walked out since that was the day Theo got a seat on the board, but now that it's been a while he has reached out again.

"Turn it off." Theo groans deeply as he shoves his face into my neck. The incessant ring of my alarm only gets louder.

"I can't." I mumble. It's so far away and Theo's arms are so tightly wrapped around me. He lets go of me with a huff, "why is it even on?"

"Work." I say and my fingers just barely reach over the buttons to turn off the horrid sound.

"But it's Friday." I look over my shoulder and see his frown as he tries pulling me back to be plastered against him.

"Yes Theo, you also have work."

His lips pull down even lower. "No."

"Yes." I huff, "you were talking about some presentation you need to attend."

"I lied." He deadpans, "I was joking, I have no work. So come back."

"I can't." I groan when he pulls me to his chest. "My client wants to meet at his office so we can discuss new house options for him."

"His office?" He says, tightening his hold around me. "Who?"

"Ryan."

"I lied again." He declares, making me turn in his hold to look at his face. "I do have work. I'm needed at Miller Wind."

"Really Theo?" I laugh and push at his chest to roll off of the bed. "I'm going to work and so are you. The work where you actually need to be at the moment."

"Please Valentina." He groans, propping himself up on his elbow.

"How bout this." I walk up to the bed and cup his face between my palms. "You can say here while I go to work. I'll be super quick and come back yeah?"

"Yeah." He nods a little hesitantly moving his hands to go over mine. His fingers curl around my hands and he squeezes, hard.

"What's wrong?" I frown, leaning my knees onto the bed.

"Don't take this the wrong way," he starts off, "because I trust you Valentina, I promise. I just don't trust Ryan."

"You don't trust him?"

"No." He whispers, "Not with you. I don't feel... comfortable that he requested to meet with you in his office. Alone."

"It bothers you?" I ask. I don't want Theo to be bothered by it, and I want him to tell me so I can change it.

He nods, "it doesn't bother me that he finds you beautiful, because you are truly the most beautiful person but it bothers me that he wants you and he thinks he can have you." At my confused expression he continues, "the glances, the touching, they're not accidental Valentina. I know you want to believe they are, they're not mi amor."