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Chapter Twenty-Four

Luke

I approach Andy in the cafeteria. The tall, muscular man looks up at me as I approach. For a moment, I’m sure I see panic in his eyes. My entire body is blazing with the possibility… with rage.

Sitting opposite him, I say, “Is everything okay, Andy?”

He looks down at his sandwich, his cheeks coloring slightly. He’s just as tall as I am… younger, and he may even be more muscular. But he looks scared, and he has every reason to be.

“I’m sorry?”

“Why are you sorry?”

“No, boss, I meant… What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“I’ve just been thinking,” I murmur. “Going over what happened in Vegas. I know how Damien knew where to find Spar… Sera when he needed to spill coffee on the laptop. That must’ve been her boss. But how did he know what conference room we were meeting in? How did he know where to spy on us? And this morning…” I lean forward, my hands balled into fists. “There were only four people who knew which restaurant we were at. Me, Sera, Victor. And you.”

I expect Andy to show some remorse. But his scared expression vanishes, replaced by a look of anger instead. He glares at me.

“Is this the part where I’m intimidated by you, Luke?”

I grit my teeth. “This is the part where you tell me why the fuck you’d agree to something like this.”

“Isn’t it obvious? Damien threw a hissy fit and got a payout.”

“You wanted a chunk, is that it? You would risk Sera’s life for cash .” I slam my fist against the table. He flinches. “Do you have any idea what I’d do to you if I could get away with it, Andy? We’ve treated you well. We’ve paid you in shares. You’re rich because of us.”

“I don’t need to tell you that more is always better.”

I shake my head. “You risked my woman’s life?—”

“Pfft.”

My blood turns cold. “Excuse me?”

“Your woman, Luke? Please. Don’t forget who you’re talking to. You’re married to your job. This little experience of yours, it’ll pass. This fling will pass.”

I stand up, planting my fists on the table and looming over him. “Pack your shit and leave before I throw you out.”

Andy stands, an insolent smirk on his face. “No offense, Luke, but if you want to go down that road, you’re going to need to call security.”

“I highly doubt that, you ungrateful bastard. If my woman wasn’t so brave, your actions could’ve killed her today. If she hadn’t stood up to Damien?—”

“Your woman? Give me a break.”

“What happened to you?” I growl.

“What happened is, you gave more to a disgruntled employee than your own damn assistant.”

“You could sell your shares for at least a million dollars.”

“Why should I have to?” he yells.

All around us, people stare. My hand trembles as I think about breaking his jaw.

“Leave. Now.”

Andy pushes away from the table, turns and stalks away, then seems to think better of it and walks back over to me. He puffs up his chest. “I’m going, Luke, but drop the tough guy act. Don’t threaten me.” He lowers his voice to a hiss. “Because if it was like your said, if this turned violent, it wouldn’t go well for you.”

“You sure about that?”

He squares up to me, staring into my eyes. “Just so happens I am.”

“Then take your fucking shot,” I growl.

He punches me in the stomach, winding me for a moment, then tries to hit me again. He’s lost his damn mind. I grab his arm and twist it up behind his back. He gasps and whines as I twist it again, shoving him up against the table.

“You stupid bastard,” I growl.

I want to break his arm. I want to hurt him even more. To punish him for endangering my woman. But I have to think about the company, about the fact I won’t be around for my Sera if I cross that line.

Letting him go, I take a step back. “Go, Andy.”

But the prick won’t learn his lesson. He yells and tries to hit me again. This time, I duck out of the way and punch him hard in the face. He stumbles into the table, his tray clattering to the floor, holding his hand to his mouth.

“I should kill you for trying to hurt my woman,” I roar, glaring down at him. He stares up at me with fear-filled eyes. “Nobody touches her, not my woman. Ever. Understand me?”

Andy climbs to his feet, looking like he’s about to cry, then runs from the cafeteria.

I rush from the room, ignoring my gaping employees.

On the ride home, Sera sits beside me, watching the video on her phone. “Nobody touches her, not my woman. Ever. Understand me?”

She touches my arm, squeezing. “Thank you for standing up for me.”

“I didn’t know anybody was recording,” I mutter. “So much for handling the PR.”

“Actually…”

“What? It’s not that bad?”

“The comments are positive. People are saying things like, ‘It’s refreshing to see a CEO act like a human being for once.’”

“That’s good,” I say. “But I didn’t do it for that. I know Andy… at least, I thought I did. I figured he was being threatened by Damien like Ellie, but no, this was about cash. Then it became about something else. Pride. He said some stupid crap about you not really being my woman… Like he knows a damn thing about how dead my heart was before you came along.”

She leans over, kissing me on the cheek.

“People are wondering who the woman you were referring to is.”

“Then we should tell them.”

“Would you tell the world you’re with me?” She asks hesitantly.

“Of course I would. I’m proud to call you my woman, Sera. You’re beautiful, talented, kind, and tough . That’s what’s impressed me most about all this. You’re so tough.”

“I’ve cried a lot for somebody so tough.”

“You’re still human,” I tell her. “That doesn’t change how impressive you are. I’d happily take you on a thousand dates, let the paparazzi take our pictures, let them see the love in my eyes.”

She gasps, squeezing me tighter.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah… fine. Are you?”

“I’m great,” I say fiercely. “I’m with you. When we’re together, Sera, everything else is a bonus. Just being with you is enough to make life worth living.”

“We should probably wait until we tell the world who I am.”

“Why? Do you still think there’s a chance you’ll go back to Florida?”

When she doesn’t answer the question, I do my best to hide the pain. Now that I’ve tasted what life with her would be like, waking next to her, and falling asleep with her at my side, I can’t imagine going back to how things were before. We barely survived a few days attempting a long distance relationship.

Soon enough, we’re in the parking garage. She takes my hands, looking up at me. So much has happened that could shake her, but her perfect pale green eyes still shine with hope and affection.

“I just want you to know what you said in the car. I feel it too. With every fiber of my being, Luke. I feel it. I feel us. I want this to work. I need it to work.”

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in for a hug.