me apart. I was a hypocrite. For fuck’s sake, I’d flaunted Lissie in front of her not two days earlier, yet Athena comes face-to-face with an ex, and I completely lose my shit.
Athena had been wrong about one thing. I hadn’t fucked Lissie. I couldn’t. Believe me, that had been the intention, a way to claw Athena from my mind, but when push had come to shove, I’d had my driver take Lissie home instead.
Nothing worked when it came to trying to forget Athena and move on with my life. Nothing. I’d tried it all.
Ignoring her.
Talking to her.
Being nice to her.
Behaving so badly toward her that if my mother heard me, she’d tan my hide (even though I’m a foot taller than she is).
Pretending she doesn’t exist.
Whacking off in the shower in the hope I won’t get a boner the second I see her. (FYI, Epic Fail).
I was used to testing strategies, changing direction, trying different approaches until I found one that led to success.
Not this time. Not with her.
Yet, what did success look like? Was it to have her out of my life, or to keep her so close a sheet of paper wouldn’t fit between us? For years I’d managed to lock up my feelings after that one fateful night, pretending it never happened. On the odd occasion when Athena had tentatively tried to discuss it, I’d shut her down with a barbed comment or a cruel word, and she’d retreated instantly.
When Elliot had informed me that Athena was heading off around the world, no one could have been happier than me. At last, I’d thought, I might stand a chance of moving on with my life. Of forgetting how her body felt against mine. Of how her amber gaze tracked my every move, silently begging me to reconsider, to risk everything for a chance to be together. To put what I felt for her ahead of my love for Elliot.
Seeing her in Japan, dressed in that scrap of material with dirty old men pawing all over her had opened the lock to the lion’s cage. No matter what I did, he refused to go back in.
And who the fuck did Charles think he was? Blatantly flirting with her at a business meeting and then having the audacity to try to poach her. What a fucking asshole. Wave bye bye to any partnership with ROGUES, Charles. Jerk-off.
And if he dared to take her on that promised date, I’d kill him.
I took a deep breath and scraped a hand down my face, trying to calm the rage swirling inside, stoked by years of pent-up frustration and denial.
Shit. I was in so much trouble.
I made all my business decisions based on facts and always maintained a cool head. Emotion didn’t come into it.
Yet here I was, cutting off the chance to work with Charles on what would be a mutually beneficial opportunity because I couldn’t stand the idea of seeing him and Athena together.
I touched my lips, the taste of Athena still there.
This isn’t me.
Athena and I were all wrong. Complete opposites. Where I remained calm under pressure, Athena could open her own drama studio, she created that much of it. She was highly emotional. I kept my emotions in check so much that my dates often called me Ice Man.
Not to mention that if Elliot heard even a whisper I’d put my tongue—let alone my cock—anywhere near his sister, the ability to father children wouldn’t be in my future.
Not that I had a remote interest in fathering any children that weren’t Athena’s.
I fisted my hair.
The situation was fucking impossible.
She’d been right in her assessment, though. I couldn’t have Athena, but I didn’t want anyone else to have her either.
Spotting a cab with his light on, I darted across the street with my hand in the air. The driver saw me and waited. I climbed inside and gave him my office address.
Half an hour later, I handed him a bunch of bills and got out. It had started to rain and, without an overcoat or an umbrella, I dashed inside and took the elevator up to the top floor.
“Any calls, Patricia?” I held out my hand for the stack of Post-it notes I knew were coming. Patricia still liked the old-fashioned method of writing down the name and number of anyone who called.
“Seven.” She handed them over. “I’ve put them in order of importance.”
“Thanks.” I pushed open my office door half hoping, half dreading I’d find Athena waiting for me.