We’re enormously grateful for your dedication, hard work, and loyalty. Without you all, our company wouldn’t be the thriving entity that it is.”
I held up my glass of scotch. “Enjoy the break with your family and friends. I look forward to working with you all in the New Year and ensuring ROGUES continues to flourish. To your health and happiness. Oh, and one more thing before I go… the free bar will remain open until the last person leaves.”
A huge cheer went up around the room. I grinned and stepped down, bumping straight into Elliot.
“Thank fuck you like doing that shit and you’re good at it.”
“Gee, thanks,” I drawled. “That almost sounded like a compliment.”
Elliot grinned. “Hey, have you seen Athena?”
My pulse juddered, but I kept my expression smooth and nonchalant. “Not recently.”
“Hmm.” Elliot glanced around. “I haven’t seen her all evening, apart from when she first arrived.”
“Seen who?” Oliver asked, joining us.
“Athena. I’m worried that I haven’t seen her for a while.”
“Oh.” Oliver’s gaze briefly caught mine, and a silent understanding passed between us. “I saw her a few minutes ago with that guy she came with and a few of the girls from the sales department. She’s fine, Elliot. Let her be.”
“I’m allowed to worry,” Elliot said, looking more than a little put out.
“She’s twenty-four, not a child,” Oliver scoffed. “Jeez, go find Brie and stick your tongue down her throat instead of bugging Athena. I’m surprised the girl can breathe. No wonder she fucked off for six months.”
Elliot’s jaw tightened. “Wait until Annie hits puberty. Then you’ll understand.”
“Annie is my seven-year-old daughter. Athena is your adult sister. There’s more than a slight difference, don’t you think? Jesus, Elliot, I know you’re protective of her because of what your abusive asshole of a father put you both through, but your controlling behavior is over the top. If Athena wants to fuck half the room, it’s her prerogative.”
The only person Athena is fucking is me… if I can ever get the hell out of here.
Elliot’s gaze fell on me. “Is that what you think, too?”
“That you’re over-protective of Athena?”
He nodded. I shrugged.
“Sometimes, yeah. I get it, El, but like Oliver said, she’s a grown woman. She needs to be allowed to spread her wings.”
I sensed an opportunity to throw him off the scent. Not that I thought for one second he had a clue what my plans entailed, but still…
“Maybe if you let her fall occasionally, she wouldn’t be so spoiled.”
Elliot chuckled. “You and Athena have never gotten along.”
Oliver’s eyebrows shot up, but fortunately, Elliot attention was still on me.
“That’s because she acts like a child which, my dear friend, could be because you treat her like one.”
Elliot smiled good-naturedly. “Don’t hold back, buddy.”
I clapped him on the back. “Go find Brie and leave Athena with her friends. She’ll hardly want you cramping her style, especially as she’s probably trying to use the party to fit in with her coworkers.”
“Fair point,” Elliot said. “Okay, sold. I’m off to get some. See you girls later.”
He disappeared into the crowds.
“I owe you one,” I said to Oliver, knocking back the rest of my drink.
“I hope it works out,” Oliver said. “Otherwise he’s gonna kill you.” He laughed and winked.
“He’s probably going to kill me anyway. But I’m tired of denying my feelings.” I held out my hand. Oliver shook it. “If he asks…”
“I’ll cover for you. Now go.”
I skirted around the edge of the dance floor, scanning the room to check for Elliot’s whereabouts. Good. He had his tongue in Brienna’s ear, far too busy to notice I’d left.
I jogged down the steps to my waiting car and slipped inside. We eased into the stream of traffic. My penthouse wasn’t far from the event hotel, and ten minutes later, the car turned into the underground car park.
“Will you need me again this evening, Mr. Stone?”
“No, thank you, Darren. See you tomorrow.”
After closing the car door, I strode over to the private elevator and punched in the code, mulling over the fact that Athena would now know the code I gave her was her birthdate. Surely that would send a message to her of my true feelings, even if I had spent seven years battling to ignore them.
It didn’t take long to ride up to my penthouse, but by the time I got there, my heart rate had doubled, and my entire body tingled with anticipation. Talk about the seven-year itch. Well, I was about to scratch it, and fuck the consequences.
I