she mutters, and my scorching glare has Andre popping into action. He leans in close to the numpty, turning his charm up. After a few giggles, she’s finally clicking buttons on the mobile and putting the call through to whomever the fuck she needs to speak to.
“Oh,” she comments into the receiver, glancing at me briefly as if she knows something I shouldn’t. This is going over just peachy. I’m positively enthralled with the bullshit. She repeats herself a few times, including the random look in my direction before she eventually hangs up. She informs Andre, “It appears that their office is swamped and they won’t be letting any new clients up today. You’ll have to schedule an appointment with their office and return another time.”
I growl, the warning sound vibrating deep in my chest, and yank my mobile out. I have my men on the phone in the next blink. “Get her down here now, before I light this bloody place up. I don’t give a flying fuck if you have to drag her stubborn arse to the lift. You make it happen, now.”
My attention flicks back to the mousy woman with a chip on her shoulder. “Do ya have any idea who the fuck I am? You’ve pissed me right off and, newsflash, I could kill you right here and have your body hidden before the authorities arrived. You’d be here and gone and no one would ever know, nor care,” I threaten, and she pales.
I step away as Andre swoops in, attempting damage control.
Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.
– German Proverb
The lift dings, making my head fly up from my mobile. The doors slide open, revealing my lovely bride-to-be. She’s a sight to behold. The two fellas I’d assigned to her safety this morning drag her out into the lobby area with them.
“I hate you!” she belts viciously as soon as we make eye contact. I laugh loudly at her tone along with the sight of her bright-red neck, flushed with anger. She reminds me of a furious kitten, claws out ready to do damage.
“I’ll never tire of hearing that, darling. I was simply stopping in so we could grab a bite to eat. Your safety is in jeopardy, and I’m here to see you are fed and left alive for me to torment later. Ever the polite chap, I am. Now give me a bit of a break.”
She huffs, fighting her way out of the blokes’ grips to dramatically stomp in my direction. She pauses directly in front of me, her hand sailing out to connect with my cheek. She slaps the bloody shit out of me, leaving my flesh stinging in her wake. “How dare you show up here and drag me out of work. I was in a meeting, for heaven’s sake! Give you a break? Not in your lifetime!”
The guy off to her left pipes up, spoiling her ruse. “She was on social media, bitching that you don’t have any profiles for her to check. She hasn’t had any meeting yet today.”
My lips tip up into a pleased smirk and I’m back to feeling a bit cocky over myself. I snicker, “You were searching for me? Tsk, tsk, lovey. Color me intrigued you’ve Googled me.”
“Only because I had nothing better to do.”
“Sure, darling. If that’s how you want to play it. Shall we? I’m parched.” I hold my elbow out to her.
“I don’t have a coat on, wise guy. I’m not going out there in only a dress, it’s too chilly.”
“Good thing the car’s right out front then. I’ll have no issue warming you, shall you need it.”
“What? How? You’ll get towed.”
My smirk morphs into a smug smile. “I’m Max Macintosh, lovey. Anyone towing my car would get their jugular removed in their sleep.”
“Oh Lord. Let’s just go next door. It’s close and I don’t want to anger the partners here any further than the little show your guys just put on upstairs. They’re already losing patience with me being late and having new security all the time. I’ll be getting my walking papers before I know it if I don’t get it together. I refuse to lose my job because of you, Brit boy.”
“I could take care of them if you’d like? Say the words and it’s done. You can run the place if you want,” I offer with a casual shrug.
She tucks her hand in the crook of my elbow and gapes at me. “You shouldn’t joke like that.