phones. I took advantage of Reagan’s manipulative personality and I’m not sorry for it.” I shrugged a shoulder. “I’m sorry I’ll be getting fired, but I don’t regret the experience I gained.”
Mr. Cavanaugh cocked his head and he regarded me silently for what seemed like eons. Just when he was about to speak, the conference room door opened, and a female voice said, “I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Cavanaugh, but Mr. Evans is here and would like to speak with you.” Even though there were a million Mr. Evans in the world, my heart skipped a beat at hearing that name.
It was silly, after all this time, but I couldn’t help it. I suspected Gage’s name will always garner a reaction out of me, no matter how much time has passed.
“Thank you, Pat-” Mr. Cavanaugh stopped mid-sentence and the look on his face became positively calculating. “You know, Patty, please show Mr. Evans in. Ms. Anderson is going to take point on a joint project between CI and SFH.”
My eyes widened as Patty shut the door and Mr. Cavanaugh addressed me, “You think you’re so smart, Ms. Anderson? You think you have what it takes? Well, this is your one chance to prove it.”
Before I could ask him if he were crazy, the door to the conference room opened, and a voice I would recognize on my death bed said, “Lorcan, thanks for making the time.”
I sat frozen as my boss stood up, a smile in his voice. “Gage.”
I stared at my lap as the men shook hands and prayed this wasn’t happening. I had known Gage had gone onto to do great things with his finance company. There was no way to work in the industry and not have heard of Gage Evans, but I had worked very hard to avoid anything that was Gage Evans related. I had avoided social medias, anything financial related, and just damn near everything world news.
And, now, he was here.
“Gage, let me introduce you to the woman who is going to work on the Darwin project with your team,” Mr. Cavanaugh said, and I knew my time was up.
I wiped my hands on my skirt and stood up to face Gage Evans, after leaving him ten years ago.
The second my face lifted to his, I knew this was a mistake.
Hate never looked so beautiful.
Chapter 22
Gage~
At first, I thought this had to be a joke. But then I remembered that, while Lorcan knew all about Mystic and the havoc she had caused me, I had never told him her name. He knew I had been broken by the female species at a young age, but I had. Never. Told. Him. Her. Name. She had been just ‘that girl’ because I had hated saying her name. I still did.
I stood there, fuming, among a million other emotions, as Lorcan did the introductions.
“Gage Evans, I’d like you to meet Mystic Anderson,” he said, completely unaware of the fire shooting out of my eyes and the wariness in her still fucking beautiful brown eyes. “Ms. Anderson, I’d like you to meet Gage Evans of Stymic Financial Holdings.”
Neither of us spoked. Not sure why Mystic was mute, but I kept my mouth shut and my hand from stretching out in a handshake just to torture her. It was that or grab her by her fucking hair and drag her out of the building, demanding answers and handing over a punishment that spanned ten fucking years.
Lorcan didn’t make it to where he was by being a stupid man, so when neither of us made a move to shake hands, he immediately picked up on the awkwardness. He glanced at Mystic and then me, and since we were behind closed doors, he felt comfortable shedding his professionalism.
Looking at me, he said, “What the hell’s going on?”
My lip curled up into a snarl of its own accord. “We’ve met,” I bit out. “As a matter of fact, we went to high school together.”
Two seconds was all it took for Lorcan to connect the dots, and not that he owed me an explanation, but he said, “I didn’t know, man.”
Mystic stood there, pale and trembling, but I didn’t give a fuck. She hadn’t cared how bailing on me, all those years ago, had made me feel, so I couldn’t give two fucks if she were uncomfortable now. But most of all, I hated that she had aged well. I was bitter enough to have hoped that she had been run into