Chapter Seven
Chapter 7
DECLAN
I’M SITTING AT THE END of the long tan conference table. There’s a stunning ocean view behind me, visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel’s executive boardroom. The sun is setting, filling the sky with orange and pink, but as much as I’d like to appreciate the beauty, business comes first.
Halliwell and his team flew out this morning, so Davis is standing across the room giving our pitch. Back straight, shoulders square, he’s every bit the cool, confident businessman. Though he’s overly tan, in my opinion—he was out at the beach last weekend with his family and got sunburned. It has darkened since then into a deep golden hue, highlighting his cheekbones.
Every eye is on him. He just has one of those voices that captures attention—I often tell him he should’ve become a voice actor, skipping his MBA in favor of going into entertainment. But then he wouldn’t be my VP.
He’s so persuasive as he outlines the benefits of a partnership with our company that even I start nodding my head, completely sold.
I glance around. The hotel group’s CEO, Halliwell, sits at the head of the table, flanked by his board members. Some look intrigued, leaning forward and jotting notes. Others look skeptical, their expressions guarded.
We’ll find out in a few minutes if our months of schmoozing these men were worth it.
Amelia, our head of product development, is beside me. Her sleek black hair is styled in a professional bun, and her eyes are focused on Davis. She nudges my elbow, then gives me a thumbs up under the table.
I lean closer to whisper, “Let’s hope.”
She smiles and then turns her attention back to Davis, ready to field any technical questions the hotel group might have once the presentation ends. She’s one of the sharpest minds on my team, and I’m glad to have her here.
Davis clicks to the final slide, a summary of our proposal. “Any questions?”
The room is quiet for a moment. Then Halliwell leans back in his leather chair. He’s a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair and a grin that irritates me—his teeth are too unnaturally bleach-white.
“Impressive,” he says, his dark eyes sliding from Davis to me. “Your technology beats what we currently use.”
I incline my head slightly, acknowledging the compliment but not returning his smile. Every time I interact with this guy, he rubs me the wrong way. He flirts with female staff no matter where we are. He’s boisterous, disturbing others around him. And today, his gaze keeps drifting to Amelia, lingering just a little too long to be professional.
I lean forward, my broad shoulders blocking his view of Amelia, and try to get his focus only on me. “We’re happy to clarify any points or provide additional information,” I say, my tone level. “Our team is at your disposal.”
Halliwell nods, then he leans further back in his chair, the hinges squeaking. He’s not looking at me anymore. He’s staring openly at Amelia, smirking. “I do have one question,” he says. “For Ms. Chen, was it?”
Amelia straightens, her expression neutral, but I can see the discomfort in her eyes from the sleazy way Halliwell said her name. “Yes. How can I help?”
Halliwell folds his hands in his lap, his gold Rolex glinting under the boardroom lights. “I was wondering if you’d like to join us for a celebratory dinner tonight. I think we will be signing with NexaProtect, and I’d like to thoroughly go over the technical aspects of your proposal.” He glances at his watch. “But it is running late and I’m starving. Davis, Declan, Amelia…you should all join me for dinner.” His smile widens, showing too many teeth as his eyes dip to Amelia’s chest for a second.
A hot spark ignites in my chest, my jaw clenching so hard my teeth ache. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Davis shoot me a warning look not to blow this.
I’m trying. I do my best to keep my cool, taking a deep breath and hoping to end this meeting quickly so we can start moving forward with this strategic partnership. The hotel group would bring in a lot of cash for my company and help with our expansion plans; I’m really trying to grit my way through dealing with this lecherous fucker for the sake of my hardworking employees.
I clear my throat, keeping my tone flat and emotionless. “We appreciate your offer, but we’ll have to decline. Perhaps we can address any questions you may have now. We’re happy to go over the technology again, so you feel fully informed before signing any contracts.”
Halliwell thinks for a second, smoothing a hand over his oily brown hair. His shoulders drop, and he sighs as if I inconvenienced him. “I suppose. Ms. Chen, would you please go over how your system integrates with our existing network again? I’d like to understand more about the potential downtime when we switch over.”
Amelia glances at me, and I nod. I’m relieved the asshole is finally focusing on business so we can finish this meeting and get the hell out of here. Crossing my arms, I relax into my chair as Amelia gathers a few papers and then stands.
As she walks toward the front of the room to use the laptop and go over a few slides, she passes by Halliwell. The bastard tries to move quickly, but he’s not quick enough—I see his hand dart out, grazing Amelia’s thigh, his fingers brushing against the hem of her skirt and lifting it half an inch.
Amelia inhales slightly, but she keeps walking, maintaining her composure. She’s probably thinking she imagined it or accidentally brushed against the side of an armrest.
But I had a ringside view and know it was Halliwell. And that’s the final fucking straw.
I’m on my feet in an instant, my chair scraping loudly against the polished floor. In two swift strides, I’m behind the CEO. Gripping the back of his expensive leather chair, I yank it away from the table, nearly tipping him out of it. He gasps.
Then I spin his chair to face me. I lean down, caging him in as my hands grip the sides of the chair. His eyes are wide as they meet my icy expression.
“My team is here in a professional capacity,” I bite out, my voice low and dangerous, “and I expect them to be treated with respect. So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to face Ms. Chen, lower your head, and apologize for invading her personal space. Then you’re going to apologize to me and the rest of my team for wasting months of our valuable time. There’s no way in hell we’re partnering with a scumbag like you.”
His initial shock quickly turns to outrage, his face flushing an ugly shade of red. His nostrils flare as he opens his mouth, no doubt ready to spit some indignant retort back at me.
But I don’t give him the chance.
“Let me remind you,” I say, cutting him off. I lean in so only he can hear. “My team learned a lot about your company during our thorough audits. Unless you want the feds on your back for the piss-poor way you’re handling customer data, I suggest you keep your mouth shut and follow directions.”
When I straighten, I take him with me, fisting his shirt and yanking him to his feet. Everyone in the room is staring at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. Well, except for Davis. He’s frowning and shaking his head because he’s seen me throw business deals out the window before.
I never do it without a good reason.
A tense silence follows my words. Halliwell’s face flushes an even deeper shade of red, his mouth pressing into a thin line. For a moment, I think he might argue, might try to assert his authority or bullshit me. But he faces Amelia and bows.
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, Ms. Chen,” he bites out, the words sounding like they’re being pulled from him against his will. He turns to the rest of my team. “My apologies. I meant no disrespect. Perhaps we should table this discussion, give my board and I some time to review your proposal in—”
“No, we’re done,” I say. I nod at my team, signaling for them to pack up. “Gather your things. We’re leaving.”
“Mr. Conte, you’re being completely—”
“What? Sensible in expecting a business meeting to be about business? You don’t get to harass my employees simply because you have wealth.” I button my suit jacket with a sharp tug, smoothing down the expensive fabric. “Since this is the way you conduct business, I don’t believe a partnership between our companies would be productive. You would only tarnish my company’s reputation. We’ll take our proposal elsewhere. Perhaps to your biggest competitor.”
My team is quick to follow my lead, packing up their laptops and folders while the hotel board members start whisper-yelling at their CEO.
I lead the way out of the suffocating boardroom, Davis, Amelia, and my three other employees falling into step behind me.
In the hallway, Amelia touches my arm. “Declan,” she says softly. “You didn’t have to do that. I can handle a little unwanted attention.”
“I know you can. But at work, you shouldn’t have to.” I jab my chin toward the room we left. “Besides, that asshole was a pain. It’s better none of us have to deal with him again.”
She smiles. “Well, thank you. I appreciate you standing up for me.”
I nod, then glance at Davis. He’s giving me that look, the one that says, “I can’t believe you acted like a caveman again.”
I smirk, cocking my head at him like a curious dog. “Something to say?”
“Quite a lot, but nothing that’ll matter now.”
We all ride the elevator down in silence. When we reach the lobby, Davis and I wave goodbye to our team, watching them disappear out the entrance. The two of us linger in the hotel lobby.
Davis finally sighs, like he’s trying to clear all the air from his lungs. “I know the guy was an ass, but that partnership was a big deal. You sure it was wise to walk away?”
I run a hand through my dense hair, feeling less certain now that the adrenaline is wearing off. “I don’t know,” I admit. “But I won’t do business with someone who doesn’t respect our team. His behavior was a red flag. Even if we closed the deal, he’d be a nightmare to work with long-term.”
Davis adjusts the satchel strap over his large shoulder. “I guess.” His eyes scan the people in the lobby, all dressed in business attire. “Any ideas about what partnership to go after now?”
“I’m sure you’ll figure out some prospects.”
He walks toward the exit with a knowing smirk. “So you ruined the pitch, yet I have to pick up the pieces?”
“It’s what I pay you for,” I say, following.
He laughs, walking through a glass door that I hold open for him. “Pay me? I own thirty percent of the company as one of the founding members.”
“I’m still the majority shareholder.”
“True. But how important is that really, when you consider that NexaProtect would fall apart without me?”
Outside, I stuff my hands in my pockets. “You’re right about that.”
“Damn right I am.”
I pause on the sidewalk as I wrestle with my thoughts. The workday is over, and my employees are all heading home to their families. But for me, whether I go home or not, I’ll just find more work to bury myself in, sifting through emails and documents late into the night to avoid the oppressive silence of my empty house.
Davis pauses beside me, giving me a curious look. If he’s free, maybe we could grab a drink. I need distraction from the thoughts that never seem to leave me alone. Or I could text one of the women I casually date. Martina has been trying to meet up since I haven’t seen her in over a month.
But no, I’d rather hang out with Davis tonight. I haven’t had the heart for hookups lately, haven’t been able to muster the energy to pretend they make me happy.
“Your wife and kids still out of town?” I ask Davis.
He studies me, then ignores my question. “You’ve been…off these past few weeks. Anything on your mind? Anything about…”
He stops short of saying her name, and I’m grateful. It’s too painful to hear, even after all this time. She’s simply an enigma from my past. My ghost. A fleeting reminder of a happier time in my life before everything fell apart.
I level my shoulders. “There’s a lot on my mind, but nothing I can put into words. Thanks for asking, though.”
He pats my back. “Well, if you can put it into words, I’m happy to listen.”
“I know. Things would definitely fall apart without you, me included.”
“Good to know I’m so appreciated,” he says with a cocky grin, making me regret giving him a compliment. “And I am still flying solo. They’ll be in Oregon visiting Betty’s parents for a few more days. Happy hour?”
I nod, relief washing over me. A drink with a friend, a chance to forget, even if just for a little while—I need that. I follow him to the curb, pulling out my phone to call a car.
But as I do, it starts to ring. “Hold on,” I mutter to Davis, glancing at the screen.
My body goes rigid. I blink and stare, not sure I’m seeing correctly. The caller ID reads: Mystery Woman .
It’s been weeks of silence between us, ever since she asked me to stop messaging. I respected her wishes, as much as it pained me. Now suddenly a call?
Part of me wants to ignore her, to press decline and continue on with my night. But something stops me, a tug in my gut that I can’t explain.
She’s never called, so something feels wrong.
Stepping into an alley where there’s less noise, I answer with a clipped “Hi.”
“Hi,” she replies, her voice so frail the tiniest wind might break it.
Silence stretches between us, heavy and thick. I wait, but she doesn’t continue.
“You called me,” I finally bite out. I don’t know what to think of this woman. She draws me in, then pushes me away. And I’m conflicted about my own cravings to know her when I don’t want attachments.
I thought everything was done, yet now she’s pulling me back in.
“Yeah,” she says, her breath coming a little too fast. “Is, um…Are you still going to Hawaii?”
I clench my jaw, the muscles pulsing under my skin. This is a game to her, isn’t it? “Yes. The conference is next week.”
I hear her exhale. “Okay. Well, I’d like to take you up on your offer.”
I lean against the rough brick wall of the alley, my eyes falling to a dried puddle of vomit at my feet. I’m at a complete loss. What is this? Push, pull; hot, cold. What is with this woman? She clearly doesn’t know what she wants, and I’m letting myself get dragged into it.
I’m silent so long that she asks, “Um…You still there?” Her voice is shaky, unstable. Almost on the verge of tears.
I clench my hand, rubbing my thumb along my knuckles. If this were any other woman, if her voice held any other tone…I would hang up. But there’s something there, a desperate edge that nags at me.
I’m not the kind of man who can turn away when a woman sounds like she’s in trouble.
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to soften my tone. “It’s strange, isn’t it? That you told me to stop messaging, yet now you want to hop on a jet with me to Hawaii.”
“I-I know. It’s, um, I’ve just been thinking about what you said. Maybe you’re right, we could explore our chemistry and…” Her voice breaks with a heavy breath. It’s the sound of someone fighting back tears. I hear a faint sniffle.
My senses immediately heighten. She really better not be playing a game because my protector instincts are kicking in. “What’s wrong?”
“I-I’m sorry. Why did I even call you? This is…I’m sorry.” The line goes dead.
I groan. God dammit. I’m caught in her web again, but I’m too concerned to care. I hit redial, my foot tapping on the concrete as I listen to the ringing.
She picks up and I say, “Don’t hang up on me again. Now, what’s wrong?”
“I…I’ve just been under a lot of stress from…work. School. I actually don’t know if I want to, um, explore anything with you. Sorry for saying that.” Her breath hitches, the sound making my chest tighten. “I just…need to escape the city as soon as possible. For, um…to just get a break. Mental health reasons, you know? I’m asking a lot and we don’t know each other. I know that. I’m sorry. You just offered and…I really need to leave. Please.”
Mental health reasons?
Escape?
Her voice is dripping in desperation. I can tell she’s at a breaking point, and it pulls a memory to the surface. I can hear the pleas from the woman who still haunts the house we picked out together.
“What am I turning into? Please, stop me. You have to get me help, Declan. Please, you have to!”
Mystery Woman’s request has me too raw. My muscles tense in preparation to fight whatever’s distressing her this much. There’s no way I can say anything except, “We’ll leave tonight. I’ll text you the address to the private airport. Meet me there at seven thirty.”
“Thank you. Thank you, Declan.” The relief in her tone is so profound it makes my chest swell.
I also like the sound of my name on her lips. Too much.
“Sure,” I tell her.
I don’t know what else to say, so I end the call.
My next thought is: What the fuck am I doing?
This woman won’t even give me her name, show me her face, and she doesn’t want me to know much about her. She also seems confused about what she does want, which is a mutual feeling.
Two confused, guarded people don’t work well together.
But even as the doubts cloud my head, I won’t back out. Not when she sounded so nervous and desperate.
I have to remind myself, though, that I’ve been tricked before.
“Please, Declan. I just need you. Get me out of here. I promise I’m okay now.”
I shake off the whispers from my ghost and walk out of the alley. I have calls to make, especially to Sean and Jeremy, so they can accompany me.
First, I need to tell Davis that happy hour will have to wait; there’s a mystery woman in my life I can’t seem to walk away from.