41. Meg
41
MEG
H e walked into Roman’s office, confidence rolling off him in waves. And good lord, looking so unbelievably delectable. He was in a casual suit, his injuries so a thing of the past, and suddenly all I could think about was how much trouble I was in.
Getting my first look in three days at this man without his bruises, my hormones staged a full-scale meltdown, begging to surrender, waving the white flag, screaming for the lust attacks to stop.
Then the sanctimonious bastard had the balls to look me up and down like I was a freshly roasted chicken, and he was a man who hadn’t eaten in a week. Make that a month.
It also did nothing to douse the flames licking between my throbbing thighs.
I had never been more turned on or more aware of another person's presence in my entire life. The way his lips pursed when he found something slightly amusing, the way his long fingers lazily combed through his black hair, and the way those azure eyes lingered, drinking in their view.
Of course, the whole misunderstanding about who had reservations about working with whom took me by surprise. But it felt more like the truth was being bent into a convenient excuse.
Or maybe it was just my Italian blood, too proud to let go and surrender like a good girl.
I couldn’t wait to cry on BB’s shoulder. He’d make me feel better without probing for details. After all, how did I tell him about the mess I found myself in? Especially now that I knew Byron might not be the bastard I’d made him out to be.
“So, this is the hotel… Castle Rock,” Roman said as a pic appeared on the big screen.
And what an incredible place it was. All alone, miles of emptiness surrounding it, perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean with a 180-degree view.
“Wow,” I said. “Hopefully, you don’t plan on tearing it down, it’s gorgeous.”
Roman’s face softened, like he was reliving a memory. “That was the initial plan, but since it’s been declared a historical landmark, we can’t really touch the original structure. It was Isabel who came up with the idea to simply build around the existing hotel and keep the integrity of the place.”
At the mention of Isabel’s name, an unmistakable shift rippled through the room, as though a shadow had slipped in unnoticed, drawing the light away.
The silence stretched out for what felt like an eternity before the next slide appeared on the screen, showing a render of the updated architectural design.
Roman continued. “So now we’re adding sleek new wings to the sides, creating modern amenities while respecting the charm of the original building. The entire project will blend history with innovation.”
His eyes locked with mine. “Meg, you’re on zoning contracts, real estate, and all the builder agreements. Byron, you’ll handle the investors and secure that extra funding. In other words, you two will be glued at the hip. Will you be fine working together?”
“I don’t see why not,” I said. “I’ve handled more difficult personalities than you can shake a stick at. I’m not the problem here.”
Byron stared at me with the fake patience of a saint. “Difficult people? Did we not just agree it was a misunderstanding?”
I flashed him an amused grin. “No, you told me it was a misunderstanding. I’m still trying to figure out if I should believe you. I’ll let you know when I decide.”
Byron pursed that gorgeous mouth of his, clearly trying to make up his mind if he should take the bait or not.
Roman, sensing the tension, cleared his throat. “This project will under no circumstances be jeopardized because you two can’t handle yourselves professionally,” he said, his tone a dire warning. “Are you going to have a problem working together, or not?”
“It will be fine,” I said, heat rushing through me in a slow burn at the thought of working with Byron, side by side.
Byron let out a cool sigh. “I second that,” he said, a sly little smile tugging at his lips.
“Good,” Roman said. “We have a lot to sort through. I’ll send all the info you need in an email. And also, it would be good if the two of you could visit the place in the next few days and get a feel for the project. There are a couple of caretakers keeping things in check, but the place is not operational, and it’s been shut down to the public. I suggest you make it a day trip because you won’t be able to stay overnight.”
He looked up at Byron. “If I could have a minute alone with Meg, please.”
“Sure thing,” Byron said as he got up and sauntered toward the door. “See you later, Megan.”
Megan.
Ask me how I managed to resist watching him stroll away, each step a temptation I could almost taste, and I’ll tell you it took the strength of a thousand wild horses to tear my eyes from Byron and fix them on Roman.
He waited until we were alone. “Was the twenty-five thousand dollars from the Amex card for Isabel?” Roman asked.
Damnit, I knew there was an ulterior motive behind him giving me the card. I let out a sigh. “Yup, and since you’re spying on my spending, the next ten thousand is going for a new roof over my parents’ house. And I’m looking at quotes for getting their house painted too. I’ll pay the money back when I can.”
“I wasn’t spying, Meg. I’m worried about Isabel, and I want her to be okay.”
“Roman, I know you have the means to find her, but it wouldn’t be a good idea. Don’t scare her or give her any reason to leave where she is. She's okay there. It’s the safest place for her to be.”
He nodded, and I knew he understood. But what got me was watching this powerful man, barely holding it together, his torment a living, breathing hell.
For a moment, I was tempted to tell him about The King of Pentacles , the tarot card that predicted the happy ending for him and Isabel. But I didn’t. It was for Roman to figure out what he was going to do.
I made my way to the door. “I’m going to love working on the Castle Rock project. Thank you for the opportunity.”
“Of course,” he said. “And Meg, that Amex card is yours to do what you want. Don’t even think of paying any of it back. I’ll get Andy to put more money in.”
Before I could even get the words out to thank him, he was already on the phone, talking to Andy about the next meeting. And I realized, doing business was the only way Roman knew how to cope with his grief.