Chapter 20
We spend the rest of the week focused mainly on work. The last-minute gala prep has me scrambling to complete my tasks. Owen and I barely see each other, his meetings keeping him away as well.
Our early morning sparring sessions are nothing more than that, though they are the only thing keeping us both sane.
Owen doesn’t try to kiss me again. He barely touches me, only hitting me when needed during our gym sessions.
I can’t tell if I’m grateful or angry about it.
Neither of us has mentioned what happened, and suddenly I’m questioning the whole thing.
Gray and Noah both come up empty-handed on information regarding who is targeting Owen, which doesn’t help my frustration.
We’re getting no closer to finding out what is going on, or to finding the evidence I’m supposed to be searching for.
Declan has been nothing but persistent about it every night.
I keep deflecting, but I don’t know how much longer I will be able to.
My dreams are becoming more vivid but no less confusing.
I wake every morning drenched in sweat and shaking from head to toe.
The whole incident was a setup, that much is clear.
But a setup for who? Was it specifically to attack someone at the market?
Me? Someone else? Was it a drug deal gone wrong?
Or was it a decoy? A way to keep eyes off of what was really going on?
The latter keeps my brain occupied for hours. There were at least twenty shooters stationed throughout the market. They waited until my target got almost all the way out before they started shooting. The bullets were aimed mainly in my direction.
What was around me? I can’t quite seem to remember. There was a clothing vendor, a food vendor, and a jewelry vendor. But what was in the building behind them? The building that was also my rendezvous spot and escape route?
“What the fuck, Owen?”
Noell’s angry voice pulls me from my thoughts. Owen’s CFO marches across the office and slams her hands on his desk.
Owen casually looks up as though this isn’t the first time this interaction has occurred.
“You’re sinking the company. You lost yet another client.”
“I’m weeding out the bad ones, Noell. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Not my business?”
I flinch.
Owen sighs. “Noell, I informed you of my plans when I took over this company. You knew what I was planning to do. I gave you the option to leave with a considerable sum of money. You declined.”
“I didn’t realize that when you said you were going to weed out the clients that were less than savory, you were going to weed out every single one.”
Owen shrugs. “Neither did I, but I won’t have this company representing anything but what the name suggests.”
Noell grabs a piece of paper, balls it up, and actually throws it at Owen’s head.
I stifle a laugh.
Owen has the nerve to smile at her. “I will give you the choice a second time, if you want it. You can leave with the same offer I gave you when my father handed me the company. If you decide to stay, all I ask is that you trust me. The company will lose a significant amount of money, but it won’t be permanent. I promise you that.”
Noell takes a deep breath. “Owen, I don’t know what you’re doing.
No one does. You keep saying you’re turning the company around, making it a better place to work, making it live up to its name.
However, I don’t see how you can do that without profit.
You cannot float the staff we have by losing this much money.
You either have to let people go, or you need to cut some of your charities. ”
“No,” Owen growls as he stands. “No one touches the charities, and no one loses their job.”
Noell shakes her head. “You have one year, Owen, before this company needs to file for bankruptcy. I certainly hope you have a plan.”
With that, she turns and stalks out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
She doesn’t so much as look at me.
I stare at the door long after she’s gone.
Owen’s voice pulls me out of my stupor. “It’s 5 pm on a Friday, Miss Riley. Shouldn’t you be heading home?”
I glance at him, wondering if he’ll say anything about what happened, but when he only looks at me, I answer, “I’m almost done with gala prep, then I’ll head home.”
We haven’t mentioned the gala tomorrow. It is my unofficial last day, and I don’t think either of us has wanted to broach the subject.
I still haven’t told Declan about it, hoping Gray or Noah or I would have found something by now.
But as the days ticked by, the knot in my stomach grew.
I’m no closer to finding the answers to any of it.
“You bringing a date?” Owen asks, the words suspiciously too calm, and I cannot help but smile.
“Yes,” I respond, pretending to type something on my computer.
Before I know it, he’s standing in front of my desk, peering down at me.
“Anyone I know?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m taking Jax.”
Owen visibly relaxes, and I almost laugh.
“Tell him to bring Evan, too. I’ll put him on the list.”
“You mean, you’ll have me put him on the list?”
“Right.”
I roll my eyes and stand, still staring up into his green eyes. “And your date, Mr. Mills? It says ‘plus one’ here.”
Owen looks away and runs a hand through his black hair. “Evan can be my date.”
An unexpected laugh escapes me. “He’ll be thrilled when I tell him.”
This time, Owen rolls his eyes. “I like him. He’d be an excellent date.”
“No doubt, Mr. Mills. You will certainly turn heads with Evan on your arm.”
Owen nods. “You can take my guest off the list. Add Evan to yours.”
“If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure. Then go home, Miss Riley. The gala will be great. Everything’s been set up.” He throws a bag over his shoulder and heads for the door.
“You’re actually going home?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.
Owen turns and faces me with a smile. “Contrary to what you might believe, I do actually love my home.”
“I never said you didn’t. You usually go out on Fridays.”
Owen shrugs. “People can change, Miss Riley.”
Then he’s gone, his personal security trailing behind him.