Chapter 29 Asher #2
I notice people at the entrance of the hallway stop to look at us.
They won’t be regular people like the crowd outside, they’ll be people affiliated with the film or guests, but I still don’t like their presence.
I don’t want them wondering what we’re doing alone, pressed against the wall of the empty hallway while everyone else files into the theater.
I don’t need any more bad press about Ella and me.
So I take matters into my own hands.
I crash my lips against Ella’s. She lets out a small sound of surprise before placing her hands on my chest, and I move my hands from the wall to grip her waist. I feel her start to push me away, but I growl against her lips, then I move my mouth to just below her ear.
“There are people watching us, behave.”
Her hands stop pushing against my chest, and instead move up to my shoulders.
“Are they gone?” she asks a moment later.
“Not yet. But we’re also not done.”
“Yes, we are.”
“No, we’re not. You don’t get to flirt with other men, Ella.” I give her earlobe a nip. “And you certainly don’t get to do it in front of me.”
“What’s the big problem, anyway? The last time we went out, you wouldn’t even look at me. It’s not as if you suddenly care.”
She skirts away and moves to the center of the hallway. She notices the people who keep shooting glances our way, and she looks back at me, giving me a fake-for-the-sake-of-the-people-watching-us smile and holds out her hand.
“This isn’t over,” I say as I take her hand and walk with her back into the theater’s main lobby.
Sitting through the film is a test of all my fucking patience. For two reasons. One, the film is not great. I hope Drew finds a better screenwriter for the next one, if there is a next one, because the film is cheesy and predictable. And two, because of the woman beside me.
Ella’s legs are crossed, and that damn slit in her dress leaves her leg entirely exposed.
And this stupid movie is not captivating enough to keep my attention off that bare fucking thigh right next to me.
I’m inordinately pissed that I both want her and view her as mine, all while knowing I can’t have her and that she’s not really mine.
I hate the feeling.
And if this was real, would she have flirted with Jared? Or was that only an option for her because we’re not in a real relationship? Ella’s indifference toward me and her ability to interact and charm everyone else is pissing me off.
I run my hand over her knee, and since she’s mastered the art of being wholly unaffected by me tonight, she doesn’t even acknowledge the touch. I grind my teeth.
No one on the outside would recognize that she’s mostly ignoring me, but she is, and I’ve had enough. I don’t even know what I’m doing. It’s not like I can take her and fuck her right here in the theater. But I hate being ignored.
I run my hand up her thigh. Now she flinches slightly and looks at me.
Good.
“What are you doing?” she whispers, her eyes narrowed.
“You’re ignoring me.”
“I’m watching the movie,” she hisses.
“This movie is stupid.”
“And so is this conversation.”
She turns back to the screen.
I lean close to her. “I want to go.”
“The movie isn’t over yet.”
“I don’t care about the movie.”
“Well I do, and it would make a huge scene if we left now. We’ve hopefully had nothing but good press tonight, and we’re not going to throw that away because you’re acting like a toddler who can’t sit through a movie.”
“Is that all you care about? Good press?”
“It’s literally my job to care about it, Asher.”
A few curious glances look our way. I drop the conversation and run my hand up her leg, holding onto her inner thigh.
I run my thumb along her skin and take some deep breaths.
After a moment, I feel calmer. But then I’m annoyed with myself for that.
Because I know what’s calming me, and it isn’t my breathing.
It’s the feel of her skin beneath my palm.
It’s touching her where no one else gets to touch her.
It’s knowing that she’s coming home to my penthouse, and even though I’m headed to London after this, the idea of her in my home comforts me.
The knowledge that when I return from London, I won’t be returning to my penthouse to be alone, as I’ve always done, calms me. It shouldn’t. But it does.
I’ve been unsuccessful all night at staying unaffected by Ella’s draw.
I want her, there’s no fucking denying it.
But it’s driving me crazy because it’s not just sexual.
Of course I want her that way, she’s a goddamn siren.
But it’s more than that. I want her attention, I want to know her thoughts, and I want the comfort of her presence to be real and not a show for the cameras.
I want it. I can’t have it. I’ve made it clear to Ella that it can’t happen.
But for the first time since we signed our contract, I’m bitter about it. Fuck. I’m in over my goddamn head.
And I have no idea what to do about it.
My phone buzzes, and as I look down at it, I see Declan has called me twice in the last five minutes. Then a text comes through when I miss the call.
Another accident on the research floor. Call me, now!
Fuck.
“I have to make a call,” I whisper to Ella. “If I don’t make it back in before the end of the movie, meet me in the lobby.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t look that way.”
“Do you need me to come with you? Do you need help?”
I want to scoff and dismiss her offer, I never need help with business, but the offer gives me pause.
It’s oddly touching. She has no idea what’s going on, and yet she’s willing to jump in and help however she can.
It’s not something I’m used to with the women I’ve been with.
Most of them were much more concerned with what they could gain from being with me, not what they could contribute to me or my life.
“No, thank you. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I stand and make my way out of the theater, dialing Declan when I’m near the theater exit.
“Finally, where the fuck have you been?” he says as he answers.
“I was in a movie. Ella and I are at a premiere.”
“Yeah, well one of our lead scientists is in the fucking hospital in critical condition. There was an explosion on the research floor.”
“What?”
“This wasn’t an accident, Asher. I have gone through the protocols and procedures religiously with the executives, management, and all the lead scientists in Greenspan, and they’ve all assured me their methods and practices are safe.
We even had an outside inspector come in and double check, and he gave us the green light.
This shit shouldn’t be happening. These aren’t fucking accidents, this is sabotage. I’m sure of it.”
“Goddammit. Have you called Sterling?”
“Yes. He’s combing through the security footage and tracking records of every badge for when and where they were used. But that’s all going to take some time.”
“What is the scientist’s name?”
“Akio Kobayashi. He’s the lead in everything research. He’s brilliant and wouldn’t make some rookie mistake to cause an explosion.”
“Do we know his prognosis?”
“Not yet. He’s in surgery.”
“Fuck. You keep up on him and make sure we contact his family and help them however we can. I’m going to get Tyrone on this.”
“He won’t be able to get in there for a few days. The entire research floor is locked down, and crews are cleaning up and investigating.”
“I want you and Sterling to look into the background of every person doing the cleaning and investigating. Whoever is behind this has covered their tracks until now, so we have to assume they have someone on the inside with the cleanup. Get security there now. I want officers watching and following every fucking person working on the floor. I don’t even want a broom to sweep through the mess without knowing who is using it and why. ”
“On it.”
“And make sure this is hushed in the media and even within Langford Holdings. I want Conrad kept as far away from this as possible. He’s already obsessed with selling Greenspan; we can’t afford for him to have any more ammunition to take to the board.”
“He’s bound to find out. There’s no way we can keep this silent.”
“Then we need to delay the spread for as long as we can. I want to know what is going on and who is behind it. The more we know, the more leverage we have when the board inevitably pushes to sell. All those old cocksuckers want Greenspan gone.”
Declan is quiet for a moment. “Do you think one of them is finding a way to do it?”
I pause, taking in his words. “You think one of them could be behind this?”
“It’s definitely possible. The board hates Greenspan, but they know they can’t force a sale with the three of us owning the majority of the company.
But if they can make Greenspan a problem and not just a money pit, they might think that could be enough to convince us to sell.
And whoever is behind this is definitely someone on the inside.
There have been no break-ins and nothing out of the ordinary.
The only strange thing is the fact that accidents that should not be happening keep happening. ”
“We can’t rule anything out at this point. I’ll share your suspicions with Tyrone and get him in touch with Sterling. If anyone can sniff this out, it’s them.”
The movie must be over. I can hear applause from inside the theater. “Keep me posted.”
“Done.”
I hang up and wait for Ella outside the theater doors. Ten minutes later, everyone starts to file out after thank-you speeches from the producers and stars of the film. Jared fucking Aiken is cozied up to Ella, smiling and laughing with her as they exit the doors. I grind my teeth.
“Ella,” I say, moving toward her as Jared gives me an assessing look. I wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her temple. “Sorry I had to leave; I got an important call.”
“It’s fine. Although you missed the best part. The ending is insane!”
“Did you like—” Jared starts to ask her, but I turn away and pull her with me, heading for the doors.
“That was rude.”
“I couldn’t give a shit. He can go find someone else to prop up his ego for him.”
“It seems like your ego is the fragile one tonight.”
I shrug. I know she’s probably right, but I’m not about to admit it.
“The after party starts in an hour.”
“Fuck.” The last thing I want to do is go to a damn after party.
“Emily is adamant that we go to it. There will be paparazzi outside the venue, and they’ll take note if we’re not there.”
“Fine, but I don’t want to stay long. There’s been an emergency at work that I need to keep close attention on.”
“Is everything okay?”
“No, but there’s not much I can do about it tonight other than keep my phone close for updates. But if something big does come up, we’ll have to go.”
“That’s fine, I understand.”
My phone buzzes again with a text from Declan on our brother group chat.
Declan: Akio is out of surgery. He’s alive, but the surgery didn’t go as well as hoped. He’s being placed in a medically induced coma, and a second surgery is scheduled for a week out. I’m headed to the hospital now to meet with his wife and kids.
Do you need me?
Declan: I’ve got it. I’ll make sure he’s given the best the hospital has.
Sterling: I’ve already found traces of tampering with our security footage. Whoever did it was thorough, though, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to restore anything.
Keep on it. We’ve got to find this fucker and bury them. But it needs to stay quiet; I don’t know who we can trust.
I lock my phone and do my best not to scowl as Ella and I thread our way through lingering fans and paps to the car. No bad press, I remind myself again and again. I can’t afford it. And I can’t do that to Ella again; we’re still on thin ice as it is.
But inside, a rage has begun to simmer. Someone in my company, someone possibly on my fucking board, is working to sabotage one of my companies. Someone is willing to hurt my employees and risk their lives for their own greed. My life is cutthroat. Sometimes dangerous. I’ve always known that.
But this isn’t just business—this is personal. And I don’t take kindly to personal attacks.
Whoever this is, they’ve signed their death warrant. I’m not usually a violent person, but I can be if I need to. And now they’ve forced my hand. Whoever it is better run and fucking hide.
Because I’m coming for them.