Chapter 3
Ryder
After lunch with Zachary, I’m nauseous, but it’s not from the black mantle oysters on the half shell. The Lotus Club has never had a legitimate food-born illness complaint since conception. It’s the blackmail video on my phone.
At least Lee has a line on a good fixer. I can always rely on him for things like that. He said I might even know her. That, I seriously doubt. I knew few people in the Hollywood crowd despite the Lotus Club’s significant interest in LA.
“Knock knock.” Lee waltzes into my penthouse office. Behind him is—
No fucking way.
I can’t believe it. It’s… it’s… “Charlie Gibbons?”
My airways close, and that old throb in my chest booms.
“Good for you. You remember my name.” The beautiful woman from my past tucks a luscious lock of sandy-blonde hair behind a tiny, round ear and presses her glasses higher on her button nose, looking at me with venom.
Smart, sophisticated, and cold as ice—she’s wearing a black pencil skirt with Tom Ford heels and a blouse that brings out the silver in her eyes.
They are brighter than the Pacific shining outside my window, even if frosty.
But the glasses—they’re sexy black cat eyes, not like the round purple ones she used to wear in our youth.
She’s also glaring a gust of arctic wind right through them.
Well, I guess I can’t blame her. I pat down my jacket and walk toward her, holding out my hand.
I force myself to steal my eyes away from the cinch at her waist, the skirt clinging to her long legs, and the open top button of her blouse.
I remember those curves. Even when she was in high school, she was an early bloomer.
But there was a sweetness about her back then, and the woman staring at me with hateful gray eyes is giving off some serious shark vibes.
The thought doesn’t help the blood pouring into my dick.
“Charlie, I like it.” I smile, dropping my hand when she refuses to shake it. “It’s very… LA.” God, I sound like a dolt.
She half rolls her eyes. “I’m doing this as a favor to Lee, but I’m extremely busy, so let’s cut to the point. Why did you call me here?”
“I… uh…” Shit. Had I known Charlie Gibbons was the one Lee was referring to, I would have never agreed to this. I mean, maybe the Charlie I knew was sweet, and I could have maybe trusted her. But this Charlie, she scares me.
Guilt ripped at the pounding flesh under my ribs.
“Why don’t I pour you a drink? It’s been a while, and we should—” I’m about to stand up when her iced eyes slit to mine.
She pushes her glasses up her nose. “I’m not here for a drink or to catch up. Either you want my help or not.”
“I do,” I say, sitting back at my desk. I clasp my hands together.
Though, I’m not sure why she would help me.
I could tell her I don’t need the help, after all.
It’s what I’d like to do, but I do need her help, and I don’t want her to leave either.
It’s been so long since we last saw each other.
Would it be wrong to hope that time had healed some wounds?
“With what?” She tilts her chin.
I scrub my hands through my hair. Having to admit to the woman who filled me with regrets what a goof I was must be the universe’s sick joke. My teeth grit together, and my veins pulse with red-hot humiliation.
“You promise not to judge?”
“If you think what you say will shock me, guess again. I’ve seen it all,” she says, and I believe her, but I’m still not ready to confess.
Regret fills me like black ink. Sickness swirls in my solar plexus, and yet there’s this pull between us—the one that was always there—undeniable chemistry.
The throbbing blot of emotion grows under my ribs.
“I’m sure you have.” I sigh before squinting. “What exactly have you seen?”
She gives me an unimpressed look. Things didn’t end well between us.
I should have stayed away from the younger daughter of my father’s business colleague.
I just couldn’t. Even then, I was so drawn to her despite her being too young and off-limits.
She has me in knots to this day, my attraction to her stronger than gravity.
“Ryder, whatever you’ve done… trust me, I’ve seen worse. Okay?” Her words have a shred of compassion that reminds me of the open-hearted woman I once knew. Still, I don’t want her to know what a fool I am. I let my emotions get the best of me the night of the blackmail video.
“So, you’re a hotshot Hollywood star now?
” I cross my leg over my knee, posturing.
Tapping my finger on the desk, I give her a curious look.
Not that I’m hitting on her—that would be massively inappropriate.
I have only thought about her every day since the last time I saw her, and she is even more enticing in the flesh.
She stands up. “Sorry, but I don’t have time for this.”
She’s about to leave, and I can’t let her. “Wait—” I stand up, but it doesn’t stop her from fleeing, and I blurt, “Fine. I did something to a politician’s drink. I was angry, okay?” And high, but I won’t divulge that unless she asks. Blood fills my cheeks like a fast-moving rash.
“What did you do?” She turns to me, raising a brow. How she looks at me is intimidating and only makes my veins pump harder. It’s like I know her and don’t know her all at once.
“I’m not exactly proud of my actions.” Maybe I should end this meeting. I can’t possibly tell the woman who hates me, the one I am devastatingly attracted to, that I’m a screw-up. Can I?
“No, I wouldn’t imagine so.” She glares silvery-gray eyes that slice through the unspoken layers of historical pain between us. “But if you don’t trust me, I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
It’s not that I don’t trust you. You might make me afraid. I care what you think of me, even though it’s probably not much.
“Patience isn’t your virtue,” I say.
“I have a busy day, Ryder. Other clients need me, and I’m leaving for LA tomorrow.”
I nod, summoning the strength to show my weakness to this stunning woman who once crawled under my skin and stamped a tattoo on my heart. The only woman who has left a lasting mark on me is turning to the door again. I can’t have her leave. Not when I’ve been waiting for this moment for years.
“Fine. I lined the rim of his glass with a dragon’s breath pepper, and an enterprising staff member caught it on video. Now they’re blackmailing me.”
She bursts out laughing before stopping herself. “I should have known.”
“Should have known what?” I cross my arms over my chest. Usually, my confidence is an impenetrable shield, but today, the pulse of blood in my cheeks and shame in my chest flames, for good reason.
I’m an Alexander and extremely high-profile.
I know better than to do something so stupid than let my temper run wild.
“That you are capable of the dumbest stunt of the century.”
“What are you saying?” I should never have told her. This was a bad idea. I should have sent my blackmailer a handsome check and put it to bed, but I knew it wouldn’t end there. Mostly, I should never have let my anger get me. My father and brother wouldn’t dream of such reckless behavior.
She steadies her breath. “I don’t have to say it. Who is the politician?”
“Harry Turner. The jerk has the most infuriating environmental policy. Do you have any idea how many trees are taken out of British Columbia each year? How many habitats are destroyed? And he overturned the vote to save the giant old-growth forest after he promised to do something about it. He shouldn’t have shown up at my restaurant.
I was livid after everything my family has done to support him.
He lied to us. He’s lucky I didn’t do worse. ”
“So, what happened after you served him the drink?” she asks, and I swallow.
“I never served it to him. My better judgment stepped in. That’s the worst part. The prick deserved to have his lips burned off after what he did to all of us.”
She nods. “Well, at least you stopped yourself before full-on self-destruction. A video of the Lotus Club CEO intentionally serving an unexpecting customer one of the hottest peppers in the world, though.” She flips through her phone as she speaks.
“Even if you didn’t go through with it, and Harry lied, it doesn’t look good for the company.
How can future customers trust you? There could be massive lawsuits if Harry claims you served it to him.
I mean, unless it was unintentional. Could you have peppered his drink by mistake? ”
Fuck, I wish. Scrubbing my chin, I mutter, “Maybe… though the video commentary may imply otherwise.”
“Commentary?” She raises a brow. “What did you say in the video?”
I’d offer to show her the clip, but that’s the last thing I want to do. Though I suppose she’ll eventually see it. “Not sure, something like… lying bastard deserves it for screwing up the environment. I hope his lips explode, and he chokes on them.”
“I see.”
The look on her face is grim, and I’m compelled to explain.
“Doesn’t he know we only have one planet?
The man has kids. Do you know how important trees are to reversing climate change?
Do you know that most of them go overseas to make shit rags?
And do you have any idea how few first-growth trees are left in British Columbia?
My future kids deserve a planet to live on.
Harry’s lucky I didn’t grind up my pubes and pepper his black cod with them.
” Just thinking about the massive consequences of his misrepresentations rages in my blood.
She nods, and I wonder what she’s thinking.
“It’s sad that our government isn’t taking a proactive stance on protecting our forests,” she says.
“Too much money in lumber. Screw money. I’d give everything I had if I thought it would make a difference. It’s the worst thing about having money and power. What good is it if the idiots won’t listen? Excuse my language, but I’m very passionate about this subject.”
“I can see that.” Her gaze pulls from mine. I swear I saw something in those moonstone eyes—a warmth beyond the cool shell she retreats into.
“Have you thought of voicing your opinions?” she asks.
“While I’m CEO of the Lotus Club? Aren’t you a PR expert? Wouldn’t environmentalist views challenge my responsibilities as CEO?”
She flips her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Yeah, though you realize that you have to resign.”
I pull back. “Resign? From the Lotus Club? Lee said you were a fixer. I thought you were here to fix this situation.”
“You care about the company that your family founded, right? And I assume that despite your moralistic ideals, your company stock has some value to you.”
“Well, obviously,” I say.
“Then you have no choice but to quit.”
“What about squashing the video?” I ask.
“We’ll do that as well. There’s no way to ensure you’ll keep it from leaking in the future, though. If you aren’t still chief of the Lotus Club, it shouldn’t demolish its reputation or stock.”
“That’s your brilliant advice? Have me resign?”
“It’s the only option from what I can see.”
My eyes lock onto hers, and my jaw tenses. “Are you doing this because of what happened between us years ago?”
She laughs bitterly. “You are deluding yourself if you think I care what happened between us years ago. That would imply that anything happened, which I believe it didn’t.” A bite in her glare tells me she cares despite being determined to hide it.
“Let me take you to dinner… as friends. We can clear the air and have a fresh start.” It seemed unlikely, but it was worth a try. I clasp my hands over my desk.
“And risk you peppering my drink? No thanks. I’ll pass. My assistant will send your resignation to review. You need to have a predecessor. I assume that will be your brother? Send me the blackmailer’s contact info. My staff will do their best to hide the video, but it will cost you.”
“Money isn’t an issue, but my brother… I’m not sure that’s possible.”
“You’ll figure it out. My staff will be in touch shortly. Time is of the essence. We want to deal with this as quickly as possible. Understood?”
“Yes,” I say. She isn’t to be argued with, and I don’t know why I find that so arousing, but I do. “If you change your mind about—” I’m about to say dinner when she interrupts me.
“I won’t.”