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“Excuse me?” he says. “I’m Cameron of Cameron Enterprises, Black Industries biggest competitor.”
I give him another once over with slow eyes before meeting his gaze. “Oh. My mistake.” Let him chew on that thought for a little while and wonder what made me say those words in that order. I have no doubt that my direct challenge to his masculinity and sense of style will leave him reeling for a little while. And you know what? I don't even feel bad given everything that I know he has put Damien through.
Instead of seeming angry, upset, or even bothered by my words, he turns everything around. “I think you should go out for coffee with me.”
“I think I'd rather throw myself into traffic,” I say, lifting my chin.
His eyes narrow slightly as he lowers his chin, and I sense a smile flirting with the corners of his lips. This guy must be a glutton for punishment. “You're too lovely to be turned to jelly on the cement.”
“And you should really ask other people's permission before dragging them into your humiliation kink.” I say without missing a beat.
Beside me, Damien snorts and I watch Cameron’s eyes widen. I keep giving him an innocent smile. He's arrogant, rude, and obnoxious, and it's nice to be able to give back as good as he likes to dish. I don't want to give any room for him to misinterpret my reactions as interest. I want nothing to do with him, and I’m happy to be mean to prove that point.
But Damien seems to be done with the exchange. “Why are you here, Cameron?” he asks in a positively arctic tone.
“I think I'd rather keep talking about your friend here.” As Cameron says the words, he's eyeing me up and down with the hungry look that makes my stomach twist. I instinctively take a step to the side, almost behind Damien, who straightens up as if to protect me.
“I think she's made it clear she's not interested in talking to you.”
Cameron lifts his fingers and touches them to his temple. “Hence me saying I'd like to talk about your friend. She's pretty feisty. Is she single?”
“No, she's my girlfriend.” I'm relieved as Damien says the words, not because I want to define what this is between us, but because I can't help but feel like this will make me safer. Although a second thought makes me worry that it paints a target on my back.
Cameron's eyebrows raise a fraction of an inch. “Oh, really? She seems too smart to get tangled up with someone like you. Who knew you had such good taste in women?”
As Cameron says the words, Damien puts a protective arm around my shoulders. All at once, it comes to me that, if someone did kill Damien's dad, that person is probably someone he knows. Someone who hates him. Someone who wants to make him suffer. Someone like Cameron.
I feel positively sick as Cameron winks at me. “I hope he doesn't bore you to death by working all the time. But if you do get too bored, I can show you a better time.” The twisted grin on his face makes me want to hurl.
“Yeah, I’d still rather die, thanks,” I say.
Cameron seems to anticipate my response and returns to Damien with a nod. “Well, congratulations,” he says in a sarcastic tone. It's pretty obvious that he's anything but happy for Damien. “I'm happy for both of you.” It's very obvious he's lying, but I don’t give a damn.
I am absolutely disgusted by both his words and his attitude. For some reason he reminds me a lot of Jake, and I want to run far and fast away from him.
So, when he throws another wink in my direction, I have the very real desire to throw up. “But don't worry, I'm not giving up on you just yet.”
“I really wish you would,” I say in a sickly-sweet tone.
“Why are you here?” Damien seems intent on getting answers, but Cameron very obviously has no desire to give them. I don't doubt that this is just a ploy to get Damien off balance and see what chaos might come of that.
“Just remember I have more to offer you than he does. A lot more.” His grin leaves me feeling physically ill.
“Given that you have the personality of a damp napkin wrapped around a wilted cabbage leaf, I can only assume you’re talking about money, and honey, I’m not interested.” I'm really not sure how else to get him to take the hint. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else so stuck on themselves they can’t figure out they’re barking up the wrong tree.
Cameron makes his way to the door, but not before giving Damien a smug look. “Don't worry, everything will be clear soon enough.” His gaze ticks to me. “Soon you'll have all the time in the world to drive this woman away... when you’re not running this company into the ground anymore.”
An unreasonable anger surges through me with his words. Angry, I glance at Damien and see his jaw flex. I sense it's taking every bit of his strength not to flatten Cameron’s face with his fist. I can’t blame him.
Only when the door closes behind Cameron do I speak to Damien. “You were not kidding. He really has his heart set on a hostile takeover.”
But Damien already seems to have switched gears as he turns and walks behind his desk and sits down at the office chair. “Not just of my company, but of my whole life, including you,” he says, as if there’s some significance there. I don’t see what he means and give my head a slight shake.
“I don’t get it.”
He pauses, his gaze locking on mine. “I already know that Cameron would stop at nothing to get what he wanted to see if you have been hurting people.”
As he says those words, my mind goes back to the errant thought that it’s likely someone Damien knows who would have murdered his father. “Do you think he could have killed your father?”
