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Emma’s smile is polite but forced. She’s leaning away from him, the vein in her forehead throbbing gently like a warning flare.
“Adrik,” I snarl, “is there a reason you’re harassing my assistant?”
I expect a scowl but instead, he offers me a simpering smile. “I wasn’t aware having a conversation with her qualified as ‘harassment.’”
“It does when your breath reeks like you just tongue-fucked a graveyard.”
Emma pushes off from her desk, face pale as though caught in the crossfire of this conversation is the last place on Earth she wants to be. “I’ve got some work to do in the copy room. Excuse me.”
She hurries off and Adrik has the audacity to watch her go, eyes locked on her assright in front of me. Themudakknows exactly what he’s doing.
“Is there a reason you’re here?” I spit, if only to draw his attention away from Emma.
He doesn’t look at me until she’s turned the corner. “I was in the neighborhood.”
There’s that smile again. The one that’s hiding an ulterior motive. “And you decided to stop by and see what a successful business looked like?”
That earns me a scowl. “So funny, as always.”
I dip my head. “Here all week. Now, what are youreallydoing here, Adrik?”
“I wanted to ask you out to lunch.”
“You’re not my type.”
Another scowl. “I’m trying to be the bigger man here, Ruslan. This lunch is meant to be a celebration. To commemorate the sale of Lees Industries finally going through.”
I raise my eyebrows. “So you’re here to celebrate the fact that you lost one of your subsidiaries to me?”
“Like I said, I’m trying to be the bigger man.”
“That would be a first.”
He shrugs nonchalantly. “I took a peek at your schedule when I was also admiring your assistant’s cleavage—” He grins a little wider at the black look I skewer him with. “—and I happen to know that you’re free for lunch.”
I could tell Adrik to eat shit. Or I could use this to my advantage. Maybe I can try and suss out what he really wants during the course of this lunch. Because one thing I know for sure—he’s got a plan in motion.
I just need to figure out what that plan is.
“Fine. We’re going to Per Se. You’re paying.”
He rolls his eyes but sweeps an arm toward the elevators. “Lead the way, your highness.”
* * *
The walk down to the front of the building is quiet. I can practically see the wheels in Adrik’s head spinning. His car is parked on the curb just outside the building’s canopy. “Meet you there,” he drawls with a sarcastic princess wave goodbye.
I watch him drive off first before Boris rolls up in the SUV. I text Emma from the backseat, already annoyed that we can’t have lunch together like I’d planned.
RUSLAN:Change of plans, I’m having lunch with Adrik.
EMMA:Wow, I’m being dumped for a man? I didn’t expect that.
RUSLAN:Just so you know, I’m rolling my eyes.
EMMA::crying laughing face emoji: You’re supposed to actually use the rolling eyes emoji. That’s what it’s there for.
RUSLAN:Did he hit on you?
