Dangerously Mine

Fourteen

FLAVIAN’S POV

I tried not to stare, but my eyes had a mind of their own, following her as she excused herself from the conference room. Probably the bathroom. No one objected.

We wrapped up shortly after. I told them my assistant would follow up. My former lawyers had been a disaster two senior partners pointing fingers at each other. Exactly the kind of circus I didn’t need with this case hanging over my head.

Hale’s firm was better. More than that I’d made sure everyone who’d attended the deposition was here today. I needed to see her again.

After shaking hands with the lawyers, I left to grab a few documents from my office before heading toward the elevator. The doors were sliding closed when I stopped them.

They opened again.

Fiona.

Our eyes locked for a long beat before she cleared her throat. “Are you going to get in?” Her voice betrayed nothing.

I stepped inside.

Guilt twisted in my chest, confusion close behind. Did she hate me? She should. And yet the way she looked at me made that impossible. For a fleeting, irrational second, I wished the elevator would stall and trap us here.

I pressed the button for the ground floor.

“You enjoy controlling situations, don’t you?” she said. “You must be loving this.”

“I didn’t ask for this either,” I clipped.

She hissed softly as the doors opened, already moving toward the exit.

“I didn’t know they would bring an officer,” I confessed.

She paused. Did not turn. I took it as permission to continue.

“I never meant to scare you or him. I should have talked to you first.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly.

“How’s he doing?” I asked.

She finally looked at me. My chest twisted at the sight of her—soft auburn curls, glossy lips, everything perfect in a way that felt dangerous.

“He’s okay. It was hard on him, but he’s okay.”

Relief hit me slow and steady.

“Can I walk you to your car?” I asked before I could think better of it.

She didn’t say no.

We crossed the parking lot side by side, her small hand brushing the papers she carried. My car, my driver, all waiting, but I stayed with her.

“How many more of these do you have?” she asked.

“Companies?”

“Yeah.”

“I have three more,” I said. “Romano is the most important. It was my first. Like your first child. You get attached.”

She chuckled. Strange pride warmed my chest.

“Trust me. I know,” she said.

“This is me,” she said, stopping in front of a black Hyundai Elantra. “Thanks for walking me.”

“Thanks for the genius idea upstairs,” I replied, letting a small smile escape.

“Just doing my job,” she said lightly.

I was about to respond when my phone rang.

“Excuse me. I need to take this.”

I answered, and my expression darkened instantly.

“All right. I’ll take care of it.”

I hung up.

“I need to go,” I said.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“No,” I admitted. “But I’ll deal with it.”