Breaking The Rules

Chapter6

Before my secretary could walk past or notice us, a wave of pure panic washed over me. I slipped quickly through the back door into the deserted hallway, trying desperately to lead him away from the front desk and out of public view. But Harrison followed me instantly, his long, calculated strides closing the gap before I could even catch my breath, backing me right against the damp, cold exterior wall of the alley behind the building.

"If Tony sees you here, he will kill us both!" I gasped, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird.

I retreated step by step until my spine hit the frozen, gritty brickwork behind my shop, but Harrison only used my retreat to close the remaining distance. The sharp, irresistible scent of his expensive sandalwood cologne mixed with the humid evening air, invading my senses and making it utterly impossible to gather a single coherent thought.

"Let him look," Harrison murmured, his hazel eyes gleaming with a dangerously playful confidence that made my skin crawl. "Nobody is watching us, baby girl. Except me."

He placed one large hand flat against the brick wall right beside my head, effectively caging me in. He leaned down, his face mere inches from mine, radiating an oppressive, suffocating heat. I held my breath, desperately trying to keep my eyes locked strictly on his collar or his chin, refusing to let them wander down to his broad shoulders or the relaxed, arrogant curve of his lips.

"Get away from me, Harrison. I mean it," I rasped, my voice trembling despite my absolute best efforts to sound composed and threatening.

Harrison only chuckled softly, a low, smooth sound that sent a shiver straight down my spine. He slowly reached out, his thumb brushing a light, agonizingly deliberate stroke along my jawline before stepping back just enough to give me breathing room.

"Enjoy your evening, Sandra," he whispered, his eyes gleaming in the dim light. "Let's see how long that stubborn loyalty of yours lasts."

He turned on his heel and strolled casually down the alley into the darkening evening, disappearing into the shadows. I stood frozen, pressed flat against the damp brick wall, my chest heaving as I fought desperately to regain my composure.

---

Standing here in the quiet kitchen right now, the dark memory faded, but the chilling realization hit me ten times harder.

The doubt spread through my veins like poison.

Did Harrison plan all of this?

The scattered pieces suddenly started clicking together in a terrifying, manipulative pattern. That exact night, I had planned to head straight home from work. But completely out of nowhere, Deborah had called to say an emergency had erupted at the hospital, insisting we reschedule our long-standing movie night. My phone had died right after that call, cutting off all communication.

At Deborah's apartment, I had finally powered my phone back on just as the fierce downpour started, trying frantically to call Tony, but his phone kept going straight to voicemail. Stranded by the weather, I had waited out the storm before driving home through the blinding sheets of rain, only to walk straight into the absolute nightmare of Tony's ruined company and collapsing life.

“Let's see how long that stubborn loyalty of yours lasts.”

Harrison's arrogant, prophetic words echoed loudly in my head, mocking me from the dark.

The sharp, loud click of the microwave timer suddenly snapped me back to the present reality.

I jumped, exhaling a ragged, shaky breath, and hurried to pull open the microwave door to dish out Tony's food. But my racing mind refused to quiet down.

How on earth did Harrison get to the Daniels Group?

Wait . . . could he have orchestrated the entire malicious rumor about the fraudulent activities? Did that ruthless, calculating bastard actually go this far, deliberately tearing down my husband's life's work, just to back me into an inescapable corner and force me into his bed?

Pure, boiling fury welled up in my chest, mixing with a sickening wave of dread.

I carefully carried the plate over to the dining table and turned to head toward the stairs to call Tony down. But as I spun around, I froze. Tony was already standing right there at the foot of the stairs, watching me quietly.

Should I tell him about my terrifying instincts?

Panic spiked instantly. On second thought, if I brought up Harrison now, Tony would instantly demand to know who he was, how I knew him, and why a billionaire venture capitalist was circling our lives like a vulture. I couldn't open that Pandora's box without destroying what little trust we had left.

“s**t,” I muttered under my breath, hoping he hadn't noticed my pale face.

“What happened?” Tony's tired voice cut through the heavy silence of the room.

I blinked rapidly, realizing I must have zoned out entirely. I hadn't even heard him walk down the steps. “Nothing at all. Just thinking about all this unbearable stress,” I lied smoothly, forcing a tight, unconvincing smile onto my lips.

Deep inside my heart, a fierce, unyielding vow crystallized: We are going to find a way to get this money without Harrison's help. I will put that monster to shame.

Yet, beneath that burning defiance, the terrifying reality remained firmly anchored in my chest: Four short days.

My lungs tightened painfully, and for the first time since this nightmare began, true, unadulterated panic took hold.