HIS RULES, HER RUIN

Chapter Two

Naomi Hunter

"I'm here for the takeouts, Sarah!" I called across the bustling kitchen.

"Coming!" she replied, her voice distracted. She slid a pile of brown paper bags across the counter, each one labeled with an address. "This one's for this location," she mumbled, not even looking up.

"Sarah, please be fast. I'm on a tight schedule," I said, a little more sharply than I intended.

"Sorry, here they are." She handed me the remaining bags. "The address is on each one."

I nodded, clutching the bags, and was about to leave when the TV on the wall caught my eye. My breath hitched. It was him—the man from the Bentley Tower, the one who had haunted my dreams since that night. He was on the screen, a picture of wealth and authority radiating from him, so handsome it almost hurt to look.

My mouth fell open, and I just stared until I saw her. A beautiful, cheerful woman was by his side, her arm entwined with his as if they were a perfect match.

"That guy in the nude suit is my crush," Sarah said, her eyes glued to the screen, talking about his younger, more carefree-looking brother. "Even if it's just for s*x, I don't care," she sighed.

"Are... are they in a relationship?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"Who? Oh, Jaxon and Lovie?" Sarah finally looked at me, a shrug in her shoulders. "Rumor has it they're just a fling, but she just showed off an engagement ring. So, I guess they're getting married."

A sharp pain stung my heart. My eyes stayed fixed on the screen, a lump forming in my throat.

"Girl, you're staring a little too hard," Sarah commented, a playful smirk on her face. "Don't tell me you're drooling over him. He's cute, rich, and ruthless. But come on, he's not for someone like you."

Her words landed like a physical blow. "He has Lovie," she continued, "Have you seen that girl? She's a queen. A goddess. A badass."

I swallowed the bitterness in my mouth and turned away from the screen, my heart aching. I had a job to do.

The name Wanderlust Agency was etched in a brilliant, glowing script on a massive glass tower. I parked my delivery bike, pulled off my helmet, and took the packages. The building was a spectacle of modern design, and I couldn't help but stare as I walked inside.

"Excuse me, ma'am," I said, approaching the reception desk.

"How may I help you, miss?" the secretary replied, her voice crisp.

"I have a takeout delivery for someone in this building. The name isn't on the package, just the address," I said, holding up the bag.

She took a quick look at the label. "Walk along that path, and you'll see an elevator. Take it to the 24th floor. The fourth door on your right is the one you need."

"Thank you," I said, a nervous flutter in my stomach.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 24th floor. As it ascended, the sight of the city below was breathtaking, but my heart was pounding too hard to enjoy the view. When the doors chimed open, I walked out, my eyes taking in the beautiful, vast office space. My feet carried me to the fourth door. I hesitated for a moment, then pushed it open.

I froze.

He was there, sitting in his office chair. The buttons on his shirt were undone, a gleaming stud in his ear, an air of cold authority surrounding him. But what truly stopped me was the woman in front of him. She was bent over his desk, her hands gripping the edge. He was behind her, a blur of motion.

"Yes, Jax. Yes!" she moaned, her voice filled with pleasure.

My eyes widened. The takeout bag slipped from my hand, crashing to the floor. The noise made them both stop. His icy blue eyes found mine for a brief, jarring second before he looked away, pretending I wasn't there. He turned back to his laptop, as if nothing had happened.

The woman stood up, pulling her dress back into place. It was her—Lovie. She walked to the large couch, her hips swaying with a confident air.

"Hey, you! Nerd girl!" she called out.

I glanced over my shoulder, then back at her. "Me?" I asked, confused.

"I'm talking to you, i***t!" she yelled, her eyes raking over my outfit. I smoothed down my white top and denim pinafore.

She stood up and walked over to me, laughing. She adjusted my glasses with a mock-sweet gesture. "Like this," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. She touched my two side ponytails, then ran her hands over my clothes as if to fix them. "Perfect," she said with a laugh.

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. "Who are you?" she demanded.

I stammered. "Uh... a delivery girl."

"A delivery girl," she repeated with a mocking laugh. "A nerd girl. What a perfect match. Why the f*ck are you here?" she shouted.

"Someone... someone from this company ordered a takeout. I'm here to deliver it," I stammered, holding out the crumpled bag.

"Damn, I'm hungry."

A new voice made me jump. A younger man, who looked just like Jaxon, walked in. "Finally!" he said, coming toward us. "That's mine."

Lovie smirked and handed him the bag.

I gave him my book to sign. "Sign here, sir." He signed it with a flourish, and I turned to leave. I glanced one last time at Jaxon, who was still staring at his laptop, completely ignoring me, and felt a familiar, heartbreaking sting of rejection.