Ruin Me (Savage Bosses)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

K ent

Tonight’s charity event supported Douglas’ Children’s Hospital. Although Douglas couldn’t compete with metropolises like New York, Felicidad, or Los Angeles, the attendees more than made up for it. Celebrities, dignitaries, and ambassadors mingled with local business executives. The attendees made an eclectic mix that rivaled many White House dinners.

Women dressed in their best finery, their jewels glimmered in the overhead lights. Wives and girlfriends exploited their networks to introduce their men to new contacts. Soon, their men sidelined them for the more attractive business deals and budding partnerships.

I maneuvered Elsie through the crowd to show my face to my long-time acquaintances. The owner of Sussex Club, the exclusive gentlemen’s club I’d joined as did other celebrities and famous members of various royal families, the Director of Douglas’ Boards and Commissions in charge of approving many of my construction projects, and the CEO of my company’s bank stopped me within the first five minutes of entering the main hall. After the expected small talk, I spotted the mayor and his wife, but before I could head toward them, Hal intercepted us.

“Kent, I didn’t realize you were attending tonight. Weren’t you on hiatus?” My company’s general counsel stared at my date, a speculative gleam in his eyes.

“Hal, meet Elsie. Elsie, Hal is my company’s legal representation.”

Elsie held her hand out to him, and Hal kissed her knuckles.

“I’ve returned to my roots as a social butterfly. Do you like the new look?” I asked.

“Ah, your fixer put you up to tonight.” He nodded while gazing around the room. “Where is she, by the way? Don’t you need her around to make sure you stick to the script?”

His reminder rankled. I couldn’t tell if my annoyance stemmed from Madison’s defiance or a genuine need for her to be close at hand. After she left the office, her absence left me with an empty feeling I had yet to fill.

Elsie’s soothing touch along my arm made me aware of my tightly clenched fists. I patted her hand and forced my body to relax.

“Hal, with a woman like Elsie on my arm, there’s no need for a script.” I twirl her around for effect.

She speared him with a dazzling smile. “Kent, you flatter me too much.”

“He has a point.” Hal’s admiring gaze held a hint of envy.

If he knew Elsie failed to capture my interest, I wondered how he would react. “I won’t keep you. We all need to show the public that Luxe Locations is still worthy of their support.”

I led Elsie away to find Valentino, but Deke impeded our progress. Carol was on his arm in a showpiece gown that rivaled red-carpet award show attendees. As the head of my Human Resources department, I hoped he hadn’t risked my company’s reputation for the beautiful manager. In looking closer, I realized Carol’s grip on Deke was a commandeering one. Perhaps she, and not Deke, was the mastermind behind their relationship.

An unsubtle nudge from her prompted Deke to blurt, “Kent, I’ve never been happier to see you than I am now. Carol convinced me I needed to attend tonight, although this really isn’t my scene.”

“What Deke means to say,” Carol interjected with a forced smile. “Is with all the terrible publicity the company’s received lately, we wanted to do our part to represent the company. And what better way to do it than while wearing pretty clothes? I’m Carol, by the way.” She held her hand out to Elsie with the air of a regent expecting her subjects to bow to her. “You are?”

“Kent’s date, Elsie. I hope you continue to do all that you can to help him and the company tonight.” Elsie rested her hand against my chest. “Although we haven’t known each other long, I know the rumors about him are false.”

“Wow, Kent, you’ve won another woman over in so little time.” Carol pulled her hand away without the expected response from Elsie. “It won’t be too long before the police and press know what everyone else at Luxe Locations does; you wouldn’t hurt a fly. Makes me wonder why you need Madison’s services at all. If Mal knew her rate?—”

“Are you implying that my CFO, the man in charge of our company’s finances, isn’t doing his job?” I frowned at Carol and dismissed her in the next second. “Deke, enjoy what you can of the night, but don’t overextend yourself. I want a meeting first thing tomorrow morning.” I glanced at Carol then at Deke as a silent message to him about who the subject of the meeting would be.

Carol had overstepped one time too many for my liking. This time, she served as another reminder of Madison’s absence.

Stifled by the current situation, I pulled Elsie away. “Thank you for that.”

“Not a problem. It’s not like I was lying. You may be a little distant, but you’ve been open with me since our first meeting. I almost feel like this isn’t work.”

“Allow me to repay you. Madison mentioned you wanted to meet Valentino DeLuca. We have a lot of mutual interests, and an introduction from me will go a long way in attaining your aspirations.”

“That’ll be amazing, Kent. Working with Madison and now you has really done wonders for my network.” Elsie beamed up at me, giving me pause. I would have to address the cause later, since Valentino stood before us.

After a brief introduction, I joked, “Valentino, if you aren’t careful, I’ll have Sloane on my other arm asking me who Valentino DeLuca is.”

He wrapped his arm possessively around Sloane’s waist and skewered me with a fierce frown. “Kent, why would you want to ruin a friendship by touching my wife?”

Sloane patted Valentino’s chest. “Ignore him, please. He’s been out of town on a business trip and this is the first time he’s seen me in days. He’ll be a bit feral until tomorrow.” She winked at me, then whispered something in her husband’s ear.

Valentino pulled away to stare heatedly into her face. “You promise?”

At her nod, he lost the menacing aura around him and gently kissed her cheek before directing his famous charm at Elsie. Despite his absolute devotion to Sloane, one mild inquiry made the single and married women of Douglas instant fangirls of the mayor. Elsie was no exception.

While they discussed Italian fashion houses, I checked the entrance to the ballroom. Anticipating Madison’s stubbornness, I’d sent Omar to pick her up, although it was still early in the evening. He hadn’t returned, and faced with Hal then Carol’s reminder about her absence I was left itching to see Madison.

It was more than making her submit to my demands, too. I’d picked out the outfit I wanted to see her wearing, knowing she would shine brighter than every jewel here. And I needed to see her to confirm my vivid imagination.

Instead of the beautiful patchwork of brown and peach skin wrapped in sequins that I expected to see, Omar’s guilty face appeared.

No one stood beside him.

“Elsie, I need to step out for a moment.” I motioned to Omar.

She nodded, although disappointment shadowed her eyes.

“Valentino, I’ll talk to you later about a new project. Your brother Sansone and cousin Enzo might want to get in on it. If we want things to run smoothly, we’ll also need to get your Board Director in line.”

“I’m all ears for anything to help further the family business.”

I shook his hand and made my way to Omar, uncaring if anyone noted the haste in my step.

When I reached my assistant, the simmering anger I’d held at bay pulsed through my veins, causing me to breathe deeply to restrain it.

“Before you bite my head off, she refused to come and kicked me out of her house. And before you ask, she made me tell her verbatim what you said. Sorry, Kent. I tried.”

“Tell me her exact response.”

“Man, I like my job.”

“I promise you’ll be fine. What did she say?”

Omar cringed while relaying Madison’s response.

I firmed my lips and nodded. “Where are the?—”

“The clothes are in my car.” Omar held out his keys, and I grabbed them.

“Stay here with Elsie. Tell her I’ll return later and to enjoy herself in the meantime.”

Without giving Omar time to respond, I left the venue, picturing Madison’s delicate neck in my hands. Tonight, she’d learn she could only push me so far.

I arrived at her home with no memory of the drive and forewent the doorbell to bang on the front door. The garment bag and shopping bag dangled over my forearm.

Nikita swung the door open, fury illuminating her face and highlighting the resemblance between mother and daughter. “Who the hell do you think you are, treating my door like a festival drum?”

“I need to speak to your daughter.” I tried to bypass her, but she stood in the middle of the entryway.

“Not without showing me proper respect in my home. I don’t know where you put your manners, but you better become an archeologist and dig them up before you think about getting past me to my daughter.”

I stepped back. “You’re right, Nikita. I was disrespectful. If it wouldn’t be too much of a bother, could you ask your daughter to come outside?”

She took in my appearance, which contrasted with her pink velour sweatpants with white piping along the seams. “Aren’t you a little overdressed for a conversation?”

“Nikita, what I have to discuss affects her work. Do you really want to stand in her way?”

Nikita narrowed her eyes and stepped back into her house. “Wait here,” she said before slamming the door.

In seconds, an angry Madison faced me wearing a matching set of sweatpants, except hers was white with pink piping. She reminded me of a little bunny, adorable and soft. She was at once different from the vixen in my office, but still the same. Not even the anger radiating from her could prevent the urge building inside me to wrap my arms around her and inhale her jasmine scent.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” Her words were a bracing wake-up call from my disturbing thoughts.

“You forgot your presence is required somewhere else.” I shoved the bags at her.

“Mr. Luxe?—”

“Kent!”

—“I made myself perfectly clear to you and Omar. Now, never show up at my home without a written invitation from me.”

I grabbed the door before she could slam it like her mother had. “Madison, I’m not in the mood for your tantrum. You have two choices: you can put on this gown, or I’ll dress you myself. And that dragon lady you call a mother won’t be able to stop me.” When she opened her mouth as if to protest, I said, “Try me.”

She slammed her lips together and grabbed the bags.

“You have ten minutes before I come to find you.”

Her response was to slam the door. Like mother, like daughter. Now that I had seen her, the tension riding me all afternoon into the evening dissipated and I breathed my first free breath in hours.

Exactly at the ten-minute mark, the door swung open, and my heart stopped. Madison stepped out and the sconces bracketing the entrance glimmered off her body. My imagination paled compared to reality, and words stuck in my throat. Unable to free the compliment burning on my lips, I grunted.

“I truly can’t believe you left the event to come get me,” she grumbled as she stomped toward the car. “After all the work I put in to give you an opening to woo the people we needed to help you with your image, this is how you act?”

I opened the door for her, still speechless, and let her rant. What could I say? She was right, and I let my grievance with her overshadow the opportunity she made for me.

“I hope Hayden will still talk to you after this. Do you know how many people swarm him at events? And you had Elsie, the epitome of his weakness.” She continued, half lamenting and half reprimanding until we pulled up to the function.

Instantly, her persona changed to one of an agreeable companion. When we stepped into the ballroom, the emcee announced it was time for the meal.

Madison grabbed my arm and hauled me toward a group milling by the open bar. For some reason, she had yet to realize that I hadn’t said a word since leaving her house. “Look out for Elsie. If you can signal to her to meet us, I’m going to get you a seat at Hayden’s table. Please, don’t squander this chance.”

Elsie was easy to find, though I had no intention of gaining her attention. She and Omar had their heads bent together, sharing an intimate moment. At least I wouldn’t have to feel guilty for leaving her alone, now that I had Madison on my arm. Later tonight, I would take the time to reflect on the sense of rightness having her here gave me. But I’d neglected my purpose long enough.

“Hayden Mills, why is it at every event I find you causing trouble?” Madison pulled away, leaving a noticeable void beside me.

Hayden swung around to face her. “Madison Montgomery?” He dragged her into a hug that raised the hair along my nape. “Had I known you were here, I would have sniffed you out earlier.”

“Funny story about that. You have my associate to thank for me being here. Hayden Mills, meet Mr. Kent Luxe.”

“Mr.?” Hayden arched his brow, then placed a proprietary hand on her hip.

Between her insistence on formality and his hand where it didn’t belong, I’d had enough. Channeling a little of Valentino’s possessiveness, I hauled her to my side, ignoring the shocked gasp escaping from her mouth. With her beside me, I executed our plan to charm Hayden and gain the coveted invite to his table.

During dinner, his surreptitious glances at Madison told me she’d miscalculated. Although Elsie might have been his weakness, like me, he’d found a new one in Madison.

“How long will you be in Douglas?” he asked Madison during the brief lull in conversation.

“I’m here for work. If all goes well, I’ll have the major pieces in place within a month. Then I’ll head back to D.C.”

“Great, let’s make time for dinner. There’s a new Greek restaurant I’ve been dying to try.”

Madison laughed and playfully punched his shoulder. “You think you’re slick. I don’t have time for you to fly me to Greece for dinner when I’m on assignment.”

While he openly flirted with her, I silently fumed. For the millionth time, I reminded myself I had no right to her. I was still harboring a great resentment toward her, although the justification seemed to dwindle with every hour I spent with her. She sparkled brighter than the crystals dangling from the chandeliers. As I stared and studied, I realized, her beauty was only partly responsible for holding everyone’s attention.

Her intelligence and charm kept people returning to her orbit. No conversational topic left her stumped. Like in the office, whenever her team consulted her on a different project, her mind filtered everything with lightning speed. She gave clear, efficient, out-of-the-box solutions that made me want to create a more permanent position at Luxe Locations for her. She would be an asset to any company, and no matter what my personal feelings toward her were, as complicated as they continue to grow, she’s a hell of a professional.

During the rest of the evening, Madison introduced me to eight more useful contacts. They would not only help rehabilitate Luxe Locations’ reputation but made us available to new business opportunities. We were in the middle of securing funds and the proper permits for another Douglas project my new contacts could be instrumental in advancing.

At the end of the evening, when I dropped Madison at her parents’ home, I had to accept that I was feeding my anger with what happened in the past. If I had any chance of resolving the conflict inside me, I’d have to confront what happened with Madison and Oyinlola.