Like a typical Monday morning, James dropped Cori off in front of Thorne Industries. She knew he would slap his Uber decal in the window as soon as he was out of sight. He was a good friend and did it to help her keep up the ruse. As part of her morning routine, she made a quick stop at the coffee shop on the outside of the building to grab two small white chocolate mocha’s. Her budget allowed for a large, but she opted for two smalls so she could treat her favorite security guard, Tony.
Tony Moretti was an older gentleman, the kind and fatherly type, and he treated Cori like his own kin. Each morning, she arrived thirty minutes early, just so they could have their coffee together and stay caught up on each other’s lives. Her odd encounter was the topic of discussion this Monday morning.
“Well, it sounds like you had a bit of an adventure. Can’t say we had anything quite as exciting happen.” Tony laughed. “So, are you going to see the young man again?”
“Oh, no. I don’t even know his last name. I don’t have time to see anyone; I’m too busy here,” she offered.
“You know you’re like a daughter to me, right?” he asked while she carefully nodded, sipping her coffee. “You’re going to have to get back out there eventually, darlin’. You’re too young and have too much to offer a special man to just hide here.”
“I’m not hiding, Tony. I’m just…focused. For now.” She shrugged and took to her feet, gathering her bag to head upstairs to work.
“You know my Raquel knows plenty of fine young men from good families,” he said of his wife, “She’d love to find you a special one of your own.”
Cori giggled. The Moretti’s were so good to her, always had her best interest at heart. “I’ll call her when I need a date, Tony.”
Half way across the corridor, on her way to the elevator, she turned to say, “And you know I love you too, Tony!”
She blew him a kiss as the elevator doors closed, which made him blush and shake his head in laughter. Tony had a point; she couldn’t live the life of a nun forever, but for now, it was working for her. She was satisfied with her handful of family-like friends and her work. One day, all of her hard work would pay off, and then she could think about a relationship.
Though she grew up in the Midwest, she was meant to be a city girl. Cori firmly believed she was destined for big things, including a successful business career, just like both of her parents before they passed. She worked all through high school and saved every penny so she could head for New York the day after she graduated. So far, it was paying off.
She was a mover and a shaker at Thorne Industries, moving up the ladder quickly to management, strictly with hard work and merit, beating out many colleagues twice her age, and with twice the experience, as she went. She had reached a ceiling, though, with executive level opportunities her next to conquer, and that’s exactly what she planned to do.
Her focus this morning was her proposal that would serve as an interview for the company board of directors. With many successful marketing campaigns under her belt, thanks to the team she led as manager, she knew she had a good chance at the Vice President role that was now up for grabs. That role could change her life completely, and she wanted it more than anything.
Taking a seat at her desk, she wasn’t surprised to see a box of chocolates sitting there waiting for her, addressed to Cordelia. Cordelia Daschel was her legal name, but it lacked luster and sounded like that of a Midwest farm girl with a slow roll. Cori Dash, however, sounded like a motivated powerhouse, a go getter. It just fit.
Gifts just like this had been showing up randomly for months. They never said who they were from, just that they were for her. Since very few people knew her as Cordelia, the list of senders was narrow. When she asked Tony, assuming he was the sender, he seemed surprised by it because all deliveries passed through security, and he was completely unaware of the items in question.
After seeing Phillip this weekend and recalling his grabby hands hugging around her ass, she wondered if they could be from him. But why? He was due to be married in a few short months, not that engagements seemed to sway his wandering eye, but still…why her? He dumped her.
Phillip’s family used to own Thorne Industries, when it was Chancellor Industries, but lost it in a hostile takeover, years ago, to the Blackthornes – an affluent New York family who owned businesses and industry all over the world. She had been working for Chancellor Industries at the time of the takeover, which also happened to be when her engagement fell apart. She stayed on with Thorne just to spite him.
No longer owning the company didn’t mean Phillip didn’t still have access and could come and go without passing things through security. It didn’t matter, though, she wouldn’t take him back, if that’s what he is after. Not for all the chocolate in the world.
Tossing the chocolates aside, uninterested in their sender any longer, she prepared for her team lunch meeting that was to start shortly; they had a lot to cover. They were hardworking, like she was, supportive of her play for the VP job because they knew she would get to bring her own team to the executive floor, and they all wanted in.
***
The lunch hour had come and gone, and her team was finally wrapping their meeting, each feeling confident in the direction the proposal was going. They were gathering their left-over lunch wrappings and trays, cleaning the space so they could all go back to their cubicles and get to work, when the elevator pinged and caught their attention. From Cori’s glass office walls, they watched as a tall, dark, and handsome man in an expensive suit headed straight for them.
The whispers caught her attention before the man, almost to her office, did. She scanned the group, following the he’s coming this way, I’ve never seen him before, and is that really him to the doorway, and her heart sunk. The man who stepped off the elevator was the man from the park. It was Nick.
So, her original instinct had been right. He was a stalker, the creepy kind, and now he was standing in her office with her and her team. How on earth he found her, she didn’t know. He only had her first name, though she did mention she worked for the event sponsor. Still, getting past security? This guy was good and probably dangerous.
“What in the hell are you doing here?” she asked with her hands on her hips and a threatening glare.
Leaning against the doorway with his hands in his pockets and a cocky grin, he nodded at the watchful crowd before saying, “I’m here to see you.”
“Uh, I can see that. You need to leave. I was very clear yesterday, not interested. Are you stalking me?” she asked, quick to scan the group of eyes fixed on her with shocked expressions to match.
The whispers were louder, and the team so invested in the back and forth, the only thing missing was popcorn. Something was off, and she didn’t know what, especially when she heard didn’t think he was real and it’s definitely him. Who, she wondered? How did some of her employees know who he was, but she didn’t? Then a terrifying thought crossed her mind; what if they had seen his picture somewhere, like on TV…could he be a wanted man? A true stalker?
Her fury escalated, and she felt the sudden urge to protect herself and those around her. “I asked you what you’re doing here?”
“I answered.” He winked at a couple of ladies sitting closest to him. “I’m here to see you – my fiancé.”
Loud gasps filled the room, putting Cori on even higher alert. She tossed her hands in the air. “You know that wasn’t real, right? Do you know the difference between reality and fiction? I don’t know what kind of game you are playing, but you need to leave, now. Or I’ll…call security.”
He shrugged, maintaining his megawatt smile, which might charm the pants off of some but not her. The chatter didn’t die down, and some of the women seemed to be entranced by his rugged good looks and that flashy smile. This was getting out of hand, and she needed to bring it to a close, and fast. For all she knew, he had a gun or knife under that expensive Armani.
“Figures, I had to pick a crazy one,” she said while picking up her phone and calling the security desk. She couldn’t help but wonder why members of her team continued to gasp in shock every time she addressed him. “Tony, we have a trespasser…in my office.”
“Your nose wrinkles when you’re mad. It’s…cute.” His compliment clearly offended her, but he found that just as cute as the wrinkled nose.
“Cute?! Bring back-up, Tony. He appears to be unstable.” She hung up her phone, knowing Tony would be there in no time, given the concern she heard in his voice.
She looked to her staff, “I need you all to leave quickly; this is not a drill. Please follow safety protocol, and exit the floor. Justin, you are the safety manager for this floor; you know what to do.”
As the people quickly filed out of the office and went straight for the stairwell, she couldn’t help but notice the snickers and more whispers. Even a few heads turned and laughed before rounding the last corner. What on earth?
“Protecting your people – that’s honorable,” he said.
“What do you want?”
“A date,” he said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, given the circumstance.
“You really are crazy!” She reached into her nearby purse and pulled out her mace; you can never be too careful, she thought. “You come near me and I’ll unload this entire canister on you. Then, I’ll kick your ass…or…something.”
“Wow. New York has really rubbed off on you.” He chuckled.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head, never losing that smile that would most likely work on her if he wasn’t crazy. “About that date.”
“I’m not dating you. I have a strict policy not to date psychopaths.” After dropping the insult, she thought better of it. If he truly was unstable, it wouldn’t be wise to provoke any particular violent tendencies he may possess.
“We should get to know each other – so we don’t blow our cover.” That nonchalant shrug of his was getting on her nerves, and he knew it.
“Our cover? What the hell are you talking about?” Her hand darted out in front of her, aiming her mace when he started to move toward her.
He held his hands up in surrender, indicating that he wasn’t a threat, “The Hamptons – Winnie and Phillip? Have you already forgotten?”
“Are you mad? That’s not happening. Do you really think I’d leave town with a stranger…or date one for that matter? I really can’t believe this is happening. My lie, lies really, are catching up to me! This…this is karma, isn’t it?”
“Don’t all dating couples start as strangers?” he asked, matter-of-factly.
“Well…yes, but we aren’t a couple, we aren’t dating, and I’m filing a restraining order the minute security tosses you on your…ass.” It wasn’t in her nature to swear or be mean, but she thought perhaps a few choice words would intimidate him a bit and let him know she meant business.
She looked around him, through the glass wall, feeling a sense of relief when Tony finally exited the elevator with his sidekick, Carmine, and headed right for her office, his hand resting on the stun gun he wore on the right side of his utility belt. Tony’s angsty expression froze, and his eyes went wide when he entered the office and the stranger, Nick, turned to look at him. Surely Tony wasn’t intimidated. He must be surprised by the man’s tall stature and clean cut tailored suit that didn’t scream sociopath, just like she had been.
“Wh-what seems to be the problem?” Tony asked, looking between Nick and Cori.
Confused by his question, she thought it was rather obvious what the issue was but clarified by pointing at Nick. “Problem? Him – he’s the problem!”
“But, Cori. I mean…Miss. Dash…” Tony stammered.
“But nothing – I want him removed, trespassed from the property and a police report filed so my restraining order will stand. There is no telling what this…” she waved her hand up and down, indicating that she was talking about Nick, “…loon is capable of.”
Tony’s voice turned to one of reason. He clearly saw she was upset, flustered even, but he wasn’t sure she knew what she was really asking. “Uh, but, Miss Dash.”
“Tony,” she interrupted before he could say another word. “I want him gone. Remember I told you about a…gentleman I met this weekend? Well, this is him. He found me; he’s delusional, and needs to go – now. Don’t be fooled by the knock off designer suit – he’s a threat. Now remove him.”
“Oh? OH! Well, Miss…” Tony tried, once again, without any luck.
“Tony…” she tried to interrupt him once more, frustrated with his unwillingness to do his job. Why was Tony, head of security Tony, so reluctant to do his job?
“I…I can’t, Cori. He’s…”
“Crazy! I know! Remove him,” she shouted, tired of the charade Nick clearly orchestrated.
“It’s okay, Tony. I got this,” Nick said, patting Tony on the shoulder.
“Uh, yes, Mr. Blackthorne,” Tony offered, with emphasis on Blackthorne in an attempt to toss Cori a bone before she dug herself any deeper.
Too late…she was already filling the hole she was laying in when Blackthorne registered loud and clear. “Blackthorne? You’re Nick…Dominic Blackthorne…Owner of Thorne Industries…my…boss.”
The charming smile returned. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Dash.”