I look over her shoulder as I take the aspirin from her palm, but I can’t get a clear view of the reception area. “How are the Cozza people doing?”
She smiles, watching me swallow the pills before taking the glass back from me. “Annoyed.”
I laugh.
Perfect.
“One guy is pacing around like a rabid animal.” She giggles softly, covering her mouth to stop the sound from reaching their ears.
“Even better.” I grin.
As I walk toward the reception area with Cassie on my heels, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. I know I can handle Cozza, and with the backing of the board and shareholders, there’s no way they’ll be successful in their takeover bid.
Four men are sitting, and the one that Cassie described as “rabid” still paces but his back is to me. “Gentlemen.” I keep my face devoid of emotion.
Even though this feels personal, I know it isn’t. They may have been trying to take Interstellar, but it isn’t mine. Either way, I’ll do anything I can to stop them.
The pacer stops, turning to face me as the other men stand.
Standing before me in a perfectly pressed black suit with dark gray pinstripes, a crisp white dress shirt, and a silky red tie is none other than the smooth-talking, panty-dropping charmer from last night.
Lou.
The Lou who was between my legs less than ten hours ago, giving me more orgasms than I’ve had in years.
I gape, unable to hide my shock.
What the hell? Nothing makes sense.
His face matches mine, confusion in his eyes as he takes in the sight of me. “Elizabeth?”
His head tilts, his hair flopping a bit in the most delicious way, before he takes a step forward in impeccable black leather shoes.
I snap my mouth shut. “Lou?”
What’s he doing here? Oh God. This can’t be happening.
“Who?” Cassie whispers at my side. “That’s Mr. Forte. His name isn’t Lou. It’s Antonio.” She points at him, but it still hasn’t clicked.
The people in the waiting room are gawking at us.
I blink twice, wondering if he is a mirage. There’s no denying that the man standing in front of me is the same man I had sex with more than once last night. We stare at each other, both considering the ramifications of the situation.
Oh, shit.
I lied about my name, but I never imagined he could be the enemy. Why in the world would he lie about his name?
My palms begin to sweat, and my heart starts to pick up speed as the reality of the situation hits me. Maybe he played me. I was just another pawn in the Cozza game. I rarely believe anything is coincidence.
I take a step forward, my eyes narrowing at him. “Did you know?”
He shakes his head and gawks at me. “No.”
A gentleman coughs and steps in front of Mr. Forte. “I don’t know what’s going on here, Ms. Bradley, but we’re here to discuss the future of Cozza and Interstellar. I’m Mr. Alesci, the president of Cozza’s legal division.” He holds out his hand, but I don’t meet his eyes as I shake. I’m unable to take mine off Antonio.
I’m still in a trance, maybe in shock, about the entire Lou situation. I shake Mr. Alesci’s hand and keep my eyes pinned to Mr. Forte. “Excuse me,” I say, glancing at Mr. Alesci for a moment before bringing my eyes back to the sky-blue ones boring into me. “Mr. Forte, may I speak to you in private please?”
“I don’t think—” Mr. Alesci starts to say before Mr. Forte places his hand on his shoulder and gives it a rough squeeze.
“Yes, Ms. Bradley.” Mr. Alesci glares at Antonio but is quickly dismissed. “We’ll be fine, Jim.”
Turning my back to him, I let every facial expression I wanted to make before break loose. What in the fuck just happened? How in the world could this be happening to me? What are the odds of the one person I sleep with in longer than I’d like to admit would actually be the one person I’m supposed to hate the most?
There’s a real possibility that he played me. It’s entirely possible that he knew exactly who I was when he sidled up next to me at the bar. Just because I didn’t know who he was doesn’t mean he didn’t know who I was last night.
Antonio follows closely as we walk into my office. Using one hand, I close the door quietly, trying to avoid any more suspicion. “You knew who I was, didn’t you?” My nostrils flare, and I know I’m the one who looks like a rabid animal now.
“I didn’t.” He takes a step toward me.
I hold up my hand, stopping him. If he comes any closer, I’ll likely have a meltdown. “Stop.”
“I swear I didn’t know!”
The long night hasn’t made him look any worse for wear. He looks more handsome than he did last night, while I, on the other hand, am not at my best. I cross my arms over my chest and stare him down. “How could you?”
“I didn’t know. I swear. Why did you lie about your name?”
My teeth are clenched so tightly that they scrape against each other, making a horrible noise and making my headache worse. “Why did you lie about yours?”
He lets out a loud sigh and moves toward me, but I take a step back and bump into the door. He runs his fingers through his perfectly styled hair and inhales. “I don’t need someone looking me up online and thinking they hit the jackpot. I never give my real name to anyone unless I know them well.”
Unconsciously, my head tilts and my eyes narrow. “So, every woman you’ve slept with thinks you’re Lou?”
“No.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Some think I’m Fabio, Angelo, Salvatore, Giovanni—” he says with a small laugh.
The ENTIRE Takeover Duet is now available!