“I didn’t,” he assured her and had the satisfaction of seeing her flush. “I know of you only because of Melanie. Sit down.”
Offense radiated off her but she sat. He knew by his tone she’d started to realize this meeting wasn’t what her vanity had told her it was. He cut to the chase because he didn’t care to spend more time than necessary in her presence.
“From this moment on, Melanie is gone from your life.”
Shana’s eyes widened and she tittered. “What are you talking about? I knew you rich guys were controlling, but really? Choosing her friends?”
He reached across the table and grabbed her wrist. His anger, a rare sight, bubbled to the surface. “You’re not her friend. In fact, you never were.”
He had to give her credit. She maintained the smile on her face, but her eyes flashed fire. “I don’t know what—”
“Quiet,” he snapped in a low tone, and she fell silent. “You’re the one who stole her designs. You covered your tracks by fucking your boss. As long as you kept spreading your legs, he gladly gave you whatever you wanted.”
“So now you’re going to tell Melanie?”
“No, she doesn’t need to know. Like I said, you’re out of her life.”
Shana wrenched her arm free and sat back in her chair. “I don’t care. I’m out of there anyway. You’re right. I was sleeping with the boss, but he doesn’t have enough clout or connections to get me where I wanted to go. I just gave my notice today. I have a bigger, better deal.”
Shana flipped her hair over her shoulder, a self-satisfied grin on her face.
Ryder smiled as well. “You mean the offer from Coverton?”
Her smile faded.
“No one crosses me or mine, Ms. Lewis. Have a nice day.”
Her jaw worked, but she spoke no more words. After a few stunned moments, she stood and turned away from the table. Ryder listened while she spoke with someone on the phone. “Yes, this is Shana Lewis. I was wondering if I could start the job sooner than the fifteenth. What do you mean the offer has been rescinded? No, I didn’t get the letter yet. You can’t do this to me!”
Melanie hurried to the front door on the second doorbell ring. She checked the peephole and wondered at the young man she’d never seen before. “Who is it?”
“Delivery for Ms. Melanie Cai.”
She hesitated and then opened the door with the chain on. The man smiled and held up his ID and a small package. She removed the chain. “I wasn’t expecting anything.”
“If you’ll sign here.”
She took the offered package and gasped at seeing Ryder’s name on it. “You’re a private carrier?”
“Yes, ma’am. You have a nice day.”
“Wait, let me tip you.”
“That won’t be necessary. Already taken care of by the Neyland Corporation.” He walked away, and she shut and locked the door, staring down at the package. What could it be? Her weekend with Ryder had been unbelievable. They’d had so much fun and talked about everything. For the first time, she felt like he was opening up and really letting her get to meet the real Ryder. At the end, he had made no promises, but somehow she felt like they had moved to a new level in their relationship. Hell, she had been afraid to call what they had a relationship until that past weekend.
The envelope shredded on the dining room table, she drew out a narrow, black box. Inside was the most amazing necklace she had ever seen. A panther’s head made of diamonds, his nose onyx, his eyes sapphires, and tassels hung from his head, a mixture of diamonds, onyx, and sapphires. She checked the inside silk of the box and choked at the name of the jeweler where the piece originated. This was no department or mall jewelry store.
Melanie’s legs refused to hold her, so she sank into a chair. Her fingers shook as she handled the necklace. Where the heck did he think she would wear this thing and not feel like all the world knew its value? While she contemplated Ryder having too much money and whether she should accept his gift, she noticed the small white envelope in the bigger one. Several thoughts flowed through her mind at what he would say in accompaniment to the gift. She bit her lip to keep control of the happy grin. Platitudes of love? That wasn’t Ryder. Poetry? She almost laughed.
The words that jumped off the sheet were “remember our time together” and “move on.” She couldn’t make a sound. She couldn’t cry or cuss him out. All she did was sit there, for a full hour, staring at the wall while her fingers crumpled the note. He had used her, enjoyed her body. Now she knew his show of honesty was just a part of his game to throw her off and make her love him, because that’s what he’d done. He’d made her fall in love.