“No. He was getting married. He had a fiancée who he loved more than anything in this world. She died of cancer a while ago.”
Lia presses her hand to her mouth.
“He’s been through a lot. If that weren’t enough, his company, the board, they tried to get rid of him when he was spending too much time with her. I mean, can you believe that?”
Lia’s mouth drops open and her face crinkles. “You mean when he’s spending time with his fiancée who’s dying, they tried to fire him?”
I glance to the side and grimace. “Can you imagine? When he needed the most support, the most understanding, all they tried to do was take the company from him while he was with her. Fucking monsters,” I add, looking straight at Lia.
“No shit!” she adds with a scowl. “So what’d he do?”
I shake my head slowly. “What could he do? He ignored them, and spent time with her. She was dying, Lia. I mean, he was trying to spend the very last moments with her.” I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye. “It’s so unfair,” I mutter.
“Why, did he lose his job?”
“Well, he owns the company, but they voted him out as CEO. And then they got some corporate shills to replace him. The whole thing is just disgusting.” I glower.
“Jesus, Belle. I had no idea. When did all this happen?”
“It was about eight or nine months ago.”
“He was probably so lonely and hurt. But then he found you,” she says with a soft smile.
I sigh and look away. “I suppose so. I don’t think he’s in love with me or anything like that, Lia. No one could ever replace her. You could just see how much he loved her in his eyes. And then these disgusting executives just use that against him.” My lips flatten. “His priority now is probably getting his company back.”
“Well, he sounds pretty serious about you.”
“I don’t think so. It’s about the company right now. I can’t believe it’s anything more.” I put my head down and sigh. “It’s so complicated.”
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“It’s like I walked into the middle of something that’s too good to be true. I don’t know if he is interested in me, or if he just misses her and I am some kind of distraction, or if he just wants his company back. It’s all so complicated now, and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, or where I fit in.” I sigh. “And then these executives. For someone like Kalin to be in that world of backstabbing, money-grubbing lowlifes. It’s like watching Prince Charming among sewer rats.” I snort out a laugh, and Lia laughs with me.
“You care about him, don’t you?” Lia asks in a soft tone.
“Of course I do. I don’t see him as just my boss. Not after all this. That’s not all he is to me anymore. But I still don’t know what motivates him or what he wants from me. I mean, look how he hired me. He could be using me, too.”
“Sounds like a good way to get used to me.” She smiles.
“What if I’m falling in love with him, but he’s just using me?” I pout.
“Do you really think he’s that kind of a person?”
“I don’t know. I mean, what if he is one of them—the sewer rats? How would I know? This is what he does, and this is how he made it to the top. Besides, I’ve only known him for three weeks. All I know is that he’s sexy as hell, is incredible in bed, and that he was double crossed by his own company. Beyond that, I am caught up in something way over my head, Lia. I have no idea what I’m doing anymore.”
“Are you falling in love with him?” she asks, leaning slightly closer to me.
“I don’t know. How would I? I’ve never been in love, and even if I am, I’m too guarded to let those feelings out.”
“Why? What are you afraid of?” Lia gazes at me with a concerned expression, and I know I can’t tell her everything.
“After what happened with his fiancée and with his own company, maybe he just doesn’t care anymore,” I say. “Maybe he just wants sex and whatever else I can give him. And then when he’s done with me, he’s going to throw me away.” I nibble at my finger and stare into space for a moment.
“You’re not telling me everything, are you, Belle?”
Dammit, Lia. How does she do that?
I frown at her and sigh. “He can get his company back. But he needs my help. That’s why he hired me. But he also says he has feelings for me. So now I’m not sure if he’s just saying that to get me to do what he wants in order to get the company back, or if he really cares about me.”