She had no right to tell me who I should and shouldn’t have around my daughter.
“I am well aware of my decisions and how they affect the daughter I’ve raised on my own for seven years now. Maybe you should mind your business regarding my love life.”
“Have it your way,” she said dismissively, crossing her arms over her chest. “Legal is waiting for you in the HR meeting rooms. Don’t keep them waiting.” Her finger pointed the way, and then without a word she left me standing there in the dust as she walked away again.
Just like always.
Chapter
Seventeen
ARISTA
I refusedto take the bait. Mi-Soo was playing a game. I knew damn well she didn’t have any better prospects lined up, and the longer she was off the market, the harder it’d be to get back on top. If she wanted to work in Nocturna Beach, she’d sign the new contract and stop jerking our chains.
Tanner understood. But there was no doubt in my mind I’d have a stern talking-to lined up from my superiors when they caught wind of the tactics I used.
Mi-Soo had been a frustrating, spoiled, entitled bitch from the start. And girls like that only understood one type of handling—the tough kind.
I had to force her hand to make things happen. I just hoped the bosses would understand.
But there was no hiding the emotion that ran through my veins when I spotted her hands all over Jun.
Rage. Jealousy. Anger.
I wanted to rip her arm off her body and beat her with it. I wanted to claw her eyes out. I wanted to do a number of things that could land me in jail.
But he wasn’t mine. I had no say over his life. Hell, wasn’t I currently rushing temp hires so I could run in the other direction from this shit show?
But seeing him with someone else still hurt.
I didn’t wait for them to finish the meeting. I gave Pujin orders to escort Jun for the remainder of his daily schedule, and I bailed like a fucking coward.
I made it to the parking garage before I realized something was off.
I stopped walking, and behind me somewhere, someone else’s footsteps halted a second after mine. If I turned around, it’d give me away. Instead, I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and dialed our building’s security team emergency line.
“kNight Rising, Dan here. Is there an emergency?”
“Hey, Kathy. I’m just heading down to the parking garage now. Are we still on for dinner tonight?” I started walking again, slower this time, listening for the second set of footsteps as I waited for the guard to pick up on the code.
“Yes or no, ma’am: are you currently in the east garage?”
“Yes.”
“Are you in danger?”
I stopped, reaching into my bag as if I were searching for a compact. “Maybe. What do you think about that new restaurant in the main building? I hear the view from the third floor is amazing at sunset.”
“Third floor, east garage. We’re sending someone out to you right now. Please stay on the line with us.”
My relief was short-lived as someone came up behind me and put what felt like a gun to the back of my head.
“Hang up,” a raspy voice whispered. “You can talk to your little friend later.”
“I’m sorry, Kathy, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you at the restaurant in a bit.”
The second I hung up, the stranger behind me pulled the phone from my hand and threw it to the ground, stomping it like a fucking bug under his shoe. “Now that that’s out of the way, let’s have a little chat.”
