After a long, exhausting day, I walked out of the showroom in the evening.

Beige heels clicked softly on the concrete as I moved past the rushing pedestrians.

Clutching my shoulder bag tight, I fastened my pace through the busy street of this shady-looking downtown.

The nearest bus stop was within thirty-minutes walking distance.

I dragged my dead tired body through the sidewalk as every bone inside me screamed to just let go and lie down.

"Damn! Why did I leave my car at office?" I grumbled low under my breath, gritting my teeth. "Stupid. Stupid. Stu-"

"Hello! Hey, Hayes. Hayes! Wait up!"

With a frown, I looked back to see Mr. Ronnes rushing toward me.

His right hand was raised at me when he collided with someone on the street.

"Sorry, pal!" His sharp honey-gold eyes found me next. "You. Hold up."

I was holding up, Dude.

Pressing my lips tight, I moved to my left closer to the walls to avoid the crowd.

Mr. Ronnes huffed as he stopped before me.

"Wow! You can run with those chicken legs, Doll."

This was the thousand and one million times in a day when he insulted me.

I deadpanned. "Anything wrong, Sir?"

"Sawyer, Doll. Not Sir. I'd even prefer that Sales Ki-"

"Uh, I'm in a bit rush," I cut him off with a thin smile. "Now, if you'd excuse me?"

I turned around to walk only to have a firm grip on my arm and hold me in place.

With a frown, I looked down at the callous, warm hand wrapped around my bare cold skin.

Mr. Ronnes left my arm in the next second and moved away, clearing his throat.

"Uh, sorry. Anyways, you gotta come with me."

"I can manage, Si-" Mr. Ronnes narrowed his eyes at me. "Sawyer."

"I didn't ask. Now, move!" his deep, raspy voice rumbled loud as a sharp horn of some car passed by us.

I frowned hard.

"Look, I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm already too late and-"

"I ain't doing you any favor too, Hayes." He raised his left brow at me.

"What do you mean?"

"Business. With one-time free lift offer."

I observed his dead-straight, chiseled face for a while.

A long, tired breath escaped my lips.

This was going to be a long night.

✯✯✯

I was twisting my fork on my sour-cream spaghetti as my eyes roamed over a calm Mr. Ronnes.

He was cutting his roasted chicken with a knife, forked it, and put the morsel in his mouth with kneen attention.

A slow, soft melody hummed in our ears as we sat in this posh Italian restaurant.

Red walls.

Wooden floor.

White round tables with red candles in glass bowls as centerpieces.

Black leather chairs.

Vintage interior.

And, the sweet, sultry aroma of stomach-twisting food surrounded us as we were sitting at La Vienna.

"Mr. Ronnes, you wanted to discuss some-"

"Last time, Hayes," He glanced at me with his cold eyes after gulping down his wine. "It's Sawyer. Don't make me repeat."

Oh, heavens! What was with his bloody fetish of nickname?

I swallowed back the words that were on the tip of my tongue and straightened my back on the black leather chair.

"Sawyer. You said business."

A small smirk graced his lips as he dropped his cutleries on the now empty plate.

"Yes. I did." He wiped his mouth with a napkin and picked up his polished glass of wine.

Devon must have paid him handsomely for him to afford this restaurant for riches.

"I don't need anyone's favor for me to sit in this place."

I flinched out of my thought at his deep voice.

Sawyer smirked as my cheeks warmed up.

I looked away.

But questions didn't stop flooding my mind.

"You must be wondering how I know your thoughts?"

I sneaked a glance at him and got caught red-handed.

Sawyer was still staring at me with his signature twitch of dark red lips.

"Your face screamed it all." He chuckled.

My eyes widened.

Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"Pfft... It's common sense, Doll. You obviously didn't expect an ordinary sales manager to dine in such places. Cost is higher here even though my pay digits are no less."

"Then... How?" I decided to speak my mind.

He leaned forward, putting his arms on the table.

"The secret is my nonna. She owes this establishment."

My eyes were about to bulge out.

His nonna...

Vienna Susan Romanov.

That meant Sawyer was one of those with deep pockets and higher beings in society.

Why the heck was he wasting time as a simple employee in someone else's company?

Wait a sec!

"Who's your father, Sawyer?" I asked in a frantic tone, legs twitching badly beneath the table cloth.

Sawyer dropped his smirk for the second.

His deep, raspy voice lowered as he spoke in a slow tone, "You... Don't know my father?"

I licked my lips in anticipation.

I had a wild guess but if it turned out true...

A slow smirk graced Sawyer's lips.

Dread coiled in my stomach. Beads of sweat warmed my forehead even in this cool environment.

Sawyer leaned back and crossed his arms.

"Well, he's Benjamin Ronnes. Former owner of the Trexon Empire."

I forgot to breathe as I stared wide-eyed at Sawyer.

Sawyer Jade Ronnes. The ex-CEO of our company.

Devon's most dangerous opponent in the industry as rumored.

And, I was trapped with him.

Damn!

✯✯✯

My hands felt clammy as I fiddled with my fingers.

My restless gaze was frozen outside the window, watching neon lights pass by us in a rush.

The low hum of the car's engine filled the air as Sawyer drove us through the empty streets.

Looming silence filled with thick tension made bile almost rise in my throat.

I gulped down the hard lump and licked my lips.

"If you plan to throw up, I'll throw you outta my car, Hayes."

I flinched at the sudden deep voice cutting through the depth of cold silence.

My breath hitched as I found Sawyer smirk through the blurry reflection of the car window.

God... Why did I agree to go with him again?

Devon was in danger.

Did he know his enemy was working in the same company? Right under his nose!

Who was I kidding? Of course, he did!

Trexon Empire was his and he knew every nook and cranny of it.

Then why? Why such a foolish attempt?

Why did he employ such a dangerous opponent in his company?

What if Sawyer planned for revenge?

"Such a slow thinker, huh?"

What the heck was I gonna do!

"Just be a doll for me, Hayes, and see magic happen or..."

My head snapped toward him the moment those words struck my brain.

Sawyer smirked wide as he glanced at me with those twinkling honey-gold eyes.

"You can join in the fun."

My blood froze. Heart skipped a beat. Throat dried at the sinister note in Sawyer's deep, raspy voice.

My lips trembled to speak. But I couldn't utter a single word.

I wiped a hot line of sweat that trickled down the side of my left ear.

Gasping for breath, I clutched my seat tight and closed my eyes shut.

"Hey, you okay?"

I leaned my head back on the seat and gulped a heavy lump.

"Hayes. Hey... Shit!"

One. Two. Three.

Burgers for free.

My chest heaved up and down fast as my lungs burned for air.

"Hayes, breathe. Slow..."

Four. Five. Six.

Skittle colors mix.

My whole body jerked as a sudden screech noise rang in my ears.

Warm hands patted my cheeks.

"Look at me, Hayes."

I tried to open my bleary eyes.

For the first few attempts, I felt my eyes getting heavier. But soon, I got control of my senses back.

Fluttering my lashes one last time, my blurry vision welcomed the soft yellow light inside the car.

"Here. Focus on me." the faint buzz of Sawyer's voice echoed in my ears as I looked in his direction on my left.

I gasped loud at what I thought were his golden eyes.

Tears trickled down my cold cheeks as I tried to suppress the burn in my screaming lungs.

"That's right. Now, listen to my voice. Breathe... Slow... Yes. Just like that. Keep going. Keep going... In and out. Good! Do it. Right."

I followed his instructions, keeping my sole focus on his deep, raspy, and quite soothing voice.

As if that was my only salvation at the moment.

As if... As if I was a moth and him?

A deadly burning inferno.

The one that could swallow me whole at any second.

I gulped slowly, feeling much better than before.

Taking in a long, deep breath, I rested my head on the seat.

"Better?"

My head tilted to the side toward him.

My tired gaze roamed over his slightly frowned face. Flickers of concern swirled in his honey-gold eyes for a second before they became calm.

"What do you want from Devon?" I spoke in a low, ragged whisper.

Calm gaze turned cold, a thin smirk played on his lips.

"Devon, huh?"

"Mr. Harlington. Now, answer my question."

His smirk widened. He opened his mouth to speak before clamping it shut again.

"Nope. Won't tell you my secrets unless you share yours."

"I have no secret." I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.

He was still my boss. No matter what.

"Liar. But I won't set you on fire. Don't worry!"

Sawyer's cheery voice made me sigh.

"Sir, please. Don't do this. You'll get nothing from this revenge game. Nothing but regret and misery."

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience." His golden eyes narrowed at me as he tilted his head to the side.

His intense gaze somehow made me feel squirmish.

"None of your concern, Sir. Just stay away from Mr. Harlington. Please..."

I unlocked my seatbelt and pushed the door open to my side.

The moment my heels touched the black concrete, I noticed the place for the first time.

"You gotta be kidding me..."

I muttered under my breath as my wide eyes roamed around the parking lot of our office.

My blue Toyota – Hercules – was just there at the same place where had I left him in the morning.

I pressed my lips tight and closed the red door of Sawyer's BMW with a resounding thud.

"Hey, watch out! That's your way of thanking me for the lift, Doll?"

Lift, huh?

Bloody asshole!

I whirled around and glared dagger at the smirking devil.

"What's the meaning of this! First, you take me to a restaurant in the name of some business, and now leaving me stranded on the road? Sorry, Sir, I fail to see your perspective here."

I took a long deep breath to calm my racing heart and clenched my fists tight to suppress the boil in my blood.

Sawyer snorted, making me want to become fire and burn him to ashes.

"You are from Yale, right? Uni topper in MBA?"

I deadpanned at his words.

"Yes, Sir."

What was he getting at with the sudden change in topics?

Wait! How did he even know about my university?

Was he stalking me!

Sawyer offered me a skin-prickling lopsided grin.

"And, still failed to grasp a simple matter. Think, Hayes. Think. Why did I take you to my nonna's restaurant? Why I gave you my father's name?"

My brain froze at that exact moment.

The only time I needed that damn thing to run faster than Usain Bolt!

I clenched my jaw as I glared at the black concrete below.

"Good night, Doll!" I looked up to see Sawyer grinning at me. "Hope you enjoy the rest of the journey."

Without wasting a single second, he whirled those black tires, smoked the air with a boom, and whooshed past me. All within a moment.

Leaving me alone on a dead night with my car.

"Prickling spawn of Devil!"

I gritted my teeth with a frown and turned around to walk away.