One Night With The Boss

CHAPTER 6

Sunlight came in through the window and Elgort Downey saw it as a lost color on Kate's cheek.

Your game is over, pretty, she told herself, wondering how the girl could have been so naive to think that she wouldn't know what was going on in her company.

It's not that Kate's not good at it, because she is. Most people wouldn't see what Elgort had.

At first glance the accounts of the girl seemed to reveal nothing but a slow-growing business. And his seeming desire to be friendly and chatty is a strategy that might work with a less cynical and experienced man than Elgort. Kate Rutherford is attractive, enthusiastic, and refreshingly open.

A different man could have been impressed by his disappointment recognition that his business should have been profitable by now.

A different man may allow himself to believe he is innocent.

It was fortunate for Elgort, and unlucky for Kate, that her skills were voracious and immoral women. Had that not been the case, her suspicions would not have arisen and she would never have found that Cafe Bz was not what she claimed to be and Kate Rutherford was far from a caring and generous leader, that he was pretending.

The fact that she dared to show up and ask Elgort to continue pouring money into her little scam is another proof of Kate's greed and lack of conscience.

Under normal circumstances, Elgort would assign one of his staff to solve the problem, but in Kate Rutherford's case he had decided that he would handle it personally.

Looking at his polished nails and his shiny hair, Elgort felt a burning rage slowly within him. The girl looked pampered and safe. It was quite clear that he did not know the meaning of the word difficulty.

Does he know how cold and hungry it feels? Does she know what it's like to try and sleep without a roof over her tiny, pretty head?

No, of course not.

Elgort was willing to bet that the biggest struggle in the girl's life so far was deciding which shoes to wear with which clothes.

When Kate contacts her, asking for a meeting, her initial reaction is to refuse. Why waste time on him? But then he decided on a different treatment.

Indemnity.

Kate Rutherford has ruined a life and will destroy even more.

The girl must be made to face the consequences of her immoral behavior. He must be made to suffer

Elgort has not yet decided how, but he is working on it.

And looking at the girl now, wearing an unquestionably expensive suit, an inappropriate amount of money, wearing shoes that sparks passion, expecting her to extend her loan in her business, she said, he knew he had made the right decision.

How far, he wondered on a whim as he admired his slender ankles and soft calf curves, was he ready to go in his attempt to tease her?

It's a pity for the girl that she never let her sex life and business life overlap because the chemistry between them has been alive and electrifying ever since she caught the girl's heels on the trail.

The girl leaned over to take off her shoes and the action made her see a lacy white bra and a tempting cleavage. Her delicate blonde hair swung forward covering her face and her lips gaped as she struggled not to lose balance.

For a moment the rage that was raging within him had been engulfed by an outpouring of masculine nappies so intense as to approach the pain.

Money

In addition to shiny hair, seductive hemispheres, and long legs, Kate Rutherford is no different than any other greedy woman.

Dark memories swirled from the recesses of her mind, but she pushed him away with a ruthless determination, instead turning all the power of her anger on Kate Rutherford.

It is fitting that his father does not come, thought Elgort bitterly. They obviously wanted nothing to weaken the pure and virgin image she displayed in her white shirt and her clean, shiny hair. If he ever stood in front of a judge and jury, they would acquit him of murder.

Kate stood up, frozen in place, her expression puzzled as she considered Elgort's question. "Why do I have trouble sleeping at night?" Kate's expression is innocent, her skin is as pure as cream.

Elgort bet the girl had a traditional British education. She probably attended one of the girls' boarding schools that taught her the essential rule of survival - how to separate men from her purse.

The usual technique is to marry a rich man and get divorced.

Elgort wondered why Kate Rutherford did not take that path. Maybe the girl found it too troublesome.

Elgort suppresses her natural tendency to confront Kate with the information she has and ends the meeting as soon as possible.

That handling made it too easy for him, didn't it? the girl will protest a little at first, maybe bluff and deny everything until realizing how much she knows, then the girl will probably use tears or **** to persuade him not to sue.

Anyway the girl will fly back to London without her loan and that will be the end of it.

And Elgort doesn't want that to be the end.

The girl will suffer. Elgort wanted him to feel some of the worry and uncertainty he caused others.

And Kate was worried, Elgort could see it in the girl's eyes. Despite the act, Kate Rutherford was nervous.

"Why do you think I might not be able to sleep at night?" Kate's blue eyes are wide. "You mean, because I'm worried about how we'll pay off our debt if you withdraw your loan?"

No, Elgort didn't mean it that way. "Do you feel anxious?"

"Of course." Kate gave Elgort a timid smile that faltered under her grim gaze. "So many people depend on me but you just need to get that out of your head, don't you, or you're going crazy?"

Elgort leaned back in his chair and watched Kate, looking for loopholes, flaws. There are signs that the girl has human nature. Every sign of regret. But there's nothing. Only a glimmer of vigilance shows that he himself is an irrational person. "So you don't think of anyone else?"

Kate frowned a little. "Well, it's hard not to think about it, when you're in charge of their income, but it's important that you don't let emotions affect what needs to be done or everyone suffers."

Memories, vile and deadly, slide into Elgort's brain and this time no one holds him back. Suddenly he was eight years old again. Eight years old and completely alone. Hungrier. Fearful. Lost in the darkness. Surrounded by threatening and unfamiliar voices, all of which mean danger.

Cold sweat drenched Elgort's body and he got up and walked to the window, struggling to break free from the dark tentacles of his past.