to believe that?’
‘You can believe what you want. It’s the truth.’
‘You admitted to having been in touch with him lately. And you came here to meet him, did you not?’
‘We spoke briefly on the phone a couple of days ago. Lunch was mentioned, and I thought I’d surprise him today...’ She trailed off, unwilling to elaborate that she’d done most of the talking, while her father had remained stonily monosyllabic. Rebel struggled to hide the hurt that lanced her heart from knowing her father would’ve probably rejected any firm plans had he known she’d intended to come here today.
‘I urge you to come clean now, Miss Daniels, before things get worse for you and your father,’ Draco Angelis threatened.
The first tendrils of fear clawed up her spine. ‘If you must know, we didn’t make any firm plans. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to stop by and see if he was free for lunch. I haven’t seen him in a while and I thought—’
‘How long is a while?’
‘That’s between my father and me, and none of your business.’
Firm, sinfully sensual lips pursed. ‘You don’t think my CFO’s sudden disappearance and you turning up unannounced in my building is any of my business?’
‘So he’s taken a brief vacation. So what?’ she speculated wildly, her unease growing as suspicion mounted in Draco’s eyes.
‘Considering he hasn’t taken one in the five years he’s worked for me, you’ll pardon me if I find his sudden need for one, without speaking to me first, more than a little suspect. Besides, we have a procedure for absences. My employees don’t make a habit of just not turning up to work when the mood takes them.’
‘Because that would guarantee them an on-the-spot sacking?’
‘Perhaps not on the spot. I would demand an explanation first before the sacking ensued.’
Rebel forced an eye roll, which was far from the nonchalance she tried to project. ‘So you’re not just a dragon to work for, you’re an ogre as well? Congratulations.’
Sharp grey eyes, surrounded by the most lush eyelashes she’d ever seen on a man, lasered her. ‘You find this subject amusing?’
Anger surged through her. ‘About as amusing as discovering that you seem to have a personal vendetta against me when we’ve never even met before.’
His face tightened, his expression growing even more formidable. ‘We didn’t need to meet before I knew exactly what sort of person you are. Your antics in the last half an hour have only confirmed it.’
‘Really? Would you care to share it with me or should I take a few wild guesses?’
‘You’ve barely scraped through into ski finals for the last few years because your work ethic is average at best. You’re more concerned with headlining in the tabloids with your extracurricular activities than putting in the hard work to secure yourself a position in the championships.’
She swallowed hard before her temper got the better of her. ‘I’ll have you know I was an under-twenty-one record holder for two years.’
‘But you haven’t placed higher than fifth in the last six years. Your position in the rankings has fallen in direct proportion to the rise of your notoriety. It doesn’t take a maths genius to work out where your true interests lie. Which is why I wonder why you even bother.’
Anger gave way to bewildered hurt, but Rebel locked in her emotions, determined not to show him how his words affected her. ‘I’m still at a loss as to how all of this or anything in my private life concerns you.’
‘If it concerns my client, it concerns me. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before your reckless actions have a direct impact on another athlete,’ he retorted pithily, his gaze boring harder into her, condemnation stamped in every pore.
Draco Angelis’ reaction was too strong for Rebel to believe his motivation stemmed from concern for his client alone. But she was too busy struggling not to react to the accusation of recklessness to pay it much heed.
The only thing Rebel wanted was to leave his office and his oppressive presence. She needed the head space to ponder exactly what her father was up to. And whether the money he’d sent her was indeed embezzled funds as her every instinct shrieked it was. The enormity of what that would mean struck cold dread inside her.
‘I think we’re done here, Mr Angelis. Rex Glow is no longer my sponsor, so I don’t have to listen to you or your groundless accusations about my life. If you choose to believe whatever nonsense you read in the papers, then that’s your problem, not mine.’
He made no move to stop her as she headed for the door. She knew why the moment she tried to pull it open and found it unyielding.
‘Open this door now.’
Cold steel eyes pinned her in place. ‘I’m not finished with you.’
‘But I am with you,’ she replied, a vein of panic rising in her belly. She rattled the door harder, but the reinforced glass didn’t budge an inch.
‘You can leave once you tell me where your father is hiding.’
She whirled at the hard demand. He was less than a foot from her, his stance even more imposing than before. His scent attacked her senses a second later, once again cutting a dangerous swathe through her thought processes.
The man wasn’t just a dangerous dragon. He was a precariously beautiful creature, his face and body an alluring, breathtaking combination designed to trap helpless prey.
Not that she was one!
‘Do you jump to conclusions about every single subject or are my father and I being singled out for special treatment?’
‘You think I want my company exposed to the fact that my CFO has embezzled from me?’
Renewed panic gripped her insides. ‘Where’s your proof that he has?’
‘The evidence isn’t concrete yet, but what I’ve found so far doesn’t look good. It’s only a matter of time before we trace where the funds ended up. His not answering my calls or emails doesn’t exactly look promising.’
‘What...what would you tell him if he answered?’
Draco’s narrowed eyes scoured her face. ‘He’s served me well for five years. I’d be prepared to listen to his explanations.’
‘Before throwing the book at him?’
‘You think I should let him go scot-free if he’s guilty?’
Her heart lurched. ‘Since we haven’t established that he’s done anything wrong, I think this is a moot point.’
‘Sadly, your poker face isn’t as flawless as you think. You know where he is. Tell me now and I’ll consider not pressing full charges.’
‘I don’t know where he is. I swear,’ Rebel answered.
Draco
