Chapter 4 - An Invitation To Bleed
By Friday morning, the atmosphere was suffocating. I spent three hours locked in my office drafting storyboards, refusing to answer calls from the executive suite. My mind was plagued by images of Camila sitting across from Daniel at some candlelit restaurant, sharing wine, laughing at his jokes, maybe letting him drive her home.
The thought made me physically ill. Which proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was losing the game. I was jealous. Dangerously, madly, completely jealous.
A sharp knock broke my spiral. Harper peeked her head into my office, looking nervous.
""Wesley? Ms. Rhodes needs you to accompany her to the Mercer Foundation Charity Gala tomorrow night.""
I leaned back in my leather chair, throwing my stylus onto the desk. ""Doesn't she have Daniel for that? He’s literally the 'Mercer' in the foundation.""
""Daniel had an emergency flight to London this morning,"" Harper explained quietly. ""And the agency sponsored a premier table. Northline needs executive representation. Camila asked for you specifically.""
I stared at her. ""She did?""
""Yes. And Wesley? She looked... upset when Daniel left. But she was adamant that nobody else take his seat at her table except you.""
A strange thrill ignited in my chest, battling with my stubborn pride. ""Tell her I'll consider it if my schedule permits.""
Harper rolled her eyes. ""You don't have a schedule tomorrow night, Romeo. Get your tuxedo dry-cleaned.""
Twenty minutes later, my office door swung open without a knock. Camila stood in the doorway, wearing a charcoal wool trench coat over a sleek black dress. Her hair was pulled back into a sophisticated chignon, but the dark circles under her eyes betrayed a lack of sleep.
""My assistant told me you were playing hard to get,"" she said coolly, shutting the door behind her.
""I don't play hard to get, Camila. I'm just very expensive to book on weekends.""
She crossed the room and placed both hands on the edge of my desk, leaning forward until our faces were separated by only a foot of empty space. ""It’s a corporate obligation, Wesley. Two hundred top business leaders will be there. The mayor is speaking. I cannot sit alone at the head of our sponsored table.""
""Take Jessa. Take Marcus from finance.""
""I don't want Marcus from finance,"" she snapped, her voice cracking slightly. ""I want you.""
The room fell dead silent.
Camila seemed shocked by her own admission. She quickly straightened her posture, clearing her throat and adjusting the lapel of her coat. ""You're the head of creative. You know how to talk to donors. And... I need someone beside me who actually understands what Northline stands for.""
I studied her closely. The cold, impenetrable CEO was fighting for control, but her pulse was visibly fluttering in the hollow of her throat.
""Is this part of the bet, Camila?"" I asked softly, standing up slowly until I towered over her. ""Are you dragging me into Daniel's territory just to see if I'll break?""
She looked up at me, her brown eyes shimmering with unshed emotion. ""If I were trying to win the bet, Wesley, I would have stayed in London with Daniel. He asked me to come with him.""
The revelation hit me like a physical blow. ""Why didn't you go?""
""Because Chicago is my home,"" she whispered, her voice barely audible. ""And everything I care about is right here in this building.""
Before I could process the weight of those words, she turned toward the door. ""Seven o’clock tomorrow. The Drake Hotel. Black tie. Don't embarrass me, Wesley.""
""Camila,"" I called out before she touched the door handle.
She paused, looking over her shoulder.
May you like
""I won't let you sit alone,"" I said simply. ""Not tomorrow. Not ever.""
A faint, breathtaking smile touched the corners of her lips before she slipped out into the hallway, leaving me standing in the quiet office with a racing heart and a fire burning in my veins.
