Summer couldn’t believe her bad luck. She’d left the lady’s room to return, believing she’d avoided any confrontation with Gabriella in the small, enclosed space of the lady’s room. What she hadn’t accounted for was her father following her. He’d been trying to flirt with Summer most of the evening. He wasn’t alone in doing that. The other women appeared displeased across the table. Summer avoided the restroom during their presence. Gabriella’s father was five years older than Summer’s. While Summer’s father didn’t flirt with women his age, it was clear Gabriella’s father didn’t have a problem with flirting or accosting women the same age as his daughter. Something Summer didn’t want pointed in her direction. Many men of different ages flirted with Summer. Most were harmless, but a few crossed the line into creepy stalker territory. There didn’t appear to be a happy medium in her life. The lascivious look in Joseph Mandela’s eyes told Su
Initially, Conner was unsure of the situation or the nature of his observation. How could he treat her in such a manner? It didn’t matter that Conner wanted Summer for himself. No, that only compounded his feelings into a ball of hate, disgust, and anger. He wanted to confront Joseph Mandela, but he escaped while Summer debated who should handle him. Now she was storming off after defending his honor against Gabriella’s accusations that she’d caught Conner kissing Summer. Gabriella didn’t stop with her spiteful attack on Summer, either. When Summer announced Gabriella’s father had kissed her, Gabriella turned on her again and accused her of luring her father for his money. Conner was unsure of how to respond. He’d seen Summer turn Joseph down and continued to tell him she wasn’t interested. He’d forced the kiss on her as though it were his right. Conner knew he’d found Gabriella uninteresting and even annoying. However, he witnessed her
Andre hurried to his room and dialed Merina’s phone number. He had to speak with her. What had he witnessed back there? Spying as a secretary was one thing. Then what was she pulling with that Mandela fool? As least she had the sense to turn him down. The Mandela family arrived when the sabotage began. Their companies weren’t the first to suffer sabotage, ending in them going under or entering a partnership with the Mandela family business. Merina’s phone rang for so long he thought she might not answer it. “Hello?” Finally, Andre heard his daughter’s voice. “What the hell happened there, and how badly did he injure you?” Andre wanted to do violence when he saw Joseph forcing Merina against the wall. If the O’Keefe boy hadn’t stopped him, Andre would have. “What no hello? How has your day gone? How are you feeling? Did you enjoy dinner?” He could hear how emotional Merina was right now. The acid that dripped from her words hi
Summer couldn’t believe how the evening ended. She wanted to scream. Conner wouldn’t stay in his lane. This brought too much attention to her. Joseph Mandela’s actions had no impact on O’Keefe business, but if Conner takes advantage of the incident, all attention will shift to her. She couldn’t afford anyone looking too close at the situation or her. His concern about a few bruises, though. Summer didn’t know how she’d handle that. Conner stood so close and then he was touching her arms and shoulders as he looked at the state Joseph had left her skin in. Her father, unfortunately, stood aside and did nothing. Hell, he called her and blamed her for the incident. She’d do what she had to just to prove to her father he’d made a mistake. She would leave them to clean up the mess they made, aware that she was the only one who could fix it. Summer, knowing it was childish, desired revenge as the most fitting option. Then she rememb
“Okay, that’s why I want to have the facts at my fingertips. I think they’re scamming families out of their businesses and changing the landscape of the industry. If my suspicions are correct, they’ve involved themselves in too many things. But they’re sending the families into chaos by setting the family members against each other before they attack the businesses. Look at it this way. If you must choose between saving the family business or saving the family relationship and dynamic, which would you choose? At least five companies here tonight have ended up in the gossip columns with their families exploding before the Mandela company takes their family companies over or they end in bankruptcy.” Summer tried to put some space between them, but Conner had her cornered. He could see how flustered she was.Conner studied failing businesses, but overlooked their connection to families. “How did you connect these things, Summer?” Conner had said little about his f
Conner looked up unprepared to hear Gabriella’s angry voice. When did she enter? What did she hear? “How did you get in here?” He couldn’t believe this woman. “Why are you here?” “I came to ask why you didn’t follow me, but instead I find you pursuing your secretary.” Gabriella appeared nauseated by an odd smell. “Gabriella, how dare you make such claims here? You dare enter and make uninvited claims, forbidding me from following? That’s on you, Gabriella. I don’t come when I’m called or when you try to yank my chain.” Couldn’t believe her nerve. His father wanted him to date her. How could he do that? She looked like she needed serious mental help. Conner accused Summer of stalking, but he couldn’t prove she broke into a hotel suite. “That’s not the point Conner. This part of the suite is my space, and she’s invading it. She’s coming in here calling me names. No, I’m off the clock and no one does that to me.” Summer pushed past Conner a
Summer shut the door behind Gabriella. “Damn it Summer, she didn’t tell me how she gained entrance to this suite.” Conner said. He complained because he now feared he’d wake up or enter his room to find Gabriella trying to pull something with him. Or trying to harm Summer. “Probably the same way any woman does.” Summer said to him. She sounded like she hated the kiss. But her reaction was nothing like her reaction to Joseph’s attempt at kissing her. “Now, let’s forget what happened before she entered. That was a mistake. We can’t progress with that obstacle.” Conner watched Summer as he tried to figure out why she said this. “You know how she did it? Then why don’t you tell me? Explain how she did it.” “Simple. She told a staff member that she belonged in the suite and her husband would kill her if he learned she’d left the suite. But she couldn’t get in again because she left her key inside. Then, to ensure the staff member said nothing
Summer locked the door after Conner, cursing herself for speaking too much. Conner wasn’t an idiot; she knew he’d figure things out sooner rather than later. It amazed her; he didn’t call her out before this. She couldn’t work with him as Merina did. She needed to find an alternative way for the information. How would she do this, though? Should she leave right now? Try to sneak away and catch an early flight home? If he didn’t catch on to her identity, she could hide out and tell him she didn’t want to fly home with Gabriella and Joseph. But if he did, she wouldn’t be able to stay at her apartment. Summer knew she’d have to make herself scared for a while. Could she, do it? Could Merina live on the lam for several years? Summer knew she couldn’t wait around for that. She had to go to the airport and check upcoming flight destinations. Ana could help settle the things she had going on in town. She was packing the last of her