The Closer (18+) ✓

| 6.5 | ex-ventures

❝Tell me that you love me 
even if it's fake
cause I Don't Fucking Care
at all.❞

Chapter Six:
Ex-Ventures
(cont'd)

I left that building as fast as I possibly could after fixing myself in the room, but no amount of make-up and concealer could hide my obviously puffy eyes and red cheeks. I tried to avoid the pitiable looks from the receptionist who must have thought I was some amateur at this job and it was my first failed assignment, but the last thing I wanted to do was hang around long enough for people to recognize the mighty Tris Henderson as a failure. Hans was right by my side the whole time, keeping watch over me like some sort of guardian angel. One sweeping glance at his curled fists had me wondering how affected he was by what just happened. He was obviously furious with me...he had to be. I just blew off a deal that meant a lot to his father's company; why wouldn't he be?

I fastened my pace, walking hurriedly toward the parking area. The first thing I was going to do when we got to the hotel was crawl into the covers of the bed, and cry. No, fuck that. I wasn't some wuss...I would take a hot shower, think things over and contact Mr. Warner from S'ConVenturas to make things right. No way was I going to let Jacob win at this. He was totally doing it out of spite. Well, I would show him.

Determined, I started walking faster but a hand shot out and yanked me back, nearly ripping my arm out of its socket.

"Ow!" I rubbed at my shoulder with my free hand, giving Hans a questioning glance. "What was that for?"

"Why don't I fetch you a cab?" His lips were set into a thin, firm line, voice cold. I didn't get a chance to answer as he started dragging me in the opposite direction of the parking spot, and toward the streams of cars and cabs behind us. "There's a park not far from here. You could use a walk, clear your head, calm yourself down."

I dug my heels into the ground and prevented him from dragging me along further. "I'm fine Hans. Let's just get back to the hotel." It was then that I realized the shaky nature of his voice wasn't because he was mad at me. I followed his steely gaze over my head and turned around to see what he was so pissed about. Jacob was leaning against our vehicle, arms crossed over his chest with that ungrateful smile, watching our exchange.

"I'll deal with that scumbag for you. Leave, Tris."

I blinked away the red spots of anger that clouded my vision and stared up at the man in front of me. Hans' face was set into lines of pure disgust and hatred. I hadn't ever imagined him reacting this way because of someone hurting me but he was, and it made my heart ache. But Jacob wasn't his problem. He was mine, and I was going to face him.

"I can do this Hans."

He broke his eyes from a hostile stare-off with Jacob to look down at me in concern, the worry knitting his brows.

"You weren't...okay back there. I don't want you breaking down again."

"I'm past the point of falling apart, trust me."

A shadow crossed Hans' face at my words. He nodded, clenching his jaw but let go of my hand. With a deep breath, I turned and started to walk toward our car, fixing a dead glower on Jacob.

"What do you want, Jacob?" I snarled, coming to a stop two feet in front of him. He blocked my entrance to the car and I wasn't appreciative of it one bit.

I couldn't believe he was the same man I had once thought him to be. Everything about him had changed from the way he sneered down at me with every intention of humiliating me to how he had gone to the extent of personally ensuring to screw this deal up. And he called himself a 'just' corporate lawyer.