Chained To Me: A Billionaire Enemies To Lovers Romance

Chapter 16 -Everly

"Where did he go?" I ask Lina as we both stand in Aston's office, which is now void of Aston.

Lina's on her phone, trying to do damage control to help Aston to stop losing clients. "Oh, he's on the roof." She waves her hand upward as if it's expected that her client would disappear like this during the middle of a workday.

I put down my briefcase and immediately go to the elevator.

"Where are you off to?" Lina asks.

"To find Aston," I reply.

I don't know if meeting him on the roof is the best idea, but I'm not giving up on this case. I've just started to get my feet wet, and there's still so much I can do to rehab his image. I only need a chance to prove myself.

"Good luck!" Lina calls after me. "You're going to need it."

I take a deep breath inside the elevator, knowing that confronting Aston is always complicated.

The man is arrogant, a control freak, and always has to get his way. I'm unsure if anything I say to him will influence his decision not to be honest with me, but I have to try.

I press the button for the roof and try to prepare my statement for him in my head.

"There's so much we can do for your image. You need to be a little vulnerable."

"If you tell me why you were at Amethyst, I can help you win over the public."

"I need you to be honest with me."

None of these statements seem right to say to a man like Aston, but I must start somewhere.

I ascend to the top floor with nervous knots in my stomach. The elevator doors open. Immediately a strong wind hits me, making me cold.

I step out of the elevator and then look around for Aston. Eventually, I see him at a far corner, peering over the edge.

He looks like a strong man set against the world with his muscular body facing the tall buildings of New York.

For a second, I have to suck in a breath because to see him his way is to witness beauty.

His chiseled body, blonde hair, and blue eyes are incredibly stunning. The man could be a model, but of course, he's a real estate titan instead.

I gulp, straighten my skirt, and try to think of one last line that might sway him.

Walking over to him, I think what a stupid move this is. He hates me. I'm the last person he wants to talk to. But I have to try.

As I get closer, I call his name, "Aston?"

He turns to look at me. His blue eyes find mine, and for a moment, there's this connection, this heat between us.

Chemistry.

Attraction.

Desire.

I feel it. I know I do. And it's cemented when he takes a lock of my hair in his big hand and twirls it around between his thumb and his forefinger.

I hold my breath, wondering what he'll do. But he just gazes at me for a minute too long.

I feel dizzy with him touching me, and I crave more.

I want him. Of course, I do.

"I—I heard you were up here," I finally say.

My words ruin the moment.

He swiftly drops my hair, blinks, and turns back to the view.

"What the fuck are you doing up here, Everly?" he says harshly.

I stand next to him, looking out over the city. "I'm here to convince you. You need to come back down to the office and work with me. I can help you to fix things."

He shakes his head. "It's impossible. Things need time to fizzle out. There's nothing you can do to make it better."

I take my chance.

Standing beside him, I relay a story I think might persuade him. "You know, I have a place back in Seattle where I would go to think."

He doesn't move or even acknowledge that I'm there.

"It's this park I would go to when I needed a break from looking for my sister." I fold my arms before my chest, trying to protect myself from the memory. "There was this big, wide oak tree that I'd sit under. And, I don't know, it comforted me for some reason."

Aston doesn't look at me, say anything, or even seem to notice me.

I hope that maybe my words are going to melt his icy facade, so I go on, "She has a pretty bad drug problem. And I found myself looking for her often on my own, on the streets of Seattle. But this big, sturdy oak tree was always there when I needed it. It provided support when I was most worried about my sister." I look around the roof. There's nothing up here. But I imagine Aston comes here frequently to collect his thoughts. When he still says nothing, I continue, "You know, I'm not as bad as you think. If you'd give me a chance, you'd find I'm pretty damn good at my job. I have a great track record. In one instance, I cleared this celebrity's name, and she's back working in movies. I've dealt with a wide range of people...."

He turns on me, his blue eyes narrowed and darkening. "I don't give a flying fuck about your track record, Everly. I don't care about your sister or her problems. What I care about is getting you out of my life."

His eyes blaze into mine, and where once I found the depths of a beautiful ocean, I only see hatred staring back at me.

Aston hates me.

At his harsh words, tears form in my eyes. I can't help it. I've never been so abhorred before, just for being myself.

I realize at this moment that I can't take this job. I can't work for someone as awful and cruel as Aston Thomas.

I stare at him, into the depth of his beautifully cruel face, wondering how someone can be so mean. Conceited. Narcissist. Egocentric. Control freak. Then, I turn on my heel and run away from him, the most horrible man I've ever met.

I get back into the elevator, unbelieving that I ever took this job, that I thought I could help a man such as Aston. He's untouchable, living in his bitter world, immune to anyone who tries to offer him aid in any way.

Internally, I scold myself for being upset by him. He's an icy-cold monster. I shouldn't give him a second thought. But I had hoped, despite his harsh exterior, that we were forming a rapport.

I thought wrong.

Back in his office, tears stream down my face as I grab my briefcase and prepare to leave it all behind.

But Lina stops me. "What happened?"

"What happened?" I echo her words. "I'll tell you exactly what took place. That man is the most unbearable, unlikable, awful man I've ever met. There's no working with him or for him. He's horrible!"

She nods her head in consent. "I understand. But if you'd stay another few days and get us through this...."

"No!" I cut her off. "I shouldn't have come here. This was a mistake."

Aston Thomas is the biggest mistake I've ever made. He's insufferable.

I take my bag and leave, catching a cab to my hotel.

The sooner I can get out of New York, the better. I need to get away from Aston, to forget he ever existed.