Page 4 of Hunter
“What say you, Louisa?”
“No,” she replies without even thinking about it. “No thank you.”
Trent scoffs over the very idea of someone like Louisa not wanting to go out with him; I bet he’s used to girls who would have jumped at the chance without even blinking. I try to keep my expression neutral, even though I must admit, I’m impressed by her dismissal of him.
“I understand, Louisa, but may I ask why not?” I ask, to which she simply shrugs and looks down at her hands. “Actually, let’s talk more privately. Gentlemen, perhaps we can adjourn this meeting until tomorrow? Leave a time that is convenient with our admin staff, and we’ll get back to you to confirm.”
Trent rolls his eyes and clucks his tongue before shuffling out with his ridiculous wall of a bodyguard. His father offers us a smile of apology, focusing longer on Louisa in the hopes that she’ll suddenly accept my offer. I stand to see him out, leaving Theo and Louisa at the meeting table.
Once they are safely out the door, I turn to look at Louisa with my most charming smile, only to realize from her expression that this isn’t going to work on her.
“Daniel, she’s given you her answer, now leave it be,” Theo says, looking irritated on Louisa’s behalf.
“I am more than aware of that, Theo, but I would just like to give Louisa the opportunity to really consider what we’re offering here.”
I walk back over to my chair and turn my body to talk directly to her and her alone.
She sighs in such a way, I think this is the first time she’s actually shown anything beyond compliance and politeness in front of me. I can’t help but smile to myself. Perhaps there is more to Louisa Flynn than the façade she likes to portray to the world.
“Do you have a boyfriend? Because we can talk about it with him. This arrangement would be completely for show only.”
“No, I don’t have a boyfriend,” she says matter of factly, but now with her arms crossed in an agitated fashion. “But this wasn’t in the job description.”
“You’re right, Louisa; now, Daniel, drop it!” Theo warns me, but like I said, I’m not one for taking orders.
“There would be a significant bonus in it for you,” I continue, bypassing my partner and best friend altogether.
“Mr Hunter,” she begins, being polite but sounding curt at the same time, “your offer makes me feel like some sort of whore and I am not a whore by any stretch of the imagination.”
At first, I’m stunned by her words, both because it’s the most she’s ever said to me, but also because she said them with such conviction; I’m even more lost over who she really is. However, to my surprise as well as hers, I end up laughing. This is met with unmistakable contempt in her eyes. I know I sound like an asshole, but I can’t help myself; the girl dresses like a nun in training and she thinks I’m trying to whore her up.
“My apologies, Louisa,” I eventually reply, “I did not mean to offend you and I certainly didn’t mean to imply you were a whore. I just meant that as an extra duty, you would be well compensated. But if there is something else that would change your mind, then tell me.”
“There isn’t. Now, is there anything else, Mr Hunter?” she asks as she gets to her feet, her lips set tightly in a rigid line of annoyance.
“Think on it…please. I’ll catch you at the end of the day and talk to you then.”
She gives the slightest movement of a nod before marching out the door and closing it with a small thud behind her. I then take a long inhale before turning toward Theo, bracing myself for his onslaught.
“You fucking asshole!” he snaps.
Ever since he found out about Izzy and her years of abuse, he is particularly sensitive. What he doesn’t realize is that I will protect Louisa with everything I have in me, but she is still the answer to our Trent Matthews situation. The fact she has no clue as to who he is makes her an even better option.
“Theo,” I sigh, “she is perfect, and I will personally make sure she is kept safe and comfortable while in this role. You know I wouldn’t ever put someone in a vulnerable position or leave them unprotected.”
“She doesn’t want to do it,” he positively growls at me. “End of, now leave her alone,”
“If by the end of the day, she still says no, then I will drop it, agreed?”
“Not really, but,” he begins with his own sigh of frustration, “only if you let her come to that decision by herself. In fact, keep clear of her for the rest of the day. I am not going to risk losing Louisa because of some fucked-up prick like Trent Matthews!”
He then strides out the door and slams it. He’s no doubt going to phone Izzy and bitch about me. I can accept that, especially if it means getting my own way.
_____
By the time six o’clock shows on my watch, most of the office has left. I’ve bided my time but also prepared myself to go and coax Louisa into playing fake happy families with Trent. I rise out of my chair and begin pacing toward the door to go and catch her before she leaves. However, Theo grabs me before I’ve even gotten past my desk. He’s been avoiding me as much as I’ve been avoiding him, so clearly, he’s still pissed with me. Theo is all kinds of patient with Izzy but when it comes to mostly everyone else, he can’t bear to not have the last word.
“Don’t do it, Daniel” he says, sounding very much irritated.