The Billionaire's Assassin [COMPLETE]

File 19: You Are Mine

Seattle, Washington

2018

“I love staying at your fancy hotels, Mr. Bridgemont, especially the resorts,” Lydia gushed while they sat around the table. “They are so luxurious.”

It had been Lydia that invited them to take a seat with them to Rex’s displeasure. A heated flame caught in the back of his throat, reminding him of the years he waited for their reunion. Like having to watch Eli and Maya together from afar wasn’t hard enough. Now he had to watch Eli brush against her shoulder or pat her hand delicately, each time the corner of his grey eyes catching Rex staring in pure resentment. And it was clear that it amused him, whispering something in Maya’s ear to make her giggle.

“Glad to hear that from a visitors point of view,” Eli smirked, his tongue yearning to say peasant instead of a visitor. “I’m usually so busy, I hardly get to enjoy myself at them.” He turned to Mia, finger tapping the glimmering caramel skin of her hand. “But if someone wanted to splurge on a vacation…”

Her eyes darted to Rex for a split second before turning to Eli. “You know how busy I’ve been with these investments and also trying to buy this property in Canada.” She patted his hand ginger, slightly nudging it away from her. “A vacation is the last thing I need right now.”

That only made Eli inch closer to her, Rex balling his fist beneath the table while Lydia stared at them admirably. “Well, when you need one, I’ll be there with a free upgrade.” He pecked her on the cheek, eyes flickering to Rex for a reaction. He could see the rage flash within Rex’s eyes.

Rex’s jaw tightened at the sight. “I’m going to get a drink.”

“Oh, how about I go with you?” Eli offered, standing up while adjusting his tux. “Get another glass for the ladies.”

Without a word, they headed to the bar, Eli stepping behind Rex. After ordering their drinks, Eli found this as the best opportunity to get to know the new CEO. “Mia’s just radiant tonight, isn’t she?” he mused, leaning on the counter. “You’re girls cute too.” Rex only glared at him, saying nothing. Eli frowned. “Come on, you’ve been staring at her like an owl all evening. You want her, don’t you?”

Rex sucked his teeth before responding, ready to give him a piece of his mind. “You’re quite chatty, aren’t you?”

“I only wanted to speak with you and tell you…” His grey eyes darkened like a foreboding storm on the horizon. “...to keep your dirty eyes off my woman. I’m not the type who likes to share what he’s worked hard for. And I worked hard for a woman like Mia-Amber.”

Rex nose flared at the tait rage coiling through him before masking it with a scoff. “I highly doubt you know anything about hard work. You probably have a cushy job within your hotel given to you by nepotism.” He arched an eyebrow with a smirk. “But we are in the same boat when it comes to Mia. Well, I’ve been in that boat before, I should say.”

Eli’s eyes widened suspiciously as Rex gained the upper hand. “So you dated before?”

Drinks arrived and Rex took a sip of his, settling comfortably in the crevasses of Eli’s ego. “Long time ago, when I used to be like you. A snob who thought he could buy the world and had the easy life because of his parents.” He pointed to with the bottle in his hand. “Then she came along. Changed my entire world. I thought the world of her. Then you know what happened?”

Eli’s looked nervous to figure it out, his confidence depleting each dreadful second. “What?”

Rex threw an arm around his shoulder. “All those things I thought money could buy, the people I’d won over, the life I believed was so cushy. Poof! All gone along with her.”

Eli gasped, stepping back from him. His eyes darted between Rex and Mia in a panic. “You don’t mean, she…”

“Yep, she f****d me over. And she thinks she can woo me with a silly title and few spare coins in my pocket years later.” He took another sip, yearning to laugh at the man that was now doubting ‘his woman’ and himself. “You should run before she does the same to you. Since you worked so hard to get everything in your life.”

Watching Eli’s face flush with thoughts Rex could only imagine brought a wicked smile to his face. He wasn’t trying to spare Eli the heartache. No. This was about power, dominance, and pure revenge. That would show him, having his dirty hands all over her in front of him. Eli would learn that Rex also wasn’t a man up for sharing the things he’s worked hard for, especially Mia. He had too many plans for her and he would only get in the way. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t watch the Bridge-face squirm a bit on his way out the door.

His eyes settled on Mia as she stood from her seat. He took another sip from his bottle before placing it on the counter. “Well, speak of the devil herself,” Rex murmured charmingly.

Mia approached them, holding her skirt in one hand and a clutch bag in the other. “Andrew Ivanson is here. I need you to come with me.”

Eli straightened himself, giving her a charming smile. So fake, like he wasn’t just wallowing in fright of losing his wealth and power. “Of course, I--”

Her fingers lingered on Rex’s arm, catching them both off guard. He could feel the warmth of her hand through his sleeve. “I was talking to Mr. Landon. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

With a conceded expression, Rex followed Mia towards an older man with dark brown hair stitched with grey and a trimmed beard. He dressed down to his shoes in designer attire, his diamond cufflinks only a hint of his wealth. The man was sipping a glass of wine while conversing with another gentleman who wasn’t has dressed to the tee as him. When Mia approached with a dazzling grin, he ceased his chatter and waved for the gentleman to leave.

“Miss Lee, glad you could join us this evening,” he greeted, blue eyes measuring her attire. She offered a hand to shake which he quickly filled with a glass of wine. Rex could see the tension in her slender neck tighten at the gesture.

“Thank you for the invitation,” she beamed professionally. She gestured to Rex by her side. “Allow me to introduce...”

“Thomaz Landon, present CEO of Zen Comforts.” Andrew Ivanson offered a firm shake which Rex accepted, feeling a tingle of stigma. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ivanson.”

“Pleasure to meet you as well, my boy.” Andrew looked at Mia with a glint of perplexity. “I heard about the difficulties with the previous CEO. Quite a surprise.”

Mia nodded in agreement. “Yes, it was.”

Andrew turned his attention back to Rex, leading him to a private table by the balcony. Mia followed stiffly. “So, tell me about yourself, Thomas. I should know whom I’m dealing with when selling my few properties.”

Rex had memorized the script of his life effortlessly, impressing both Andrew and Mia. While speaking about different aspects of business Rex couldn’t denote, Mia would intervene with the answer. He noticed the bothersome glance Andrew would send her way when she spoke more in depth of the inquiry at hand. She would squirm in her seat, more uncomfortable than Rex had ever seen her. To see her so vulnerable should have brought pleasure to him but it did the opposite. What about this man made her act so craven?

“Have you heard of The Tutor?” Andrew asked before taking a sip of wine.

Mia’s eyes widened and before she could intervene once more, Rex replied to her dismay, “The TV show?”

Mia bit back her frustrations, chiding herself for not informing him about The Tutor sooner. But in her defense, she didn’t know the topic would arise. If Rex didn’t know who The Tutor was, it’d be obvious he was a fraud in the business world. Abruptly, Andrew chuckled with a deep rumble.

“Oh, that’s amusing.”

Mia interjected. “Mr. Ivanson, he--”

Andrew held up a hand to her, gesturing for her silence which filled Rex with more distaste for this man. “Not you.” ‘You’ seeped off his tongue like a heated dagger. He smiled warmly to Rex. “I rarely get to talk about him because so many already know his accomplishments. The Tutor is a business consultant who, for years, has helped invest, create, and expand trades businesses around the world. Like a superhero for depleting businesses. How does someone of your stature not know who The Tutor is? And you’re a CEO, for Pete's sake.”

Rex rolled his eyes childishly, jaw tightening. “Not everyone has time to gossip like school girls, you pre--”

Mia forced a raucous cough from her throat, grabbing Rex’s hand beneath the table. “Oh, I’m--” She coughed some more, holding onto her throat. “I’m sorry, I need...to get some water.” She patted his hand. “Thomaz, please. One moment.”

They both slid out their seats and Mia practically dragged Rex through the crowd of dancing guests, towards the open bar. She ordered water before glaring at him. “What the hell, Rex? You’re ruining an investment opportunity.”

Rex’s mouth dropped. “Did you see the way he was treating you?”

Mia took a sip of her water, looking away from him. “So what? I have to deal with guys like that on a daily basis in this corporate world.”

“The Mia I knew wouldn’t have dealt with that crap. What does that old man have to make you act like this? And is it worth it?”

She peeked over her shoulder at him, shame coursing through her eyes. “It’s an inn in Ontario and yes, it’s worth it.”

Rex’s eyebrow furrowed, his mind jumbling over the revelation.“There are other inns that don’t require sucking up to that asshole!”

“Not like this!” Needing to unwind her nerves, she gulped down the glass of water, panting for breath after as he took in his bitter expression. “It’s important to me, alright? I’ve been eyeing that Inn for years. Even before I met you.” Her eyes seemed to plead with him in a way he’d only seen on rare occasions during high school. “That’s why I need you to fix this.”

He remained silent, dwelling on her words and actions. The old Mia would have never dealt with that old man’s barbarity. And for an inn in Canada? Now that sounded crazy to him. However, the speck of melancholy he caught in her eyes made him feel invested for the ride.

The sound of smooth piano keys filled the void between them.

He stepped closer to her, her back straightening when he placed a finger beneath her chin to look up at him. His eyes bore the resemblance of hard, cold emeralds slicing into her. “I’ll fix this. But from now on, you are mine. Mine! Understood?”

“Rex--”

“Understood?!” he hissed, tightening his grip on her chin. Taking a breath, she nodded before pulling away from him.

“Good. Now let’s head back.” This time, followed him to their destination, Andrew staring out the window at the full moon’s light. Taking a seat, he turned to them blankly. “Mr. Ivanson, how do you feel about golf?”

This brought a charming smile on the old man’s face, much to Mia’s relief. “I could spend weeks on the open field,” he mused, humming at the delightful thought.

Twinkle, twinkle. The whimsical sound buzzed from Mia’s clutch bag. She slid out her chair with a nod, grabbing it out her bag. Evelyn, the children’s nanny and friend to Mia, was calling. She knew she’d be attending this banquet and would call only for emergencies. Evelyn could usually handle herself with the twins, even when they were infants. A distressful tingle flowed through her as she answered.

“Hello? Evelyn?”

“Mia, Cameryon had an accident. We’re heading to the emergency room.”