Chapter 11

Raiden didn't respond to Naomi’s insult. Instead, he exhaled in irritation, pushed back on his chair, and was on his feet in an instant. He held the chair open, "You can have the seat, Ms. Remington." He gazed at Ivory.
Ivory looked between the pair, Naomi's face enraged. "No, Mr. De Ville, It's fine," Ivory responded shyly.

"Ivory." It was the first time he called her name. Her breath caught, confused about its natural route. "Sit," he commanded, she obeyed without a second thought. Her brain clouded by the sudden intimacy she felt with him.

"What's going on here?" The infamous Brandon Bradford appeared, extending his hand to Raiden.

"Mr. De Ville, I have long been waiting to meet your acquaintance. Your reputation precedes you. I am glad you finally took us up on our offer." The man laughed heartily.
Raiden shook his hand with equal respect.

"The pleasure is mine," Raiden responded coolly. "This is my assistant-" He paused as Ivory attempted to get up with at least half Raiden's grace but she failed. She rose awkwardly, her hip hitting the table audibly. She gave a nervous chuckle.

"Sorry." she apologized. "two left feet and all," she muttered as the colour rose to her cheeks.
Raiden attempted to hide his amusement. "Ms. Ivory Remington."
Luckily for her, Mr. Bradford was also amused. "It's nice to meet you." he shook her hand. "Very lovely," he said as she smiled.

"The pleasure is mine," she responded.

"Please have a seat." Mr. Bradford signalled her to re-take her seat and she complied. "Come now Mr. De Ville, why are you not getting comfortable?" He questioned.

"Oh darling I am afraid we hadn't catered for Mr. De Ville's party, it seems we hadn't planned enough seats." Naomi linked her hand to her husbands.

"Nonsense dear." He tapped her hand lightly, affectionately. "The boys can just relocate a seat from one of the other rooms. Mr. De Ville please be at ease," he instructed.

"It's no trouble," Raiden responded dismissively.

"Come now, Mr. De Ville I won't be at ease if you aren't comfortable. Take a seat next to your lovely assistant and I will make the necessary arrangements," he said as he and his wife worked the room. The meeting commenced shortly, Ivory was busy taking shorthand notes although she wasn't sure why Raiden asked her here, he was busy making short notes as well.

Ivory looked up, her eyes falling on Naomi whose eyes were focused on the one man who wasn't her husband. Raiden appeared oblivious to her gaze but Ivory thought it obvious. She wondered what their relationship was, but the thought soon dissipated. Raiden's life was none of her business.
In the end of the meeting, the men congregated for light conversation. Ivory took hold of this opportunity to excuse herself the ladies' room. She patted Raiden on the shoulder, he cocked his head lower, listening to her barely audible whisper.

"Don't tell me it's to adjust your make-up for the attention of these men, because I dare say you already have them in the palm of your hands," Raiden muttered to her secretly following her excuse to him. Ivory smiled, she could get used to this easy, conversational Raiden.

"I assure you, it's nothing so glamorous," she responded and left.

***
"Don't tell me you've replaced me with that clumsy woman." Naomi slid into the seat next to Raiden as it became vacant of Ivory.
Raiden shifted uncomfortably, as eyes flickered to them. "There is nothing to replace," he said without looking at her.

"In that case, why don't we resume our...friendship?" She muttered. Raiden couldn't help his smile. Slow, sensual and smug.

"I am afraid your husband didn't intend anything of the sort when he invited me here," Raiden responded, unfazed.

"I imagine he wouldn't be privy to that arrangement." she countered.

"I have no intention of forming or continuing any relationship with a married woman." he was blunt.

"Even if that woman knows exactly how to quench your appetite?" She teased.

"I am no longer that twenty-five-year-old whose horizons were limited, Mrs. Bradford." He responded, but before she could respond, Raiden noted Ivory's presence. He hadn't known how long she was standing there or if she had heard the conversation between himself and Naomi but for some reason, she couldn't look him in the eyes.

"Ivory." he acknowledged her, noting it was the second time that day he called her by her first name. It wasn't intentional but he loved the way her eyes lit up innocently. He was finding it harder to resist her.

"Shall we?" He questioned, raising to his full height, buttoning his jacket instinctively. Ivory nodded and they exited.

"I have to go back to the office to collect some things, do you need me to give you a ride somewhere?" He questioned when they were on their way back.

"No. I think I forgot my phone at the office so I can just tag along," she responded.
They drove in silence for the remainder of the way as Ivory sought to wrap her head around the information she eavesdropped on. She didn't hear much but from what she picked up she assumed that Naomi Bradford and Raiden De Ville had or were having an affair. This thought disappointed her in some way. Her heart lost its enthusiasm and she couldn't understand why.
By the time they arrived at Blaxx, it was empty. They made their way to their office, Raiden began packing up his things as Ivory looked for her phone.

"Found it!" she declared, happy to escape the awkward aura that encompassed them.

"How much of it did you hear?" His voice echoed throughout the office. It made her pause, her brain whirling.

"I don't know..." She begun forging a lie, but he was next to her in an instant. His eyes signalling her to stop.

"Not much. Nothing at all if you think about it." she rambled at the no-nonsense look in his eyes.

"What did you glean?" he questioned, his eyes intent.

"Look whatever you do with your personal life is not my business. I promise I won't say anything." she defended instantly, not wanting to talk about it. She didn’t care who he slept with or didn’t slept with. It was, as she kept reminding herself, none of her concern.

"I think you have the wrong idea," he searched her features, knowing what she thought. And yet, he wanted to dispel her of such notions. Why? He was fucking insane, that’s why.

"You and Mrs. Bradford aren't having an affair?" She questioned sarcastically. Her heart accelerating, the answer, she realized, meant something to her.

"No." he needed her to know he had no interest in anyone...except her. Ivory swallowed hard, did she dare believe the words he uttered? "Naomi and I were once engaged, years ago before I was...well me." He explained to her.

"Oh." she wasn't surprised; it was natural that a man like him would have such a gorgeous woman on his arm. "What happened?" she prompted him, crossing her arm at her chest and leaning back against her desk.

"She broke it off. She wanted someone more successful than I was. At that time I had no real need to be famously successful. I thought a woman would prefer stability and attention rather than a workaholic partner. I was wrong." he searched her eyes.

"But she-today, she clearly has unresolved feelings." Ivory commented remembering her unsubtle question.

"I do not believe in living in the past. I highly suspect her attention would have been placed elsewhere had I not acquired my share of the fortune," he commented bitterly.

"You were willing to give her love and attention and she preferred something more tangible? I can't say I understand her motives." Ivory couldn't understand any
woman forsaking the man standing here with her. If it had been her, she'd love him alone. There was a beauty in struggling and building a life up from the ground with someone. It shocked her that Naomi resisted that with this man.

"I realized that female attraction is more complex than I initially thought," he responded light-heartedly.

"You don't know if women want you or your fortune." Ivory spoke the words in his heart. He didn't respond, "That must be lonely." her voice a whisper.

"I am sorry," he whispered, noting the sadness clouding her eyes. His fingers brushed the loose strands of her hair behind her ear and felt her shiver. There was something magnetic about him and Ivory felt her resistance waning. "For what?" she swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"Burdening you with this." she could feel his breath on her.

"I am glad you told me." she was honest. This had humanized him and she found her admiration expanding.
They were silent, Raiden tightened his grasp around her neck and pulled her face towards him. She gasped as his lips moved across hers, the soft sound urging him on. His lips coaxed her, shattering any remnants of her barrier. She kissed him with a hunger she hadn't known she possessed. Her hands found refuge in his hair, forming fists in their silky depths. Ivory sighed and sank deeper into the kiss as Raiden pulled her flush against him.

An unknown sound echoed throughout the room, startling Ivory. She pulled away and looked at her phone. There was a text from Braylen. Her eyes instantly widened, she stared back at Raiden, mortified. Her fingers going to her lips.

"I have to go." She said without a further glance at him. She left him standing there in silence.