"Wait, Eli, you know her?" Grover asked, his tone laced with surprise and a hint of suspicion. "From before?" He leaned in, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "Was there, ahem, something between you two? Back in the day?"
Eli took a slow drag from his cigar, a thin coil of smoke curling towards the ceiling. He exhaled slowly, his eyes still fixed on me. "No," he said, his voice a low, dismissive rumble. "Never anything 'between' us, Grover. Elena Fuentes has always been too sharp, too principled for such trivialities. She's not the kind of woman you 'have.' She's the kind you respect. Or you leave alone."
Grover guffawed, a loud, uncouth sound that grated on my nerves. He clapped Eli on the shoulder, a gesture that seemed far too familiar for a mere associate. "Ha! You hear that, Eli? The 'white moonlight' you can't have. Always the one that got away, eh?" He winked again, then shrugged. "Well, if you're not interested, then perhaps I should try my luck." He turned his attention back to me, a lecherous glint in his eyes. "So, Mrs. Woods. Or should I say, Ms. Fuentes, tonight's… special guest. Thank you, Collin, thank you, Eli, for this generous 'gift.' A woman of such exquisite taste and… refinement. My evening just got a whole lot more interesting."
He started to move towards me, his smile widening, his eyes raking over my body with an unnerving possessiveness. My heart hammered against my ribs. Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at my throat. I couldn't breathe.
"So, my dear," Grover said, his voice thick with anticipation, "shall we get acquainted? I assure you, I'm a very generous man. Anything you desire, just name it."
I took a step back, my voice trembling as I tried to hold my ground. "I'm here for Mr. Salazar," I choked out, desperately clinging to the role Collin had assigned me. It was all I had left.
Grover stopped, his smile faltering. "Salazar? But Eli just said…" He turned to Eli, confused.
"I said she's not the kind of woman you have, Grover," Eli cut in, his voice still calm, but with an edge that made Grover flinch. "I didn't say she wasn't mine to have."
Grover' s eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Eli? Collin practically handed her over on a silver platter for this takeover deal. You' re the one he wants to impress."
"And he did," Eli replied, his gaze unwavering. "He impressed me with his utter lack of judgment. And his even more stunning lack of respect for his own wife." He looked at me, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "But I have my own ways of negotiating, Grover. And I prefer my… 'personal services' to be entirely my own choosing."
Grover' s face went crimson. He clearly didn' t understand, but he knew he was being dismissed. His initial predatory confidence evaporated, replaced by a sullen resentment. "Fine. Whatever. Just get on with it. I have other calls to make." He stomped towards the door, muttering under his breath, "Spoilsport. She's just a trophy wife anyway, always was."
Before he could reach the door, Eli spoke again, his voice like a whip-crack. "Grover. One more word, and you'll be out of a job before you can finish that sentence. And I assure you, Collin won't lift a finger to save you."
Grover froze, then scurried out without another word, slamming the door behind him.
The silence that followed was heavy, charged with unspoken tension. Eli just stood there, watching me, his eyes piercing. I felt a strange mix of fear and… something else. Recognition? Understanding?
"He doesn't know, does he?" Eli asked, his voice softer now, almost a whisper. "Collin. He never knew what he had." He took another slow drag, his eyes never leaving mine. "And he certainly doesn't know who you are, Elena Fuentes. Not really."
He gestured to the empty space where Grover had been. "He was always like that, Collin. Thinking he could buy anything, or anyone. Even you. He truly believes you're just a… plaything. A means to an end."
My throat tightened. The words were a confirmation of my deepest fears, my most crushing humiliation. I lowered my gaze, unable to meet his intense stare. I felt the familiar burn behind my eyes, but I refused to let more tears fall. Not in front of him.
"Elena," he said, his voice still soft, but firm. "Look at me."
I hesitated, then slowly raised my head. His eyes held a depth I hadn't seen in years. Not since college. Not since…
"He thinks you're here to play a role," Eli continued, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "A role he assigned you. But you're not just a role, are you? You never were." He stepped closer, his hand reaching out, not with aggression, but with a strange, almost tender reverence. He gently cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away the faint lingering dampness from my earlier tears. "What do you want, Elena?"
The question hung in the air, a lifeline thrown into my sea of despair. What did I want? Not Collin. Not this humiliation. I wanted… escape. Freedom. Justice. Revenge.
His touch was surprisingly gentle, sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with fear. It was a warmth I hadn't felt in so long. A connection.
"I… I don't know," I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears, the dam threatening to break again.
"Then let me help you figure it out," he said, his eyes locking onto mine, a silent promise in their depths. "Tell me everything."
