He swears in Spanish, low in his throat. ‘Stop calling me that, as though I mean nothing to you, or I’ll kiss you right here to prove what a liar you are.’
I gasp, my eyes flaring wide.
‘You wouldn’t dare!’
‘Try me.’ He stares at me for several seconds then shakes his head with obvious frustration. ‘I don’t care what your plans are this afternoon. Cancel them and come to my apartment.’
I know for a fact my schedule is empty, courtesy of a vigilant Claudia, but I don’t tell him that. ‘Why?’
‘To discuss the plans, for a start. Do you still have a key?’
I shake my head. ‘I threw it away.’
I can see that angers him. I’m strangely pleased.
‘Fine. Call me when you get there and I?
?ll buzz you in.’
‘It’s not—’
‘Seriously, Freja. Do not fight me on this. I’m not above dragging you into my car.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘WHAT IS IT?’
My pulse is rushing so loudly in my ears, it’s all I can hear. Alone with Santiago in his apartment, I feel the ghosts of past heartbreak and they’re threatening to eat me alive.
‘Please, come in.’
He gestures into the penthouse. It’s nothing like I’d expected. Elegant and somehow homely. Not the blank-slate hotel décor I was imagining.
I grind my teeth together, hating that we are like strangers now, hating the distance between us, hating that I’m pretending to be angry at him when I’m actually just angry at the impossibility of our situation.
‘No security guards?’
‘I thought it best to keep this visit completely off the record,’ I murmur.
‘Heaven forbid anyone should know you came here.’
My heart stammers. ‘What did you want to discuss?’
He drags a hand through his hair, pinning me with his gaze. ‘Many things.’
My stomach swoops. ‘I don’t have long.’
His jaw clenches. ‘Have a seat, Princesa.’
I startle, opening my mouth to snap back something at him, but then I close it again. Fighting with him only ever leads to one thing. I move to the table and pull back a chair, settling into it with a straight spine.
He brings me a cup of coffee without actually offering one. I nod my thanks. Then he’s quiet, striding the length of the table before stopping, staring at me for a second and turning on his heel, striding back. I watch, flummoxed and confused, my heart in my throat.
‘Here.’ He grabs something off the table and brings it to me. I recognise the papers—his logo is emblazoned on the corners.
I ignore it. ‘I told you. I’m not interested in seeing your casino plans.’
He makes a noise that is a cross between a laugh and a furious grunt. ‘Damn it, stop being so stubborn and look.’ He opens the book in front of me, and for a few seconds I continue to stare resolutely ahead before concluding it’s childish to the extreme.