Page 48 of The Billionaire's Masquerade Ball

“Olivia is a reporter for the Tribune. She’s been promising to write a feature on the Foundation and the gala, but has been holding out for something. I suspect she’s trying to dig up dirt somehow to punish me.”

“For not going out with her again?”

Xander inhaled some of the water he had been drinking and coughed. Cynder’s lips curved into a slight smirk. “That obvious?” he asked.

“You have quite the reputation, so it was just a guess. I could also sense her possessiveness the other day when she came in the office. She instantly saw me as a threat just for standing there. Even though I’m clearly not a threat.”

Cynder said this with a self-deprecating laugh and Xander wanted nothing more than to assure her that her beauty far surpassed Olivia’s. There was simply no comparison. But he couldn’t say that without crossing more lines. It hurt him to think that he might have made her feel that way by speaking the way he had in front of Olivia.

You aren’t no one, he wanted to tell her. You are the only one.

He frowned and tried to push those thoughts aside. Cynder was so perceptive, to pick up how Olivia felt within a few seconds. Not that subtlety was ever Liv’s strong suit. Maybe Cynder’s perception is what Judy had in mind, wanting her to be in the meeting. That or making Olivia uncomfortable. She might be more likely to tip over and spill whatever she was holding close if she felt threatened and got emotional.

“I’d like to know what she’s hiding,” Xander said. “The Foundation is clean. She’s hinted at an exposé and I can’t imagine what that would be. I don’t care about bad press that’s about me personally, but I want the Foundation to get the recognition it deserves. I can’t seem to get her to spill what she’s working on or what she wants. It’s been almost a week since the gala. The story is becoming old news and may never make it in the paper if she keeps stalling.”

“Maybe I can kick the hornet’s nest. If she felt threatened by me, I might be able to shake it out of her.”

“That could work. What I’m doing certainly isn’t. Maybe you could read the situation—read her—and set the tone for the meeting. I can follow your lead. Placating her or stirring her up. I don’t care. I want to figure out her game because frankly, I’m tired of playing.”

“I like a good challenge,” Cynder said.

“You’ve risen to all of the ones I’ve given you this week. I’ve been very impressed.”

Her cheeks tinted and she smiled. “Thank you. It’s been a nice change from my previous work environment.”

“You don’t miss Gail? Or Patrick?”

She laughed. “When you put it like that, maybe I do miss the daily sexual harassment.”

The thought of Patrick treating her like that made him even more angry than it had seeing it in person. Now that’s all he could think about: Patrick’s hands tracing over her back. Xander groaned.

“Stop. Now I want to go punch Patrick in the face.”

“You’d probably do a better job than I did,” Cynder said.

“How is your thumb feeling, by the way?”

“Better. I’ve learned how to type without using it, so that’s helpful. You don’t realize how often you use thumbs until you can’t.”

Xander nodded toward the door and Cynder fell into step beside him. He tried to keep enough distance between them that he wouldn’t sweat on her. Hopefully. He had a private suite bathroom in his office with a shower and definitely needed it before the meeting with Liv.

“I have an idea. About Olivia,” Cynder said, pausing in the hallway. He stopped with her, and the sounds of the office filtering down to them. She chewed her lip.

“I love ideas.” Your ideas.

“Let me meet with Olivia. Alone. Well, actually, me and Wyatt. He’s a good wingman. But not you. You’ll be conveniently busy.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Okay. Tell me more.”

“I think it will push her in just the right ways. I have a feeling she’ll talk, even if she doesn’t want to. Can I try? If you trust me.”

Xander beamed. “I do. A plan that involves me not having to spend any time with Olivia? Sounds perfect.”

“Okay. I have an errand to run now, but I’ll be back in time. Can you let Wyatt know?”

“Of course. He’ll be intrigued, as I am. As I mentioned, you’ve done a great job this week.”

Cynder smiled, but her face fell slightly. Xander felt conflicted saying this as well. Doing well meant staying. Staying meant they needed to be professional. Was this on her mind as well or was he reading into it? Why did she look disappointed at his praise.

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