Page 7 of Her Ruin

“He did.” I refused to look at the man beside me. “Though it seems it was a waste of both our times.”

Zayn tilted his head slightly; his dark-brown, nearly black hair, short on the sides with slightly longer strands on top, neat but ruffled in an effortless way, didn’t move a millimeter as he looked between Rye and me.

“You upset Gracemont’s most high-end event coordinator?” he asked Rye. His gaze swept over me from top to toe and back again, meeting my gaze, his amusement clear as I blushed at his lingering appraisal. “That’s usually my job.”

“Still an ass, I see.” It was time to go. I should never have come here. “I came to view the space, not populate your guest list.”

Zayn chuckled, that low, almost mocking sound. “Don’t tell me you asked her to share, Rye? Isla doesn’t play well with others.”

I kept my gaze neutral, but inside, I was seething. I focused on him, deliberately holding his gaze. “I was here for business,notpleasure. But yourstaffwasted my time.”

Zayn’s eyes flickered with laughter. “Business? Do you have a client who would be interested?”

He knew. He knew I got dumped this morning, and I bet Rye had already shown my ex-client the space.Bastards.

His taunt was like a slap, but I kept my emotions under control, not letting him see how angry I was. As a professional, I refused to lower myself to his level.

“You’ve got your business,” I said, my voice steady. “I’ve got mine. Let’s keep it that way.”

Zayn’s expression darkened, the familiar arrogance slipping into something colder. “You’ve always been a little uptight, Isla. I suppose that’s what makes you so good at what you do.”

I didn’t respond to that. We both knew it wasn’t a compliment. But I had learned not to let his words get to me. We were on different sides of the fence, always had been. He was the kind of person who thrived in the shadows, running his operations from behind closed doors. I was the one who made things happen in the light, who put together events that catered to the powerful and the rich and werelegal.

“Thanks for the tour,” I said to Rye, my tone clipped. “I’ll see myself out.”

Zayn studied me for a moment, a flicker of something crossing his face before it was gone. “Not the whole tour?” he asked Rye as he kept his gaze trained on me. “She may not like what she finds.”

That, right there, told me everything I needed to know about Elixir. I wasn’t naive. I had been around long enough to know that every shiny and new place had its secrets. But Zayn’s secrets? Well, he was a different beast altogether. The rumors about him, the whispers about his illegal dealings, his underground network, and his connections, only emphasized how much I wanted to leave.

“It was good to see you,” I lied. Turning, I looked back at Rye. “Thank you for your time.”And wasting mine.

When I turned back, Zayn had moved closer, and suddenly, it wasn’t about business anymore. My breath caught in my throat, and from the darkening of his eyes, I knew he had noticed my reaction to him.

His presence captured my whole attention, and my inner self was screaming in frustration as I stood mute while he stepped into my space. He didn’t need to say a word. He was like a magnet, a force that demanded attention. His eyes, light but unreadable, bored into me, making my skin prickle with discomfort.

“Don’t be a stranger,” he said, his voice smooth, too smooth. He was trying to get a rise out of me. “You’re welcome anytime.”

I nodded, determined to remain professional. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Zayn moved back a step, and I tried not to hurry as I walked past him. My eyes were pinned to the doors like they were lifelines. I could feel his attention on my back, following me like a storm cloud, and every step I took felt like a hollow echo in my chest.

It wasn’t until I was down the stairs and outside, taking gulps of fresh air, that my anger and resentment surfaced.

Everything,everything,was a game to him. I was merely a plaything he liked to toy with.

God, I hated that man.

Straightening my shoulders, I mentally shook the last hour off. I knew I would lose commissions and bookings to Zayn’s new club, but I also knew not every client would be able to pay his prices.

I was rattled by the entire afternoon. I wouldn’t lie, but I also couldn’t afford to lose focus. Heading back to the office, I vowed never to set foot inside his club again.

That was my first encounter with Zayn in five years, and I would be quite happy if it was my last.

CHAPTER3

ZAYN

I watchedthe door close behind Isla, fighting the smile as I turned back to look at Rye. “I didn’t know you were showing her the club.”

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