Page 15 of The Mogul: Leonard

Of course, she is enjoying every single moment of this conversation. She hates me; why shouldn’t she be happy if I fail at something?

“I don’t have a problem, and I certainly don’t need your help,” I spit rudely.

Her smile fades.

“Did you get to the bottom of it?” Raphael frowns, interested in knowing if there is some development I didn’t tell him about.

I give him a scolding glance, hoping he drops the subject. But he doesn’t and I feel obliged to give him an answer. “No, I didn’t, but that’s not the point.”

“So, what is the point? Enlighten me!” Roxanne challenges me with venom in her voice.

I turn toward her and look her straight in the eye. “I don’t want to give a delicate job that could sink my company to a kid with pink hair who plays at being a hacker,” I spit, and all the chit-chat dies around the table.

The fury that inflames her face almost knocks me out of my chair. A flash of hurt crosses her eyes before she can hide it behind her stony face. I feel like a complete jerk because I could have let her down with an easy lie, but nothing is easy when it comes to her. She makes me want to challenge and fight her every step of the way. My reasoning goes out of the window when it comes to interacting with her.

“Well, don’t worry. I don’t work for shitheads like you, so you don’t have to ask me,” she spits out before excusing herself to go to the bathroom.

And maybe that’s the main reason I don’t want to ask her. The fear of being rejected makes me a coward.

6

Roxanne

“He’s a jerk,” I mutter after ordering a Cosmo at the bar.

The dinner was an awkward sequence of clipped sentences and long silences between Leonard and me. After his outburst, the tension at the table was palpable, and no one was up for a cheerful conversation. Luckily, that torture ended half an hour ago. Now, I must survive the rest of the evening, but at least I can avoid killing Mr. Jerk altogether.

“It must be pretty boring company if you’re at the bar alone talking to yourself.” A warm voice distracts me from my murderous thoughts.

As I turn towards the man, my gaze meets two stunning blue eyes. Taking my time to assess him, a smile slowly spreads across my face. He’s handsome, with curly blonde hair and a couple of dimples on his tanned face. Though he’s wearing a black tie, he’s not in a tuxedo, which is a breath of fresh air. He exudes a surfer vibe that I find appealing. Maybe tonight won’t be a complete waste after all, and I can let loose and have some fun.

“Worse, he’s a pain in my ass,” I admit.

His smile becomes almost shy, like he is embarrassed to be here with me.

“So, there is a he. Not my lucky night.” His bravado fades a bit, making him almost cute.

“It’s not what you think. I’m not linked to this guy in any way, but that doesn’t mean he’s pleasant company,” I explain.

His smile comes back in full force. “So, can I offer you a drink?”

“I already have a Cosmo, but you can keep me company.”

He orders a club soda from the barman, who brings my order. He leans on the counter, closing the distance between us a bit. He smells good too—something woodsy with an undertone of the saltiness of the beach.

“So, besides the asshole, are you enjoying the evening?” he asks.

“It’s becoming more interesting by the minute.” I nod, and his grin widens.

He sips at his soda and studies me. “So, what do you do here in Los Angeles? Are you an actress?”

“What gave you that idea?” I chuckle. I’m many things, but I’m sure as hell not able to act for a living.

He seems taken aback. “Sorry if I assumed that. You’re very attractive, and I thought you were trying that route.”

“Well, that’s a bit sexist, don’t you think? But thank you for calling me attractive, I guess.”

He rubs a hand behind his neck and looks sheepishly my way. “It came out wrong. I didn’t mean that an attractive girl has to be an actress. But I live in Los Angeles and all the good-looking girls I know are aspiring actresses,” he tries to explain and somehow I get his point. Most of the waitresses I know in this city are drop-dead gorgeous and, as he said, aspiring actresses. I can’t be mad at him for assuming it.

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