Page 114 of The Bet
Chapter 33
He was going to confront Tobias, despite being all too aware of his brother’s wrath, and his avoidance of discussing anything to do with Matthias.
Xavier stepped out of the elevator on the 21stfloor of Stone Enterprises and found Vivian, Tobias’s PA, sitting at her desk with her eyes focused on the computer screen. Not wanting to interrupt her, he waited for her to look up at him. In the past he would have usually flirted with PAs, but today he was checking for any messages from Izzy.
As usual, there were none. He’d emailed her once a few days ago, to let him know when she wanted more work. He understood her worry over finances, and wanted that to be one worry less for her.
But so far, she hadn’t replied.
Vivian looked up. “Can I help?”
He smiled. “Is Tobias available?”
She didn’t even flinch, or check a diary, or look at anything online. “He is, but he’s got a meeting in 20 minutes.” She seemed to know his daily schedule off by heart.
“Is he in a good mood?”
The way she opened her perfectly painted lips and said nothing, told him ‘no’.
“Wish me luck.”
She gave him the kind of smile that he was used to. He knocked once, and heard nothing. Impatient, he knocked again, and this time opened the door a fraction, sticking his head through the gap to find Tobias on the phone.
Ooops.
For a moment, he considered the wisdom of what Izzy had told him. What worked for one person wouldn’t necessarily work for another. Maybe he could backtrack and talk about something else.
His brother lifted his face and looked at him. Angry eyes blazed into his and the tell-tale crease in the middle of his forehead signaled Tobias’s already pissed off mood.
It was too late to turn around and leave.
“I’ll be home early. Don’t worry, babe.”
Babe?
Who the hell was he talking to?
“Love you,” Tobias said, in a voice what was as sweet as sugar, before slamming the phone down. “What do you want?” he asked.
Strange how much of a Jekyll and Hyde character this man could be.
“Is it safe to come in?” Xavier attempted humor, and slowly opened the door wider, but didn’t step inside.
“I’ve got a meeting in 10. Make it quick.”
Vivian had told him he had 20 minutes, but he decided not to question that. “Are you still mad at me?” he asked, walking towards Tobias’s desk.
“You’re so easy to pull the wool over,” Tobias commented, sitting back in his leather chair.
“I don’t follow.”
“You do understand, don’t you, that the only reason you got funding from Hennessy is because Matthias wanted a way in.”
“A way into what?”
“To get to me.”
Jeez. Fuck. No. “Bullshit,” he spat the word out, disgusted, and annoyed by Tobias’s tendency to think something was about him.
