I Had A Date Tonight?

KNIGHT

After barely sleeping a wink last night, I was back at the hotel. Rees stood in wait by the elevators and after getting in with him, when he showed me the list—the handwritten list like this was the 19th century—I threw a glare his way.

"What's this?" Huh, I well knew what it was as I scanned the names in neat writing.

"The former chairman has asked me to set you up with these ladies, Sir," His monotonous voice was getting to my head. "I've already scheduled the timings and informed your potential wives."

My potential wives.

"You didn't even bother asking me?" I hated scolding people but that was the nature of CEOs. I'd tried being kind and that hadn't worked out well. To your employees, you needed to put up a strong front otherwise they started taking you for granted. "Cancel the dates. I don't have time."

And honestly, I didn't. I worked 24/7. At the end of the day, when I got physically tired, my brain still didn't shut down. I always had to take pills to put myself to rest.

Rees shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't, Sir. I have direct orders from him."

"Who do you work for?" I faced him; grateful we were the only two people in the elevator. "Me or my father?"

He sealed his lips and gave me a sheepish look. "You should get married. I've never seen you with a woman for the past five years that I've been working under you."

"That's none of your business," my tone cut sharp and there was a loud silence in the elevators. "I have my reasons. Just cancel the dates or I'll do it myself."

There was a ding as the doors opened. I steeled myself against the brush of warmth I felt in the core of my heart as my eyes met with hers. They didn't just meet. They connected. Her brown ones against my green.

I hated losing control and that's exactly what happened every time I saw her. The anger from yesterday wasn't what I was talking about. Anger I could deal with. Not sadness, though. Not that rush of emotions and the prickling of my skin. Not that wanting to get away from my own self.

I was broken beyond repair. And something told me she was the other shattered half of me.

"Oh," She suckered those full lips as she stepped into what I assumed was my personal space. Three feet away but whatever. I considered that personal. "What a surprise, seeing you here."

I could tell Rees's eyes were wavering between the two of us. Remind me to tell him to stop being so nosy.

I only nodded my head, as if yesterday hadn't happened. It hadn't. What was it to me what she wore? I'd never before said that to a woman. But seeing those men . . . the way they showed interest in her had flared a demon to life inside of me.

Something was wrong with me. I needed to see a doctor.

I would've laughed at that thought if I hadn't heard it thousands of times from my father. 'You need a doctor, Burak. What would your employees think of you if they saw this side?'

He didn't understand that I didn't need a doctor, just for him to be a real Dad. My mom was dead, or so he claimed. I didn't particularly remember her but it wasn't as if I'd known this bigshot was my father, either.

I pulled Rees by the sleeve, "I'm stopping at the 65th floor. Go upstairs and start working."

"But Sir, your date—"

All I gave him was a look. I could feel a certain pair of eyes on me and I tried my best to ignore them.

"What time?"

Whether he was surprised or not, one couldn't tell from his face. "Six in the evening,"

"Text me details, I'll be there," I thumped the paper against his chest and he took hold of it before it fell.

It was then that my patience gave out and I sneaked a look at Alana. Wait . . . Just to be sure I eyed her again. An involuntary smile pulled up at my lips.

She crossed her arms in defiance. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm just so glad you took my advice to heart."

From the way she bristled, I could tell she'd worn that grandma skirt with a button-down that must be from the men's section to irritate me.

I was kind of digging it though.