10

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

~Helen Keller

Charlotte

"There's an event you have to attend this Friday." My personal assistant told me, and my face curled into a wide smile.

It had been three weeks since the incident in Anthony’s office. After that, I had decided to avoid him like a plague, I even found myself working in an office at the basement just to get away from him. My assistant and George never understood why I had done that, but they not once questioned my actions, instead, he had the works on my office speed up. Anthony tried talking to me while at home and during car trips, but I never paid him any mind, for my own sanity, I buried myself in my work.

"Finally, something exciting is happening in my entire 2 weeks if being here!" I exclaimed spinning in my chair causing her to let out a quiet laugh.

The touch-ups in my office had finished 2 days after I decided to work in the basement office, and I moved in it. It bothered me that I was opposite Anthony’s but a week in I forgot all about it, I knew the man was not going to step foot in my office.

"The designer assigned to make your dress for the event will be coming at 3pm today to have your measurements taken."

"There will be no need for that, I already have a personal designer." I told her.

"But-"

"Ssh" I hushed her with my hand as I ringed my personal designer otherwise known as Anthony's aunt.

"My darling!" Kai exclaimed loudly causing me to pull the phone away from my ears.

"Hi Kai." I spoke returning the phone to my ear after she had stopped screaming.

"I missed you so much my little darling!"

"I missed you too, it’s been what, a whole year." I frowned thinking of when last, I had seen the short yet incredible woman.

"It wouldn't be if you visit me once in a while." You could hear the frown behind her words.

"And you think the annoyingly overprotective men in my life would allow me to fly to Spain all alone." I huffed and making her chuckle.

"You sound so much like Sofia when he was your age." She laughed.

"Being the only female child is not easy of any fun at all." I pouted.

"Tell me about it." she laughed.

"I heard you traveled to London with Anthony."

"Hmm."

"How are you holding up?"

"To be honest, I still can't believe we made it so far without killing each other or him killing me." I admitted making her laugh "it's not funny Kai, your nephew is a huge piece of work."

"I'm still shocked you are alive, I was almost certain he would have killed you by now." she laughed.

"I know he will try eventually but I won't give him the satisfaction of watching me die, I would rather die at the wheels of a bicycle than that man."

"God that's why he is going to injure you, you are always picking fights."

"Can you blame me, he's an asshole."

"What do you expect from a Santoro, they are all like that." she huffed before we burst out laughing.

It was true all the Santoro men were that way, in fact, they were extra arrogant assholes when it came to people they were not in close proximity with, like my family, had it not been for us having such a strong relationship, I was almost certain they would have never gotten along with any of the men in my own family because they were the exact same.

"So, Kai, I've got an event to attend this weekend and I need you to make me an elegant dress."

"Ooh is Antho going too?"

"Yes."

"I'll make you the best dress everyone will be looking at you." she squealed. At this point I was almost certain she was throwing her hands in the air.

"I know you will, the last banquet ensemble had me headlining various magazines!" I squealed at the memory. “I was the star of the show.”

"Who’s the best?” She squealed loudly.

“You are.”

Kai had one of the biggest brands in Europe, for a woman that came from a family of people who only worked in the health sector, she had done so well for herself and that inspired me.

“That’s right, I'm the best!" She exclaimed "When exactly is the event?"

"Friday."

"That's after tomorrow." she gasped "Any specific color choices?"

"Nope, just pick whatever color you think will be best." I trusted her that much, after all the woman had been making outfits for me since before I could even form any sentences.

"OK, I'll get to work right now, talk to you later darling."

"OK bye Kai." I hung up and set my phone down and turned back to my laptop so I could get some work done.

[]

"I'm leaving early." I told Anthony as I walked into his office. He was currently sitting in his office chair and had many files around him, but his face was looking down at the laptop screen.

It had been a while since I had stepped into his space and the memories of what happened the last time, we were in it, ‘together’ washed through me.

"Why?" His sexy voice came a little gruff.

"I need to go to the spa." I told him and his head shot up to look at me, I took in a sharp breath as I took in the appearance of the man in front of me.

His always neatly combed back hair was now looking a little messy probably because he was running his hands through it out of frustration, 3 of his black button-down shirt were undone giving me a glimpse of his perfectly toned chest, his sleeves were rolled to his elbows showcasing his muscular tattooed arm.

'Damn I could jump his bones' I thought to myself and bit my lower lip as my eyes trailed lower and lower imaging what it would be like if he-

"Are you seriously eye fucking me." His amused voice danced in my ears snapping me out of my thoughts.

I blinked twice as my voice had betrayed me and disappeared after getting caught. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed, so I just looked at the wooden floor with a deep shade of red appearing on my cheeks. I hated that since that day I could never tame my unholy thoughts whenever I was around him.

I heard him chuckle and next thing I knew, he was standing a few inches away from me. Goodness I was so in my head I didn’t even notice the time he stood up or walked over to me.

"Princess, I know I'm sexy, but we are at work now and I don't think your ‘boyfriend’, my brother would at all appreciate me having his little girlfriend bent over my office desk screaming my name while I fuck her to oblivion during work hours for everyone to hear." He whispered into my ear and my heart skipped a beat at his words, worse off when he closed up the space between us and slightly bit on my earlobe while his hand groped my ass making a moan unintentionally climbed out of me.

This man was making me weak in the knees and so horny I could feel my juices run down my thigh making my already damp panties damper.

"Jason." Anthony gasped and my heart immediately stopped.