Free Web NovelChapter 23: What’s the plan
Julian looked at the cat with a mix of love and annoyance.
"This is Snowball."
The cat didn’t move. She just sat there, glaring at Lyvana’s feet as if she were an intruder.
"She doesn’t seem to like me very much," Lyvana said.
"She’s just spoiled," Julian replied, walking towards Lyvana, ignoring the cat completely. "She acts like a brat, but she’ll have to get used to you. I don’t plan on letting you go."
His gaze lowered, tracing the lines of her body through the nightgown. He stopped just inches away from her. freewebnovel.cσ๓
Lyvana could feel the heat coming off him, and the sight of his perfect body...
"You’re... staring," she said softly.
He tilted her chin up so she had to look into his eyes. He grabbed her waist and pulled her body against his hard, damp chest.
Lyvana gasped, her hands instinctively flying up to his chest. "Julian—"
Julian didn’t give her the chance to finish. His mouth crashed down onto hers with an intensity that silenced her protest.
His tongue traced the seam of her mouth until she parted for him. Julian groaned low in his throat at the sweetness of her mouth.
One of his hands slid from her waist to the small of her back, crushing her even closer against his damp skin, while the other tangled firmly into the hair at the nape of her neck.
He released her lips then started kissing her neck, leaving bite marks into her skin.
"I want to fuck you so badly," he said against her skin.
Lyvana stiffened.
"Fuck, Julian," she broke the kiss stepping back until her heels hit the glass window. "What on earth are you doing?"
Then pointed a finger at the space between them. "Boundaries. Remember?"
Snowball let out a sharp, raspy meow, as if the cat was agreeing that Julian was being too much.
He let out a dry chuckle and lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright." He stepped back slightly, his voice becoming serious. "So, what’s the plan again?"
"The plan?" Lyvana blinked, her mind blank.
It was incredibly difficult to focus on strategy when a man with a body like his was standing inches away. She forced her eyes up to his face, trying to ignore everything else.
"Right. The plan." She cleared her throat. "First, I will introduce you as my business partner. That way, if people see us together, it won’t raise any eyebrows."
"Smart," Julian murmured. "That’s a good start. Also I think you need a high-end security system for the company. I’ll have my team start working on it right away."
Before she could respond, her phone rang. She looked at the screen and saw Mark’s name. Without saying a word, she flipped the phone over and tossed it onto the bed.
Julian didn’t ask who it was. He just kept talking.
"I’ve also decided the company needs a full revamp."
"No Julian, I think you are doing too much."
"Am your partner remember? Infact let’s make it official. I’d like to buy thirty percent of Aurora shares."
Lyvana shook her head.
"You’re impossible."
"I know," he agreed with a chuckle. "Twenty percent. That’s my final offer. It makes our partnership real, and it gives me a reason to crush anyone who tries to touch what’s yours."
The way he said it — like he was talking about more than just business — made her heart skip. He wasn’t just asking for a seat at the table; he was marking his territory.
"Twenty percent?" she asked.
"Twenty percent," he confirmed.
She crossed her arms. "You will have no control over creative decisions," she said. "And there will be no interference with my staff."
"Agreed," he replied without hesitation. "You, run Aurora."
"Good. I’ll have my lawyers draft the papers."
At that exact time, Clarisse was in Lyvana’s bedroom. She was moving fast and throwing things around. She was looking for any documentation relevant to her, she wanted to destroy it as payback.
She had waited until she saw Emily leave the house so she could sneak in. Mark had a spare key which she took.
She looked everywhere, but she couldn’t find them.
Finally, she saw a small vault hidden behind the desk. She grabbed the handle and tried to turn it. Suddenly, a loud alarm started screaming.
"What the fuck!" Clarisse yelled. She was shocked. When did that stupid girl get an alarm system?
Clarisse covered her ears. The noise was so loud it made her head hurt. She knew she had to get out before security arrived.
She didn’t even stop to close the drawers she had opened. She ran out of the bedroom and tripped over a rug in the hallway falling flat on her face.
"Damn it!" she hissed, scrambling back to her feet.
She run out the door and towards the elevator, stabbing at the button until the doors finally slid open. She slipped inside, and forced herself to breathe.
When the doors finally slid open at the bottom floor, she rushed out into the lobby.
Slow down.
She tried to look normal, fixing her hair and acting like she was just a guest.
But as she reached the heavy glass front doors, she froze. Two large men were walking straight toward her. They looked serious and were moving fast.
Were they security?
Clarisse kept her head down and pushed past them into the street. She didn’t look back.
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Snowball hopped down from the bed and walked between Julian and Lyvana. The cat’s tail flicked back and forth as if she wanted a treat or some attention.
Just then, her phone started to ring again. She didn’t even turn. She was sure it was Mark, and she wasn’t ready to deal with him yet.
Instead she bent down and ran her fingers through the cat’s soft fur.
When the cat started to purr under her fingers, a small smile finally touched Lyvana’s face.
"Well, would you look at that," Julian said folding his arms. "That’s a first."
He watched her for a moment, his expression softening before he turned toward a door at the side of the room.
"Come here. I have something else for you."
Julian led her into a large walk-in closet. Lyvana stopped at the doorway, her eyes widening. The room was massive, lined with rows of beautiful dresses, silk blouses, and tailored suits. Shelves were filled with designer shoes and expensive handbags, all organized perfectly.
