Seven- Amir and his issues

Chloe looked at the little group that hovered over their laptops and she wondered why they decided to do their boring finances in the library. It was even more annoying that they kept talking at intervals. And it annoyed her even more when they were not having a conversation that could give her a lead.

Raising the book in her hand to make it seem like she was still interested in its content, Chloe wondered how on earth Nathaniel’s words of them being a family was going to work out.

There is Lucille who is always either doing something in her room or throwing dagger glares at her whenever Nathaniel happens to pass by. Amir on the other hand could be in a corner of the house making phone calls with his women if he is not busy with work.

Gabriel as usual is his quiet self. He spends most of his time in the library while Nathaniel was always looking so serious and having one call after the other most certainly about business.

Chloe did not see how them being like a family was going to help her sniff out information. Flipping the page of the novel almost absent-mindedly, she knew it was time she employed fully the good old method of divide and conquer.

“I can tell you are distracted.”

A startled Chloe dropped the book in her hand to see that Gabriel had found a seat opposite her. Throwing him a defeated smile, she said, “I have been reading the same page for the past ten minutes.”

“We are quite noisy, aren’t we?” Chloe nodded with a shy smile.

“I know you all are businessmen, but what exactly do you do?”

“Business of course.” Chloe’s brows quirked. Like she didn’t know that.

“We do anything that makes us number one in the country. From investments to production even all the way to entertainment, name it.”

Now, she was getting something. “Why do you guys want to be number one always?”

Nathaniel butted in with his masculine bass voice, “We are obsessed with being in power. That has been a drive for us since high school.”

Surprised, Chloe asked, “You have all known each other since high school?”

“Yes.” Gabriel replied instead.

“I see. You mentioned that you would do anything to stay in power. Does that anything include even illegal things?”

“Illegal?” She had attracted the full attention of the men.

“Yes. I mean, a lot of rich people out there dip their hands in dirty stuff to stay in power. So…”

“We don’t do that here,” Nathaniel interrupted a bit harshly. “ Everything we do is purely legal.”

Chloe nodded and did not push it any further.

“Why the questions though?”

She gave a nervous-like chuckle as she replied a gruff Amir. “I just tend to ask a lot of questions when I am bored. Besides, I tend to be curious by nature.”

“Know what is good for you and learn to be less curious. You are here to work not investigate our lives.” Amir, who she was just seeing for the first time after his attempt to seduce her, sounded so pissed you would think she was the one that tried to force herself on him.

“Amir…” Nathaniel gave him a glare before facing Chloe. “You should not forget his words Chloe, learn to mind your business in here. Only do what we want you to do and there won’t be any problem.”

Nodding, Chloe began to reason within her. There definitely was something up with them. Their response sort of gave that off. Too bad she was there to actually investigate. Too bad she won’t be minding her business at all. “Of course Nathaniel. I will be less curious.”

After a long silence of awkward glances, Gabriel sighed and got up, “I don’t know how you guys find it so easy to act so defensive when she just asked a simple question. And Amir… shouldn’t you be apologizing to Chloe for your action the other day?”

“Stay out of my business too, Gabe.” Amir walked out of the room muttering.

“He is just being cranky,” Gabriel explained to Chloe who just gave a short smile.

Getting up, Chloe made for the entrance, she had thought of a way to get to Amir. But she was stopped by a new voice that graced the room. “Thank goodness you are all here.”

The man who had just entered was quite huge in structure. He had the body and height of a bouncer, or better put, a bodyguard.

‘Maybe he is their bodyguard,’ she thought as she walked back a bit to take in his face properly as he talked on to the listening men. Immediately, a frown took over her face. He seemed really familiar, but she couldn’t place exactly where she could have met him.

“The shipment’s arrival is being delayed.”

Nathaniel immediately neglected his laptop. “Why? What happened?”

“Something about some sudden search.”

“How long is this search going to last?”

“Well, this time of the year has a lot of shipments flowing in, so…” It was then he noticed Chloe who had been listening in with rapt attention.

“Who is she?”

“Oh, I totally forgot she was here. She is our new help.”

“Hmm…” His tiny eyes eyed her.

“I should…” She motioned at the entrance. “I should leave.”

“Wait.” Even the guys had their curiosity aroused. “Have we met somewhere?”

“Uh? No.” She shook her head rigorously. She just recalled where she had once seen him.

“I feel like I have seen you somewhere, like at a dangerous place.”

Chloe chuckled and waved off his statement. “Oh no. As much as I love to try new things that bring money to the table, I don’t do dangerous.”

She had met him at a club and that was when she was on a mission.

Her first mission. The mission that cost her a lot.

Eyeing her even more suspiciously, the tall man said, “I’ll have my eyes on you until I figure out where I have once seen you.” Chloe managed a small smile and slipped out immediately.

Recalling the situation that led to her first mission was not a good sign but she was not ready to deal with that emotional baggage. So she chose to do what she normally did to push such drama aside.

Train.

Or rather, work out.

Practicing some martial arts would do more than make her look suspicious.

After a few minutes, she was dressed in a more suitable wear and headed for the gym room.

On entering the huge and well equipped room, Chloe let out the heaviness chained within and set out to angrily get it out of her system.

“Don’t you have a job to do?”

She really did not expect to see Amir.

“I am done with everything that needs to be done.” Amir nodded slowly. Her head peering a bit, Chloe asked, “Do you need me to do something?”

“No.” It was a sharp response.

“Okay then…” Facing the other side where dumbbells lay lazily, Chloe could not help but swear underneath her breath as she recalled Natalie’s video. It would have been nicer if she could get rid of her fury by nabbing Amir or better still bashing up his face, then nabbing him. But…

“I just don’t get it.”

Chloe who was actually surprised he was still around and that element was evident in her question. “Get what?”

He pocketed and stared her right in the eyes. “How could you reject me? No one has ever rejected me.”

“Did you say no one? Well sir, I am glad to be the first to break that record.” He did not respond and Chloe took it as a chance to slip out of the conversation.

“Please, excuse me.” She gave him a sarcastically dashing smile and made for her first stop, the treadmill.

“Too bad Nathaniel wants you…” she had to put a stop to her swaying. “If he didn’t, I would have totally made you regret what you did.”

Her head swinging sideways to trace out Amir’s outline which stood tall and had its arms folded, Chloe found herself bothered by his statement.

No. Not the part where he threatened her like he was a predator and she was his prey.

It was the statement about Nathaniel. Hearing it again stirred something within her and for a second, she wanted to turn and ask questions, but she certainly wasn’t willing to entertain any more of Amir’s issues.

So, like the proud woman she was, Chloe ignored Amir fully and went on with her reason for being in that room.