Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 45

It was not exactly smart to tick Frank off before the new investment dough landed.

I chirped up. “Too late for this, can we talk tomorrow morning?”

Hogan snorted coldly, already halfway through the door.

I blocked the entrance, not letting him in.

Just then, Wallis‘ voice hit my ears outta nowhere, “Which room’s Xaviera’s?”

Panic hit me like a truck, my hand strength went MIA, giving Hogan the perfect opening.

He managed to worm his way in anyways.

Feeling kinda deflated, I looked up at the guy in front of me and asked, “Mr. Zade, you think this is cool?”

Hogan didn’t utter a word, just furrowed his brow and yanked at his tie in irritation.

That was rare.

Outside, Wallis‘ voice was closing in, “Xaviera, you hit the sack yet?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, forced some pep into my step, and threw Hogan a look to hide behind the door.

Just as my fingers touched the doorknob, his hand swooped in, right on top of mine.

His sleeves rolled up, revealing some solid forearms, his palm burning up like nobody’s

business.

“Xaviera,” his deep voice pressed against my ear, “aren’t we close?”

Bonkers.

Hogan was really not scared of stirring the pot, huh?

ticked

a tight squeeze around my waist, and

of fabric, I could feel his

like

and grilled me like he was possessed,

heavy with the scent of booze, washed over

my face flare up, as Hogan cupped

“Answer me.”

1221

Chapter 45

said through gritted teeth, anger rising.

onto mine, cutting off my next

stop him, but he pinned

fierce, his face an imposing blur, impossible

my tattoo, calling out ‘Xaviera‘ over and over, just like the old

no good, really.

ring of my phone yanked me out of

opened my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings and snapped right

plunged into a whirlpool of

marks were

the other end of the line, Wallis excitedly blurted, “Xaviera, great news,

hundred

was

the steamy scenes from my dream,

bathroom, through the steamy mist, I clearly saw

revealed an

*iillayloveyou, Hogan.”

word ‘love‘ was all but obliterated, like a sudden slash of time’s

Hogan, this your way of

I both were late.

though Frank wasn’t too keen, at least there

out the marketing budget issue that

buzzing with plans for a team–building event, ready to share