Chapter 5 : In Which He Offers a Deal of Attachment

Once outside the salon, Aurora clasped tightly onto the door handle and glared at the plump woman who was once her lucky star.

"At least tell me why, Gwen."

Gwen sighed and stepped out. The door snapped shut behind her and her mask came off. She folded her arms and tapped her toes impatiently. "Audrey Walters."

Aurora's eyes widened at the name. That tall woman who was with Theo.

Sh*t.

"Yeah, I thought so. I didn't believe it at first. I thought you were decent, Aurora. Why did you snatch her boyfriend? Of all the men out there, why hers? She's our biggest investor."

Aurora felt her throat thickening as hotness stung the back of her eyes.

Gwen shook her head with a look of disgust. "You are truly the best around here. I do admire your passion and diligence. For that, I'll give you the rest of your pay. But you will not step into my salon ever again."

A thin white envelope was flung at her chest.

Aurora caught it and clutched onto the crushed envelope. Her family's life depended on the money inside. She couldn't decide whether to be upset or angry or disappointed. Her luck was drowning in the darkest depths of the negative range now. Just two more weeks till the collection date and she's down to only one job. There's no way she can get the money in time!

She sniffed back the tears. Crying doesn't solve anything. It only makes you weak, Aurora reminded herself. When life throws you lemons, you just make some f*cking lemonade and sell them to buy rubies.

Aurora answered her buzzing phone and Trish was yelling into her ear.

"What the f*ck did you do, Rory? Sam just texted me. Gwen fired you?"

"I didn't do anything. You should know, Trish. It's the same story every time."

A brief pause and Trish roared. "Again?" Then, she blasted a train of blasphemy. "You can't let this one go, girl."

"You're right, and I'm not."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Look for Theo." She maneuvered through the morning crowd and slid past a newsstand when something caught the corner of her eye and halted her footsteps.

"Sh*t, that rich guy? No wait, he's a boxer."

"Yes, him." Aurora stood rooted to the ground in front of Theo's picture blown up under the headline CANCELED: BARONE AND WALTERS MERGER.

"But he's definitely not a boxer." Aurora breathed.

******

The receptionist refused to let her through and told her to wait. Aurora slammed a fist on the marble top and demanded to speak to her CEO, Theo Barone.

"You tell Mr. Theo Barone that Madame Zoya wishes to speak to him or I'll tell the whole f*cking world about his illegitimate son. And it will be on you," Aurora growled.

The snarky twenty-year-old nymph scrambled to make a phone call and Aurora was immediately led into the lift to the highest floor. The door opened to an ocean of space, floored with sleek, black marble and walled with the clearest and thickest glass.

Aurora stepped in and the CEO was seated at the desk.

When he saw her, a large grin spread across his handsome face. Pushing his chair back, he stood and moved with a confident elegance towards her.

"My receptionist said a certain Madame Zoya wanted to see me about an illegitimate son." He chuckled. "I don't remember us going that far, Aurora. You did reject me twice."

Aurora smelled his fresh cologne and tightened her hold on her bag. Against the background of his neat office, he looked even more sexy with his strong jaw, high nose and powerful gaze. And those thick brows were really sucking her in.

No, Aurora! Stay focused! Remember what you are here for.

He stood before her and lowered his voice with a warm smile. "I wanted to thank you for the read--."

Slap!

Theo widened his gaze at the shiny floor. Something had stung his left cheek and left a burning sensation. Then, something blunt stamped onto his right shoe and jabbed at his toes inside. He winced, lifting his leg slightly, and hobbled around in pain.

"Are you crazy? What was that for?"

His redhead enchantress was fuming. Her green eyes seemed to have fire in them. Theo released his leg and straightened slowly.

"Don't hit on me when you still have a girlfriend!" Aurora glowered at the quizzical face and snarled, "I do not want to see you again, do you hear me? Jerk." She shot him one last glare and turned on her heel.

"Wait. Aurora."

"It's Madame Zoya." She gritted her teeth and tapped like a furious woodpecker on the button to call for the lift.

He grabbed her elbow and swung her around. "What happened?"

Aurora pulled her arm out of his grasp and returned to pecking on the button.

"Tell me." He stood beside her, his chest heaving slightly.

"Ask your girlfriend."

"I told you, she's not my girlfriend."

The door opened with a tinkle and Aurora stepped in. Theo followed her but she pushed him out. "It doesn't matter if she is or isn't." She pressed her palm onto the hard plane of his muscled chest. "I do not want to see either of you ever again. Goodbye, Mister Theo."

Aurora jammed a finger on the button and the door closed on his grim expression.

******

Aurora sighed at her phone.

Another rejection for her job application. Desperate, she sent out a few more in the past two days and heard from none. She knew they would take time to get back to her but she was trying her luck.

She scoffed at the crystal ball. What a joke, Aurora. Luck? You think you have even a tiny bit of it? A sharp inhale and her forehead landed on the table with a dull thud. Madame Zoya had agreed to give her two months' pay in advance, and even so, she's still short of three thousand dollars.

Where can one get three thousand dollars in twelve days?

Trish would surely stuff wads of cash into her bag when she's not looking. Aurora hates it when she does that because that money didn't come easily. In fact, Trish had it worse than her. She must buck up.

Come on, Aurora! She inhaled deeply and bolted upright with a renewed strength.

A familiar face came into her view.

She held her breath. "I told you not to come here again."

Theo rushed forward to stop the ravishing beauty from leaving.

"I'm not here to apologize."

His words infuriated her. Not that she expected his apology. But if it weren't for her loony girlfriend, she'd still have a job at the hair salon. Her cheeks pinked with rage.

"You're not here for a reading too, I'm sure."

He breathed. "No."

"Then what do you want?" She cast a distasteful eye in his direction. As irresistibly charming as he is, he has created enough problems for her. She needed to stay as far away from him as possible.

"You."

Her eyes grew twice as large.

"I'm here to offer you a business deal." Theo paused briefly and then added in his deep, firm voice. "Be my girlfriend."