Chapter 3 MARK'S POV

I stare out of the floor-to-ceiling window at the damp London streets, the rain is falling aggressively outside but I'd much rather stand out there in my Armani suit than be here in this room right now- and that's saying a lot because this is my favourite room in our London office.

I turn around and face the six people standing and fidgeting before me, placing my left hand into my pocket so that I can fight the temptation to punch someone.

I walk towards them and stand directly in front of a strawberry blonde lady, Samantha,- one of the only two women on this team, I hear her draw a sharp breath in, and it infuriates me further- I'm the harshest bastard you would ever meet, but I'll never hit a woman.

I walk towards my mahogany desk and sink into the chair majestically, spreading my legs out as I pick up a bronze letterweight from my desk and begin to run my thumb through its intricate designs but my eyes are still on them.

The tension is so palatable you can cut it with a knife, I trail my gaze on each of them slowly, making sure to look them in the eyes at least I try to, most of them are avoiding eye contact and the guy at the end is griping the papers in his hands tight, his face so pale, he looks like he could pass out any minute now, I decide that this is the climax of my mental intimidation and I utter my first words.

"What was the profit margin with the COLE project?" I look directly at the so-called project leader- James Cadok and he looks down silent.

The silence is expelled as the shuffling of papers and the mumbling of incompetent people fill the room.

"Sir, I'm sorry we lost the project but-", James starts, I raise my hand to silence him.

I hate the word 'but', it always leads to a flimsy excuse, I'm far from being a phlegmatic man and my rage is back and I throw the bronze letter weight, it sails over James' head and lands in the glass display box where the companies accolades are kept and sound of broken glass makes James flinch but I'm not done with him yet, I get up and in four strides I am in his face my right hand holding the lapels of his coat and as I am a lot taller than him the action lifts him off the carpet flooring a little, my left-hand itching to meet his face

"I don't pay you to give me excuses James, I don't pay you to philander around with the people you are supposed to lead-"

In my periphery I can see Dawn, the second lady bow her head in shame, her short black hair is doing nothing to cover her flaming cheeks, I ignored her.

"- and I sure as hell don't pay you to lose the fricking deal to the Moore's, I pay you to know every single detail about the project! I pay you to execute the project perfectly and I pay you to swipe the rug out from under their mother fucking feet!, but I pay you for nothing-" I release his coat and take a step back, "So you're fired, get out"

" S-sir?" he's stunned and just looks blankly at me, I clench my fist and count back from ten, I don't want to resort to violence.

"I said get out you imbecile!!" I shout and that's when he finally gets himself and leaves.

I go to the bar and pour some whisky into a glass, but then I remember how my father almost ran this company to the ground, drinking himself into a stupor- because of the Moores.

"Argh!!"

I throw the glass and it makes contact with the door, shattering, I take a deep breath to calm myself.

"Samantha?" She sidesteps the broken glass and moves towards me looking scared.

"You are now the new leader of this team, don't fuck it up, my assistant will give you further instructions" Taking a deep breath in "Get out all of you" She nods as they scramble out.

I go to my adjoining restroom to ease myself and when I come in I see someone in my chair with both their legs propped up on my desk, if it were anyone else, I would have flipped out, but it's my friend Matthew Lotta and we go way back, his mum and mine were best friends and I've known the little shit since we were four.

"Won't you get someone to clean up now that you're done with your 'terrible two's' tantrum?" I know he wants to ask about it, but he also knows that losing to the Moores is a very sore subject for me.

I ignore him but use the intercom to tell Liz-My P. A to send in a cleaner, I turn to him, raising my brows in a 'what do you want?' gesture, and he just smiles sheepishly.

"Can't I come see my best buddy?"

"What sticky situation do you need me to pull you out of now Mathew?" I deadpan.

"Well..." he starts running his hands through his blonde hair "Remember that beautiful little lady I met in Peru when we went on that last rendezvous?"

I realise that his dramatic arse is waiting for me to answer and I croak out a "Yeah?"

"Right, it turns out she's married, her husband nearly blew my brains out when he caught us in bed together" he gives me a cheeky smile while I just shake my head.

While I've always been the serious one, knowing I'll take over the family business, Matthew is the last of four sons in the Latto empire, and he quite literally lives for himself and with the abundance of wealth, power and connection at his disposal he doesn't need to lift a finger to get anything- nepotism at it's finest.

I grab two bottles of water from the mini fridge and toss one to him, he catches it but looks at it like it's the plague then drops it, he then walks towards the bar and gets himself some vodka.

"Is there a point to this visit or did you just come to give me the latest gossip on your sexcapedes?"

He swirls his drink "Don't pretend you don't enjoy my gossip, Markie bear" he bats his lashes at me mischievously and I let out a sigh, ever since he heard one of my ex-girlfriends calling me that cursed name, I haven't heard the end of it, as I was about to reply a curt knock sounds from the door and Elizabeth walks in looking smart.

Matthew lets out a low wolf whistle and I can already see the gears in his head turning as he's trying to find out what trick would get her into his bed.

"What is it Liz and how many times do I have to remind you that it's knock, wait for permission, and then enter?" I ask her.

"I'm sorry Mr Wilson, but I have an important message for you -" she looks at Matthew and blushes, as he smirks in return.

I scroll and clear my throat "If it is so important you couldn't page it and had to barge into my office yourself, I suggest you get on with it"

"Your mother asked that you go to the family house as soon as possible, I've cleared your schedule for the rest of the day".

"Oh yeah, that's what I came in to tell you" Matthew pipes in, as I give him the stink eye.

"You could have led with that instead of telling me that dumb little story"

"Well, I forgot" he sighed dramatically.

"What the hell does she want this time?" I groaned in frustration.

"Martha? I think she's a very fine lady when she puts her mind to it, and she doesn't seem to be doing too much, she's tough, strict and I miss your mum, She was calm, kind, loving, not harsh like your stepmother" he burst out laughing.

My mum passed away when I was fourteen, and we were both on our way from having dinner at one of Dad's many restaurants, Dad left with his colleagues and I tagged along with my mother.

We got into a car accident and I was the only one who survived, I blamed myself, guilt ate away at me, and no one ever mentioned her anymore, since my father remarried.

Martha was a nice person, but when someone isn't your own, you feel it and I felt it with her all the time.

"Well" getting up from my seat, putting my suit on "When Martha Wilson sends two people to you, you don't walk, you run to her"

"She scares me"

"She scares all of us, so if you'll excuse me-"

"You're not excused, we're going together my Markie" he smiled grabbing his briefcase whilst I grabbed my coat and headed out to the car already waiting out front.