When the office executives and management staff and the heads of other departments began to file into the conference room Maggie went back to her desk to set the phones and be sure the main door lock was on, she grabbed her cup of tea. Since she was the go to girl for most of the tasks Maggie planned to sit or stand near the door; the room was full anyway, Elise was near the front with the Elliman’s. Joel standing near his father smiled at her, Maggie smiled back. The meeting began and the basics were addressed, then Mr. Elliman wanted to make a special announcement.
The Company was expanding.
“We are excited to announce the funding for an acquisition of the Axiom Group in New York. The group will be a vital addition to our exciting new enterprise, and we will be expecting to see the new numbers within the next quarter.” As Mr. Elliman began to discuss the other information about the acquisition Maggie looked at Amelia her face was as pleasant as ever but the look in her eyes was disappointment. Maggie knew in that moment that something was off.
“He’s something isn’t he?” came the velvet voice behind her right ear, she turned slightly realizing he was talking low enough for only her to hear. He adjusted to stand next to her, his arms crossed over his broad chest. He was dressed in light blue jeans and a button down dress shirt with his white undershirt showing. He looked as if he hadn’t shaved and his hair was combed in a rush, and wore the beginnings of a tan from the summer sun.
“He is using the funding for Amelia’s Company?” Maggie questioned knowing the answer already. Cane nodded.
“He is an ass, a presumptuous ass.” The muscle in Cane’s jaw twitched. And the fire in his eyes made the usually cold blue, burn with anger. They stood there in silence watching Thomas and Joel shaking hands with others as Amelia stood by her husband – a trained smile across her face. People in the room were beginning to file back to their offices. Maggie could feel Cane grow hotter as every muscle in his body began to tense. Finally He turned and backed out the doorway, swiftly walking away down the hall, Maggie followed him with her eyes. She knew that he felt betrayed and alone.
Stepping out on the roof of the building Maggie felt the warm breeze brush her hair across her cheek. She scanned the space seeing Cane standing near a wall, his back pressed against it his face pointed up toward the sky. He didn’t seem like the immoveable statue that she had first seen so many months ago, instead Maggie saw a man. She walked to stand in front of him, the sun behind her.
“Cane I kn ow how much this meant to your Mother, isn’t there something we could do?” She wanted to make him feel better.
“The old man will just continue to take and take and the only person who will be left standing will be him.” Cane said his striking blue eyes still facing the sky. Maggie had the feeling he wasn’t just talking about Amelia’s company anymore.
“You and Joel could talk to him, you could make him see,” Maggie said.
Cane slowly lowered his eyes, she could see the anger sweep away from his face, his eyes melted hers as he stared, the reserved, cold hard look she was used to seeing, washed away in an instant. He crossed the ground that gapped between them. Before she knew it her face was in his hands and she could feel the warmth of sweet breath on her lips. His thumb caressed her delicate jaw line as his mouth came down to hers. His lips molded to hers in a slow kiss, soft and rhythmic. Maggie’s eyes were closed without her knowing when or how they had gotten that way. Her bones seemed to be filled with air, and her stomach fluttered with the breeze of hundreds of butterflies. Maggie heard a low sound almost like a purr; she was surprised to hear it escaping her own lips as she kissed the soft onslaught of his. In response to her purr came a low rumble in Cane’s chest, as his kiss got more and more uncontrolled.
The break came suddenly just as Cane was encircling Maggie in his strong arms, his long fingers pressing into the small of her back pulling her body closer to his. He tensed and then jumped releasing Maggie who had just been winding her hands around into his thick wavy hair. He braced himself away from her form with his hands on a more appropriate location – her shoulders. His head was down while they were both catching their breaths; Maggie was trying to get the butterflies to rest their wings. She was afraid to look him in the eyes, afraid of what she would see, even afraid of what he would see.
He must have been waiting for her to look up at him because he tipped her chin up so her eyes met his. His face was unreadable but distinctly softer and even touched by what looked like sadness.
“Forgive me.” He said simply. Touching her cheek with a soft finger and a delicate look in his eyes he pulled her in for a close hug, she could smell the woody scent of his skin through his cotton undershirt. Then he was gone he had strode to the stairs and disappeared down them before Maggie could open her eyes. The warmth she felt in that embrace was gone for what she assumed was forever.
~This excerpt and the characters within are my own intellectual property, created by myself for my short story series entitled Pieces Of Me. Please respect my creations, and rights and do not duplicate or use in any form ~VM