Bittersweet Memories (Off-Limits #4)(73)

I inhale deeply as I walk toward the door cautiously, annoyed with myself for being unable to calm my nerves. I pull the door open and find Silas standing right in front of me, looking every bit as angry as he did earlier today. He holds up a bag for me and grits his teeth. Is he still mad because I gave Ryan a chance to be friends again?

“Change into this. You’ve got ten minutes to get ready.”

I take the bag from him and force a smile to my face, but Silas storms off before I can even thank him. I’m the one who should be angry after the conversation we had and the way he threatened me, so why is it that he’s angry?

A soft gasp escapes my lips when I pull out the nude colored floor-length designer dress with matching heels and a clutch, all in my size. I’ve never worn something so beautiful before, and I have no doubt I could never afford to replace this if I damaged it. Just the beading on this dress would’ve taken hours to do. Normally, I would’ve argued with Silas about wearing this, but not tonight. Though I shouldn’t indulge him, I find myself wanting to placate him. I want to tell him not to worry about Ryan, and that I haven’t even thought of Ryan since that night, but I can’t. I shouldn’t.

Silas is leaning against the wall opposite my bedroom when I walk out exactly ten minutes later, his eyes on his watch. He’s wearing a black tux that makes him look every inch the powerful CEO he is, and I hate the way my heart skips a beat.

Silas’s gaze moves to my feet, pausing at the slit in my dress before slowly moving up toward the sweetheart neckline of my dress. “Damn,” he whispers, his eyes finding mine. “You look gorgeous.”

I don’t think any man has ever looked at me the way Silas does. It’s as though I’m all he can see, as though he’s been waiting for me all his life.

“Let’s go,” I whisper.

He nods and offers me his arm, and I take it hesitantly. I can’t help but wonder what Silas truly thinks of me. He hired me when he could’ve easily rejected my application, and he offered me a place to stay when he should’ve fired me for being unprofessional when I showed up at the office with my belongings. He isn’t the tyrant everyone thinks he is. Everything he’s done so far showed me that he’s a good person, so it makes no sense that he doesn’t think I’m good enough for his brother. I’d think that it’s just because I slept with him that night, but he wanted me to break up with Ryan long before that.

“We’re attending a charity auction,” he tells me as we get in the car.

I frown and turn to face him. “I thought you said this was a business event?”

He nods. “It is. It’s hosted by one of our biggest clients, and I’ll have to go. Usually, Amy attends with me.”

“So why did you ask me?”

He glances at me, his gaze lingering for a moment before he turns back toward the road. “Her time is more valuable than yours. She has two kids who need her at home. You, on the other hand, have no plans other than sulking all night.”

Asshole. I cross my arms and look out the window, annoyed. He isn’t wrong, but it’s still a shitty thing to say.

“I’m expected to buy something tonight,” he murmurs, his tone relaxed. “I’ll leave that to you. You can buy one thing that you’d like to have. No budget.”

I smirk at him. “So if they auction a diamond necklace worth millions, I can buy it?”

“You can buy whatever you want. There really isn’t a budget, but you can only bid on one thing.”

I nod. “Must be nice, having so much money.”

He looks at me then, his expression complicated. “Yeah,” he whispers. “It is.”

I can’t help but chuckle as I shake my head. “At least you’re honest about it.”

Silas steps out of the car and walks around it to open the door for me before handing the keys to the valet.

My heart starts to race as we walk into a large ballroom filled with the city’s rich and famous. I unknowingly tighten my grip on Silas’s arm, and he places his hand over mine reassuringly.

“Silas!”

I tense when I see Raven walking toward us, looking beautiful in a tight red dress that matches the shade of her lipstick. I should let go of Silas and let him greet her, but I can’t.

“Raven,” he says, nodding politely.

Her eyes drop to my hand on his arm, and instead of pulling away the hand Silas covered mine with, he starts to draw circles on the back of my hand.

“We meet again,” she says, a sweet smile on her face. “You’re Silas’s assistant, right?”

I shake my head. “His mentee. I’m part of the Ψ division.”

She nods knowingly. “So you’re one of his most elite team members, huh? I’m surprised you made it to that division at your age. Well done.”

I force a smile to my face as I resist the urge to drag Silas away from her. Seeing her just reminds me of the history he has with her, the years they’ve spent together. I shouldn’t, but when I see her, I can’t help but compare myself to her, and it becomes painfully clear why Silas doesn’t think I’m good enough.

“Silas,” she says, drawing out his name. “I heard you’re taking part in the eligible bachelor auction? I’m definitely winning a date with you. I can’t wait.” She winks at him before walking away, her expression provocative. It’s clear she isn’t in the least intimidated by my presence, as though she knows other women come and go in his life, but she’s his constant. I looked her up after Josh mentioned her, and Silas always seems to end up back with her, no matter how long they break up for. His name is never mentioned in the articles, but I’ve seen photos of them together.