Irrevocably HIS

Chapter Seven: Tatum

Watching as Lexington Higgins tries to charm Annie has me seeing absolute red. I am the least bit concerned as to whether or not Cassandra is in the room with me. She's babbling away about god knows what while I am devoting all my time to wondering what the hell Lexington could possibly be saying to the girl that ruined me for other girls. I may have Cassandra with her beautiful looks, but her attitude is anything but real. She looks down on others and if I weren't a billionaire, she wouldn't look my way at all. A fact that I don't seem to mind at all. I don't love her. I honestly don't even like her as a person. Albeit that I had unfortunately considered her as my future wife is now but a distant memory as I find myself clenching and unclenching my fists.

I am normally in control. My adoptive father taught me to check my emotions and to lock them down. He would rather my emotions consume me than be expressed, yet here I am about to wear my heart on my sleeve. I'm done with ignoring my heart. I'm done with keeping distance from Annie. I want her. I want all of her.

Right now though? I'm about to burn the world down to get to my girl. I storm out of my office with Cassandra yapping at me like a Chihuahua but I can care less. I need to put a stop to whatever the f**k this is.

"Mr. Higgins. Mind telling me why my assistant looks like she has seen a ghost?" I say with a tone filled with anger as I approach them with my hands stuffed into my suit pockets to keep from pummeling his smug face. I can immediately sense something is off between the two as I come to stand beside her, placing my hand on the small of her back. I notice the hitch in her posture as my touch ignites something inside of her and it makes me eager to touch her more. She isn't the only one that felt sparks. I watch as Lexington's eyes cascade down to where I have my hand and his jaw ticks. Good. I've gotten the reaction I had wanted. If only he knew what I intend to do one day.

"Annie and I? Oh we go way back. Isn't that right sunshine?" He says looking at Annie as if to help strengthen his claim over her. She seems shaken and I can't seem to wonder why.

"I, um, Mr. Higgins is someone that is from my past. Someone that will continue to remain in my past." She says with a dismissive tone as she removes herself from the equation she has been placed in, between two Alpha males, wanting to leave me behind.

"If you'll excuse me gentleman. I need to continue working." She says as she rounds her desk only to have Lex grab her wrist in his hand rather harshly. That s**t doesn't fly with me. He has point two seconds to release her or else I'll be forced to do harm.

"Annie. Please." He says just below a whisper but I clearly register his words and once again, I am filled with anger. There is definitely something more going on here and I am not sure if I want to know the truth or not. I grit my teeth and speak in a tone that should warrant Lexington to step back at least six feet.

"I would kindly refrain from touching my Annie." I say with a look of murder I know I have in my eyes. I watch as he let's go of his prey as he turns to assess me and my very bold words.

"Yours? I beg to differ Mr. Kennedy. From what I can gather, you are well near to being engaged to Cassandra are you not? Nevertheless, I am here on business. Let's go talk some before I lose my cool at the thought of you having any romantic notions for my fiancé." He says with hostility and smugness knowing his words have hit its mark, my heart. Fiancé? Since when? I don't see a ring. He's lying. Annie's voice pulls me from my thoughts because at this point, I will really scorch everything in my wake.

"Ex fiancé." She says as I feel the rigidness fall away from my posture. What am I missing? I've worked with Lexington before. He has never mentioned a fiancé or even a girlfriend for that matter. This is all just way too much right now.

"Let's get this sham of a meeting over with Mr. Higgins. I don't have the time for this bullshit." I say rather sternly as I walk back towards my office trying so hard not to commit homicide. I round my desk to sit in my chair as I watch Lex's movements and his attempt to keep tabs on my assistant. Thankfully, Cassandra noticed the face I was making before we came back in so she showed herself out of my office, without another word. However, that doesn't stop her from approaching Annie. I need to rid myself of all those that are toxic for me and Annie. I can only deal with one monstrosity at a time. I darken the windows because I know Annir can hold her own with Cassandra. I don't want Lexington to keep stalking my girl. I can see my move has made him tense. He turns to me and begins to speak but I raise my hand to shut him the hell up.

"Let's get one thing straight here. You will not step foot near Annie. You will not converse with her. You will not stalk her. You will not find excuses to come see her in this office. You will follow those rules and we will have a full understanding regarding our business venture. If not, count me out. You and I both know you need my funds for this merger to help with your expansion. Why my father ever continued business with you and your family is beyond me. You are lucky you see profit. Are we clear?" I say with a menacing tone, sitting back in my chair with my hands clasped together. I expect him to retaliate but he mulls over my words, wondering my angle. I can see a snake from a mile away so I know he will agree to my terms but as soon as he walks out this door, he will go back on his word. It'll give me the chance to cut ties with him once and for all. Benefits me greatly.

"You threatening our merger and our years long expansion over Annie is quite ridiculous don't you think? I can easily agree to your terms but you cannot keep tabs on her 24/7. She'll be mine again and I will make sure of it. I've cast her aside before. I can do it again for the right amount Tatum. How about we renegotiate terms?" He says cooly and dryly. He would renegotiate terms just to get more money out of me in order for him to step aside and stay away from Annie? Definitely shows his desperation in colors. He knows this business venture will fail. I won't buy into his games. I rise from my chair and round my desk to face him at eye level. Lex's heightened nervousness is palpable and the fear in his eyes brings me great joy. His face is a thousand times paler and I find myself wanting to do more than just eviscerate his ego.

"You dare confront Annie at any point in time from here on out, I will not only ruin you, but I will ruin generations to come. Don't play with me Lexington. You will not like the monster that will unleash if you do. Annie is more than just a prize or a commodity. She is everything. If you were any man at all, you would never have tossed her aside as you so graciously placed into words. She isn't something you simply disregard. You hold onto her for dear life because she puts everything and anything before her own damn self. She has a heart of gold and a mind of a brilliant human being. If you so much as demean her ever again, your ruin will be the least of your problems. I know men in high places. You'll be a mere blip in existence by the time they get done with you. Am. I. Clear?" I say with narrowed eyes, my jaw clenching tightly. The red I see is becoming brighter and I am dying to unleash my wrath but at what cost? If I'm in jail, I won't be around Annie. That's too high of a price. She's my true North. She's it for me. I lost her once. I'll be damned if I lose her again. Especially for this piece of crap.

I don't get an answer vocally but his eyes hold the answer I need. Do I trust it? Not in the least. I'll allow him the notion that he thinks he can betray me. It'll be his funeral. He simply nods and walks on out of my office, not even ushering another word on our expansion deal, but almost immediately finding Annie, everything I had said went poof in his mind. Took the guy two seconds to cave. Unbelievable. I watch as she quickly glances away from where he is. I'm glad to know that she wants nothing to do with him. I don't think I'd be able to stand it if she did. I carefully watch as he slowly approaches her, nearing her desk, basically pleading with my girl.

"You know there is still something between us sunshine. I love you. I will continue to love you. All I need is another chance to prove to you that it is you I want." He says as he leans in with both hands on her desk, showing me he has no care for himself or his family's reputation. The decision has been made. I thought he could come to his senses but I suppose not. I release a cough from behind him making him step away from her desk but his eyes are still solely trained on Annie. What is he getting at over here? Cut your losses Lex. Shes doesn't want you. With ease, I speak cutting the tension that surrounds us all.

"I no longer need to think about my choice. I think I have come to a conclusion." I say with my words laced in anger.

"You're officially cut from the merger. I want nothing to do with you or your company. Whatever my father saw in it is beyond me. It was always that unneeded branch that needed to be cut off at some point." I say with no room for discussion. Lexington knows he messed up. Now he'll reap the consequences. I gave him a choice. He looks at me as if I were merely bluffing. What a tool.

"You can't be serious. Is this because of Annie? You have nothing that Annie could ever want. She has been mine for a long time and will be again. Just you wait." He says wanting to provoke me but he and I both know that this is the end for him.

"Please leave or I will have security come and escort you out. You have ten seconds." I say with authority and a sense of calm. Lex looks at me and then to Annie. I grit my teeth. He's beginning to test my patience. I grab a hold of my phone dialing my head security officer. That brings him back to the here and now.

"This isn't over Annie." He says before hustling towards the elevator, Annie looking the least bit worried. My eyes land on her as she just continues on typing but when she looks up, it is like she is hypnotized by mine.

"You're going to need to explain everything Annie." I say as my emotions begin to war with each other on the inside. I can only assume what my face holds now that it is only us in the office.

"Why?" She says breathlessly, almost carefully. I know she doesn't want to believe that I have never stopped loving her. She's been hurt. That much I know. I will not allow her to believe that I would be the next one to. I don't need to tell her what exactly transpired in my office but I will tell her this much.

"I just cut ties with a multi million dollar corporation for you, not because of you, but for you. I want nothing to do with a company that is run by a person that could break the heart of the only woman that I have loved since I was a kid. I'd cut ties with anything and anyone, including this company, who remotely hurt you Annie. I've gotten rid of half the staff here because of how they behaved ethically. If that doesn't show you how much I love you, I don't know what else would. I may have hated you but it is only because you broke my heart and I couldn't find another way to deal with the pain. It was never truly hate. It's always been love. It will always be love. Please say you believe me." I say with such emotion that it surprises the s**t out of me. I watch as she rises from her seat and walks towards me. My heart is beating a thousand miles a minute and I can't seem to get a grip.

"I believe you." She says and that's all I need to know before I pull her closer and captures my lips to hers. This kiss turns heated, making my mind run rampant with what I want to do to this girl. I want her coming undone. I want her writhing beneath me, making sounds that I know will make me spiral. I pull away from her abruptly to which she just stares at me flushed and confused. I make my way to her desk, pick up the phone and dial an extension to downstairs. The new woman I had hired to man the front desk in the lobby quickly picks up.

"Kennedy Enterprise, how may I help you." She says sweetly.

"This is Mr. Kennedy. Please cancel all meetings and turn away anyone who wishes to see me. I'll be taking the rest of the day off." I say sternly.

"As you wish Mr. Kennedy. Have a great rest of your day." She says but I don't return the sentiment with a thank you and simply hang up.

"Do you have not even one nice bone in your body towards any of your workers?" Annie says behind me with her arms crossed against her chest with an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"I am a businessman. I was taught to be an arrogant bastard who brokers no argument, especially towards my employees. You are the only one that can tame the beast within me Annie. The only one that can get away with sassing me in front of my colleagues. The only one to second guess my ideas. You are the exception." I say meaning every single word, hoping to not scare her with my confession. She doesn't say a thing, merely nodding. She rounds her desk and goes to sit, not putting the pieces together of me cancelling my day.

"You do know I have work to do right?" She says to which I scoff.

"Have you forgotten that I run this company? I literally just cancelled my day to be with you. What I want to do is take you to my home and listen to every word of what I have missed from your life. I want to know everything from your first crush to your first love to your first day of college. I want to know every single detail and mold them into my brain as if I were right there with you which I should have been. I should have been your first crush, love, experience. Not any other rat bastard. Especially Higgins." I say. I hate that it wasn't me. None of it was me but I'll be damned if it isn't me now. I'll be her last. That I can promise the both of us.

"Okay." She says just above a whisper while I was waiting on bated breath for her to deny me that simple request.

"Then let's get out of here." I say grabbing her hand in mine and leading her down to the garage and into my car. Once we pull up to my building, I exit the car, running towards her side and open the door for her, giving her my hand. She takes it without hesitation as I close the door and hand my keys to the valet. The doorman to the building opens the door for us.

"Back so soon Mr. Kennedy?" Earl says as I just nod at him. Annie, however, produces a smile for him that conveys warmth and gratitude.

"Thank you." She says as he tips his hat for her.

"You really need to show some sort of emotion towards the people that work for you. Just because we aren't all gaziliionares doesn't mean we are any less than. Take it from someone that is on the other side of the fence. Being the least bit kind goes a long way." Annie says as I lead her into the elevator punching the P for Penthouse.

"What do I get if I decide to show some sort of niceness towards everyone?" I say with a smirk. She seems the least bit phased that I'd want something in return.

"What is it that you want?" She says as the elevator stops and the doors open. I simply reply with one word.

"You."