''Nicklaus Howell, you're here already, sorry to have taken too long, I was busy inside.''
The man, who had walked out of the huge mahogany doors, spoke with a vibrant smile on his face. He stretched out his hand for a handshake, and Nicklaus shook him briefly.
The house was very magnificent; just like Nicklaus' home back in California, except that it wasn't as quiet. Tiana had counted no less than eight women walk past the living room, wearing skimpy dresses and looking like p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es.
They had not stayed up-to five minutes before the man came out. He had a huge pot belly and was short; Tiana felt his physique was rather depressing to look at.
Two of the women she had seen walk past accompanied him to the living room and they sat down opposite her and Nicklaus. When the man saw her, his eyes remained on her body, checking her out. Tiana caught his gaze on her body and she felt like throwing up but she couldn't show her disgust, he was a client; and although Nicklaus had not told her what they had come for, she knew he was an important person for him to come to his house on a Sunday evening.
''Nicklaus, I see you have company. Who is she? ''
The man asked; his eyes still on Tiana. Tiana glanced down briefly at her body but she saw nothing so eye-catchy because her chest was fully covered by her shirt, her cleavage wasn't even exposed.
Was he that perverted? How could he have two women by his side and still gape at another?
Nicklaus' gaze was frosty as usual, but he forced a simple reply;
''My P.A ''
He said, and the man nodded excitedly, as though he had seen a new prey, his eyes wide with glee. Tiana held onto her purse strongly as sweat gathered on her hands;
''She's stunning… ''
''I'll like us to go over to what we're here for, don't you think so? ''
Nicklaus said, sitting upright on the couch. His statement pulled the man's gaze away from Tiana, and he turned to him. Nicklaus' gaze was frosty and his eyes were glaring intently at the man and the man knew that he had overstepped his boundaries; he coughed harshly;
''Yes, yes, we'll do just that, but first, the table has been prepared already, let's chat over dinner?''
The man said, standing up from the seat and pointing towards the dining area. Nicklaus didn't normally eat with people, but the man was a very significant person so he stood up reluctantly;
Tiana heaved a sigh of relief. She turned to Nicklaus briefly, although she didn't know why he stopped the man from going further, she was grateful for that; if he hadn't she would have puked right there in the living room.
They all sat down on the table, the two women by his side. Tiana sat beside Nicklaus and the dishes were opened by a woman dressed in maid's wear.
The smell of the food wafted into Tiana's nostrils and she felt her stomach growl. She didn't eat well that morning and had nothing that afternoon, she was really famished. She wanted to eat, but she waited for Nicklaus to pick his cutleries first, and immediately he did so, she picked a plate and served herself some food.
Nicklaus and the man were discussing something, but she wasn't paying much attention; although she heard some numbers, and with her little experience in the company, she knew they were talking about selling some shares.
''… I've changed my mind, I don't want to sell the stocks anymore'' the man said, drinking nonchalantly from his cup of wine.
Nicklaus dropped his cutlery on the table, his eyes straight at the man.
Did he pull him all the way from the US to tell him that?
He felt his anger rising within him and he clenched his fists;
He wouldn't have come if it didn't matter to him. The man had the second-largest stocks in Warren Corporation and he wanted to buy all of it. If he did so, he would be the second in command in the corporation.
The man had called for him to meet and after wasting his time, all he had to say was that he wasn't interested in selling anymore; does he look like a joke to him?
''Is it the money? I'll double the price. ''
Nicklaus said with a stern tone and the man laughed; ''No, no, it's not about the money, it's just that, I don't want to sell the stocks anymore. I had a change of mind. ''
Nicklaus clenched his jaws, anger emitting from his bones;
''But I can change my mind on one condition. ''
''What? ''
Nicklaus asked, and the man leaned back on his chair, caressing his beards; he pretended to be in deep thought, then he spoke;
''I'll sell the shares to you if you let me have her.''
'' ''
Tiana, who was about to take up her glass of wine, let it go out of shock and it fell from the table; crashing to shards on the floor.
Her face paled in shock;
She could not believe what she just heard. He… wants to have… her?
Her eyes immediately darted towards Nicklaus; her face pale as snow. She was literally shaking, and her palms folded to fists.
What if Nicklaus agreed to his terms? What Nicklaus came for must be very important; he wouldn't give it all away because of her. Tears gathered her eyes and her heart slammed against her chest, she turned to the man and nearly gagged when she imagined his hands on her body.
If Nicklaus didn't save her, she would kill herself. She would rather die than let that man touch her.
''You say you're the CEO of Dennis Group?''
Nicklaus asked in the gravest voice; his face was so frosty that the man feared a little, but remembering he was in his house and Nicklaus didn't come with any guards and he could easily be overpowered; he felt relieved;
''Yes; any problem? ''
Nicklaus picked his phone from the side of the table and shook his head;
''No, no problem at all, I just wanted to be sure. ''
He said and stood up from the chair;
The man creased his brows,
''You do not want the shares again? ''
He asked surprisingly; Nicklaus travelled all the way to London to see him for the shares, and even when he knew it was a Sunday, he still came when he asked him to; he was not backing down because of a mere woman, was he?