Billionaires At War

CHAPTER XXXIV

Harrison buttoned the front of his suit before offering his hand to Maria, helping her down from the car. Another car pulled up behind him; he noticed the driver and smiled when he spotted Cassandra in the back. Julia stepped out first, joining Shantel on the sidewalk before Cassandra stepped out as well. Turning to face Maria, he helped her up the remaining steps and asked her to go into the mall without him. He jogged back down to swivel across a few bars to join the ladies by Cassandra's car.

"Good morning, ladies." Leaning in, he kissed Shantel and Cassandra on their cheeks. "I didn't know you would be coming over as well, Miss King."

"You can call me Shantel, and yes, I am here to support my friend. I might have heard of a discount on orders from the store, so I might be here for that too."

"I didn't know Shantel being here would be a problem, Clark."

Harrison chuckled, holding himself back from rolling his eyes at her formality. Taking a step between the two women, he offered them both an arm and waited for Cassandra as she grudgingly wrapped her fingers around his arm. Smiling secretively at her, he walked both women up the stairs as he filled Cassandra in on what they were going to do for the day.

"Here we are." Pulling away from them, he stepped forward to shake hands with the designer and contractors, "I hope we are not late?"

The men and woman shook their heads as their answer before they stepped forward to shake hands with Cassandra and Shantel. Cassandra and Shantel stayed by his side while he made a few introductions. They looked through the arrangements and settings before he had to separate from them to find Maria.

For the next two hours, it was working and sorting out all the colours and materials. Harrison rarely saw Cassandra, but he caught small glimpses of her giving Shantel a tour while working beside Julia. She was an enigma, Harrison thought to himself with a chuckle. After the weekend they spent at the wrecks, he expected her to be at least more comfortable, but he realised he had thought too far ahead. She avoided him, not even an acknowledging glance in his direction.

An opportunity presented itself a few hours into their work. Julia took Shantel to another part of the store and Maria had gone out to check on the equipment they ordered weeks ago, which only left Cassandra and a few workers in the store. He bided his time behind the curtains of a dressing room, waiting for Cassandra to walk by before he snagged her by the waist and carried her in.

"Jeez." She shrieked, struggling against his grip as he pushed her against the wall and placed his palm over her lips. Her blue eyes were wide with fright as they moved over his face. Smiling, Harrison made sure that the curtain covering the door was securely set.

"Calm down."

"You conceited jerk." She growled, throwing his hand off her face then roughly pushing at his chest. Sneering at him through clenched teeth. "You just scared thirty years of my life out of me. Are you insane?"

Ignoring her question, he took the time to take in her look before dropping a quick kiss on her cheeks, pulling her into his arms even as she struggled. "Sorry I scared you. You might have noticed me lurking around if you weren't doing such an amazing job of pretending I didn't exist."

Leaning in, he kissed her gently on the lips. It took a while. but she finally raised her arms to drape them over his neck as she lifted herself up to the tips of her boots. Sighing over his lips, she moved a palm behind his neck so she could pull him closer to her before she suddenly pushed him aside.

"Stop it. Stop it." She broke away from him and marched over to the curtains, taking a peek to make sure there was no one around. "This is not the place; someone might see us. We can't make a scene, here of all places."