Chapter 6 There Is Someone Between Them

• Maya looked at Joseph just as his smile disappeared. He took a step back and, when he looked up, he realized that he had become the center of attention. He immediately turned his back and left, wondering what had gotten into Simon to make him act like that?
• In silence, Joseph turned on his heels and walked away, so it was clear on his face how much he had disliked this intrusion. Simon was the obstacle he would face in getting close to Maya.
• He walked over to the place where he had ordered and stared into Simon’s furious eyes.
• “What do you think you’re doing?” Simon put both hands on his waist and frowned.
• Joseph looked confused by the question but knew that Simon was annoyed to see him close to Maya. He wondered if the two of them had some kind of intimate relationship to make Simon act so impulsively.
• “You should be clearer in your statement so that I can answer that question.”
• Joseph’s words made Simon’s face contort even more. A laugh burst from his lips as he realized how overbearing the boy was. The way Joseph used words annoyed Simon. His tone of voice was always authoritative, as if he really was someone important in this life.
• “Stay away from Maya,” he approached him, placing his index finger on Joseph’s chest to intimidate him. “You’re wasting time when you should be working.”
• Joseph couldn’t help but smile mockingly. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Simon was making his preferences for Maya clear. Either the man was crazy or he was obsessed with jealousy.
• “Do you two have an intimate relationship?”
• Simon’s eyes met Joseph’s in astonishment, and fury rose in his chest.
• “What kind of stupid question is that?” His eyes were wide, and his open mouth made his throat go dry. “Maya is just a friend, but I’m here to protect her from men like you.”
• After those words, Joseph took a step forward, showing that he wasn’t afraid of Simon and indicating that he wasn’t going to obey his orders. Simon frowned as he noticed Joseph’s posture. He acted as if he were already a winner.
• “If you’re just friends, I see no reason to do what you’re asking me to do,” Joseph retorted, as pain flared in Simon’s eyes. “Besides, you’re giving me orders about the work at the hotel, not about my private interests.”
• “W-what? Why?” Simon clenched his fists, unhappy with the decision.
• Joseph’s response was swift. He walked away and turned his back, determined not to argue about it.
• “You said yourself that I need to work,” he took a step further away, “and that’s precisely what I’m going to do now.”
• A pang of hatred invaded Simon’s heart. Joseph really was an overbearing man, and he was challenging him. He even opened his lips to protest, but it was too late. Joseph left, and the door slammed.
• When Simon went after him to prolong the matter, Joseph had disappeared. But it wasn’t over; Simon was ready to find out everything about the new employee and get all the weapons he could to confront him and keep him away from Maya.
• He went to the area where Maya was and felt an enormous sense of relief to see her alone at that moment.
• “I’m glad I found you, Maya,” Simon said as a nervous sweat broke out on his forehead. “Please let me know if the new employee bothers you again.”
• Maya felt confused by his words. Frowning at him, she gave him a half-hearted smile and finally replied.
• “That Joseph guy wasn’t bothering me, Simon,” she shook her head in disagreement, believing that Simon was just confused, “he just helped me out; by the way, I’ve never seen him around here before.”
• “They transferred him recently,” she let her irritation slip as she snorted softly, “even so, avoid being around him. The man doesn’t give me any confidence.”
• Simon’s words startled Maya. Did he know something she wasn’t aware of? But after some thought, she concluded that he was just exaggerating. When Sophie forced Maya to come to Arizona and put all her luck in Simon’s hands, Maya realized she had to be careful with him. Simon had fallen in love with her so quickly that, just a few days later, he declared his love. It scared her, but she couldn’t walk away. After all, Simon was one of her bosses, and he had done everything to help her. It was more gratitude than anything else. Maya felt nothing but that for Simon, and, deep down, he knew it.
• “Although he has the same name as the man I ran away from to avoid getting married, I think you’re exaggerating.”
• Simon turned to her with a dark look of hatred, and it frightened her. He didn’t like her comment at all.
• “Just trust me, Maya,” Simon, sensing Maya’s discomfort, smiled. “I just want to help you, and Joseph doesn’t seem like a trustworthy man.
• Perhaps Simon was right, but Maya knew it was just jealousy at seeing another man approaching her.
• Maya just nodded as if she agreed and thanked him for his care, then she turned on her heels and walked away from him. The last thing she wanted was to prolong the subject and feel guilty for just saying hello to her new colleague.
• But Maya couldn’t deny it. Joseph was seductive, and the way he held her and protected her made her think about it all day, but she was unable to find him after that.
• When the end of working hours finally arrived, she packed her things, ready to go home. She was leaving the hotel when a car parked next to her, and, when the window opened, Joseph was there, watching her every move.
• “It’s too late for you to go home alone,” her heart raced at the timbre of Joseph’s voice. “Can I offer you a ride?”
• Maya inhaled deeply, controlling her emotions as she looked into Joseph’s eyes again. She was still trying to understand why he felt that way about her.
• “Sure,” she replied, her mouth slowly drying up and the air escaping from her lungs. “I’ll take a ride.”