Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 64704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Anger swept through me, so visceral, that I could have destroyed that boy if he’d been in front of me right then. “I need you to have a word with him. Remind him of what could happen if he continues to run his mouth.”
“That didn't answer my question.” She followed behind me as I walked towards the door. “Brick!”
Pausing, I turned around and smirked. “You were the one who said that the press was scrutinizing me. You asked me to keep my affairs quiet. That's exactly what I'm doing. And if you don't want them to get out, you'll remind that kid to keep his head down and shut the hell up or our agreement will be over. I can get what I want without him.”
“What did you do?” she whispered as her face paled.
“Nothing that you need to worry about. Have a good night, Julia.”
I didn't bother locking up behind me. Julia wouldn't dare go through my things. Instead, I took the executive elevator straight down to my car on the first floor. Flipping through my notes from the day, I made some adjustments to email first thing in the morning and tried not to be distracted by the juicy morsel waiting for me at home.
As the driver pulled up to the building, I was surprised to see a familiar face waiting for me by the private entrance. “Mr. Langston,” Suzie said sourly.
I almost laughed. Suzie had been my neighbor when I was in college. She didn't call the police on me when one of my parties got a little too loud or went a little too long, and she used to float me some cash when she saw the eviction warning on my door. I always paid her back, and never forgot her kindness, even if it was buried fairly deep behind that rough exterior. She'd been a goddess in the kitchen, so when I could afford it, I hired her to be my personal chef.
She only called me Mr. Langston when she was pissed at me. Which, to be fair, was pretty often.
“Suzie. Is there something wrong my dinner?”
“Your dinner is perfection,” she snapped. “Your dinner company is something completely different.”
I immediately stilled. “Why? What did she do?”
“Nothing. That's the problem. She's letting a bunch of men walk all over her.” Suzie glared at me as she shook her head. “You've done a lot of things that I don't approve of, but this? This is the lowest.”
“I'm giving her a roof over her head.”
“And what is she expected to do in return?” When I didn't answered right away, she just sighed. “I don't know what you want out of life, Brick, or what you want in a woman, but if you break that girl's spirit, you are going to hate yourself for the rest of your life.”
Raising my eyebrow, I scoffed. “I don't break women's spirits, Suzie. I'm very clear about what I want from women ahead of time, and if they expect more from me, then that's their doing, and not mine. I can't be held accountable.”
“You're an ass, Brick.”
“Never claimed to be otherwise. Did you deviate from the menu?”
“Yes. I'll cook what I want to cook, you know that,” Suzie snapped. “Now you'll have to give me the dietary restrictions of your new lady friend. Don't want her to eat something she might be allergic to and die,” she grumbled as she walked away. “Although that might be more merciful.”
The last line was muttered so softly that I almost didn't hear it. Still, she brought up a good point. I had no idea if Daisy had any food allergies.
I'd have to discuss that with her over dinner as long as she was dressed and had done everything that I asked of her.
When I entered the penthouse, the wonderful aroma of roasted chicken filled the air. The faint light from the candles danced from the dining room, and Daisy was clad in the red velvet dress.
She was also barefoot and climbing on top of the counter. Silently, I watched her grunt and move the dress around her knees as she gripped the counter for support. Finally, she reached up and pulled down the glass decanter.
“I do own a step stool,” I said dryly.
With a surprised cry, she twisted around, flinging the decanter. Lucky for me, her aim was terrible, and the crystal shattered harmlessly on the wall five feet away from me. Her cheeks paled, and she practically fell off the counter. “Oh, crap. I'm so sorry. I'm a little jumpy, and you surprised me. I'll clean it up. Was that expensive? I'll pay you back for it.”
“It was only about two grand,” I said with a shrug and took off my jacket.
Her eyes widened. “Two grand? Are there diamonds encrusted in it?”
“No.”
Chewing on her lower lip, she ran out of the kitchen and returned with a broom and dustpan. “I know that you're paying ten grand for me, so I guess, um, could you subtract the two grand out, if that's okay. I don't really have that kind of money to pay you back.”