Total pages in book: 190
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 181992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“Low, Mimi,” Dax rumbled. “What you did today was low. Apparently, I haven’t made myself perfectly clear, so I’ll rectify that now. You are to stay away from Addison. Don’t contact her, don’t approach her, don’t even look at her. Fuck with me over this, fuck with her ever again, and I swear to Christ you will pay in ways you don’t want to imagine.” He hung up with a heavy exhale.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “She won’t believe you. You know that, right?”
“I do. Just as I know that it’s my own fault. Where she’s concerned, I’ve let too many things slide for far too long. No more. If she calls my bluff on this, I’ll make her wish she hadn’t.”
“I don’t think you’ll hear from her again in a while.” A delightful prospect. “She’ll want to give you plenty of time to calm down.” Recalling something, I added, “Believe it or not, she’s convinced that I’ll be gone from the picture by the time she’s back.”
His face hardened. “She’s wrong.”
“Yes, she’s wrong. Let’s hope she doesn’t pull another dick move when she sees that.” But honestly, I wasn’t holding my breath.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Strolling into Dax’s office the following afternoon, I gave him a little wave as I half-greeted-half-sung, “Surprise.”
Sitting behind his desk, looking the emperor of his domain, he locked those mismatched orbs on me, the set of his mouth softening. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
I closed his door and then walked toward his desk. “Of course you didn’t. It wouldn’t have been a surprise otherwise.”
His gaze dipped to the plastic bag I was carrying. “What’s this?”
“Grub. I spoke to Benjamin,” I added, referring to his delightful PA. “He said you didn’t have a lunch meeting today and would be here, so …” I lifted my shoulders, feeling a teensy bit awkward at the thought that he might well dislike my having appeared uninvited. But something warm and intense seeped into his gaze, relaxing my insides.
Dax pushed out of his chair. “I see. And what inspired this?”
“Nothing in particular. It just occurred to me that wives sometimes do this sort of thing. I can’t neglect my civic duties any more than you can neglect yours.” Or, more to the point, I’d quite simply wanted to see him and I saw no need to fight it.
He hummed and ushered me over to the lounge area. “You succeeded in surprising me. Not many people manage to do that. Yet, you do it frequently.”
Resting the deli bag on the coffee table, I felt my mouth curve. “I admit, I find some enjoyment in keeping you on your toes.” It was only fair. He kept me on mine.
His lips hitched up. “I’d sensed that much for myself.”
“For the record, do you class my lunchtime visit a good surprise or a bad surprise?” I asked, keeping my voice casual, not wanting to show just how much it would sting if the answer happened to be “bad.”
He dipped his head slightly, his eyes diving into mine, gleaming with something I couldn’t quite name that made my belly flutter. “Good.”
Relief warming my insides, I gave him a winning smile. “Excellent answer.” A whoosh of air sounded as I sank onto a leather chair.
He claimed the seat across from me, reminding me of the last time I was here. So much had happened since then that it felt like a lifetime ago, but not in a negative way. It was more as if my life now felt split into Before Dax and After Dax.
“So,” I began, “did you make anyone cry today?”
“Cry?” he echoed, his brow puckering.
“Yeah. You know. Sob. Weep. Bawl. Wail.”
He responded with a flat stare. “I know what ‘cry’ means. I simply have no idea why you think I might reduce someone to such a state. I’m not your father.”
Snickering, I rummaged into the deli bag and pulled out two bottles of water. I could not deny that my dad was renowned for making his employees blubber. “You think I’m fooled because you’re all ease and charm toward your coworkers? Please. You make a point of knowing them all by name and making them feel ‘seen’ so that they’ll be even more scared to disappoint you than they already were.” I set the bottles on the table. “And it works.”
Mirth swimming in his eyes, he rubbed at his jaw. “Hmm. Well, as far as I know, there have been no tears shed among my employees today. But it’s early yet.”
“Somehow, I knew you were gonna add that last bit.” I dug out a club sandwich and handed it to him. “Here.”
“Thank you. How’s your day going so far?”
“Pretty well.” I fished my own sandwich out of the bag and then unwrapped it. “I spent all morning in my office, as usual.”
“So did I,” he told me, nabbing his drink. “I have some external meetings coming up, though.” He unscrewed the cap from his bottle. “What are you doing this afternoon?”