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My hearty laughter surprises me. I don’t usually engage in playful phone banter with a woman I spent the night with. Something changed between Grace and me last night. I’m not sure if she realized. It was hard for me to miss, considering the change was on my end. I can’t deny that I want Grace to be a part of my life. For how long is to be determined.
For all I know, she’ll realize she doesn’t want to continue messing around with a man almost twice her age and jump ship. Although, I don’t think we’re just messing around at this point.
I frown. When was the last timeIhad insecurities about dating?
“Rowan? Are you still there?”
“Yeah.” I snap out of my musings.
“Are you okay?”
Grace’s concern warms me. I reflect on how she asked about the well-being of her neighbors while trapped in her burning apartment. She’s too kind—probably too good for the likes of me. “I’m fine.”
“You’re going to meet with Devlin, aren’t you?”
My jaw tightens. Just thinking about the woman sends my irritation level sky-high. “I am.”
Grace goes quiet, then she says, “I’ll be here when you get back.”
That’s comforting. “Okay.”
A few minutes later, my late grandfather’s gaudy mansion appears. I make my way up the winding private road, my mind still on Grace and my quickly evolving feelings for her. All of that ceases when I spot Devlin’s red convertible. I called her before I left, instructing her to meet me here.
My grandfather’s office is where we met, and that’s where our relationship will end for good. Parking beside her, I waste no time getting inside. It’s time to get this over with. She’s waiting for me in the office, sitting behind Allan’s cherry wood desk in his wing-backed chair like the fucking queen of the manor.
Before, I would have thought nothing of it. After her stunt, it irks me to the point of seeing red. “Get up,” I snarl as soon as I step into the office.
Devlin lifts one eyebrow. “Row, honey.”
The endearment almost makes me growl like a feral animal. I have to rein in my temper.
“You’re in a crabby mood this morning.” She frowns. “What’s happened? Are you annoyed about having to attend that function in honor of Allan next week? I know how much you hate those things. I told you, I’ll accompany you—”
“That’s enough out of you, Devlin. And I saidget up.” I fix her with an icy stare.
Her eyes bulge and she practically springs out of the chair. I’ve never sat in Allan’s chair because I’ve never wanted to be in charge of anything involved with the Lockwood empire. But clearly, I’ve let Devlin run loose for too long. She thinks she runs the show.
As I make my way around the desk, she edges around it in the opposite direction, eyeing me warily. When I sit in the chair, her eyebrows shoot up.
“Sit,” I order.
“Rowan, what’s gotten into you?”
“Are you deaf?”
Face clouded with confusion and apprehension, she sits.
I begin. “Remember years ago, when you and I had that conversation about you staying in your place after we had thatbrieffling? You know, the one I broke off after you got a little too... excited?”
Her face flushes crimson. “What’s going on with you? I’ve never seen you like this.”
That’s true. As “rough around the edges”—as my sister likes to put it—as I can sometimes be, I’m usually laid back. “Answer the goddamn question.”
“Yes.” She swallows. “What of it?”
“Do you remember how you begged me to keep you on as my lawyer and I agreed because you promised things would be professional and I could trust you?”
She frowns. “Of course.”
