AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re a good businesswoman. You warned her, I think you said to me. Not fired her. And that’s fair.”
I take a deep swallow of the bourbon, liking the dark honey of its taste, the burn. The heated trail it leaves reminds me of him.
“But I should have asked. I know her, I know the girls, and yet, I didn’t.”
“What? Pry? You’re not their friend. You employ them. You’re friendly, you’re there, and you are an ear they can talk to, but you have to be above them. There’s a hierarchy.”
“Are you a guru of the employment system, Christian?”
He smiles slowly. “It’s my Superman identity, but more boring.”
“And this,” I point with my glass, “is your Clark Kent?” I shake my head. “A little backward.”
“Be still, this shriveled thing in my chest I hear they call a heart. Did you just compliment me?”
I snort out a laugh of derision. “You’re delusional.”
“Don’t tell anyone that, either.”
We sit in comfortable silence as the sun starts to descend, and it’s nice. I never thought I’d say that about him, but it’s nice, and he has more sides than manwhore and hard-nosed killer.
Of course, being Christian, he tries to ruin it with his next words. “You need some time off, sweetness.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
It’s a command cloaked in softness.
“Christian, I have to be there, and you know it. And I can handle all this. I’m strong.”
“Maybe too strong. But that’s not what I mean. This is a good opportunity.”
“Yeah?” I take a sip of my drink. “And how’s that?”
“The ship will run. And maybe with you not there, your little rat will scurry out.”
I want to say no, but I stop myself, because while I hate him bossing me about and using any opportunity to tie me down, it makes sense.
“You have others who can watch over things. I can have someone there to step in for a couple of days. To report in. We’ll work something out, but with you not there, maybe he’ll fuck up, or move on to someone else. Or the girls will talk. If this guy got Ellie hooked, you bet he’s trying it with others.”
“Fine,” I say. “I’ll take a couple of days off.”
“And I didn’t even have to use my evil mind powers.”
“You have no power.”
“I do.”
“You,” I say, turning on my side to look at him, “let a little kid drag you around. I heard you playing with the Lego.”
He grins. “In my defense, he’s a very persuasive kid. And Lego is always fun.”
I start laughing. “I wish I had pictures.”
“For blackmail?”
“Prosperity.”
