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“I don’t have a nightgown,” she says as she pulls the blankets down.
“You don’t need one.”
She frowns. “I like using one.”
“Fine.” I grab one of my undershirts from the top drawer of my dresser. “This will have to do.” I help wiggle it over her head and pull her hair out. “Your face needs washing.” I frown at the makeup smeared everywhere. I should have cleaned her up while we were by the sink. “Why don’t you do that while I pick us a movie.”
“A movie?” She looks at the television on the wall. “Do you think it could be…” She shakes her head. “I’ll go wash up.”
I knuckle her chin to bring her gaze back to me. “There’s a movie about a beauty and a beast I haven’t seen in a long while. How about that?”
A smile tugs back onto her lips. “Perfect.”
“Good.” I tap her nose. “Go wash up and hurry back. You can’t stay up too late, you have work in the morning.”
She tugs on her lip.
“You’ll have plenty of time to get ready in the morning. I’m taking you. No arguments. Go.” I smack her ass to get her going.
“Okay, Daddy,” she says softly with a new smile and a fresh blush as she pads to the bathroom. I stare at the doorway for a long moment.
Now. Where’s the remote?
Roman
Kelly,my secretary at my downtown office, stands in front of her desk, blocking my office door when I arrive. She’s wringing her hands. I don’t come to the office every day, but there’s no reason for her to fear me.
“Good morning,” I greet her. “Is something wrong?”
She looks over her shoulder at the closed door to my office. “There are three gentlemen in your office. I asked them to wait out here, but they said they’d wait in there and then just walked in.” She takes a breath. “I brought a pot of coffee and cups for them, but other than that, I left them alone.”
The girl looks like she’s seen the boogieman, so I have a fairly good idea of what assholes are sitting in my office. “Mr. Kozlov?” I remove my coat, dropping more than a few snowflakes to the floor.
She takes my coat. “Yes, that’s what he said, that name.”
“It’s all right.” I look at the door. I’m not in the mood for him this morning. This isn’t the place to have these conversations, and he knows it.
“I’ll meet with them. Why don’t you take a coffee break?”
“Oh, I don’t drink coffee.” She smiles.
“Then just take a break.” I walk around her toward the door.
“Oh, uh, all right.” With my coat still draped over her arms, she walks off.
“Yefim!” I greet the bastard as I enter my office. He’s standing at the large window in the corner, a cup of hot coffee nestled in his hands.
His nephew, Zakhar, rises from the loveseat on the opposite wall. I pause long enough to stare him down. He’s the asshole who touched Billie that night at my club. I haven’t forgotten. That fact finally reaches his pea-brain, and he takes a small step back.
“I wasn’t expecting you today.” I round my desk. I have two actual meetings this morning before I can get the hell out of this building. Just being here suffocates me. I’m sure many men find fulfillment being the most powerful man in a corporate building, even maybe in their own industry, but I’m not most men. This part of my life only serves to keep some heat off the fulfilling part of my existence.
“I hadn’t heard from you, so I thought I’d come check on you. Be sure you’re doing all right.” He puts his cup down on a nearby table.
“I’m fine.” I sit in my chair and fold my hands on top of the desk. “You’re waiting to hear about the warehouses, yes?” Let’s just get this bullshit over with. We both know I’m going to give him access. It’s good for both of our businesses, and to deny him would only cause unnecessary tension between our families.
“Ja.” He slides his hands into his trouser pockets. The position makes him bow his back enough that his belly protrudes from his suit jacket.
“I can offer you access for seven percent.” I turn my chair to face him. It’s two percent higher than I’ve offered others, but his existence this morning is pissing me off.
