AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Can it wait until after the holiday?”
“The seller is impatient. He’s making things difficult for no reason. My boss thinks he’s on the verge of backing out, but we got their signature. After this, it’s done.”
I promised Brick I’d do everything to get this land deal. And I will.
My calls and emails to Brick go unanswered, so I start ringing the rest of the executives numbers. I’ll fly out to California if I have to.
“California? They’re not there anymore.” Nickel’s head assistant tells me. “There was an accident with Benson’s son. They pushed the vote on the deal to after Thanksgiving. And the whole executive team flew home for the holiday.”
Home. That means the Berkshires. A few more rounds of calling confirms this. Brick still won’t call me back.
He won’t come to me. So I’ll have to go to him.
John Acker, Brick’s helicopter pilot, does pick up his phone.
“I need you to fly me to the Berkshires,” I blurt before I have a chance to really think this through.
“You what now?” John has that habit men who work around machinery have of shouting into the phone.
I explain my dilemma.
“Ah, no, I can’t–”
“I will make sure you are compensated appropriately,” I promise, which of course, I have no right to do since it’s not my money. I’m just the executive assistant who could get fired at any moment. Maybe for this stunt, who knows? “I know this is a holiday weekend.”
“You know, even if I could, the weather doesn’t look good. Have you looked out your window lately?”
The view outside the windows is pure gray, as if the building is swathed in clouds. I shiver just looking at it. “You’d better hurry, then. This really can’t wait. Please.”
The pilot curses loudly. “Then let’s go. We don’t have a moment to lose. This storm is bad news.”
“Thank you.” I grab my beautiful coat and call my mom because she was expecting me to come over and help make pies tonight.
“Hon, this job really requires a lot of you,” she says when I’ve explained the situation.
“I require it of myself, Mom. I’m the best assistant this guy has had, and I intend to maintain that badge of honor. I’m sorry. I will call you when I’m back in Manhattan. Or maybe I can have the pilot deposit me somewhere close to you–I don’t know.”
“All right, sweetheart. Love you.”
“Love you, Mom.”
I hang up and wait for the call from the pilot. Looks like in addition to daily limo rides, I get to add helicopter trips to my new normal.
ChapterTwenty-Six
Brick
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I run with the guys for hours on my acreage in the Berkshires. I headed straight to my family estate from California.
Before Windows became my assistant, I came out here every weekend. Now I’ve been taking the helicopter over in the middle of the week, so I can shift and let off some steam. I’ve been cranky as hell.
The snow is falling hard–thick, wet flakes that melt when they hit our noses. The sting of cold on my paws satisfies this need I have to wring Madison out of my cells, out of my soul. She’s become a haunting presence to my every thought.
Fucking her didn’t take the edge off, it made my obsession worse. Infinitely worse. I’ve become constantly irritated. Always on edge. Yet my instinct to tear the heads off of everyone around me has diminished. Madison makes me think before I go for the throat. I try to see things through her eyes. Would she want me to maim here? Or would she want me to show compassion?
I run until the guys all turn back, exhausted, and even then I don’t want to go inside.
By the time I head back, I realize I ran until my paws are bloody. It doesn’t matter-they’ll heal within thirty minutes. The dogs run out with their happy yips of joy and race circles around me as I go into the mud room through the dog door in wolf form, then transform and grab a towel to wrap around my waist. I take a quick shower and get dressed, then head toward the living room to find my adorable niece and nephew.
