Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35174 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
She’d been dismissed. All without her actually saying she would take the job. She’d sent a message that she would come talk about the work, not that she would take it. He already had his mind made up.
Mind racing, she tried to pull the words she desperately needed to say free from the quicksand that sucked them down. She failed and his broad shoulders faded from her view as the elevator door closed behind him. He never once looked back.
Monica took her to the other side of the casino, walking through the back hallways, and showed her how to get up to the suite reserved for her.
Giving the woman a list of a few items that she would need brought up, she sat on the ottoman after she was alone in the opulent space. Without thought, she pulled up two specific contacts and called them, initiating three-way.
“What’s going on?” Iris, the mothering one of the three, asked.
“Where are you?” Violet questioned as music was turned down in her background.
“I’m in New Orleans for work.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Remember I told you both about that night I had in Seattle months ago?”
Both hummed their acknowledgment.
“Tall, broody, sexy and the power to go all night and then some. Yes, we remember you saying it hurt to walk the next morning.” Iris laughed. “What about it?”
“He’s the owner of the company that called me in.”
“No shit?” Violet whistled.
“I have to tell him I can’t do this.” She shook her head. “It’s unethical.”
“What aren’t you telling us?” Iris’ tone grew serious. “Daisy?”
“He doesn’t remember who I am.”
“Fuck!” Both women muttered that at the same time.
She had to agree.
Chapter Two
Livingston loosened his tie as he strode back to his office. God, this was a goddamn fucking mess. Monica looked up from her computer as he neared. Without bothering him with idle chitchat, one of the reasons he appreciated having her on his staff, she held up a pile of messages.
“Your guest is in her room. I wasn’t aware you were sharing your suite with her.”
Flipping past the first pink sheet of paper, he lifted his head and pinned her with a look known to quell hardened criminals. All she did was blink.
“Am I required to give you my reasoning for why I do things now?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “No. But a heads-up would have been nice when she asked about the person on the other side of the suite.”
He snorted and continued to his door. “You’re paid good money to think fast on your feet and handle things.” Closing out her acerbic reply, he went to his desk and sank in the chair with a frustrated groan.
Bradford hadn’t responded to any of his calls or texts since he’d stomped out two days before. Livingston wasn’t close to a lot of people, but he loved his brothers and would do anything for them. To think Bradford didn’t believe he was on his side cut deep.
Nothing he could do about it now. He leafed through his messages, pleased Monica had put them all in order of importance. Nothing that couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Right now, he had a woman to see about figuring out this shitstorm.
He leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the smooth dark-oak desktop. The espresso finish complemented his office and the satin nickel hardware. The large L-desk faced the door but he was afforded a spectacular view out of the windows to overlook his beloved city.
As he cracked his neck, he reached for his cell phone and scrolled through his contacts, calling the one man he needed at that moment.
“What are you doing calling me, Livingston? Don’t you know it’s late?”
“It’s early afternoon, you fuck. Get your dick out of whoever it’s in and get cleaned up. I need you to check something for me.”
His best friend, Eli Mattson, grunted. Livingston rolled his eyes as he heard his friend whisper and a feminine chuckle come on the heels of that. “What do you need?”
“This isn’t something I want to discuss with a flavor of the moment in the room.”
“I’d be insulted if I didn’t know you were a surly jackass on a good day. She’s not here, and if she was, she’d be busy sucking my dick. What’s going on?”
“I need you to find out where Bradford is.”
“He bolt after this hit?”
“I don’t think he feels I believe his innocence. I told him it would be smart to take some time away. Now he’s not responding to my calls and I’m worried he’s going to do something stupid.”
“Any chance your father got to him?”
He flexed a fist. That bastard better not have even approached his brother.
“Not if he wants to keep breathing.”
Livingston heard his friend chewing and figured he was at his desk, popping in sunflower seeds.
“I’ll get right on it.” Eli hung up the phone after that.