Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“It’s waiting for you at the door, sir.”
Hamilton didn’t even look at me, just stared disapprovingly at the ring on my finger before turning and walking away.
I wondered if the ring meant that Hamilton would actually have to treat me like a person. Judging by the scowl on his face, I doubted it.
The sun was warm the second we stepped outside, and Lucian led me to the car.
“Why are we heading into your office?” I asked as soon as he slid into the back seat next to me.
“Because I have the perfect job for you. You can put as little or as much effort into it as you like. You will have staff and people depending on you, but you will have the option to choose how busy you really are.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
He lifted the back of my hand to his lips and left a kiss. “Trust me, you are going to love this.”
He didn’t say another word until we pulled up to the massive high-rise, and I saw a mask almost slide over his face. He was mentally preparing for whatever war the day was going to bring.
A moment before, his posture had been relaxed, his fingers intertwined with mine. But by the time I was standing next to him on the sidewalk, his posture was rigid, his expression was intimidating, and all hint of the man who had held me in his lap was gone.
I thought for a moment that he was staring down someone, but when I looked, no one was there.
It was kind of sexy. I liked knowing that people feared my man, and more importantly, the softer side of him was for my eyes only. It made those very few tender moments all the sweeter.
Moments like when he’d washed me in the shower above the stable, how he’d held me after we made love last night, and how he’d teased me at breakfast.
He straightened his tie and walked into the building.
I had to practically jog to keep up with his long strides. It wasn’t until he hit the lobby that he slowed down and allowed me to walk beside him.
The lobby was covered in sleek marble and refined touches that screamed wealth and class. Even the security guards were dressed in black suits with red ties and were really only set apart by the earpieces they wore and the badges clipped to their breast pockets.
Lucian nodded to one of the guards as he escorted me past them to the elevators and hit the button for the top floor.
“Will you please tell me where we are going and what is happening?” I asked.
“Where is the fun in that?” The very corner of his mouth lifted in an almost half-smile. The second the doors opened, it was gone, and he was back to the cold, hard tyrant that I was sure all his employees knew and feared.
He marched straight into a conference room that already had a meeting going on.
Immediately, the energy shifted, and the man who was sitting at the head of the table moved and sat at the seat just to the right.
“Mr. Manwarring, I do apologize. I didn’t expect you to attend this meeting. We are going over some of the finer points of the day-to-day agendas, lower-level stuff that you need not concern yourself with—”
Lucian held up a hand, and immediately, the other man stopped talking.
“I know very well what this meeting is about and everything that goes on in the day-to-day operations. Just because I may not attend the meetings doesn’t mean that I don’t read the minutes. In fact, Brian, there are some things we need to discuss privately in detail about what is and isn’t covered in the scope of your responsibilities. Taking new business to the board without running it by me will force me to relieve you of your duties.”
Brian’s face paled so quickly that I was expecting him to pass out on the floor. His mouth opened and closed a few times as if trying to find the right words.
“The rest of the people in this room, however, are doing a great job staying in their lanes and making sure everything runs smoothly. Brian, however, has decreased productivity, so Mrs. Miller, if you don’t mind, I think it’s best if you take over these meetings so Brian can attend to his other duties.”
“Yes, sir,” a middle-aged woman with a severe bun pulling at her face and cat-shaped glasses said.
“I am interrupting your meeting today to make a quick announcement. This is Miss Stella Deiderich. She will be taking over the Manwarring charitable fund. If you have any questions or concerns about galas or other fundraising events, or even how your department could make an effort, or in Brian’s case, save a little face, please discuss this with her. This is effective immediately. Now, please, Mrs. Miller, continue your meeting.”