Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“That’s the plan. I just wondered if you knew anything.” Having an investigative journalist as a best friend sure came in handy. “I don’t suppose you can email any of this over to me, can you?”
“Chlo, are you going to stay up all night working on a report again?”
“Not all night. Just a little bit of one.”
“Why can’t that bastard deal with his own issues? Surely the Ruxleigh family can find this all out by themselves. In fact, I think my boss is a pseudo-informant for them.”
She was, but I couldn’t say that out loud.
“Theodore Black write up a report for himself? Don’t be daft. He doesn’t even put on his own tie most days.”
“That’s because he has a crush on you.”
“Harriet Leonor Ellis, you must have a death wish.”
She laughed. “Still not ready to face facts, huh?”
“You’ll face the devil if you carry on. Can you send me information or not?”
“Yes, Madam Efficient, I can. Give me half an hour, and I’ll send the main points by email. If The Bastard wants more info, tell him he can pay me for it.”
“Gladly.”
“And you owe me dinner for this.”
“All right, fine.” I squeezed my hair with the towel. “Thanks for this, Harri.”
“Uh-huh.” The distinct sound of tapping at a keyboard came down the line. “I’ll send it over shortly. Speak to you soon.”
The line went dead after that, and I exchanged my phone for my hairdryer.
I’d had a bad feeling about the Grandsteins all day, and Harri had just shown me why.
CHAPTER FOUR – CHLOE
The Proposal
“I’m afraid Mr Black is in meetings all afternoon,” I said, gazing up at an irate Emily Grandstein. “You’re more than welcome to wait, Miss Grandstein.”
She flattened her hands on my desk and leant over in a way I supposed was intended to be menacing, but rather made her look a bit ridiculous. “When will he be done?”
“As I said, he’s in meetings all afternoon.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
“It’s the only answer I have for you.”
I was doing my damnedest to keep my temper, but this morning had been a shitshow from beginning to end. I had one nerve left and she was fraying it greatly.
She was yet someone else in my life who needed whacking with a box file.
“Are you really his executive secretary?” she asked, straightening up and putting her hands on her hips. “You seem incompetent.”
“Miss Grandstein,” I said sharply. “I’ve informed you that Mr Black is in meetings all afternoon more than once now. If you are incapable of understanding that he’s a busy man, that has nothing to do with my competence.”
“Are you saying I’m stupid?”
Yes.
That was exactly what I was saying.
“You’re disrupting the work of Mr Black’s secretarial team. If you’re unwilling to wait quietly on the off chance that he may have time to see you, you’re welcome to leave.” I met her gaze. “I would be happy to ask security to help you find your way out.”
She snatched up her bag from the desk and opened her mouth to speak when The Bastard’s office door swung open, and he stepped out. Today’s suit was a sharp grey that matched the current coldness of his eyes to a tee.
Her eyes, however, lit up. “Theo—”
“Miss Grandstein,” he said coolly, cutting her off. “I’ve just had to excuse myself from a business call early because of the racket you’re making out here.”
She froze, staring at him with confusion. “But I—”
“Nothing bothers me more than those who ignore and insult my secretary.”
I sipped my tea.
Now she’d done it.
She’d poked the beast.
The man was a giant pain in the arse, but he was fiercely protective over his staff.
“If you wish to see me, you may make an appointment like everyone else. As for today, I believe Miss St. James has told you more than once that I’m in meetings all afternoon and am unlikely to have time to speak with you. However, personal appointments during work hours are booked at my secretary’s discretion.” His smile was icy cold, and one I’d seen a thousand times.
In fact, I might have been the only person to have not been on the receiving end of such an attack.
I pulled out a card and held it out, smiling up at Emily Grandstein with my best ‘business smile.’ “Please call this number to make an appointment.”
She snatched the card out of my hand, and the edge of it sliced my fingertip.
Ouch.
She’d given me a fucking papercut.
I pressed my thumb against my fingertip in an attempt to block the sting left behind and kept my business smile firmly on my face. “I hope to—”
“Daniel, please call for security to escort Miss Grandstein out.” Theodore closed the distance between himself and Emily and plucked the business card from her hand. “Don’t bother calling. There’s nothing I wish to discuss with someone who ignores, insults, and injures my secretary.”