Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 58747 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58747 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
“He’s fine.” The rote response pops out of my mouth.
Adam says nothing, just keeps looking at me. And I crumble, sagging in his arms.
“I don’t know,” I whisper as a fist tightens around my chest. Yes, tonight is weird with both of us in these fancy clothes in this super fancy place, but this is Adam. He was one of my father’s beloved students. A protege.
So I tell him the truth. “Dad’s not getting better. The doctors wanted to start PT weeks ago, but he’s still so sick.” My voice trembles.
Everywhere I look, members of Olympus society stare at me. Vultures, all of them. Sharks sensing blood in the water.
With a reassuring murmur, Adam guides me to a corner of the room, snagging a glass of champagne from a server’s tray.
He offers it to me and I shake my head. I never drink, never partied in college. I’m a lightweight, and I haven’t eaten anything.
“I insist,” Adam presses the glass to my lips until I take a gulp. “There, that’s better. I’ll take care of you.”
My shoulders soften. Of course he’s right. Adam’s not an outsider. My father thinks of him as a son. I used to think of him as a brother—
“Sweet Daphne,” he brushes a curl out of my face. “All grown up.”
I flush from forehead to cleavage. I don’t think I can deny any more that Rachel was right. Adam doesn’t think of me as a little sister, not anymore.
“Don’t worry about the merger. Or the board. I can handle them.”
I draw in a breath. “Thank you, Adam. But I’m CEO now. I should—”
“I’m more than happy to take on all duties as CEO, so you can spend all your time in the lab. If you choose to live there, that’s fine. As long as your nights belong to me.” He winks.
I stare at his beautiful features. The room behind him is swimming, a blur of color.
“Nights?” I squeak. “You want me to…work with you? At night?”
He chuckles, tilting his head. He’s looking at me like I’m adorable. Adorable and naive. “I think we’d work well together.”
“Like, business partners?”
“Business partners. And more.” His hand settles into the small of my back, pressing me close. Oh. I might be a virgin, but I aced my anatomy classes. And Adam is perfectly formed—in all areas.
“Don’t tell me you don’t want this,” he murmurs in my ear.
“I…don’t not want it.” Way to commit, Daphne!
Rachel was right. Adam is into me. So much he’d like to be inside me if the hardness against my stomach is any indication. “I don’t know what to say. I thought you just wanted Belladonna.”
“I do want Belladonna. The merger makes sense. But so do we.”
I swallow. Adam is looking at me expectantly, a half smile on his breathtaking face. Any other woman would swoon if she was in my shoes. So why don’t I feel happy? “What about my father?”
“What about him?” Adam tilts his head, casting half his perfect profile into shadow.
“He’s fragile right now. Won’t this be a shock?”
“We can wait, if you like. Until your father is better.”
“I-I’d like that. There’s just so much going on.” I step away, rubbing my temples. “The board, the merger. The press keeps hinting that Belladonna is on the brink of bankruptcy.” And they may be right.
“Why don’t you let me worry about all that?”
Because I’m a big girl. I don’t need a man to save me. The retort is on my tongue when the band strikes up a rousing Strauss waltz. The room swirls with dancing couples. The figures start to blur…
I touch my face, wishing I had my glasses. It’s silly, but whenever I’m stuck on a problem, I switch from contacts to glasses or vice versa. A literal new way of seeing things.
“A-Adam?”
“Yes, sweet?”
“I think I need a moment. My contacts don’t seem to be working right.” There are two of you.
“All right, Daphne. I’ll wait.” He ushers me out of the ballroom, past a duo of hulking security guards to a private hall.
I pause with my hand on the bathroom door. “I won’t be long.”
“Good girl,” Adam says, already turning away and pulling his cellphone from his pocket. Even doing something as mundane as checking his texts, he looks like a model.
I turn away, making a face. Adam’s always been a little overbearing but tonight he’s coming on strong. I need an ally. I wish Rachel was here.
The bathroom is empty and blissfully quiet. I linger a few extra moments in the dark stall before emerging to wash my hands in the marble sink. My head throbs. My hands blur.
I knew I shouldn’t have worn these contacts. So what if my glasses make me look like a nerd? I am one.
Gritting my teeth, I remove the offending lenses. There, that’s better. Now if the room would just stop spinning.