Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
When we make it to his office, he shows me around. People openly gape at us. You’d think they’d never seen Griff before with all the staring that they're doing.
“Why are they all staring at you?” I ask him when we make it to his office and close the door.
“They aren’t used to seeing me with someone.” He lifts our hands. Our fingers are tangled together, and he kisses the back of mine.
“Oh, I thought I was going to have to claw some of those other girls' eyes out.”
“Did one of them bother you? Tell me which one it was.”
“I’m joking!” I rush to say. Okay, I’m not totally joking. It had crossed my mind a few times. I don’t love that other girls might be staring at him, but I get it’s probably because of me. I don’t want him to go fire anyone, because based on the look he’s currently wearing, that’s exactly what he’s about to do.
“All right, I’ve got a meeting in the conference room. Will you be okay in here by yourself until I’m done?”
“Yep.” I skip over to the sofa in his office and drop onto it. I pull out my phone and Kindle. He follows me over, bending down and laying a kiss on my mouth.
“I might be a few hours. If you need anything, Linn will get it for you.” He checks his watch. “She’ll be here in a bit. She had a few things to handle this morning.”
“Okay.”
“You can come get me too if you—”
“Griff, I’m fine.” I fight a laugh because he’s being adorable. He lays another kiss on me before he leaves his office but not before giving me one last long look.
I read for a bit before my phone goes off with a text from my brother. I texted him last night, but he hadn’t responded.
Charles: You’re at the office?
Someone must have told him. It’s possible he works here. He always worked for my parents, but I never actually knew what he did. That’s what I want to change. I’m hoping we can have a real relationship.
Me: Yeah, you should come by!
Charles: Meet me out front.
Me: You’re here?
Charles: Come down.
I stand, making my way out of Griff’s office and back down the elevator. When I step outside, I glance around, but I don’t see Charles anywhere.
Me: I don’t see you.
“Walk,” a deep voice says moments before a hand grips my arm. I start to jerk away but realize it’s Charles.
“Hey.” I try to turn to hug him, but I can’t ‘cause he’s pulling me along. “That hurts.” I try to pull my arm away, but he doesn’t let go.
“Calm down. Trust me.” He keeps pulling.
“What are you doing?”
“Griff kidnapped you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s been using you.”
“Stop it, Charles.” I try harder to pull out of his hold.
“Vivian, listen to me. He’s been using you to get control of our family money. I’ll show you everything, but we have to get out of here.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Let go,” I hiss at him as emotions start to overwhelm me.
“Why do you think he doesn’t let me near you? I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I texted you yesterday with my new number. Why didn’t you say something then?”
“Because he would have tried to trick you.” When we get to the road, he finally stops walking. A van pulls up, and the door slides open. I try to back away from it, but I stumble, and Charles shoves me toward it.
“Stop, Charles!”
“Trust me. This is for your own good. I promise.” A man inside the van grabs me, pulling me inside. I try to kick and fight free, but it’s useless. I feel a small prick in my arm seconds before my vision begins to blur. I scream as loud as I can, but my greatest fear comes for me. Darkness takes over.
23
GRIFFIN
“The merger isn’t something you can refuse.” I twirl my pen between my fingers, my thoughts going back to Vivian despite the cutthroat business going on in this room. “Without the assets I’m offering, your company goes belly up.”
“There’s no reason for my company to suffer just because I refuse your terms,” Mr. Telfair snarls on the other end of the conference call. “I’ll still have clients, plenty of them.”
“Not when I tell them you’ve been cooking your books. What will they do when they find out that last year was a bust and this year is shaping up to be another one? No one will want to do business with you then.”
“My books are fine!” he bellows.
I sigh, tired of his bloviating. “Listen Telfair, either you agree to the merger for the benefit of everyone on this call or I’ll sink you. It’s as simple as that.”
He grumbles, spewing curses in Greek as his voice rises to a fever pitch. Then he slows down and settles. When he finally goes silent, I tap my fingers on the table.