Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Even with all I know about what's happening inside these walls, my anxiety spikes with each step.
Kristi, the bombshell that sits behind the reception desk, raises her head at our approach, her eyes swinging between the three of us. "Miss Rhodes."
"Hello, Kristi, how are you today?"
She jerks at the question and answers nervously. "Ummm, I'm doing well, thanks?"
Her apprehension is expected. The Prada Princess walked through this lobby hundreds of times without even a sideways glance to the young woman trying to work her way through school.
"How's school?"
She pauses before answering. "I finished last week."
"Congratulations. That's an excellent accomplishment."
"It was tough, but I'm hoping the hard work pays off."
"Be proud of yourself."
"Thank you." She blushes at the compliment.
"Mr. Donner should expect me."
"I'm sorry?" Her expression goes blank.
"Mr. Donner may have set me up in a conference room for a meeting?"
Her face twists in confusion. "Conference room? I didn't get the message. Is there something wrong with your office?"
It's my turn to be confused. "My office? I don't have an office. I've been gone since September."
"I thought you were traveling in Europe?"
That bastard and the rest of the idiots I worked with made up a cover story, convinced I would return.
"I wasn't in Europe, Kristi."
Understanding washes over her and she punches a few keys on her switchboard, shifting the mouthpiece closer. "Mr. Donner, Miss Rhodes is here."
There's a pause.
"Yes." She clicks a button and peers back at me. "He said your office is ready."
"Okay, that's where we'll go."
She stands, and it's impossible to miss the bump in her usually svelte, Pilates shaped body without an ounce of fat.
"I'll need you to sign in your guests." She passes a clipboard across the polished marble.
"This is my team, Scottie and Miller." I release Miller's hand and sign them in myself.
Kristi gives a slight wave, her gaze glossing over as she stares a little too long at Miller.
Scottie doesn't hide his snicker, and I try to remain passive.
"What the fuck are you doing with my fiancée?" A snarly bark comes from the other side of the lobby as Brock storms across the area.
I spin, Miller closing in on my back as Scottie steps halfway in front of me protectively.
"Fiancée?" Kristi cries out.
My head flies to the side in time to see her hands land on her baby bump.
"Fiancée? You're engaged to her?" she repeats in a strangled voice.
It all clicks into place, and my chest seizes at the heartache in her appearance. He ignores her completely, stopping a few feet away, his eyes sweltering with self-righteousness.
It's time. I straighten my shoulders, find my inner bitch, and glare back at him. "You demanded I come, I'm here."
An evil grin curls on his lips as he nods. "Defiance looks sexy on you, Ash. I've missed it."
Miller snarls, Kristi sobs, and Scottie whistles low.
"We'll be in my office. Deal with your mess." I hook each man's elbow and usher them out of the lobby without another look at the poor girl.
My entry code still works and I drop their elbows, walking in front of them, feeling all eyes of the staff as we pass. It seems like a hundred miles before we reach my old office and I can close us in.
Once the door is shut, Miller is in my space. His body is trembling, his anger alive in the room. "I don't like him near you."
"He's slime."
"Well, I didn't see that coming. The receptionist is knocked up with Satan’s baby. Sucks to be her." Scottie falls back on my office couch, clearly unaffected.
"She's a twenty-eight-year-old woman who was orphaned when her parents died in an accident!" I hiss. "She's been working her way toward a bachelor's degree in paralegal sciences for years! He took advantage of her."
"Got that, but cool the empathy for a few more hours, Burberry Bitch."
"I hate this place!"
"Understandably. Stephanie and I would never sleep with our receptionist," he throws back.
"Scottie," Miller growls, "let's get this shit going."
"Right, Ashlyn probably needs to have this couch soon. Pregnant women need to rest."
All my reflexes go at once, and I instantly fall back to the door, shoving Miller back. "I'm not pregnant."
"You are after that performance in the shower this morning. It rocked through the walls."
All the breath leaves my lungs, and my jaw drops as I glance at Miller.
The anger drains from him, and his cocky smile blinds me. "Yeah, that was good."
"ARE YOU CRAZY? Don’t encourage him. "
"I think it was a good performance."
"I agree." Scottie thrusts his hips in the air.
"Boys! I hate you right now." Embarrassment washes through me.
"Good, I need a lot of hate instead of this—whatever it is." Scottie heaves himself up as there's a knock at my back.
They go stone still, assuming similar stances as I open the door and find my previous junior associate in M&A, Lena, scowling with a stack of files.