Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 139(@200wpm)___ 111(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Snarling, I damn near get out of the car, but he heads straight to his vehicle without a special goodbye to her.
Still, I take down his plate number, deciding what I’m going to do to the fucker for being around my woman. Goodness, what if he’s the boyfriend she’d been texting this morning when I caught her on the phone? Unable to linger without getting the information I needed, I speed off with violence embedded in my soul.
Pain shoots through my temple, and I know that I’ve let my temper get too damn heated.
I call my connection and have him run the plates. My knuckles are white-fisted the entire drive home.
He calls me as soon as I get inside my condo. “Hardwick, that vehicle belongs to Jack Shaw.”
“Shaw? That name rings a bell to me.”
“Well, according to Ms. Flowers’ employment information, she listed Marilyn Shaw as her emergency contact. Jack Shaw is her older brother.”
“Bastard is trying to move in on my woman. Find out all that you can.” I end the call and strip out of my work clothes because I need to hit the gym. Headache or not, I need to alleviate some of this tension.
Twenty minutes into my workout, I’m no better off than I was before except I need a damn shower.
Once I’m out, I wrap a towel around my waist just in time to hear my cell ring. I rush to grab it, knowing it should be my guy with the info I need. “So, I did some digging and found out that Shaw sends guards out with his sister and even has them escort his sister’s friends home.”
“It was just one of his guards?”
“Yes. Jack’s away with his wife at the moment.”
“Great work. Thanks for the follow-up.” I hang up and then attempt to calm myself down. She’d been safely escorted home so I should be happy, but what if that fucker had interest in her? No more. I’ll deal with this shit tomorrow.
Chapter Four
Lacey
I could have sworn that I saw Lincoln parked outside my apartment over the last two days, but it had to have been my imagination because there’s no reason for him to do anything like that. After all, if he needed something urgent, he would have called me. It’s not like my boss actually likes me. In fact, yesterday, he decided to work from home, emailing me with the tasks he needed. My mind placed him outside my house, and so did every raunchy dream that invaded my head while I was dreaming.
I dreamed about him pounding on my front door, demanding me to open it. The second that I do, he’s on me, claiming my mouth with his. Then he picks me up around the waist and slams the door closed while carrying me to my bedroom and fucking me until I wake up sweaty, panting, and miserable because it’s only a dream.
This morning is a completely different story, and he’s in the office, displaying his bad mood. Stalking around the place like his grumpy self, and yet, I still want his attention on me. He doesn’t give it to me though. Instead, he does his best to ignore me all day, dishing out orders without a wasted word. “Lacey, make me two copies of this. Lacey, get me a cup of coffee.”
I work until one in the afternoon when my stomach growls. It’s well past my lunchtime, so I slide out from behind my desk and grab my purse from the drawer, quickly and quietly, moving to the elevator before Mr. Grumpy hears me. I’m in such a hurry that I forget my fall jacket because I won’t be outside for long.
Thankfully, I press the lobby button before he notices I’m gone. Not that he has come out of his office since ten, anyway. So, I head out to find lunch, and thankfully, it’s not too breezy, and it’s sixty degrees because my blouse is thin.
The first place I spot is a Subway, so I grab a six-inch and take a seat on one of the stools with a sigh. “Ah, look who we have here? The big, evil boss finally let you out?” I nearly jump out of my seat. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“My mind was elsewhere, but honestly, I lost track of time.” Lawrence moves in close, leaning on the high tabletop. Most consider Lawrence handsome and charming, and although I think he’s good looking, one look at Lincoln and Lawrence seems to be missing something to his demeanor.
“I miss you down on six. If things don’t work out with Hardwick, you can always come back to me.” My mouth parts slightly at the sexual innuendo in both his words and tone. Is he actually flirting with me?
Frankly I have no interest in working with him after the lie he told about me. “Thank you for the offer. I’ll consider it.”