Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 5
HARRISON
I had planned to work late last night.
But after fucking assaulting my new paralegal, I ended up going home and spending a little too much time in the shower picturing the things I could have done to her. The entire time strategizing a way to convince her to be more than just my paralegal.
Men had affairs with their secretaries all the time. Surely a paralegal would benefit from a similar arrangement. Except unlike most secretaries, she would know how to press charges.
The idea of facing off against her in a courtroom made my cock throb.
Her work was impeccable. That was why I wanted her at my desk. I wondered how much of a worthy opponent she would be as a lawyer. I leaned against the cold tile of my shower and stroked my cock, picturing her in a tight little pencil skirt sitting as opposing counsel in a mock trial.
If she did well, I could reward her for her hard work.
If not, I could bend her over my desk and show her what happened to bad girls who didn’t perform in court. They were made to perform in other ways.
I would make her work hard for a reward but delight in her punishment.
I had to clear my head before going into the office. It had occurred to me to hire another woman who would want to take the job of servicing me in my office or even in my home, but the idea left me cold.
Instead, I sent a message to Marksen and Luc to meet me for breakfast at the club. Let their talks of marital woe distract me long enough to get my head back into my work.
I sat at our usual table. Leaning back in my chair in the much quieter room, I stared out the windows overlooking the Hudson and watched the world start to wake up. New York was supposed to be the city that never slept, and that may be true. It was never completely quiet, but that didn’t mean it didn’t have its own circadian rhythm.
This morning was cold, and the world was moving sluggishly. The leaves had all turned for autumn, and most had fallen, preparing for winter. The wind was bitter, and those who were awake were either heading to bed or just getting up.
The large wooden doors on the other side of the room opened, the movement catching my attention. Marksen and Luc walked in together, wearing similar suits and already discussing something.
“Did you two get ready together this morning? What do the kids call that nowadays? Enemies-to-lovers? How does my sister feel about your extramarital affair?”
Luc’s smile dropped, and his brow lowered in an unamused expression. “I have no extramarital affairs. I can barely keep up with your sister. Would you like to know what she—”
“No, please, God, stop,” I said and motioned for them to sit.
Marksen snickered as he took his seat and signaled for the server to bring more coffee. “It’s okay, Harrison. We can always talk about Olivia and what she likes to—”
“Stop right there,” Luc interrupted, glaring daggers at Marksen before turning back to me. “So I hear your mother has plans for you to—”
“Nope. Not going there.” I raised my cup to my lips, refusing to let the subject go anywhere near my mother and her plans before taking a sip of coffee. I let the dark roast roll over my tongue, enjoying the richness with its touch of acidity.
“Yes, let’s not discuss Mary Quinn Astrid. The amount of time I have already spent thinking about that conniving, manipulative bitch would last a lifetime,” Marksen grumbled, sitting back and then looking at me with wide eyes. “Sorry. It’s easy to forget she’s your mother.”
I shrugged. I wasn’t offended. Nothing he said about my mother was wrong. She was a conniving, manipulative bitch. She was also an adulteress, an abuser, a snob, a narcissist, and pretty much one of the worst people in this or any other city.
The more I dug into what she was doing, the longer the list of her nefarious deeds and vices became. At this point, a small part of me half expected to find the deed for an office built into the side of a volcano or some other comic book supervillain’s lair.
She did seem the type to have pet sharks with lasers harnessed to their heads, but only if some amazing, well-known architect designed the tank. And if it was assembled by a workforce that exploited children, all the better. Of course, Balenciaga would have to make the harness, with Prada doing a collab on the laser.
“So seriously, why did you two arrive together, and what were you talking about?”
“Coincidence,” Marksen said. “That and our buildings are rather close to each other. And the wives are working together on a gala at the art school. Olivia is excited to cover it and is talking about setting up investor meetings. She even wants Amelia to help add a modern art section to her website. She hasn’t talked about anything else in days.”