Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“Well good luck with that,” she muttered darkly. “And also, know that my husband is not going to give the company up easily.”
I didn’t think he would. He’d been drooling over our father’s company for forever. I had no doubt in my mind that was the only reason that he’d given up the ghost and married Jenna.
But that would be my company. It would be led by a LaFayette. The only question was… did my crews want to follow me back, or be fired? Because I didn’t give one less of a fuck who had to be kicked out of my life. I was moving the company to Accident, Florida. They could come with me, or I could find a new crew down here.
The most loyal would come. It was only about four hours from headquarters—that I would also be keeping stationed exactly where it was and have Jenna continue to run it.
Though, she and her husband really had nothing to do with each other. And the real reason I had her husband running it instead of Jenna, was that Jenna didn’t give a silent, or loud, fuck about the company. That was why I’d had it in the first place.
The only reason she kept anything to do with it at all was because she liked the dividends it cushioned her bank account with, and not a single thing more.
“All right. See you soon,” I finished.
“Bye.” Then she was gone, and the sound of the car I’d heard earlier got closer.
And closer, and closer.
I turned and made sure it wasn’t a cop before I stuck my hand out and raised my thumb.
The woman in the shiny silver van slowed, stopped, and barely rolled down the window before she said, “I’m not picking you up.”
I grinned. “Then why did you stop?”
She looked at me, studying me hard, before saying, “That kitten on your shoulder.”
The kitten. Of course, that was why.
“It’s my kitten,” I said. “What were you going to do, ask if you could have it?”
“Yes,” she confirmed. “Those kittens aren’t just found outside. And you don’t look equipped to handle it right now. It’s a hairless cat. And it’s cold as fuck out. I was going to offer to take it to my house and warm it up for you. You can pick it up at the university once you get back in town,” she suggested.
I snorted. “Hairy is good. We’re almost to town.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Hairless cats lose heat easily. I’m sure that you’re aware of that. But it’s irresponsible to have him out in this cold.”
“How do you know it’s a him?” I asked, loving the way she was getting riled.
Damn, she was cute.
Although I could only see the top half of her, I somehow knew that she was perfect.
Black curly hair that was chin length and swirled animatedly around her face as she spoke. Brown eyes. Tan complexion.
She was wearing a black t-shirt like mine that fit her as tight as mine fit me. Though she didn’t have any tits to speak of, I was sure that she’d make up for it in other areas.
“If you can’t tell it’s a him,” she drawled, “then there’s something seriously wrong with you.”
I grinned. “I know it’s a him. And he’s warm. I promise. So unless you want to give me a ride…”
I’d found the little guy in the gutter off the highway about an hour ago. He’d obviously, at one point, been someone’s pet. I wasn’t sure if anyone was looking for him or not, but finders keepers.
“Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll give you a ride, but the kitten rides inside.”
I rolled my eyes. “No. There is only about another half a mile to where I’m going. Thanks anyway.”
She flipped me off, then stomped on the gas pedal.
I looked at the back of her van and noted the plates—I’d have Wake, a buddy of mine, look her up—and also spotted the university tag on her back glass.
Hey, at least she wasn’t lying about the ‘picking him up at the school’ thing.
CHAPTER 2
Keep my name out of your low-budget conversations.
-t-shirt
MATILDA
“Matilda Jane,” I heard my father roar over the phone. “Why is your bank account overdrawn again?”
Was it? Interesting. I hadn’t noticed.
“I don’t know,” I said instead of the ‘I hadn’t noticed’ part.
“Well, maybe you should pay more attention, so I don’t have to keep paying these overdraft fees,” he growled.
Okay, so I did this a lot.
As in, at least once a month.
But it wasn’t my fault that his wife was a cow and pulled money out of my account, while he was the sweetest thing on earth and put money in. I knew that he knew his wife was doing it, yet he always called and yelled at me like I had any control over it.
I had my own account that I did, indeed, keep money in to ensure that I had money. But it was only a small amount in the grand scheme of things. So, unfortunately, I had to work like a dog at a low-wage job, while also going to school full time to become a veterinarian.