Total pages in book: 224
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 215705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1079(@200wpm)___ 863(@250wpm)___ 719(@300wpm)
Chapter one hundred eight
Carrie
Ispend an hour with Cat and Reese at the apartment. Once I’m at the office, I deal with one call from a client after another. The minute I walk into West Enterprises Sallie was, of course, in my office with me. “Oh my God. I cannot believe what’s happening! Where’s Reid? How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I say, settling my things on my desk and pressing my hands to my hips to smooth out the pink dress I’m wearing. I feel like a mess all over the place, rushing around and worried about Reid. “I just need to get any trouble here handled before the noon press conference at Maxwell,” I say. “And that’s happening at the Maxwell offices, which means I don’t have long to deal with problems here. Has the merger leaked?”
“Whispers all over the office. What do you want to do?”
“Get everyone in one place. Let me just speak to them and be done with this.”
“Will do. What else do you need?”
Reid, I think. I need to be with him, in his head, understanding what he’s doing. But he needs me to trust him to do what’s right. I sensed that in him and I know him. He’s always been a good man. Acting like an asshole was part of being a good man in his mind. He wanted to protect people from him. He’s always protecting everyone. He’ll do the right thing and if he’s vicious, it’s because he has to be. He’s tried to sidestep going after Elijah.
“Carrie?”
I blink Sallie back into view. “Coffee. I’ll buy you coffee and give you a bonus if you can find a way to get me a white mocha despite that press mess downstairs.”
“I don’t need the bonus,” she says. “I’ll get you the coffee.” Her voice softens. “He’s strong. He can handle this. I’ll be right back.”
She disappears and I don’t have to wonder how she knew I was worried about Reid. She knows me. I just need to remember that I know him. He needs to know that I know him.
My cellphone rings with Gabe’s number. “Hey,” I say. “How are things where you are?”
“They’re fat cats over here and big Reid supporters. We’re fine. I gave everyone a heads up about the merger and sour grapes from a competitor. What about there?”
“I’m about to do the same and then head over there. Have you talked to Reid?”
“Not since he left your building,” he says. “You?”
“No. Where was he going?”
He’s silent a beat. “Carrie. My brother is tough. When he gets kicked, he takes the hit and homes in on a solution. He’s actually better when he’s bruised.”
“He went to see Elijah.”
“Yes,” he says. “Of course he went to see Elijah. Go do what you have to do and get your ass over here.”
We disconnect and I get to work. I need to be at Maxwell right now. That gets me closer to the moment Reid will be back by my side. My phone buzzes and I start taking client calls, explaining everything, even the merger. Fifteen minutes later, I have my coffee, and Reid sends me a text about Grayson Bennett. That he’s texting me calms my nerves more than the news about Grayson’s business being intact. We can survive this. We can survive anything.
An hour later, I’ve announced the merger to a packed room. “The rest of this craziness about Reid using a woman as a shield is a brutal attack by an enemy meant to hurt him and that means you. His girlfriend died. He has suffered that loss every day since and would have traded himself in a moment. He needs your support. We need your support.”
Cheers erupt and soon I’m done here and headed to the Maxwell offices with time to spare. I’m in the back of an SUV with Walker Security behind the wheel when I receive another text from Reid and this one is a picture of a golden retriever: Her name is Nikki. She’s two. Her owner died in a car accident. She’s an orphan like Kesha.
I want to ask him a million questions, but I focus on the dog and type: When can we see her?
Tonight, he replies. We can pick her up while we talk about our wedding date.
Relief washes over me. This is his way of telling me he feels like we’re moving past this. I reply with, I can’t wait, but didn’t you want a boy?
I want you, he says. Naked and on my desk, making all those sexy little sounds you make. Today. Right before the press conference.
I laugh and type: It’s going to take a lot for me to get naked before that press conference.
I’m up to the challenge, he answers. See you soon, baby.
My lips curve and I stick my phone back inside my purse. This is over. I don’t know how. I don’t know the details, but it’s over.