Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
And I’ve already got expansion plans in place for the firm, loading up my plate as it is. The Dexstrom deal was signed, sealed, and legally delivered today to the appropriate government authorities. The Miller mining deal is waiting for a final vote at the university board level to rename their mineralogy department in his honor in order to give me two major footholds in the technology world.
All in all, I’m pleased with our current situation. Let Austin become the innovator of transportation. And when he needs more cash flow, I’ll be here and hopefully in a position to push him further.
My computer chimes, and I see that it’s five minutes to six. Raven is going to walk through that door any moment now. A hum of satisfaction runs through me. Each day has been better than the last, easier and more manageable to balance work with play as well. I fucking love what we have.
She’s been nothing short of amazing, logging significant profits each day with her investments. In just this week, she’s already made her entire base salary in profit for the firm.
She hasn’t been perfect, of course. Nobody, not even me, is. Three of her trades lost money, but in those losses, she learned, and more importantly, she showed good instincts. She didn’t hang onto her pride. She dumped the investment before a small dip turned into a nosedive, and in doing so, she kept her portfolio in the green for the day. I don’t often feel pride in a new hire, but she feels like more than that.
I knew I was right about her. All those fuckers missed out.
Five days in the office, five days of profits. More importantly, five days of learning, of showing me that she knows exactly what she’s talking about while still being hungry to understand more.
And so far, four days of coming to my office at six o’clock, with one to go, sitting under my learning tree while being unafraid to share her own thoughts and opinions. She challenges me, but respectfully. The pluckiness that she showed me before our date at the Faulkner event is still there. She stands up for herself while still acknowledging my superiority in matters of business.
And of course, each of these sessions has led to sex. Intense, fantastic, body wracking sex. She’s fucking addicting.
The moment she’s gone, I feel the loss of not having her in my bed.
She wants to keep it business and leave separately. As much as I respect the terms of the verbal contract, I’m certain there will be flexibility.
At least I’m hopeful there will be, given what this weekend is.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of my heart being turned to dust and my world being poisoned forever. The day I learned what betrayal truly meant, and that I was never going to marry.
As my thumb taps on the table, I remember that day like it was just yesterday. Not years ago. The anger brewing inside is at odds with the hope I felt.
I fucking loved Olivia. I know I did. And it was a mistake… every fucking second, every thought, every moment I spent with her.
Running up the stairs, I’m almost giddy because I’ve done it. Finally, I found the perfect wedding ring. Well, perhaps ‘found’ isn’t accurate because I’ve devoted dozens of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop them, to create the works of art that I’ve got in my pocket. They’re custom made, gorgeous, and one of a kind, like she is.
I reach Olivia's door, and my thumb’s poised to hit her doorbell buzzer when I hear a thump against her door. Quickly, there’s another, larger thump, and thinking something’s wrong, I’m about to lower my shoulder and go barging through when I hear… a giggle? Carefully, I press my ear against the wood, the thick material making an excellent sound transmitter.
“You’re so naughty,” she says, clearly in pleasure. She’s close, obviously just on the other side of the door, so her voice is easy to understand. “I never thought a boy from a good family like yours could be so bad.”
My heart clenches in my chest, and I’m about to punch the door and scare the shit out of her and whoever it is in there with her when I hear, “You know you like it.”
The voice freezes me. Evan? But…
“We shouldn’t keep doing this,” Olivia says before moaning. I know that sound. She always makes that sound when her nipples are being played with. My heart sinks and my body freezes. Evan and Olivia…
“You know it makes you wet just thinking about it, us sneaking around, him not having a clue,” Evan says. “Isn’t that right?”
“Yes. But—”
“But it would hurt our little Pip’s feelings?” Evan says teasingly. My teeth set on edge at the mocking, dismissive nickname he knows I hate. He’s often joked that I resemble the famous Dickens character, including the fact that I gave my heart away to a ‘cold but beautiful bitch who’ll never, ever be able to be trusted.’