Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 95147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“Hi, why are you so late? I thought you’d be here at least an hour ago.” My sister pouted and stepped back as her friends came up to join us.
“Sorry about that, something important came up. Roz, this is my girl Stephanie, Steph, my little sister Roz.” I gave her a look to let her know that I knew what she’d been thinking, and she had the decency to look contrite.
“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend; mom didn’t mention it when last we spoke.”
“That’s because they haven’t met yet, but she knows, I told her.” This time Steph’s reaction was one of surprise since she didn’t know that I’d told my parents about her. I was holding off until I thought she was ready, but I guess that cat’s out of the bag.
“Why don’t you go hang with Nat, baby? I gotta go upstairs and take care of some stuff. I won’t be long. Roz, you and your friends enjoy.” I didn’t have to tell her that everything was on the house since that’s the way it’s always been. I walked Steph over to Nat and left her with a kiss on her cheek before switching gears to business.
I’d promised my friend on the force to keep an eye out this weekend since there was some kind of event that was supposed to draw the young and delinquent into the city, and they had yet to catch the perp that’s been going around snatching young women from the clubs and bars in the area. It’s funny now that I think of it that that was the reason for me installing the cameras and audio recorders in my place, and had it not been for that, I never would’ve eavesdropped on Steph that first night, and we wouldn’t be here.
That’s a sad freaking thought, all things considered, because more and more, it’s beginning to feel like life would be empty without her. I even smiled my way up to the office, which is something I haven’t done in years. Somehow with her here, things that had become dull and mundane now held new light. She made looking forward to the next day enjoyable again, something I’d lost in the day-to-day grind.
I found myself wanting to head back downstairs to her and leave everything until later, but a promise is a promise. That in itself is a huge tell for me since I’ve never let anything stand in the way of business. With me, the more I achieve, the hungrier I get; now, I have a new hunger that seems hellbent on overriding my business acumen.
Her shit must be lined with gold because nothing comes between me and the bottom line. After growing up poor and having a close relationship with needy, I’ve trained myself to stay on top of the game, to never ease up and always move forward, always looking for the next big deal, the newest venture that was sure to keep me in the black for life without worry.
Now I’m leaving work early because somebody hurt her feelings and leaving shit undone because she forgot to eat, and I have to go feed her. Which reminds me, I need to do some research on her ex. I wasn’t planning to because, well, he’s an ex. Steph never mentions him, and if not for the few reminders here and there from Jaxx and Nat, I’d have forgotten that she was once married.
Now that I think about it, maybe I should’ve asked more questions. Maybe the hurt was so deep that she couldn’t bring herself to even mention his name. Wouldn’t that mean that she’d loved him deeply? What the fuck? I zoomed in on her on camera and got caught up in her smile. I doubt she knows how she shines when she’s like that. When there’re no shadows in her eyes and her smile is wide and true. That smile made my heart sing and my cock drip.
I’m happy! Shit, when did that happen? I’m also fucked in the head because I sat there like an idiot for a good few minutes before getting to what it was I was supposed to be doing. I pulled up the cameras and did a quick once over before turning my attention to the paperwork I had waiting for me on the computer.
I mindlessly reached over and turned on audio in her sector just to make sure she was okay while I was preoccupied and came to a standstill. “So, I guess he’s got you pretty much dickmatized, huh,” Nat asked Stephanie as she slurped down her colored water concoction with the pretty umbrella. Girls!
“Pretty much, damn, I think he took my virginity; twice.” They both howled with laughter, and I shook my head and went back to work.
I came up for air about an hour later when there was a knock on the door. The security cameras showed Roz and one of her friends standing there, and I buzzed them in, not really feeling it since my sister knows I don’t like strangers up here. But with things being the way they are, I wasn’t about to take any chances. “What’s up? Did something happen?”