Page 68 of By His Rule

I stare at the subject of the email with my mouth open.

Housekeeping?

Tell me he’s not expecting me to clean.

I knew all the roles listed were too good to be true.

Hesitantly, I open the email, and what I find has my chin hitting the floor.

“What the…it’s my desk,” I shriek. And it’s hidden behind a freaking plant, for fuck’s sake.

Fuelled by anger, caffeine, and exhaustion, I hit the reply button harder than necessary and try to summon up an epic reply.

From: Lorelei Tempest

To: Kian Callahan

Subject: Housekeeping

Dear Kian,

My first day was indeed enlightening, although I’m not sure that’s the exact word I’d have used to describe it.

I apologize if my choice of pen has offended you—that was not my intention. I will ensure all my personal items are more discreet in the future.

And, as for your final point, I can assure you, I am in no mood to be watching such entertainment when I am in your company.

Respectfully,

Lorelei Tempest

Assistant to Kian Callahan, CFO

Callahan Enterprises

My hand trembles as I hit send. It might say everything I want to say, but it’s entirely too polite.

But then, I guess it will be more fun to tell him to shove his professionalism and stuck-up attitude up his ass in person. I wouldn’t get the full effect over email.

I’m still muttering curses as I get ready for bed. I wash the day’s makeup from my face before piling my hair on top of my head and wrapping it in my favorite silk scarf, and then I crawl into bed with my cell in hand.

Anger continues to simmer just beneath the surface as I open the photo Tatum sent earlier of the three of us with wide, happy smiles.

She’s glowing; it makes me so happy to see. She deserves it more than anyone else I know.

I scroll through my socials, making a point of checking both Wilder's and Hendrix’s to find out what they’ve been up to.

I’m yet to tell them about my job. I didn’t want to jinx it. I want to know that it’s going to stick before I give them any hope for the future.

The truth is, the pay rise that has come with this job will help them so much more than it will me.

I only need enough money to pay my way here. Every other penny I have goes to them.

They’re expensive. Both of them have expensive hobbies that our mother has no interest in helping with. Hell, most days she doesn’t have any interest in getting out of bed and making sure they have food, let alone anything else.

She has no idea what their dreams are for the future. She doesn’t know that Wilder is good enough to have a real shot at the NFL. She has no idea that Hendrix doesn’t just play computer games but builds them, too. She has no idea that both of them plan on going to college as far away from her—and as close to me—as they can get next year. She also has no idea that they have savings accounts open in their names with money that will hopefully help with their dreams. To be fair, they don’t know about that either. But they will soon.

No one helped me, and it was so fucking hard that I almost gave up time and time again. I’m glad I didn’t. I’m so fucking proud of the fact I stuck at it, even on my darkest days. It would kill me if I knew they both had to go through all of that alone.

---