Page 26 of The Acquisition

"At least text me when you get there."

I smirked, and I'm sure he knew what I was going to say. "Sure thing, daddy."

The corner of his mouth curved up, but he forced it back to a more neutral expression. As I walked past him, he swatted my ass, causing me to hop a little.

"That's a preview, brat. Text me, or I'll swing by and bring you the whole show."

* * *

Sabrina had given me a key that morning before the chaos of the board meeting, since we left yesterday for the wedding straight from the office. Her building was in a decent part of the city but not the prime location mine was. I wasn't a snob, or I didn't think I was, but it would take some time to think of this place as home.

The building looked squat next to the ones around it. The grey stone façade had a slight embellishment around the windows and main entrance, but it was utilitarian in comparison to the high rise I'd called home days ago. I can tell just by looking at the building, that even from the roof, the only view would be of the street and buildings. I was going to miss looking beyond the city toward the Sound.

Her building didn't have a doorman. I felt incredibly foolish for assuming it would. It was another sign my world had shifted, and I needed to adapt. I could be a person who lived in a building without a doorman. In the grand scheme of things, I knew I was still incredibly blessed.

I might not have access to millions of dollars. Hell, I didn't currently have access to tens of dollars, but I was still an intelligent woman who owned her own company. I had friends who rallied behind me and sheltered me from a literal storm. I wasn't starting from nothing, and for that I took a moment to remember to be grateful.

The keys jingled in my hand. There were two keys on the ring, and I realized one of them was for this door. Her apartment was on the second floor, and there didn't appear to be an elevator.

At the top of the stairs, I turned the corner to go down the hallway. There were four apartments on this level. Hers was number two-hundred-four, at the end of the hallway on the right. I'd have known it without directions though, because the door was open and the sounds of a heated discussion spilled out into the hall.

I thought about going back down and walking around for a while to give her some privacy, but the conversation stopped suddenly and I knew I'd already been seen. My fake smile felt brittle, but I wielded it as I would a weapon. Considering Malcolm was the other voice I was hearing, I needed every tool I had. Although, I didn't feel nearly so vulnerable with him around as I'd imagined I would.

"Jana, Sabrina told me you were moving in." As far as greetings went, it was odd, but so was he.

"Oh? Is that what you two are arguing about?"

Sabrina rolled her eyes. She wasn't mad, so maybe it wasn't an argument after all. "No, Mal just stormed over here because I told him I couldn't go to the club with him tonight because I have a date with someone from work. He thinks he deserves details."

It was news to me she had a date. "Can you remind me who your date is with? After all the craziness at the board meeting, I've been operating in a brain fog."

"Have you met Aaron?"

To be honest, I thought she was making up a date to make Malcolm jealous, but of course she didn't need to do that. Sabrina and I looked a lot alike, but I always came across as cold and unapproachable. She was vibrant and drew everyone toward her.

"He's one of the accountants, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, the cute one with sandy blond hair."

"As opposed to what, the bald one with a comb over?" Malcolm muttered.

Sabrina might not have been trying to make him jealous, but he was all the same. The petty part of me wanted to make popcorn to go along with the front row seat I had to watch Malcolm Graham be the one getting rejected. Even better, I could twist the knife a little more.

"He is pretty cute. Where's he taking you?"

"He knows of a bistro set on a rooftop garden that has live music."

She picked up two dresses and wiggled them a bit to encourage me to help her pick. One was shorter and definitely sexy, but the other was a flirty navy, polka-dot number that would probably drive him insane by the end of the night.

"That sounds really fancy." I pointed to the navy dress. "That's the one."

She squealed and ran into her bedroom to continue getting ready. Through her closed door she shouted, "Just make yourself at home since it is. I cleared out space for you in the bathroom. The other bedroom is empty."

She cracked her door open and poked her head out. "Shit, you probably don't have a bed. I mean there wasn't one in there before, but–"

I smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out. Worst case and I'll crash in Colt's guest room again for tonight."

She nodded and retreated back into her room. I tried to find something to keep myself busy, because I realized I was suddenly alone with Malcolm, and that was something I'd avoided religiously for the last ten years.

---