Page 50 of Inevitable Inheritance

“I can have it ready to go in forty-eight hours,” Henry replied. “And I will take on your personal security myself.”

“No,” Taylor replied before Derrick had the chance to spit out the exact sentiment. “I don’t want personal security. I didn’t have it my whole life—”

“Taylor, I am sorry to tell you, but times have changed, especially here in America. The paparazzi are chomping at the bit to get their hands on you, and they will do anything,” Henry reminded her.

Derrick hated to admit it, but Henry was right, so instead he just kept it to himself and chirped in, “Taylor you didn’t go out to public places and events when you were a kid, but when your folks went they always had security.”

Derrick’s parents had taken him and Marty everywhere; they had been on the red carpet before they could walk. But Taylor’s mom had tried to bring Taylor as a child and had almost been trampled, and it freaked her out. After that, Taylor was never allowed to go to those events. Elizabeth Preston had wanted to give her daughter a “normal” childhood.

“I shouldn’t need it, I just need the office—”

Derrick crossed the room and took her face in his hands, commanding her full attention. “Taylor, it isn’t safe. You haven’t been around for a while. They want to see how much they can taunt you, they want to see if you will shy away from them, they want you to react, and they want to make money off of it. And some of those freaks will go to some real extremes. I will not allow you to be hurt in the process. So, please, for me, for my peace of mind, you have to have security with you at all times.”

Taylor looked at Derrick, and he could see in her eyes she wanted to buck him. She wanted to tell him to fuck off and that it was all fake and it didn’t matter, that she could take care of herself. But instead she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them she said, “For you, and that is the only reason.” Derrick saw the irritation in her eyes, but he didn’t care; he was relieved.

Taylor turned her head to Henry, dislodging herself from Derrick. “So two days and the office will be ready, right?” Taylor questioned Henry.

He verified with a nod.

She then turned to Charlie. “I am going to need a bio and picture of every member of management at Preston Corp. within the next twelve hours.”

“Why?” Todd questioned.

“Because in three days I am going to fix this mess,” she said, walking to the door. “Wednesday I will introduce myself as the new president of Preston Corp., and I want to know exactly what I am walking into.”

Derrick smirked as she left Todd and Charlie in her wake. He smiled even wider as he watched her gorgeous designer-clad ass strut out.

Chapter Eleven

Now she had bodyguards.

Great. Just fucking wonderful.

So much for her being in charge of everything. Taylor made her way down the hall with no real destination in mind, needing to wrap her head around everything that had just happened.

As a final act of “because-I-can” she had decided to appear to work on Wednesday, as in three days from now. Sometimes she wished she practiced thinking before she spoke.

“Tay?”

Taylor turned on her heel and faced Derrick. “Why are you so ridiculous with the bodyguards, huh? I don’t need them! I can take care of myself! I thought you said I was in charge and I get to make the decisions, and then there you are shoving security details down my throat!”

Derrick held both his hands up. “Calm. Down,” he said slowly. “It is non-negotiable, Taylor. You are a powerful, beautiful woman, and you need to be smart and protect yourself.”

Taylor glared at him and then spun back to continue down the hall. She froze.Am I really even mad at him?Taylor asked herself.Or is he just the easiest one to lash out at?

Heaving a sigh, she turned back. “I’m sorry I’m taking it out on you. I’m just—”

“Don’t stress about it, Taylor. I get it,” he told her. “I’m starving. Want to come have lunch with me? I can introduce you to the chaos that is social media,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

A laugh escaped Taylor’s lips, and she rolled her eyes as she looked away from his ridiculous expression. She didn’t want to take everything out on him, but she really hated that he could make her laugh and feel better. It made her relate to him more, and she felt like she needed to distance herself from him. “Yeah, I could eat,” she said, turning back to Derrick with a smirk that she was unable to get off her face. “I should probably take this off, though,” she said, looking down at her power outfit.

“Sounds good,” Derrick said as an electronic ringtone cut through the air and he looked at his phone. “I gotta take this. I’ll go and get us something and meet you in the upstairs sitting room,” he said as he walked away and answered his phone. “Hey, Taro, how are things?”

Taylor stood befuddled in the hallway as she watched Derrick walk away. This was her life now; she was wearing designer clothes and telling people what to do and relying on Derrick Fletcher. All things she told herself she would never do again.

And it didn’t feel wrong.

What was wrong with her?

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