Page 87 of The Passion

While we all sit so we can talk about this, in the back of my head part of me is hurt that Felisha hasn’t told me her decision and I’m finding out from my brother.

Guess that will be my next phone call.

Chapter Nineteen

FELISHA

“He’s arriving back in the country tonight. I’ve been watching the movements of his security team, and the plane is on standby in Switzerland, ready to leave to bring him home.”

Harper and I are sitting at the desk in the corner of my office that we often use when we are working on things together. I find we achieve so much when we are brainstorming, which works better when we are side by side at a desk. We don’t ever use the boardroom, as we just want it to be the two of us without any interruptions. Plus, I like the composure of my office. The room is exactly how I want it. The couches that to the side are cream embossed material, and the furniture is a subtle light-colored wood. There is the softness in the room, with real plants and a splash of color in an abstract painting of flowers. All brightly colored and bringing life into the room.

My office is a contrast to the rest of the Kentwall Estates office. Of course it shows my father’s personality. Everything is dark heavy wood, old-fashioned furniture. Traditionallandscapes on the wall and long thick velvet curtains that block much of the natural light. It doesn’t go with the modern building we are housed in at all, but what my father wanted, my father got. At that stage I didn’t care as long as I could decorate my office myself. He agreed begrudgingly and complains all the time when he walks in here how it doesn’t match with the rest of the office.

And you can guarantee the moment I march him out of this office, I will have the decorators in here letting the light in, brightening the rooms up with furniture and art, and then I’ll sit back and watch how the staff feel better walking in every morning.

“When I got out of bed this morning, I wasn’t thinking about confronting him today, but I don’t want to put this off. As soon as he has landed and the car is heading back here, I will head upstairs to his apartment and be waiting for him.” I know last Sunday I was dreading he would do the same to me and how anxious I felt about it, but I don’t care. He doesn’t deserve my respect anymore.

“I doubt you are thinking about anything when you are in bed in the mornings now. Well, at least I hope that’s the case, otherwise what’s the point of going home with that sexy man?” Harper wiggles her eyebrows at me.

“Let’s not start that discussion here. I have a hard enough time keeping Flynn out of my mind while I’m at work. I was always so good at segregating my thoughts, but he has a habit of jumping any lines I draw in my head. I shouldn’t be surprised really, because he does that in real life too.” Both of us giggle but only for a short moment.

“What has this man done to you?” She is smiling, knowing full well that I’m in love with him because I can’t hide anything from her.

“It’s not so much him, but that I’ve never loved anyone before, so keeping my private and work life separate was easy. Now, not so much. And I can’t say I would change it.” I lean back in my chair as I acknowledge the change in not only my life but in me.

“Oh, you are so cute it’s almost sickening.” Harper throws her pen at me, and that’s enough to snap me out of it.

“You’re just jealous.” Grinning, I sit back up in my chair.

“Not a chance in this world and you know that. Well… I mean, the sex with the hot guy every night would be great, but all the other crap that is attached to a relationship, no thanks.” She grabs her pen back up off the floor where it landed after she threw it at me, and then she gets a glint in her eye. “Although, that brother of his might be worth a go.”

“Oh my God, stop it. Forrest is on your banned list.” I can’t even imagine them together, not that I know him that well yet, and I don’t even know if he likes me, but he and Harper are like polar opposites. He is dark and broody, where Harper is loud, bubbly, and so confident in what she wants out of life.

“You are so mean. Just one night is all I’m asking for.” She rolls her eyes at me and sits back comfortably in her chair. “Anyway, moving on to more important things. Let’s talk about how you are going to tell that old coot tonight that he is an absolute twat, and he has no control over your life.”

I wish it was that easy.

Standing in my father’s apartment waiting for him to arrive in the elevator from downstairs has my anxiety peaking.

I haven’t felt great all day since I heard that he was returning tonight, and then the phone call with Flynn where he was clearlyupset with me but just wouldn’t come right out and say it hasn’t helped. I was going to tell him, but I just wanted to do it in person. I made my decision as I was driving into the office this morning, making the call to Cherie early from the car. I don’t know why but this woman gets me. Maybe it’s the shared experiences, even though they have come from different paths. I just didn’t expect Forrest to find out so soon and run straight to Flynn.

Cherie told me she had already made some inquires and joined into one of the poker games this week, so she wouldn’t be a new player the night my father joined. When I asked why she started the plan when I hadn’t even spoken to her, she told me she knew I would say yes. I’m glad she was that confident because I had no idea what I was going to do until this morning. I insisted I would give her the money to bet with, but she said she doesn’t want any contact with me now until this is over. She wanted me to tell her what I hoped to get out of this plan and then to trust her to pull it off. Stupidly, I practically word vomited to her all that I was hoping would happen, and then we ended the call.

If anyone wanted to find a connection between us, they could do it without too much hassle, when she is heading up the charity that Rem and Elouise have started and is friends with the whole Darby Hotel management team. As soon as it starts to filter through to the media that Flynn and I are together, the pieces will all come together. Hopefully it will all be over before that happens. Otherwise, I’ll just be complicating matters with my decision.

It seems I keep making more than a few poor judgments lately, and it concerns me that this may be another one, but it’s something I need to do.

The soft chime of the elevator arriving in the apartment sends my body into fight-or-flight mode. I feel myself starting tosweat, my mouth is dry, and the thumping in my chest from my racing heart feels like it’s about to crack my ribs and jump out.

I know my father won’t be alone, one of his men will be carrying his bags straight to his room. It would beneath him to do it himself.

Using all the strength I have, I pull my shoulders back and put on the sweet-daughter face so I’m ready to greet him as the doors open.

“Felisha, what are you doing here?” His gruff voice echoes through the foyer as I stand ready.

“Father, lovely to see you safe back from Switzerland. Thank you, Frank.” I nod to his bodyguard who then leaves us and walks to my father’s room with his bags. I’m grinding my teeth with the absolute lie that just came out of my mouth.

“Hmmph,” he grunts as he storms past me straight into his office. Which he doesn’t realize suits me just fine. I don’t want the house staff to hear what we are talking about, and although they all sign NDAs to work for him, you’d be surprised what leaks out from “unknown”sources.

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