Page 10 of The Heir

It's a generous lie because she fucking knows she wasn't polite about it.

Her eyes meet mine again before looking away, rather abashedly if I may say so myself. I go back to my side of the desk and place her water back on her coaster, sliding it to her where she blatantly ignores it.

Her lips purse for just a second before she looks back at me. "Thank you, I knew you guys could do it. I had faith."

I let out a chuckle. "I don't think faith had anything to do with it, sweetheart. I had to fire a few people over this fountain. I'd like my due credits please." Seeing she's still unmoving, I swivel my chair a bit and give her what I hope is a devilish smile. "I had to turn into an entirely different person to get you what you wanted, and in the end it wasmewho had to deliver."

It works. Isobel gives me a slow smile accompanied by a giggle that peaks my interest, because maybe that means we're getting somewhere?

"I don't feel sorry for you, that's your job. And you mean it's whatMr. Fabianwanted?"

"No." I tilt my head at her. "I said it right the first time. It's whatyouwanted."

"Hm." The sound is followed by a rather uncomfortable silence that's tense and heated. Lightning and thunder cracks the sky again, causing her to flinch. My fingers wrap around my whiskey as I take a drink and fight to not reach for her hand. She'd probably slap me.

I narrow my eyes at the thought. "Drink your water," I say lowly.

We're silent as we look at each other and I see her eyebrow twitch just slightly before she leans over and opens her satchel, ignoring my command. She pulls out a folder and begins to spread her documents on my desk, showing me the newest works that she's done. It's then I realize she's dismissed me, making me irritated because I want to keep flirting with her, but she's just tooprofessional.

Too loyal to that fucker.

"It's what Fabian wanted." I hear her mutter under her breath as she works.

I swallow another bit of my whiskey. "What was that?"

"You heard me."

My hand tightens on my glass as a wave of irritation heats my skin. "Can you not justbe nicejust one time.One?" I ask. Her feistiness is going to get her in so much trouble.

She folds her arms and crosses her legs, pinning me with a stern look."No,actually, I cannot. Niceness gets a black woman nowhere in business.Nowhere.I'm sorry you don't like my mouth-"

"I didn't say that-"

"Or the way I do business-"

"I didn't say that either. I just believe that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, is all." My eyes roam her face. "You'll be able to garner more business, expand your portfolio, that kind of thing with a slightly more... gentle disposition. You won't have to work so hard."

According to her facial expression it was obviously the most wrong thing that I could ever think to let myself believe was okay to say to her.

It's Isobel's turn to pin me with her eyes and tilt her head. Something flashes in her eyes that makes my blood run cold and then set on fire. My chest tightens as she leans towards me, baring more of her cleavage. But I keep myself still. Her nose twitches as she leans forward, and it's the most adorable thing I've ever seen in my life, the fact that she gifts me with her tell. Her nose twitches whenever she's getting ready to go off.

And oh man does she let loose.

"I have to work twice as hard, in order to maybe gethalfof what you have, King," she says through her teeth.

I raise my eyebrows and nod at her, my gaze leaving hers to stare out the window contemplatively. "It's a shame isn't it, that we haven't evolved enough as a society yet in order for that to not be the norm. There's no way I should be hearing that come out of your mouth, or anyone else's mouth in the twenty-first century, yet here we are. Well, I guess we all have to do our parts to make sure the scales become balanced. I'll have you know, King Dynasty is exactly forty-seven point three percent diversified." I turn my eyes to hers letting her know I'm serious.

"Really?" Isobel states, her tone softens and her shoulders relax just a little. Thank God for small mercies.

"Hm-hm. I'm not going to insult you by saying I have black friends. I hear that's not the way to go." I won't do it. Even though my best friend in the entire world is black, and I wish like hell I could share that with her.

Her jaw literally drops as she turns her face away for a second, and when she comes back to face me her mouth is tight with a little grin. Though she's never laughed in front of me, I've heard her laugh before, and it's magical.

Because you see, I chose Isobel for my wife, as is the King Dynasty way. So I know a lot about her.

Way more than she thinks I do.

We just take who we want, unapologetically, the only way we can marry in this family. And once a woman is chosen, we abduct her into the family. But I had to follow her first. The moment I realized what a gem I had in front of me I began to watch her. Following her around when I'm able to get away. I know her favorite restaurants, her favorite food, what she doesn't like.

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