Page 9 of His Revenge
The elevator doorsopen and I step tentatively onto the executive floor.Itisdifferent up here.Instead of fluorescent lighting, the sconces along the walls emit warm, white glows.Instead of industrial beige carpet, the floor is polished stone of an elegant grayish-white marble.My heels clack a bit as I make my way to reception, and immediately, I’m embarrassed by the loud sounds.
“Um hi,” I say.Then, I straighten my spine and paste a confident smile on my face because this is no way to behave.“Mary Alice Moreland, here to see Mr.Landry.”
The middle-aged woman at the desk taps at her computer for a moment, and then smiles.
“Ah yes, Miss Moreland,” she greets.“He’s expecting you.I’m Nessie Trevors, Mr.Landry’s secretary.“You may have gotten an email from me ...or from the boss.”
I immediately like her despite her outlandish red hair and vibrant blue eye shadow.I didn’t know people could present this way in corporate settings, but Nessie Trevors’ sparkling personality obviously makes up for it.
“I was a little confused by the email sender, but I figured it out,” I murmur with a smile.“It’s nice to meet you too.”
She nods and winks again.
“Go ahead to Mr.Landry’s office,” she says, indicating a long hallway to her left.“Last door at the end,” she says with another wink.
I nod and take a deep breath before clickety-clacking my way down the marble hallway to my stepfather’s office.Why did I wear these heels?I sound like a horse clip-clopping down a cobbled street.I swear, they should put some kind of hallway runner here, just to save me from embarrassment.
But finally, I’m at the end of the hallway and tap tentatively on the door.
“Come,” a deep voice speaks, and I push open the huge slab to my stepfather’s office.Brad sits at a desk on the far side, a bemused expression on his handsome face.
“I could hear you coming from a mile away,” he says in a low tone.“Come in, Minnie.Shut the door behind you.”
I do as he says and before I can stop myself, begin to speak.
“Sorry, I left my tap shoes at home,” I say in a semi-snarky tone.“Although I guess you couldn’t tell with all the commotion.”
Brad merely grins as he gets up and circles his massive desk, before directing me to a small seating area off to the side.His office isn’t really an office in the traditional sense.It’s a giant cube with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, so that we’re overlooking a breathtaking cityscape.Plus, despite the massive size, there’s very little furniture inside, which only emphasizes how much sheer space there is.I swear, they could fit a string orchestra and its audience inside, with room for a lavish reception afterwards.
Brad reads my mind.“We use this room for parties sometimes,” the CEO grins as he seats himself on a lounger.“I find that the view is conducive to deal-making.”
I smile sassily.
“Because it reminds people of your wealth?”
The older man thinks for a moment.
“Yes, and because the view is beautiful,” he says.“Everyone’s in a better mood when they’re able to take in a gorgeous view.”
That’s when my insides begin to tingle because my stepfather doesn’t turn towards the windows while saying those words.Instead, his blue eyes pierce mine, making me feelseen.It’s as if this man is telling me thatI’mthe one who’s gorgeous, and not the setting.A hot chill of awareness runs through my being, and suddenly I’m reminded that Brad Landry and I aren’t equals.He’s a powerful, charismatic billionaire in his 40’s, whereas I’m a young woman just starting out in life.He has a wealth of experience to draw from, while I have almost none.Basically, I’m naïve and inexperienced, and playing directly into the hands of the bear.
But still, I have to maintain my wits.This is no time to become a mess when I just got here.Yet why was I asked to this magnificent office?Brad grins again, beating me to the punch.
“So tell me, Minnie,” he says in a smooth voice.“What are you doing here?”
I sputter for a moment.
“You emailed me!”I state.“I’m here because of you.”
The older man chuckles, and it’s a sexy sound.The rumble starts deep in his chest before hitting my ears, and my thighs squeeze together tight despite myself.
“I did, didn’t I?But I didn’t mean it so literally.What I meant is, what are you doing here, at Excel Properties?How did you get the internship?”
Ah ha, I knew this moment was going to come.
“Youhelped me get it,” I say in a low voice.“It was before you filed for divorce from my mom.I think you guys might have been in a holding pattern at that point in the relationship?With a chance of reconciliation?Honestly, I don’t know, but I gave you my resume a while back, and you must have put it in the system for me.”
Brad nods thoughtfully, stroking his strong chin.
