Page 45 of Who's Your Daddy
Her lips tick up again as she tries not to smile, but she gives me a simple nod.
Brian, on the other hand, storms out of the room, blustering and calling for my brother.
I cough out a laugh as I watch him go.
“So who was in the apartment?” Lola’s voice is quiet, making it hard to hear as I stand by the door listening to Brian rage in my brother’s office.
When I spin around to give her my full attention, I realize that I’ve made a grave mistake.
Lola is always pretty. I’ve never been able to ignore her presence, though she’s never had trouble ignoring mine. That has always rankled me, so I settled on taunting and teasing her. It makes it harder to pretend I don’t exist, and it’s easier on me, knowing her annoyance with me is warranted.
Right now she doesn’t look the least bit annoyed. There’s a small smile on her lips and an excited glint in her pretty emerald eyes. Like she wants to be in on whatever secret I’m about to share. Like she’s not only tolerating me but she appreciates my presence.It’s intoxicating.I could stare at this woman all damn day. I’d do almost anything to get lost in those eyes. To get lost in this feeling she’s evoking inside my chest.
“Security company.” The words escape me on their own, breaking the spell.
She blinks, as if she, too, was lost in reverie, and tilts her head in confusion.
Leaning against the door, arms crossed, I fight the urge to go to her. It’s nice sharing an office with Lola. Though I don’t know that she’d agree.
“Why?”
“Wanted cameras for the flat so after school, when Murphy and T.J. are here, they can hang out upstairs, and we won’t have to worry about whether they’re safe. Madame Esmeralda has a lot of people coming in and out all day.”
“Makes sense.”
“And if Murphy wakes up at night?—”
Lola frowns. “Wait, you had cameras installedinsidethe apartment?”
“Lo!” Sully shouts.
“I miss the intercom,” she grumbles, her eyes falling shut, before taking a deep breath, like she’s searching for patience. Just as her expression evens out, Sully screams again as if we didn’t all hear him and his grumpy arse the first time.
Lola presses her palms against the surface of the table and uses it to push herself out of her chair. As she straightens, a desperate, beleaguered sigh slips past her lips.
“Enough,” I bark.
Lola’s eyes go wide with surprise and jump to mine.
Shit. “Not you,” I say, backpedaling. “Never you.”
Jaw ticking, I stomp straight into my brother’s office. Sully is alone, squinting at his computer. Looks like Brian got all his bitching out. I turn right back around and knock harshly on Brian’s closed door, then swing it open without waiting for him to acknowledge me. “Partner’s meeting. Sully’s office. Now.” My words are staccato and angry. I’mfuming.
As Brian whips his head up, I spin on my heel and head back into my brother’s office.
“Did you just bark at me?” Brian almost sounds amused as he appears in the doorway.
I point to the chair in front of Sully’s desk. “Sit.”
Brian reels back. “Excuse me.”
“Sit,” I grind out again.
“What the hell is this about?” Sully’s annoyed growl rolls up my spine. As always he acts like his time is worth more than all of ours.
Hands in my pockets, I eye them both. “You two are driving Lola insane.”
Brian points to his chest. “We’redriving her insane?”
