Page 33 of Wretched Heart
A smile tugs at my mouth and just keeps growing.
“What?” Maddie demands with a scowl. She’s assuming I’m mocking her but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
“There you go again, little bird. Making me change my opinion of you.”
Chapter 10
Maddison
Irest on my elbows as I stare at the computer screen, eye strain making my head throb. I’ve been holed up in the house for days, spending most of my time in the sad excuse of a library that the Griffins have turned into their office.
My first task had been to conduct my own research on Barrett Emerson. I’m done having other people tell me what to think, so I ignore the shiny public face of the Emerson empire, and follow a trail from the holding company to some of Barrett’s shadier subsidiaries. It soon becomes clear that many of their investments were poorly disguised schemes to raid and pillage struggling factories and industrial plants.
In contrast, when I dig into the financial reports of Griffin Corps, I find no shortage of businesses that were in a similar position to my paper mill before the brothers stepped in. And yet despite all the good they do, their online presence is negligible.
There are no photos of the brothers, and certainly noinformation about their private lives, which leaves me frustrated. I want to know more about Hunter Griffin than just the size of his… I sit back in my chair and knead my fingers into my scalp.
“Why don’t you take a break?” Hunter suggests. He’s sitting at the desk opposite, and I know he’s been watching me. He does it more often than he thinks I notice, but we’ve made a concerted effort to keep our relationship strictly professional. I miss him calling me his little bird.
“She needs to finish compiling a list of the mill’s stakeholders,” Mace says. “There’s a reason Barrett picked the mill, and the sooner we find out what it is, the better. I don’t imagine he’s sitting in the Bahamas twiddling his thumbs, even if one of them is inside someone’s pussy.”
“Thanks for that imagery, Mace,” I say. He said it to get a rise out of me, but I’m getting used to his ways. I wait until he looks up, then flutter my eyelids. “Oh, and to think it could have been me.”
I’m sure I see a hint of a smile, which is a stark contrast to Hunter’s stony expression. He doesn’t appreciate the picture I’ve just planted in his head. Maybe that’s why I said it.
“I’m almost done with the lists,” I continue. “And I don’t want to lurk in our systems too long in case Hugo catches me looking.”
“He won’t,” Mace says. “That’s the whole point of me getting you in through the back door. Take as long as you need. Just nottoolong.”
I’m not comfortable with the ease in which Mace hacked into the mill’s computer systems. It’s a reminder that not everything the Griffins do is wholesome and honest, but I’m yet to hear anything discussed between the brothersthat’s overtly criminal. Not that I’m fooling myself there won’t be something. I just hope it doesn’t destroy my growing admiration for what they’ve achieved.
After completing a review of all our suppliers, and adding a few more names to my list, I’m done. “Finished,” I tell Mace.
“About time.”
I’m not someone who expects praise, and Mace’s comment is tame compared to having Hugo point out my perceived failings. My only response is to poke out my tongue at him.
Mace wasn’t expecting the gesture and I’m pleased with how uncomfortable he looks until I turn to Hunter. His gaze is on my tongue, and I lick my upper lip before closing my mouth. He shakes his head imperceptibly.
“Have we all got time to go through Maddie’s lists now?” Mace asks, breaking the spell.
Hunter has his gaze back on his computer screen. “Sure.”
I begin printing off my lists while the others finish up their own work.
Reid sits back in his chair, and groans as he stretches his arms high above his head. His feet poke beneath his desk. “The draft prenup has just arrived and I’ve pinged it over to you, Hunter.”
“Send it to Maddie too,” he says. His eyes don’t leave his screen when he raises a finger to stop Mace saying whatever he opened his mouth to say. “There were only a few minor corrections. It should be good to go. Maddie needs to see it.”
“Fine,” Mace mutters, presumably not happy that it’s being shared before Hunter has signed it off.
“Can you let me know which attorney you’ve opted for, Maddie,” says Reid. “I can copy them in too.”
“It’s OK. I’m happy to check it over myself,” I reply as the notification pops up with the email he’s just sent. I’m using a new Gmail account for emails. If Hugo could put a tracker on my phone, I’m pretty sure he’ll be reading my emails too.
“You really should–”
“Find an attorney or I’ll find one for you,” Mace snaps, interrupting Reid.
