Page 17 of Fierce King (L.A. Ruthless 1)

Alejandro

It had beena little over three weeks since my mom’s visit and things between Alana and I were less strained. Hugo was working out well as her personal bodyguard, and it made me feel more at ease to know that she never left the house without him.

I didn’t spend much time around the house, but when I was there, I noticed that she appeared happier. We seemed to have come to an unspoken arrangement whereby we could be civil to each other when we were in the same room.

She went out almost every day with the charity ladies and I supposed chugging champagne and cocktails every afternoon was a pretty good way for a spoiled princess to pass the time.

I’d started to think she was finally content, until I’d overheard her and Magda talking earlier that morning. I’d heard her say she felt like a prisoner, always surrounded by armed guards, and how much she missed her place in New York.

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have cared. She had chosen this life and she needed to learn to make the best of it. Except, there was something about the way she said it, that made me feel sorry for her. It hadn’t sounded like she was complaining, more like she was confiding in the one person she had gotten close to here. And while there wasn’t a lot I was prepared to do about the armed guards, I knew there was a potential way to make her feel more at home in my house – even if I wasn’t that happy about doing it.

I walked into the hotel reception and nodded a greeting to the concierge as I passed. I saw my men assembled in the corner and watched as they greeted our guest.

Today, I had a meeting with the current head of our Chicago operations, Richie Burnett, and he didn’t like to be kept waiting.

But, Richie was a prick.

I intended to make him wait.

I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone before dialing Jacob’s number. I’d left Alana my credit card that morning, and while I’d told her that I didn’t care how much of my money she spent, I did want to know exactly what I might be walking into later.

I dreaded to think what awful, tacky shit this New York princess would have bought to make my tasteful villa more like home to her?

‘Is everything okay, Boss?’ Jacob asked when he answered.

‘Did Mrs. Montoya enjoy her shopping trip today?’

‘Yes, Sir. I think so.’

‘How much of my money did she spend?’ I asked with a sigh as I kept my eye on Richie.

‘Hang on, let me check,’ he replied and I heard the rustling of the paper receipts as he counted up her purchases.

‘Ninety-seven dollars and seventy-four cents,’ he replied.

‘What?’

‘Ninety-seven–’ he started to repeat the amount but I’d heard him the first time.

‘Is that all?’ I interrupted him.

‘Yes, Boss.’

I shook my head. Of course it was. I bet she’d have everything custom made – no shop bought shit for a spoiled princess. I’d bet she was online right now ordering all kinds of sparkly crap!

‘I suppose she’s inside the house right now with my credit card spending plenty more though?’

‘No, Boss. She’s out doing her charity work. She gave the card to me when we got back. Said she’d got what she needed.’

I frowned as one of my men beckoned me over to him. I held my hand up to signal I was on an important call. ‘What did she buy?’

‘Erm,’ he started to say and I heard the rustling of receipts again. ‘Two bottles of ketchup. A box of English breakfast tea. Four bags of gummy worms. Two picture frames. Two candles. Two bottles of bubble bath and an anti-allergen pillow.’

‘That’s all?’ I asked with a frown.

‘That’s all,’ Jacob confirmed.

‘Gracias.’ I said and ended the call.

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