Page 12 of Steal a King (Five Kings 2)

Lucas

Adam looks worried, and yet the new resort is the furthest thing from my mind today. Usually, I’m all about the business. Nothing distracts me from that, but there’s something much more interesting hijacking my thoughts today and I wonder what she’s doing now.

It feels strange thinking of her in my apartment—a place that stands empty for most of the time. A soulless void filled with expensive toys but lacking the life that makes a person want to spend time there—until now.

I am weirdly fascinated by Ella Quinn. Just leaving her to get on with it while we wait for Ryder to unravel the mystery should have been the easiest part of the plan. I could even visit one of my other Casinos; take a trip out of State to check on the rest of my empire. It would be so easy to do except for one thing–I don’t want to.

Adam is staring at me with a look on his face I know only too well, and I sigh. “Spit it out.”

“What’s up?”

“You tell me, that’s what I pay you for.”

“I’m not talking about the business, hell we know what’s definitely up there but you.”

“Me?”

“Yes.” He stares at me with an intensity I’m used to, but today it just irritates me.

“As I said, spit it out.”

“You seem distracted, did something happen last night?”

“No.”

I shrug because the plan is that nobody knows about Ella and her business. Ryder is shady like that. Need to know basis and all that and the only people that know she’s even here are, Tom, my personal chef and Dixie, my assistant. The fact I scare the shit out of them ensures their loyalty, plus the fact I pay them more per month than they would usually earn in a year keeps their eyes lowered and their lips firmly shut. Ryder has his operatives acting as security and so I need to offer no explanations and yawn.

“You do the worrying enough for both of us. So, good news, you get to do it alone today because I’m heading upstairs.”

The look on Adam’s face makes me smile because I never ‘head upstairs’ when there’s business to attend to and he shakes his head. “Fine, but whatever it is that you’re hiding, I hope it’s worth keeping from your most trusted friend. You really know how to hurt a guy’s feelings.”

He places his hand on his heart and makes a face, and I grin.

“You’ll live. What can I say, shit happens, people move on.”

Shaking his head, he snaps his computer shut and pushes back from the table. “I just hope it’s a woman because you need to get laid my friend and you don’t need a shrink to tell you that’s your biggest problem right now.”

“You think I have a problem getting laid?”

I laugh softly and he nods. “Yes, actually—I do because it’s obvious you’re searching for more than meaningless sex right now, or Tom has finally got his way and you’re battling with the closet door.”

He grins and heads off before I can retaliate, and I’m glad to see the door slam behind him. Business is the furthest thing from my mind today because of her. If I’m struggling with anything, it’s that.

I head to the elevator that leads to my private apartment and Dixie follows me, speaking in hushed tones. “Lucas, your 2.30 has arrived in reception, should I show her to the boardroom?”

Thinking about the journalist who has badgered me for months for an interview, makes me irritable. The last thing I need is bad press right now and if I turn her away, I’m causing more trouble for myself than necessary.

Dixie looks worried because as always, she’s the one who has to deal with the fall out of my decisions and I shake my head angrily.

“How long can you stall her?”

She looks anxious. “I can’t. Right after that meeting you have one with the architect. He’s probably on his way as we speak and needs an answer by close of business today to sign off the plans.”

My world crowds around me like pressure in the deepest part of the ocean and where I usually thrive on it. Today I wish I could just walk away—but I can’t.

Sighing, I say roughly, “Just give me thirty minutes. Show her to the boardroom and get her a drink, snack whatever the fuck she likes. Make sure she’s happy, give her a tour, anything, just let me have a moment to pee for Christ’s sake.”

The elevator waits and I step inside, leaving an unhappy assistant behind. Dixie will do as she’s told, and I don’t think I could function without her. She’s worked for me for five years and weathered the storm much better than most, so I’m a little kinder to her, treat her well, remember her birthday, Christmas and spoil her from time to time. It helps that’s she not attracted to me because most of my assistants have done everything they could to end up in my bed, but I’m not interested. I never am—until now.

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