Page 80 of Daddy's Game

“Brock?”

“Get in, you’re late.”

I rolled my eyes and got in the passenger side. The leather seats supported my body like a cradle. The dashboard looked more like a starship than a car.

“I’m surprised you’re not in a limo. I was starting to wonder if you even had a license.”

Brock turned his gorgeous eyes my way, and so help me I almost melted. Staying mad at him wasn’t exactly hard…it just wasn’t easy, either.

“The limo would be too conspicuous.”

“And you think THIS is less conspicuous?”

He smirked and put the car in gear. We took off into the night. Brock deftly handled the light traffic and New York’s infamously difficult streets. We pulled up in front of a French restaurant. A familiar upscale one.

“Goddamnit, Brock if this was all a ruse to get me to–”

“It’s not a ruse…well, it is a ruse, but not one I'm playing on you.”

“What is this place doing open at this hour?”

He gave me a blank stare.

“It never closes. There were so many bookings we decided to open twenty four hours a day.”

I thought we would go in the front door. Instead, Brock led me to the service entrance. A man in a waiter uniform greeted us and led us inside.

We wound up standing in a janitor’s closet. The cleanest and most well organized janitor’s closet I’d ever seen…but a janitor’s closet nonetheless.

“If this is an attempt to get me back, am I supposed to comment on how you take me to the most romantic places?”

He chuckled, eyes softening.

“I missed you, Grace. I miss you every day. You’re challenging, brilliant, adept, and hard working. You have a strength of character I straight out envy. I love you, and I’d do anything for another chance.”

My heart stopped in my chest. When it started up again it beat very hard the first time. My mouth had gone dry, and I couldn’t speak.

The light in the janitor’s closet flickered three times, went off, flickered three more times, and then stayed on.

“That’s the signal.”

He opened a vent flap on the wall, and lo and behold I stared right at one of the tables. I recognized one of the men at the table. Mikkelson, the CEO of TGRIU.

I couldn’t see the face of the other man. I could only see his back. The light reflected off his bald pate.

“Have you ever eaten here?” Mikkelson asked. “The lamb is simply the best in the city.”

The bald man shook his head.

“No, I’ve never had the pleasure. Never could afford it. Of course, that’s all about to change, isn’t it?”

My mouth dropped open. I recognized his voice.

No way. It can’t be him.

34

GRACE

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