Page 48 of The English Billionaire's Obsession

“American mad?”

I grin. “Yeah, bloody angry.”

“They want to speak to you,” she says.

“What’s the problem with that?”

“I just didn’t know. Would you speak to them?”

“I’ll do it right now,” I say.

“No, Loki…”

“I need to take my mind off that,” I say fiercely. “I’ve got twenty men scouring the city for signs of him, or we’ll wait until Ollie decides to contact us. There’s nothing else we can do. Sometimes, in business, in life, waiting is the only option.”

“Tommy…”

“Give me his number. Your father’s.”

He has to know I’d neverusehis daughter. The thought of it makes me sick. Iwillmake use of her young, fertile body, but not like she’s an object. I’ll be there for her afterward, always, and she’ll never have to question if she’s going to be without me.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She gives me the number, and I walk over to my desk, making the call.

“I’m going to handle some business in the conference room,” George says. “Leave you to it, but I’m here.”

“Thanks, mate.”

George leaves as I lean back, the phone ringing in my ear. Ami sits across from me, hands squeezing together, rubbing them like she has a tiny magic lamp, but what would her wish be? To be mine forever? It would be easier if I could tell her family that.

“Hello?” a man’s voice answers.

“Hello, sir. It’s Thomas Tithing.”

He clears his voice. “Nice to meet you, Thomas. I’m Charles… Charley.”

“Call me Tommy,” I tell him.

“Sounds good to me.”

Amelia shoots a question at me with her eyes. I offer a thumbs-up. It’s going pretty well. Isn’t it?

“Tommy, you understand why I wanted to speak with you.”

“Of course. Your daughter is important to you. Themostimportant thing.”

“Yes,” he says fiercely.

“And you want to know I’m not some perverted billionaire who will use and discard her.”

Amelia’s hands cover her mouth in shock, but Charley sounds like he appreciates it. A verbal nod, a grunt of approval. “Straight to the point. Good. Yes, that’s what I have to be sure of.”

“I understand how it must look from the outside, sir,” I say.

“I’m only nine years older than you.”

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