“Yeah.” Hayley’s smile widened a fraction. “She hates having me there. I won’t bore you with details, sir, but the sooner I’m out of there the better.”
“You can call me Alaric, you know.”
“Well, thank you.”
Hayley was thanking me for asking her to call me by name rather than the check. How I knew that, I don’t know. I just knew it’s true.
“You and your sister don’t get on?” I asked.
“Not at all. We never have.”
Hayley smiled with more confidence and met my eyes briefly. “You’re very generous, Alaric, and this really helps me.I found a small apartment I can afford on the east side. With my upcoming paycheck, I can pay the deposit plus first and last month’s rents.”
I grimaced. “East side? That bites. Sign a short lease, girl. Maybe in time you can move to someplace better.”
Why my words echoed within my mind, I don’t know. I felt confused, listening to them bounce around inside my head like a pinball. What the hell? Unless Hayley becomes one of my commissioned salespeople, she’ll never be able to afford anything else. Not on what I pay her.
You must marry, and soon. Hayley is an exceptional candidate.
I eyed Hayley in the new light of Willow’s comment. Was she ideal? Beddable, certainly. Would I want to keep her as my mate once my inheritance is final? I shrugged inwardly. Hayley’s a damn sight better than Fiona.
If my bewilderment showed on my face, Hayley gave no indication. “I’ll take your advice, sir – I mean, Alaric.”
I waved her away, too baffled by what just happened to continue any sort of intelligent conversation. Hayley retreated to her desk while Willow watched me with concern.
“Anything wrong?” she asked.
“No.” I shook my head. “Nothing.”
***
“Were you born stupid or do you take lessons?”
Hayley’s face blanched at the harsher than necessary reprimand. Her skin color resembled that of raw bread dough, and tears glimmered in her emerald eyes. My instant regret did little to calm my temper. I’d entered my office already pissed at events that had nothing to do with Hayley or the office.
“I – I’m sorry, s – sir.”
“For God’s sake, don’t cry,” I yelled, my voice echoing around the reception area.
Bertie pretended she didn’t hear, her shoulders hunched nearly to her ears. Richard leaned back in his chair long enough to give me the side eye, then returned to his work. Willow, naturally and predictably, scowled.
“Just,” I snapped, feeling trapped and helpless, “just pay attention, all right?”
Hayley nodded, her gaze cast down, her hands trembling as she handed me the few phone messages she’d taken. I stalked down the hall to my office, trying to ignore Willow’s anger and reproach.
“What did she do?” Willow asked, her voice deceptively sweet. “Dump ice water on your hot crotch?”
“That’s uncalled for,” I growled, booting my computer up.
“By the way you screamed at her, I’d think she’d just stuck an icepick in your balls and popped them.”
“Drop it, Willow.”
For a long moment, Willow said nothing, and I had a brief belief that she’d obey me. No. She was merely formulating her next attack. I should have known better.
“I know you have difficulty in relating to the common folk, Alaric,” she said quietly. “Even so, we must live among them. You may think you have the right to treat people like Hayley as dirt under your boots, but you don’t. Not here.”
“I think you’ve said enough.”
