Nobody speaks back to me.Ever!
An hour later, to the second, I get a message from Robert confirming the drop. I place my phone back on the desk and let out a sigh of relief. Councillor Duggan approached me a month ago about doing business, and I set a high price. He happily agreed, and letting him down was not an option.
It’s almost lunch when the office door swings open and Erik saunters in. He smirks when Leoni rushes in behind him, protesting about his walking in unannounced. He flops down in the chair opposite my desk, not bothering to look at my flustered secretary. “I’m sorry Mr. Baxter. I did ask him to wait.”
I shake my head. “He never listens to rules, do you little brother,” I say, raising a brow at him. “I’ll have my lunch in ten minutes,” I add.
That sigh escapes her lips again, and I clench my fists to keep control of my anger. “Of course, Sir, anything else?” she asks coldly, and I think I detect a note of sarcasm in her voice.
“Yes. Get Erik the same, plus two coffees from that coffee shop I love.”
She stares at me for a moment. “But that’s a ten-minute walk.”
“Then you’d better leave now,” I hiss through gritted teeth.
She wants to challenge me. I can see it in her eyes, but she thinks better of it and pastes a smile on her face before leaving.
“Firecracker,” mutters Erik.
“A complete thorn in my side. I don’t know what the fuck Synthia was thinking when she hired her.”
“She’s hot, that’s gotta make up for the attitude,” says Erik, pulling out his mobile phone and glancing at the flashing screen. “Christ, this bitch can’t take a hint,” he mumbles, cancelling the incoming call.
“Maybe if you didn’t keep leading women on, they wouldn’t get hung up on you!”
He smirks. “I’m very honest before I fuck them, it’s not my fault they get a bit of loving and want a second go.”
I screw up my face in disgust. I don’t know where he finds the time to fuck anyone, but maybe that’s why I ended up running the firm for our father, instead of him. There’s not a responsible bone in his body. I’m not close with Erik. He’s five years my junior, and although we share the same father, we have different mothers. He’s a modern-day Romeo, just like our father. I, on the other hand, have no time for women or dating. It amuses Erik, and he often makes jokes about me being gay. I’m not, I just have important shit to do and with women comes drama. I definitely don’t have the time or patience for that.
“Is there a reason you’re here, Erik?” I ask, sighing.
“Nope, I was passing and now you’re buying me lunch so it’s a good job I popped in.”
LEONI
“I hate him. He’s a sweaty ball bag, limp dicked, fuck face,” I rant into my mobile phone and earn the amused stares from passing lunch goers. “How can one person be such a pissing dick face?”
Courtney laughs. “Lee, you say the same thing every day and I tell you the same thing, tell him to stick his job!”
“I can’t,” I wail. Not only does this job pay ridiculously well, but I also signed a one-year contract. If I leave, I have to hand back my company car, which I love, and my new apartment, another thing I love.
“The vogue apartment isn’t worth your unhappiness,” says Courtney.
“I have an amazing view,” I groan. “And there are bars within walking distance.” It was one of the things that attracted me to the expensive rented apartment.
“Then suck it up buttercup,” says Courtney. “You can’t have your cake and eat it. Now get the man his coffee and make sure to smile sweetly.”
I roll my eyes and disconnect the call. I love Court; she’s my very best friend, but she doesn’t suffer fools lightly, and my whinging doesn’t even tip her sympathy scale.
I grab the ass his coffee and then head back to the deli near the office to collect the pre-ordered lunch. Luckily, Mike, the deli owner, knows me well, so he was happy to add the extra lunch when I explained Mr. Baxter had a meeting crop up.
Mike smiles widely when I enter his small shop. He reaches for the white paper bag behind the counter and hands it to me. “You look beautiful today, Leoni,” he says.
I laugh heading back out, whilst trying to balance the coffees and bag without any spillages. “You always say that, Mike.”
“Because every day it’s true.” He winks playfully.
Talia waves me over to the reception desk when I get back into Baxter Corp. “Erik kissed me on the cheek,” she gushes.
