“No, not yet. You haven’t even given me a chance yet, man. If I don’t have answers by Monday, then you can bring in whoever you want, okay? Is that a deal?”
“Yes, but Monday morning. First thing.”
“Yeah, yeah,” he mutters. “I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
When I park outside the office building, it’s nearly seven. I usually enjoy coming in after-hours, like the because it’s quiet and I tend to get more done. But ever since my little girls moved into the mansion, going home is more of a lure to me than coming here. I want to spend as much time as I possibly can with them—even if they don’t know who I am yet.
The elevator doors slide open, and I step out onto the top floor. The lights are dimmed and the desks are empty. Bianca’s desk is neatly arranged in exactly the same way she leaves it every single day after work.
I walk with my eyes down, looking at my hands as I fidget with my car keys. My head is full of thoughts. Thoughts about the new alliance, thoughts about Kayla. My twins.
Just before I reach my office, I notice Kayla’s desk light is on, and her laptop is open on the desk.
I pause, confused.
“Oh, you’re here too?” she says, arriving behind me carrying a cup of coffee.
“What are you doing here so late?” I ask, sounding like I’m scolding her.
“I had a few things that needed to be done urgently. I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow morning and have to do them in a rush,” she says, pulling her chair out and sitting down before scooting back towards her computer.
I reach out, intending to close her laptop. “Kayla, go home,” I huff.
But she blocks my hand.
“No, Josiah, I want to finish this first,” she says, pushing my hand away and throwing me an incredulous glare.
I clench my jaw and sigh loudly. Her stubbornness drives me crazy sometimes, but I know it comes from a deep desire to prove herself. To be useful. To be not only good at what she does, but exceptional. I also realize that she’s determined not to need me. In a number of ways.
She lives with me, she works for me, but she wants to hold on to her independence.
“Alright,” I sigh, raising my hands in deference.
I head into my office and open my laptop. I wasn’t planning on staying. I just wanted to reply to one or two emails. But there is no chance in hell I’m leaving her here alone.
Sitting at my desk, I pretend to work while I watch her. She has her focus fully on whatever is in front of her, but I sense that she’s aware of me. And it’s annoying her.
She’s going to be even more annoyed when she finds out I cancelled her driver for the evening because she’s coming home with me. I don’t understand why she’s so against riding in with me in the mornings. Who the hell cares what people think? She’s already proven herself invaluable to this company.
At half past eight, she stands up and starts gathering her things.
I stand too, grabbing my phone and keys and shoving them into my pocket. I close my laptop and hurry out of my office.
“Ready?” I ask, leaning on the door frame and waiting for her.
She rolls her eyes at me. “I’m done, yes. My driver is waiting downstairs, so I’ll see you at—”
“He isn’t. I told him I’d take you,” I inform her.
Her eyes flare wide.
“What if I finished at nine? Or ten? Were you going to sit there pretending to work the entire time?” she demands.
“Yes,” I answer plainly.
“Josiah, that’s ridiculous. I don’t—”
I start walking away, towards the elevators. “Come on, let’s go see the girls,” I say, ignoring what is sure to be a long-winded lecture.
