“Good.” Adrenaline sang through her veins, revitalizing her. She had shit to do, and she was doing it. She would be fine. With or without her grandmother’s box. With or without Jacob’s body on top of hers, ever. “That’s all for now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Akira sighed. “I don’t like to be called ma’am. You can call me Akira.”
“Yes, ma’am—Akira.” Tammy practically curtseyed as she backed away. “Please let me know if you need anything. I’ll be at my desk.”
“Great.”
Tammy hesitated. “If I may speak frankly, Akira. I have watched exactly one episode of your father’s show, while on a treadmill at the gym, and it made me want to weep for humanity.”
Akira cracked out a laugh. “Good. Maybe we can manage to get along then.”
Tammy made her way to the door, only to pivot around in a flurry. “Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. I forgot why I came in here. A Mr. Jacob Campbell is downstairs asking to see you.”
Chapter Five
Poof. That was the sound of all Akira’s lovely resolve and focus going up in smoke.
Akira swiveled away from her computer. “What?”
“He said he’s an acquaintance? But he isn’t on the list of approved visitors.”
Aw. How very like serious, sober Jacob to not even be able to lie and upgrade their status to friends to gain entrance to her office. Hell, “Facebook friends” would have been warmer than “acquaintances.”
“Shall I tell security you aren’t available?”
Tempting. The call with her father had abraded her raw nerves, and she’d learned a lesson about sparring with Jacob when her shields were low. It had been a close thing, there in that cabin. There were dangers in permitting an adversary to see weakness, and she wasn’t in fighting shape right now.
If you refuse to see him, you’ll look wussy.
Steel grafted to your spine. Ice in your veins.
More like Play-Doh and lukewarm milk.
But why was he here? This wasn’t their dynamic. She was the one who always went barging, unwelcome, into whatever space he occupied, be it a holiday party or his cabin or her mother’s home. Before today, she would’ve assumed he had no idea where her office was even located.
Damn it, her curiosity had been piqued, and Akira’s curiosity often trumped her good sense.
She could do this. He would be on guard from their last encounter, ready to shove her away the second she came near. All she had to do was make it absolutely clear she didn’t care about a damn thing he did or said to her.
“Akira?”
Indecisiveness was a foreign emotion for her. “Send him in.” She regretted the words the instant they emerged, but efficient Tammy had already ducked out.
Akira licked her lips, glancing around the office. Anxiety had her seeking out every nook and cranny, uncertain what she was looking for.
The office itself was warm and inviting, with gleaming, restored oak floors and plush furnishings and rugs. Other than framed art consisting of shots of all of her establishments’ locations on the wall and a photo of her grandmother on her desk, there was nothing personal in this space. Nothing that could reveal any weakness.
Meeting him was for the best. She could have hardly faced herself in the mirror if she’d cowered in here from Jacob, of all people. She would see what he wanted, and then send him on his way. No doubt, he was probably on some sort of saintly errand.
Was it a little bright in here? Taking care not to hurry, she rose from her chair and pushed the button that would lower the shades on her windows to mid height.
She thought of the fine lines around her eyes. Lowered them some more.
There. Better.
Her hands automatically smoothed invisible wrinkles from her skirt before she stopped herself. Hell if she needed to primp for anyone.
