Andre cut his eyes at Curtis. “We’ll run the company together.”
Curtis gave a curt laugh. “That’s the same bull my brother spat, but you see where that landed us.”
Taking a deep breath, Andre slid a glance at his brother, who shook his head. Curtis couldn’t fathom, despite all his warnings about how the people closest to you would stab you in the back, Andre and Isaac had formed a bond. In a mixed up world of rivalry and dysfunctional parents, their only sanity came from their brotherly connection.
Curtis pointed a finger at Andre. “It was cowardly to leave instead of making some sort of stand. I don’t blame you for not wanting Angelica anymore, but you could have at least done something to prove you were still the winner. Get caught sleeping with her one last time during the reception. Let Ryan see you can still make that girl go on her knees for you. It wouldn’t have taken but a few dollars.”
“That’s about all the fatherly advice I can stomach,” Andre stood.
“Where were you all weekend?” Isaac asked. “I called your house and stopped by yesterday.”
Curtis glared through narrowed eyes. “Don’t tell me you were hiding out?”
Andre crossed his arms and glared at Curtis. “I didn’t hide out. The roadblock meant I had to spend the weekend with Mikayla.”
“Who in the hell is Mikayla?”
Isaac turned in his seat and gaped at him. “Ryan’s girlfriend?”
Curtis’s sharp gaze bounced between the two. Comprehension flashed in his eyes and he let out a hearty laugh. “That’s a good one, boy. Not as good as what I recommended, but good. I hope you wrapped it up. I want legitimate grandchildren.”
“I didn’t—”
“Too bad you didn’t do it at the wedding.” Curtis wiped a tear from his eye and leaned back in the chair. “But that’s neither here nor there. Philip was upset Ryan hurt that girl. She’s worked her way into their good graces. My brother always was a pansy ass. It’ll be worth the look on his face when he learns she’s just as no good as Angelica. Hell, he was singing her praises to anyone who would listen after you two left. I can’t wait to burst his bubble and let him know she ran straight into your bed.”
“No,” Andre said taking a step toward Curtis’s desk. “You are not going to put her anywhere near the same category as Angelica.”
Curtis’ laughter faded. “You don’t like this girl, do you?”
Andre’s hand sliced the air. “She doesn’t have anything to do with our family’s bull.”
“Bull?” Curtis stood, pressed his fists into the desk and leaned forward. “This family’s bull paid your way to college. Allowed you to grow up in a house full of servants. Gave you the ability to run a large corporation. Are you trying to turn your back on me? On what I did for you and your brother? Do you want to go back to being on the outside of this family?”
“You’ve made it perfectly clear that you don’t tolerate disloyalty.” Andre ground clipped words through clenched teeth.
“Don’t forget it. My brother said I was only good enough to take out his trash. I proved him wrong and built this empire. I’ll keep on building C.E.S. until Philip can’t help but acknowledge my success. And while I’m doing that I’m going to humiliate him and his family until he wished he’d picked up trash with me.” Curtis said in a voice laced with spite.
Spine ramrod straight Curtis glared at his sons as if he were their lord and master. Andre believed Curtis truly thought he owned them. “You had your fun with that girl, now it’s done. Don’t see her anymore. She’ll probably run back to Ryan and then you can let him know you spent two nights between her thighs. But until then, we’re going to get them back for what he did. Either you’re with me or you’re against me.”
Curtis leveled both his sons with a stare. A cold knot tightened in Andre’s stomach. The one time he defied his dad had ended in pain and humiliation for him and his mother, and proved Andre was all Caldwell. Andre had tired of the ruthless lifestyle. Tired of the constant need to prove he wasn’t the enemy. But, no matter how dysfunctional the family dynamics were he agreed with his dad. Family and the business meant everything. A pleasant reprieve, that’s how he’d view the calm during those two days with Mikayla. A part of him yearned for more of that. But doubted he’d ever experience peace again. He was too much like his father. Caldwell men didn’t know peace.
CHAPTER 10
“So, how was the wedding?”
Mikayla froze in the middle of putting her purse in the desk drawer. With a stiff smile and a sick feeling rumbling her stomach, she turned to Charity York. Charity officially worked as an administrative assistant to the current head of the acquisitions department. Her unofficial title, office snoop.
“Fine. I didn’t stay long.” Mikayla said, straightening the already organized items on her desk.
“Why not? Did you and Ryan decide to come back early?”
“No, I did.”
Charity’s eyes gleamed. She sashayed into Mikayla’s office and propped a curvy hip on the desk. “Don’t tell me you and Ryan broke up already.”
Mikayla’s heart beat increased and heat crept beneath her skin.
A woman’s laughter floated from the hall. She and Charity looked to the door. Ryan paused in front of her door; Angelica clung to his side. They made a handsome couple, Angelica’s tall, shapely figure, long highlighted hair and caramel skin a perfect match to his towering height and muscular build. Seeing them together shouldn’t hurt so much.
Angelica lifted her chin. Pouty lips curved in a satisfied smile and she tugged on Ryan’s arm. “Come, show me your office.”
Ryan rubbed the back of his neck and gave a sorry lift of the shoulders before walking away with Angelica. Charity’s eyebrows rose to her hairline. She placed a hand over her heart as she looked from the door to Mikayla.
“Who is that?”
Mikayla swallowed hard and brushed the hair from her face. “His new girlfriend.”
Charity’s eyes popped and her jaw dropped. “What? That is just wrong, Mikayla. I thought he really liked you. To think, you were just another notch on his belt. After the way the family took you in and everything. Just wrong.”
Charity chatted on full of righteous indignation. Charity’s words of comfort were as fake as she was loud, and only served to make Mikayla’s stomach twist like a psychotic pencil sharpener. Everyone would know Ryan dumped Mikayla over the weekend and picked up a new girlfriend as easy as shopping at Nordstrom Rack on a one day sale.
“Charity.” Mikayla cut off the diatribe. “It was a mutual breakup. Ryan can date whomever he chooses. I’m cool.”
“Well, I’m not,” Charity strutted to the door. “And I’ll make sure the women in the office realize how he treated you. We won’t have them sighing over his smiles anymore. No ma’am, not when he played with one of our own.” The last words trailed over her shoulder as she breezed out the door.
Mikayla rubbed her temples. There was no way she could stay here. She would not be the butt of jokes. Not again. Her hands trembled and Mikayla jerked open the desk drawer. She rummaged inside her purse until she found the pack of cigarettes and the box of nicotine patches she purchased. Trembling fingers closed around the box of cigarettes.
No. She’d quit, and wouldn’t let embarrassment make her go back to that addiction. Maybe ignoring the craving would be easier if Andre were near. A picture of Andre’s full lips closing around the tip of a cigarette popped into her head. Andre would be a good distraction.
A knock on the door broke into her thoughts. She dropped the box and slammed the drawer shut. When she spun around, Philip Caldwell stood at the door.
“Mikayla, my office please,” he said stiffly and marched down the hall.
She straightened her shoulders and followed. They passed Charity in the break room huddled around the coffee pot with a few other women. Mikayla sucked in a shaky breath. Please, please, please, don’t let them find out what really happened.
Phi
lip, Ryan and Renee occupied the three largest offices in the rear of the building with Philip’s in the middle. Mikayla noted Renee’s closed door. It was unusual for Renee to arrive at the office late. When Mikayla entered the plush interior of Philip’s office, she didn’t feel the usual comfort from the homey feel of large wood furniture, thick carpet and family portraits on the wall. This was where Philip gave her advice, mentored her on her career, and even encouraged her to accept after Ryan asked her out.
Philip crossed to the bar in the corner and poured bourbon into two crystal glasses. He held one out to her. She shook her head, and with a shrug, he poured her glass into his.
“Renee told me you want to quit,” he said.
Thus, the reason for Renee coming to work late. “I do.”
“Dammit, Mikayla,” he took a sip of the drink. “Don’t throw away a promising career because my son is a jackass.”
Mikayla raised a hand. “With all due respect, Mr. Caldwell—”
“Oh, it’s Mr. Caldwell now. Last week it was Philip.” He downed another swallow.
“Mr. Caldwell, Philip, no matter what I call you. You’re my boss and I overstepped my boundaries by dating your son.”
“Don’t spout a bunch of professional bull crap at me, Mikayla. Talk to me like you would before Ryan screwed his ex-girlfriend in a closet and embarrassed the hell out of you.”
Mikayla flinched. Typical Philip Caldwell. Bulldoze through the crap and get to the point. “Fine. I can’t sit in my office and pretend as if what Ryan did wasn’t completely disrespectful. I won’t go to board meetings and act as if everyone in there isn’t thinking poor Mikayla, another notch on Ryan Caldwell’s bedpost. Or worst that I plotted to sleep my way to a better position and the plan backfired.”
He scoffed. “To hell with what the people in this office think. This is my company. The only opinion, that matters, is mine.” He stalked over and pointed at her with the hand holding the highball glass. “You’re a damn good employee and a damn fine woman. I thought Ryan had finally gotten some sense in his head when he asked you out. I like to keep business in the family, and you and Ryan together was perfect.”
“But, Philip, I can’t...”
“Yes, you can. As soon as we close the deal in the low country, that acquisitions job is still yours.”
“I don’t want a position out of pity.”
“Damn, woman, you know it’s not out of pity.” He marched to his desk. “That job was yours as soon as Kelly announced her retirement. Still is. Now I can’t change what Ryan did, and I’m damn sorry he screwed up a chance with a woman with common sense. But I’ll be damned if I let you throw away this promotion over Ryan’s romp in a broom closet. Turn in a resignation and I’ll tear the damn thing up.”
“But—”
“No buts,” he downed the rest of his drink. “We’ve got a board meeting in thirty minutes. You give Ryan the virtual finger by doing your job. Now get out of here and get to work.”
Mikayla watched him with a mixture of annoyance and pleasure. She deserved the job, but, man, sometimes she hated the arrogance that came with working for the Caldwell family. She spun on her heel to leave.
“One other thing.”
“Yes?” Mikayla glanced over her shoulder.
“My nephew Andre. Renee told me about that, too. Don’t trust a word that boy says. He’s just as sneaky and dirty as his dad. I believe nothing happened. Keep it that way.” His voice was straight forward, each word a bullet strong to the chest. With a stiff nod, she walked out.
*
Mikayla escaped the words of comfort, delivered with varying degrees of false pity from the women in the break room. She’d gone there hoping for a fortifying cup of strong coffee. She should have known better than to enter Charity’s gossip stronghold. After breaking free, she exited to find Ryan leaning against the wall waiting in the hall. He straightened and headed in her direction.
“No!” She shook her head, shooing him with her hand Mikayla stalked pass.
“Mikayla,” he followed.
“Not now, not ever, Ryan,” she hurried down the hall to her office and shut the door.
Tears welled in her eyes. Her lungs burned from the paltry amount of air delivered by her short, shallow breaths. Stupid Caldwell men. She paced back and forth from her desk to the door. What if Philip was right? Andre wanted to sleep with her. Maybe just for revenge.
After a knock on the door, Renee peaked inside. “Can I come in?”
Mikayla stalked over to her desk and sank into the chair. “You own the building.”
Renee stepped inside. Despite the uncertainty in her friend’s eyes, she looked fabulous in a dark maroon dress and sleek cream trench coat cinched at the waist. “I know you’re upset that I spoke with my dad, but I had to let him know you’re considering leaving. I hope he talked some sense into you.”
Mikayla leaned back in the chair. Her toe tapped against the floor beneath the desk and the craving for a cigarette kicked up a notch. “I won’t abandon the deal in Hartsville. But I can’t stay forever or take that position. You should have seen the gleam in Charity’s eye when Ryan walked in here with Angelica.”
Renee placed a hand on her hip, the other she held up. “Wait. He brought her here?”
“Yes. But since your dad is refusing my notice, and I have no other means of income, I’ll deal.”
Renee sighed. “It’ll get better.”
“Yeah…time heals all wounds and other such philosophical crap.”
Renee came around the desk and tugged Mikayla up from her seat. Drawing her in for a hug. “It does, I promise.” She pulled back and scrutinized Mikayla from head to toe then smiled. “At least you look fabulous today.”
Mikayla couldn’t help but smile. The top of her white V-neck dress separated from the black skirt by a thick gold belt accented her figure in all the right places. Renee insisted Mikayla buy the dress despite Mikayla’s protests about feeling ridiculous during their first shopping trip together. The garment was now one of Mikayla’s go to outfits. No wonder Renee loved it.
“Thank you, Renee. Only you would consider fashion the bright side to public ridicule.”
Renee grinned, reached over and smoothed a stray hair on Mikayla’s head. “Looking good on the outside makes every obstacle easier to face.”
Mikayla smiled in return, which quickly died when Ryan stuck his head in the doorway. Her stomach knotted.
“You work with him. Might as well get it over with.” Renee glared at Ryan on her way out the door.
Ryan tapped the side of his leg with his fist. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then blew out a breath. She wanted to scratch his eyes out. Instead, she curled her hands into fists.
“Mikayla,” he finally said taking slow, measured steps toward her. “I don’t know what to say.”
Her spine stiffened. “Then leave.”
He blew out a heavy breath, ran a hand over the waves of his perfectly faded haircut. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? Sorry? You’re damn right you’re sorry. I’m not even mad about the cheating really. I almost expected it from you.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Apparently it is fair. Because did you not fuck somebody else in a closet this weekend!” She sucked in a calming breath. Placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart, she stepped back, even though the desk separated them.
“Mikayla, I didn’t plan to cheat on you. I never intended to cheat on you. Everything I said about wanting to be with you, trying to get my life together, and finally settling down, was true. But…Angelica…she’s the one. The one I told you about. The one I fell in love with. I do care about you, Mikayla. I swear I never meant to hurt or embarrass you.”
She broke eye contact, not wanting to see the pain and sincerity in his dark gaze. He gave her the same sad look he’d used when he described the way Angelica left him years ago. The look that used to make her feel sorry for him.
“You could have said s
omething. Explained who she was. I would have understood.”
“I know. That was my plan, but things happened. The situation spiraled out of control, and I hurt you. You know you’re more than an employee to us…to me.” He leaned on the desk and lowered his head and tried to make eye contact. “Can we still be friends?”
She met his gaze. Saw the guy who teased her and Renee about their obsession with hair. The guy who came to her for advice on a new development or brought in her favorite bagels for breakfast. She saw her friend and was surprised a part of her wanted to say yes.
She shook her head. They weren’t friends. He’d run this same game on every other woman, and she’d watched from the sidelines as they easily fell. No wonder Andre thought she’d be back with Ryan in no time.
“We can’t be friends, Ryan. We never were friends.”
He jerked back.
Mikayla straightened her shoulders and grabbed her a portfolio off the desk. “Don’t talk to me unless it has something to do with work. Otherwise, you don’t exist.” She stalked around the desk and out of the office. Wishing she had a cigarette, and that she could smoke it with Andre.
CHAPTER 11
By Wednesday afternoon, Andre craved a cigarette and Mikayla. Getting over the mid-week hump didn’t usually mean much to him. His work days tended to blend into the weekends. Last week with Mikayla was the first weekend he could remember actually relaxing. A few days with a woman had him reevaluating his beliefs that only the unmotivated counted down to a weekend of doing nothing.
He left work, and the hustle of downtown Greenville traffic, and drove toward Simpsonville. He kept a condo downtown and usually stayed there during the week. But the small house he owned out in the country was home. The place provided an escape from the headaches at work, whenever he made the time to visit. In the year since he’d purchased the place, he’d only made it out there to stay twice. He didn’t really have the time to stay in the country tonight, but needed the break.
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