She beamed. “I swear everything sounds so much better in French!”
“Exactly!” I chuckled.
We shared one last look and then she walked out. But I knew she’d be back, and I would forgive her.
Sighing, I got up when the door opened again. This time Dorian came in and behind him Goldie and Rafael, who were both quiet—something completely unlike either of them.
“So, this CEO position is only temporary,” Goldie stated, looking directly at Dorian. “I’m just filling in until you get better and not a day more.”
“Some would say you aren’t even qualified for the position now,” Dorian replied. “Rafael, I’m sure you’re going to help make sure she doesn’t let the power go to her head.”
“Oh good, I’m getting a promotion, too.” Rafael tried to smile, but then looked to me. “I’m counting on you to watch out for my friend here.”
“How many times do I have to say it? We aren’t—”
“I’ve got him,” I replied, interrupting Dorian as I moved over to him. “We’re heading to the hospital now.”
“We should be going.” He took my hand. “We’ll call you later.”
They nodded, and as we walked out of his office, a few other people on the floor stopped what they were doing and stared. A part of me expected them to clap but instead they all told him they’d see him when he got back. Dorian looked stunned, like he hadn’t expected any of them to notice him leave or care. But how could they not?
“They like you. They really like you,” I said softly when we got on the elevator.
He snickered and glanced down at me. “Who would have thought?”
“Me. You’re hard not to like,” I said once we got out on the bottom floor. Even there, the guards and the employees at the front desk wished him well. I’m sure he tried not to show it but I saw the small smile on his lips.
“Sir,” Finnick said, waiting in front of the car. The reporters and even a few of the protestors were gone, most likely having followed the cops as they took Eva.
“Finnick, your job is to watch out for the CEO of Rhys-Gallagher National, that isn’t me anymore,” Dorian replied, holding out his hand. “I think I’d like to drive my girlfriend today.”
Finnick wanted to argue, I could see it, but he let it go and gave Dorian the keys. “I’ll prepare your flight training for when you get back.”
“I look forward to it,” Dorian said, opening the passenger side door for me. On his way back to the driver’s side, he shook Finnick’s hand and got in.
“Why do you always say Rafael isn’t your friend?” I asked when he pulled onto the street.
He grinned. “Because he isn’t. Neither is Goldie, they are more like family, younger siblings.”
“Why don’t you tell them?”
“Oh God no, they wouldn’t let me hear the end of it. Could you imagine Rafael? He’d come into the office calling me ‘bro.’”
I laughed outright. He was right, and the more I learned about him, the more I loved him.
DORIAN
I’d never thought about it before: how crazy it was that the only way to save ourselves sometimes was to poison ourselves. That was what chemotherapy was—poison. Poison I’d elected to inject into my own veins. It was going to make me nauseous and vomit, drop weight, lose my hair, and that was just the beginning. It was insanity. It was torture, and yet there was no other way.
“Have you talked about preparing for children?” my doctor asked as he stood at the foot of my bed.
I looked over to Luella, and she nodded. “If we want more children later, we’re going to adopt.”
“Okay, were going to start,” he said, nodding over to the nurse.
I looked away from the nurse and focused only on Luella’s face. She kissed my knuckles over and over again.
“You should get used to this now,” she said softly. “I’m holding on to you forever.”
“Good, never let me go.”
About the Author
J.J. McAvoy was born in Montreal, Canada. She is the oldest of three and has loved writing for years. Her works are inspired by everything from Shakespearean tragedies to modern pop culture. Her first novel, Ruthless People, was a runaway bestseller. Currently she’s traveling all across the world, writing, looking for inspiration, and meeting fans. To get in touch, please stay in contact via her social media pages, which she updates regularly.
http://jjmcavoy.com/
https://www.facebook.com/iamjjmcavoy/
https://twitter.com/JJMcAvoy
Also by J.J. McAvoy
RUTHLESS PEOPLE Series
Ruthless People
The Untouchables
American Savages
A Bloody Kingdom
Declan + Coraline (a prequel novella)
CHILDREN OF VICE Series (Ruthless People spinoff)
Children of Vice
Children of Ambition
Children of Redemption
SINGLE TITLE ROMANCE
Black Rainbow
Rainbows Ever After (sequel novella)
That Thing Between Eli and Gwen
Sugar Baby Beautiful
Malachi and I
Child Star
Never Let Me Go Page 22