When Jamie had told Winnie that she and Pem were the only two that survived, she wasn’t kidding. Of the fifty-three men and women at the unit that day, they were the only two that had been able to walk away.
“Pem operated on me while I was lying there with my gun, watching over us. The entire time she was doing it, she was berating me for taking such a chance. It took three days before anyone came to check on us and another two before anyone decided to not blame us for the number of deaths. It might have been a shorter time, but the major in charge hadn’t called anyone in when he realized there was trouble going on, He had thought, like most people with a dick and no brains would, that he’d be able to rectify what the hell was going on.” Winnie didn’t say anything as the younger woman came back to sit down. “These men were fighting for us, or they were supposed to be. Not only did they kill all the men and women there with us, but they thought it was one big fucking joke. I don’t trust anyone but a handful of people to have my back. I’m sorry if that isn’t what you want to hear, but that’s the way it rocks for me.”
“I understand. However, I do hope you’ll give us a chance to be there for you should it ever come to that. Not only am I better at keeping you safe, but I’m also more experienced at it.” Jamie told her she wasn’t stupid. “No, I’d say you’re very intelligent. I wonder if Milo knows just how smart you really are. Does anyone, including Pem, know that?”
“It’s never come up.” Nodding, Winnie decided she’d not tell anyone of this conversation unless asked by Cooper. He was the only person she had to tell if he questioned her. “Are we good here? I have some shit to do today, and I was wondering if you’re going to be around.”
“Here? No, I wasn’t. Is it necessary that I am?” Jamie said she didn’t care one way or the other, but since Milo was gone as well, she didn’t want her thinking they’d abandoned her. “I don’t think that. But I do appreciate you telling me. Anything I can help you with?”
“I don’t know. What do you know about corporate buyouts?” Winnie decided even if she didn’t know shit about whatever Jamie was doing today, she’d still go with her. “I have to go to one of the businesses I own and figure out why the head of the company thinks I should sell out.”
“I’d love to go.”
They were headed out the door when Winnie heard from Carson. She didn’t pause to listen to the woman but got into the car with Jamie. They were on the road when Carson finally got to the point.
I need you to go by the new hospital. Something is going on with one of the walls that is giving the architect some issues. I can’t even begin to wonder what the hell he’s talking about, but there is something going on with the electrical. Can you check it out? She told her she had Jamie with her. She might be able to make heads or tails out of it better than I am over the phone. I don’t want to have to go there and kick this guy’s ass to make him understand he’s not good at explaining shit to people.
They headed there first. Jamie told her she could get her shit done later, but the electrical, whatever it was, sounded more important than buyouts. Winnie hoped it was a simple fix for them both, but she had Carson check on the issue Jamie was having. While she did that, she and Jamie went to the sixth floor to see what could be going on.
~*~
Jamie tried listening to the manager telling her what he was thinking when he’d set up a meeting with a couple of different buyers for himself. It was only one of the many businesses her family had owned prior to their deaths.
“You see, when your parents were alive, they just let me do what I wanted when it came to the business. It has worked out well for us since the beginning of my tenure here.” He smiled, but it wasn’t all that reassuring. Winnie didn’t say anything, but Jamie could tell she was one second from killing the man. “You must not bother yourself with this, Jamie. As I said, I have everything under control here. However, if you’d give me the name of the person who called you in on this, I will make sure they know not to bother you again.”
“I want to be bothered.” He shook his head at her. “This is my company, correct? I’m the one that pays your check, as well as funds this place when it needs it. Is that correct?”
“It is correct, but as I have said to you many times now, it’s not necessary for you to bother with this. I have it well under control.” She asked him again who was the buyer and what they were paying. “You see, that’s you bothering with this again. I have all the specs in my office. It’s going to go smoothly, and once the buyout is taken care of, we won’t have to use your money any longer.”
“I’m not going to ask you again, Mr. Huber. Who the fuck is thinking they’re going to buy my company from me?” He told her, finally, that it was a warehousing firm by the name of Nelson Wholesale. “Why is a wholesale business wanting to purchase a company that makes boxes for jewelry and small, expensive items? That is what we do here, correct? I have the specs, as you called them, right here. And nowhere on it does it mention any other things we sell that are on this list that Nelson sells. What is it they think they’re going to do with this company that will help them?”
“Well, when are you leaving so I can handle this?” Huber looked at Winnie when she cleared her throat. Jamie was still waiting on the man to continue when Winnie had done that. Jamie thought for sure she was going to tell her if she let it go, she was going to rip her a new ass. Sort of. But she wasn’t going to be happy.
Make him tell you. Jamie frowned, and Winnie winked. Demand that he tells you what you want to know. I think you have an idea as to what it is. Just make him answer you. All you need to do that is in your head now. Just do it.
She looked at Huber again and could see that he was sweating. Profusely. When he mopped his handkerchief across his forehead, he said he was going to go and let her and her friend work it out.
He has no idea who I’m mated to. Nor does he know you. Winnie told her that in this, it didn’t matter. But she could make him tell her everything, including the type of sex he loved. No thanks. All right. But you’ll bail me out if I fuck this up.
You won’t, Jamie. You’re going to be just fine. She hoped so. Jamie had seen firsthand what raping someone’s mind could do to them. Go for it.
“You know what? I’ve had enough of your shit. Tell me right now what the fuck is going on with my company, and I want the truth. All of it.” She could see the man struggling with not answering her. Jamie didn’t even feel bad when blood started to stream down his chin from biting his lips. “Tell me.”
She could feel it then, the compulsion she’d put into the last part of her demand. When he started sobbing, saying what was going on, she was too shocked to understand him until he started to repeat himself.
“She made me do it. Momma said the only way I was going to amount to anything was to sell this stupid company to her brother, then she’d allow me back into her good graces. My momma can be so mean when it strikes her, and I just couldn’t say no any longer. It’s not like anyone ever showed up here before now. Who would have known what I was doing until it was too late? No one, that’s who. Now here you are making demands, and my mom is going to be so pissed off at me that she’ll lock me out of the house again.” Jamie asked him how old he was. “Fifty-seven. What does that have to do with anything? What Momma wants, Momma gets. She’s so mean to me. I need this to work, Ms. Darkhouse. It has got to. I don’t want to be left out of my mom’s house anymore. Just go home, and I’ll have it all finished up in no time. Please? I beg of you. Let me make my momma happy.”
Winnie looked as surprised as she did when Jamie glanced over at her. He was selling her company to his uncle so that his momma would be happy? At fucking fifty-seven years of age? What the mother fucking hell?
“This right here is why I have trust issues.” Winnie laughed, and Jamie turned back to Huber. “You’re fired. As of this very moment, you will have your desk cleaned out and your possessi
ons sent to you—and only what belongs to you. I would like your badge right now.”
He was sobbing as he turned it over to her, telling her again how unhappy his mother was going to be. Winnie called security for her, and after telling them what she wanted, Huber was escorted out of the building while she sat there thinking about what the hell had just happened.
Do you need my help? She looked around for Milo and remembered that he could speak to her. I can come there after I leave here if you wish. To see what we can do to fix this for you. I’m sorry this happened.
I am too, but I don’t think, now that the sale has been taken care of, that there is anything I have to be on top of. Winnie is here with me. He said that was who had contacted him. I guess I will have to find someone to come in and run the day to day, but I have a feeling I’m going to have to take more interest in what I’m in charge of.
That I can help you with. If you get with your attorney and ask them to make you a list of the places you own, the managers’ names and things like that, he should be able to do that. I’ll have Aunt Carson go over the list to see if any of them are a momma’s boy who you might have to fire. Winnie said she’d not had any idea the man was going to say that. She laughed, telling him she’d not either. I love my mom to pieces, but she’d kick my ass if I was still living at home by fifty-seven and trying to make her happy by espionage.
I wonder if my parents ever went to the board meetings and such. Right now, I’m thinking not. I was just thinking I’d make a plan to meet with each of them as soon as possible to show them I am not my parents. That should stir up some mommas. They were both laughing when she pulled her notes to her. I have one more meeting today, then I’m finished. After that, I’m thinking I’d like to have you jump my bones. Or I’m not opposed to jumping yours. It’s been a while, so I might need some help. He was quiet, but she knew he was still listening to her. Or not. It’s not that big of a deal, you know.
It is to me. Christ, you have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to hunt you down in that big house and do just that. She asked him what had stopped him. I didn’t want to rush you into anything. Ever.
And here I thought it was my body odor or something. He told her that he could smell her, and she smelled of home to him. I’m sorry. I never quite know when it’s a good time to make a joke or not. Not that it matters—I still fail at making them. I’d love to share my bed with you. I don’t know what’s in there right now—in the master bedroom, I mean—but I’m willing to bet if I talk to Jangles, he can make sure we have more than we might need.
I’m sure he can. Have him work on that for you, and I’ll take you out to dinner when I’m finished here. Then I can take you in the limo on the way to the restaurant, in the place, and on the way home, so I’ll be ready and not too needy by the time we get home.
When Winnie joined her again, Jamie had already sent Jangles to have someone take care of the master bedroom. She was talking to her attorney, someone else she’d not met yet when Winnie sat across from her. Explaining what she wanted from him seemed to be getting her nowhere until she decided she had enough of getting the runaround.
“I’ll be at your office in twenty minutes.” Winnie said she could have her there in two seconds. “Better yet, I’m in the lobby now. I want you to be ready with the information I’ve asked for, or I’m not above firing someone else today. Do you understand me?”
“I don’t have time for this.” She told Mr. Yankee he’d better be making time. “Well, aren’t you just the bossy thing? I’ll try and be ready, and if I’m not, you’re going to have to wait like everyone else I work with. I don’t have time for your drama today.” Then the phone went dead.
“He hung up on me.” Winnie took the phone from her and put it back in the cradle. “I was going to have you pop me into the lobby, but I think I’d rather just be right up there in his office. Can you do that?”
“I can. It would be my pleasure.” Winnie was laughing as she stood up. “I think I’m going to like working with you, Jamie. You certainly like to get to the heart of shit. Here we go.”
Jamie didn’t know what she had expected when popping into the office, but it certainly wasn’t her attorney fucking a woman from the backend and yelling how he was coming. She waited with Winnie until he staggered back before she spoke. It took her two tries to talk over the laughter of Winnie when she finally got her point across.
“Put that little thing away. No one on an empty or full stomach wants to see that thing this early in the morning.” He just stared at her as if he’d never seen a woman before. “Oh, do put it away. It’s nasty looking and tiny. I want to talk to you about how I’m going to fire you as my attorney. In the event you have your fucking head on straight now, my name is Jamie Darkhouse Manning. Get my files gathered up—by someone else if you please—and I’ll let you get back to—” She looked at the woman. “I’m assuming you’re not his wife.”
“No. His new secretary. I was gonna quit after today anyway. He does have a little cock.”
The woman left, telling her that she’d be back with her files. Mr. Yankee continued to sit there with his pants open and his eyes closed. Shaking her head, she left him there when Winnie left.
It was a few seconds later that she heard screams from the office she’d left. Winnie joined her in the front office and told her that Mrs. Yankee was in there now. All hell, she supposed, had just broken loose. But Jamie had her files, so it didn’t bother her when Mrs. Yankee left the office with her phone pressed to her ear, calling her attorney, Jamie assumed.
“This is a really fucked up day, don’t you think?’ Winnie laughed and said she’d had a good time. “Me too, if you want the truth. But now I have to find someone to work for me that won’t be bending his help over his desk while on the clock. Know of anyone?”
“I do. But I think you should let one of us take care of it. You’ve had enough fun for one day.” She said she really had. “I’ll take you to lunch. The other women, Milo’s mother and aunts, are going to meet us. They’ve already popped into this part of the country to eat with us.”
“I don’t even care where it’s at so long as I can have a large piece of dark chocolate when I’m finished.”
They popped into a lovely little bistro and sat down. They must have been expecting them because there were two seats ready for them.
Winnie told them what they’d been up to while Jamie ordered her brownie, a house specialty. After that, she didn’t give a shit what else happened to her today. Life was suddenly just peachy. Until tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow she’d have to make things work out better for herself and Milo. But for now, she was content to have lunch with these women.
Chapter 4
Milo had heard from his mom three times since leaving the office. He’d not made it home, but he was told that the house was ready for him and Jamie. Lily had made sure things were just so for him. Mom had told him how much better a mood Jamie was in after having a dark chocolate brownie.
She seemed to just melt in the seat after having one. I swear to you, it was like watching someone have sex. She enjoyed it so much. He begged his mom not to talk about sex. Why not? I don’t know if you realize this or not, but someone somewhere had to have sex in order for you to be here.
That’s not the point. You’re my mother, and there is a breaking point that—just don’t talk about sex with me. All right? She laughed, and he had to smile. I’ve set up some things to be brought here when you get home. Dad said he thought I’d like to have a few pieces of art that I did when I was in that phase of my life. Also, there are some of his things that he’s sending along. Have you spoken to him?
I have. He’s sending some of the things I had saved back from when you were smaller. Not a great deal of things, but some I thought you and Jamie would enjoy seeing. Also, I’ve been talking to some of the other dragons, and it seems that you and Jamie can have childre
n, but at this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what sort of magic they could have. He asked her if they thought he could have a dragon. No, I’m sorry. Not with her being a human before all her magic. Did you tell me she has no one but her sister in her life? I have been doing some research on a couple of things for her. I think there is more than just the money she inherited from her family estate. It looks like there was a policy from her great-grandmother that hasn’t been cashed. I have Carson looking into it. It’s a hefty amount of money because of interest being accumulated.
I know she’s going to say she doesn’t need it, but I’ll let her know as soon as I see her. Not as soon as he saw her, but he would make it a point to tell her at some time. Milo had plans for tonight. Then he remembered why he’d wanted to talk to his mom. I know you’re more than likely looking into this for her, as she said she was going to ask. But do you remember that young boy you scared straight about ten or so years ago? I think his name was Matthew or something.
Marshall. Marshall Fender. Yes, I remember him well. He is an attorney—oh Milo, what a wonderful idea. Yes, I’ll contact him right away. He smiled when his mom figured it out. Yes, I’ll contact him right now and see if he’s still happy with his job. I doubt he really is. No one likes to work for a large company when they’re stuck doing all the work. All right, son. I’ll talk to you later. Just so you know, you get all your brilliance from me.
I know that. And Dad tells me the same thing when I talk to him.
She was laughing when she closed the connection. He’d thought about his mom and Marshall several times throughout the day and thought he’d make a wonderful attorney for Jamie.
Milo: Xavier’s Hatchlings ― Paranormal Dragon Shifter Romance Page 5