Her words, particularly the word friends, struck me. “You’ve worked here for a day, and you’ve already decided we’re friends?”
JP re-crossed her arms. “I don’t see any other awesome help around here. Besides, I’m in the market for another friend. Last one turned out to be a bitch who stole my clothes and didn’t give them back. At least if we were friends and if I keep working here, I’ll know where my clothes are if you steal them, and I’ll steal yours back too because they’re bound to be kick-ass.”
I could barely keep up with the girl. “One day at a time, girly.”
I looked down at the card. Beneath his office number was another phone number written in that bold handwriting I already recognized. I assumed it was his cell phone.
Then I flipped the card over. What was written on the back surprised me.
You have a 9 a.m. appointment tomorrow at the NOLA Entrepreneur Fund.
Don’t be late. Bring your business plan.
What the hell?
I remembered our encounter in the bank and the loan officer who couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Titan knew I wanted Dirty Dog, knew I needed capital, so he’d just gone ahead and set up an appointment for me at the place I was considering trying to make an appointment to get a grant?
I wanted to be pissed at his high-handedness. I wanted to tear up the business card and throw it in the trash because of his ridiculous presumption. But I didn’t, because I wanted Dirty Dog more. I grabbed my purse and tucked the card in my wallet. I wouldn’t cut off my nose to spite my face, but that didn’t mean I was going to thank him with a celebratory blow job or anything.
And with the thought of Lucas Titan’s cock in my mouth, I went back to work.
I TOSSED MY PHONE IN my desk drawer and slammed it shut. I wasn’t going to stare at the damn thing and wait for it to ring. Yve would call or she wouldn’t, and I wasn’t the kind of punk-ass, whiny bitch of a man to wait and wonder when that would happen. It had been over twenty-four hours, and still nothing.
I’ll decide when and where. That damn woman. I’d make her beg. Because this was ridiculous. I’m Lucas Fucking Titan, and no one calls the shots but me.
I had a state senator who wanted an open-ended favor, but I wouldn’t give it to him because I refused to be put at a disadvantage—and that was in the face of the twin rewards of proving my father wrong and adding potentially billions to the bottom line of Titan Industries. And yet I’d put myself at a disadvantage to get back inside the sweetest, sassiest pussy I’d ever had.
What was it about that woman?
My office door banged open and Colson walked in.
“Come on in, why don’t you?” I snapped.
His head jerked up. “What’s got your panties in a wad? Need to get some? I’ve got this chick, she’d probably take us both on. If you’re into that kind of thing.” He looked at the floor. “Not saying I want to see your dick or anything, but—”
“No. And never bring that up again.”
He shrugged. “Just trying to be helpful.”
“Then how about you be helpful by finding me a group of senators who have backbones?”
“I’m working on it. But what you said about Hendricks and Shuman is holding true with everyone else I’ve contacted. Doesn’t matter where their district is in the damn state, it seems that Haines put the word out to steer clear of you and the bill.”
“That prick.”
“He have some kind of grudge you don’t realize?”
“You’re the one who did the investigation on him,” I snapped. “You tell me.”
Colson shook his head. “No connection to you or Titan Industries on any level. Doesn’t make any sense other than he wants your favor in his back pocket. He wouldn’t be the first or the last. Occam’s Razor, right? Simplest answer is usually the right one.”
My phone buzzed in my drawer.
“Sure. Whatever. Get out.”
“What?”
I pulled the drawer open and grabbed my phone. There was a text alert from an unknown number.
“I said get out.” I jerked my head toward the door.
“Fine. I’ll go round up more senators.”
I waved him off and tapped in my code to unlock the screen. The text popped up when I clicked on the app.
Tonight. Midnight. Dirty Dog. Don’t wear a suit.
I didn’t take orders, hadn’t for years. But this one I would make an exception for.
“What’s that smirk for? Normally I recognize them all, but that one’s new and different.”
I glanced up, the smirk Colson had called out immediately falling away. “I told you to get out.”
“And I wanted to know what the hell has you grinning like a little kid.”
Scowling at him, I said, “Get the fuck out. If I want you to know something, I’ll tell you.”
He grabbed the door handle. “I’m watching out for you, whether you want me to or not. So deal with it.” He didn’t slam the door behind him like I would have, but then again, I was the boss. It shut with a decisive click.
When I looked back down at my phone, my smirk came back again. Don’t wear a suit.
Did she think I always wore a suit?
Oh, Yve.
This was going to be fun.