That was the problem. I suppose I was concerned that the woman in the seat next to where I should be seated wanted more. I could capitalize on that, take her to her home, stay and get my needs met, not giving a fuck about hers.
It’s not that I’d never done that. It’s that she worked with me. For me. I’d see her again. Using her and walking away would make me no better than my father. I wasn’t a good man, but I sure as hell was better than him. Granted, the bar wasn’t set that high, but I needed to start somewhere.
Mindlessly I rotated the gold band on the fourth finger of my left hand. Truth be told, I was a confident businessman who possessed very few—if any—nervous habits. Rotating my wedding ring wasn’t so much as a nervous habit as it was a routine, a comfort, a reminder of a time when life was better, a time when stars aligned, a time when I had fucks to give—in all meanings of the word.
“Lennox,” Deloris Witt said as she came to a stop, standing beside me.
Before acknowledging the woman whom I employed, I nodded to the bartender. “Make it a double.”
“You need to be in your seat for the presentation. After all, this room is filled because of your donation, the donation made by Demetri Enterprises. They need to see a face with the name.”
“Silvia should be the face.” I was less angry about Silvia’s inability to attend this benefit than I was bothered. When it came to Silvia Demetri, our relationship had its ebbs and flows. Right now, I was here because she asked me to do this and I agreed.
It might be worthwhile to note that I’m not always an asshole.
I looked to Mrs. Witt. “I know, Deloris, you could be that face.” The deep green of her dress caught my attention as I scanned her up and down. It wasn’t often that I gave Deloris Witt’s gender much consideration. It didn’t matter to me whether she was a man or a woman. What mattered was that she got the job done—handled my affairs with the utmost diplomacy and discretion.
Her lips pursed. “I work for Demetri. I’m not Demetri. That’s you.”
I shook my head as I looked down and noticed the way her dress reached all the way to the tops of her shoes. “You look very nice. Are those high heels?” I felt the way my cheek quirked with amusement. “I didn’t even know you owned high heels.”
“There’s a lot about me that you don’t know.”
“Well, that seems unfair. After all, you know all about me.”
“I do. I know you should be going to your seat, and you should probably leave the rest of the drink here.”
There weren’t many people in the world who spoke to me the way Deloris did. As I gave that more thought, I narrowed the field. No one spoke to me the way that Deloris did. She was old enough to be my mother—if she gave birth at fourteen. And yes, that could be possible, but it wasn’t.
Deloris wasn’t my mother. She was the closest thing I had to a conscience. And given her line of work, past and present, it meant that my conscience was less like Jiminy Cricket and more like Penelope on that crime show.
“I don’t appreciate that you suggested...insisted,” I corrected, “that I bring Millie.”
Deloris’s voice lowered. “We needed someone at your side. It’s not like she’s an Infidelity employee.”
My jaw clenched at the mention of that company. I despised everything about it.
“She’s a colleague,” Deloris went on. “That’s all. She’s simply here so you’re not sitting alone, you’re not being photographed alone, and you’re not alone. She knows that this is merely for publicity. That’s what she does. Besides, it’s about time to get your face out more and squash the rumors of the brooding, workaholic hermit.”
I laughed as I swirled the remaining whiskey. The aromatic scent of oak with a hint of mint filled my senses, reminding me how good it tasted. “Why? Brooding, workaholic hermit sounds like an accurate description.”
Glancing at the custom tuxedo I was wearing, I looked up to Deloris and winked. “Oh, and don’t forget devilishly handsome, especially tonight in this monkey suit.”
For the first time since she came to find me, she grinned. “Yes, Mr. Demetri, you’re handsome. But you know what? It’s okay to enjoy life a little too.”
“I do. I enjoy working. I enjoy building Demetri Enterprises.”
“What about your philanthropic work?”
My head wobbled indecisively upon my shoulders. “It’s more Silvia’s thing. She cares and all that shit. Give back. Pay it forward. Make the world a better place. My ship sailed on that one, but I get it.”
“And she couldn’t be here, so you are.” The ceiling lights dimmed as the area around the podium grew brighter. “That’s your cue,” Deloris said.
“I hate this.”
“No, you don’t,” she said as she reached for my not-yet-empty glass, taking it from my grasp and placing it on the bar. “Go.”
“Mrs. Witt, we need to discuss the boundaries of your job. I believe you’re bordering on insubordination.”
She smiled. “Yes, tomorrow we’ll have that discussion.”
I narrowed my gaze. “If you’re still employed.”
Instead of answering, she waved her hand—an upside-down queen’s wave—shooing me toward the table we both shared.
Straightening my shoulders and adjusting my tie with Deloris a step behind me, we walked into the sea of tables, dodging chairs as murmurs grew quieter and a woman in a long black gown approached the microphone. Without thinking, I reached for my left hand. The smooth band spun as I gave it a twist.
If only.
Millie’s gaze met mine as I reached our table and tugged my chair. Once I was seated, she leaned closer. “I was afraid you left.”
My body involuntarily stiffened and jaw clenched as sweet perfume replaced the scent of whiskey. The way her hair grazed my cheek caused the small hairs on the back of my neck to stand to attention. I noticed Mrs. Witt’s stare as she sat at the other side of the table. Forcing myself to remain seated, I feigned a smile. “And miss this presentation? I wouldn’t think of it.”
Millie reached for my hand, my left hand. As her fingers grazed my skin, she looked down at the golden band. “Lennox, I know...I’m—”
Pulling my hand away, I shook my head and turned my gaze to the front of the room. The woman in the long black dress had begun to speak.
“...tonight. As you all know, were it not for the generosity of Demetri Enterprises...”
Two
Lennox
The shrill noise shattered my restless sleep, the ringing of my phone propelling me from slumber to reality. My heart thundered with that first microsecond of uncertainty. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, the red numbers of my clock came into view: 4:56.
What the fuck?
Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself up to sitting and wiped my hand over my face as my pulse steadied. A day’s worth of beard overgrowth abraded my palm before I raked back my hair and reached for the phone. I had little to fear with an early-morning call. Barring disaster, Demetri Enterprises was solid. Sadly, but honestly, there wasn’t anything or anyone else who warranted my concern.
That being the case, the incessant ringing wouldn’t disturb anyone else. I was the only one in my bed, my bedroom, and my apartment.
Since my alarm was set for four minutes into the future, the loss of four fucking minutes of sleep shouldn’t make me angry. And yet, somehow knowing—even without looking—who was responsible for the loss of slumber sent kerosene through my veins.
The last way I wanted to start my day was with a phone call from him.
It wasn’t like he was interrupting his sleep. No, it was five hours later in London. Hell, he was probably eyeing his liquor cabinet and making lunch plans.
“What do you want?” I said, after confirming my suspicions with the name that flashed on the screen. I didn’t even try to disguise my irritation as I stood with the phone at my ear, my morning wood quickly losing its rigid form. Despite the quelling erection, my cock was in full view. Whether alone or not, I never was one to sleep in...well, anything.
“The day’s half over,” my father’s voice boomed. “I’d assumed my son would at least be awake.”