Chapter 14
I rolled over and smiled as I looked out the window at the sunrise over the ocean waters. As I lay there for a few moments, I heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in.”
Ian stood in the doorway and smiled at me. He looked incredibly sexy in his black sweat pants and black t-shirt, which clung to every definition his upper body had.
“You’re not out of bed yet?” he asked as he walked over and sat down on the edge. I sat up and stared at him as he took a hold of my hand.
“I sort of fell back asleep. That nightmare last night drained me again.”
“Your first duty as my assistant today is to call Dr. Neil. I thought maybe once Stephen was found and you knew he was safe, the nightmares would’ve stopped.”
“They’ve always been there. I can’t remember a night when I didn’t have them, except when I was drugged up for two days after you found me.”
Ian smiled as he brought his hand up to my face. “We’ll figure this out and get rid of those nightmares for good. Now, get dressed. We have a run to go for before we start our day.”
I stepped out of bed and threw on my yoga pants and tank top. When I went outside to meet Ian, he was standing by the water with his hands on his hips. Even the back of him was sexy, and I could sit and stare at him and his body all day.
“Hey, I think you’re falling behind, buddy!” I yelled as I ran past him.
“No fair.” He smiled as he ran and caught up to me.
I slowed down my pace and we ran together. I was curious to know more about Andrew, so I asked Ian about him.
“Tell me about Andrew,” I said.
“Why do you want to know about him?” he asked as he looked at me.
“He’s your best friend, and I want to know about your friends. Is something wrong with that?”
“No, I guess not. Andrew and I have been friends since we were thirteen years old. We’re like brothers. His dad died a few years back and left him his entire estate and business.”
“What about his mom?” I asked.
“He doesn’t see her very often. His parents divorced when he was sixteen and his mom started dating some guy that was twenty years younger than she was. As soon as his dad found out, he took her out of his will and left her with nothing.”
“Have you ever thought about looking for your mom?”
Ian suddenly stopped, and when he looked at me, anger consumed his eyes. “Why the f*ck would you bring her up?” he asked in an angry tone.
“I’m sorry, Ian. I just wondered.”
“Well, stop wondering and don’t mention it again. It was a one-time deal, me talking about her to you that night and it won’t happen again,” he snapped.
“You’re right, it won’t happen again,” I said as I ran ahead of him.
I finally saw the anger that consumed him about his mother, and it frightened me. The rest of the run was silent as we headed back to the house. I took a shower, changed into my business clothes, and walked down the stairs. Ian was walking through the foyer when he glanced up and immediately stopped in his tracks.
“You look amazing, Rory. The business look really suits you.” He smiled.
Thank you, a*shole, is what I wanted to say. “Thank you.”
“Follow me to my study. I have something to show you,” he said.
We walked to his study, and I went over to the new cherry wood desk that sat against the sidewall from Ian’s desk.
“This is your desk. I’ve supplied you with everything you’ll need and the computer is fully loaded with all the software you’ll be using.”
I looked at Ian and twisted my face. “There’s that adorable look again. Now, what?” He smiled.
“You never had an assistant work from home, have you?” I asked.
Ian put his hands in his pocket and casually walked over to his desk. “What makes you think that?”
“Because this desk wasn’t here the last time I was in your study and I don’t recall ever seeing another female in the house besides your maids and sex partners.”
Ian sighed and looked down at his desk. “Please don’t refer to those women as my sex partners, and you’re right, there was no assistant.”
“So you lied to me?” I asked.
Ian stepped away from his desk and walked over to me. He put his hands on my hips as he tried to explain to me what I’d asked him.
“Technically, no. I’d been planning on hiring someone all along. You came along and I thought you were perfect. End of discussion,” he said as he kissed my lips.
“Excuse me, Mr. Braxton, but I do believe we’re on company time. I would hate to think that you kiss all of your female employees on the lips.”
Ian chuckled. “Only the special ones.” He winked. “I do have to head to the office. I have some contracts here that need to be typed up. You’ll find the program on the computer. If you have any questions, just call me or Adalynn. She knows my software and she could probably help you.”
“You never told me that you’re partners with her at Prim.”
“Should I have? I didn’t really think about it,” he said.
“No, I guess not.” I sighed.
Ian smiled and left his study. I sat down in the plush black office chair and opened the first file for the contracts that needed to be typed up. I turned on the computer and a picture of the most amazing flowers filled the screen. I smiled because he remembered how much I loved flowers. As I became familiar with the program, and started typing the contracts, an hour had passed, and Mandy, one of Ian’s maids, knocked lightly on the study door.
“Come in, Mandy.”
“I brought you some coffee, Miss Sinclair, and a chocolate chip muffin. Charles made them per the request of Mr. Braxton.”
“Thank you, Mandy, and please call me Rory. Tell Charles I said thank you.”
“I will.” She smiled.
Mandy was a cute girl. She looked to be about mid-twenties with short black hair and green eyes that resembled cat eyes. She was very attractive. As I finished up the contracts, I ate my muffin and drank my coffee. The day went by pretty fast as I sat on the computer all day, studying the software that was loaded in the computer. Ian sent me a couple of text messages, asking me to make some phone calls for him. I got up from my desk just as Mandy walked in with a beautiful arrangement of flowers.
“These just arrived for you, Rory.”
“Oh my gosh. They’re beautiful.” I smiled as I took them from her and set them on the desk.
There was an envelope that was sticking out from the top, so I pulled out the card that was inside.
For a beautiful assistant.
Welcome to Braxton Development.
Best, Ian
My smile widened as I took note of the word “beautiful” he had called me again. I stuck my nose in the flowers and took in their amazing scent, then picked up my phone to send Ian a text message.
“Do you always call your assistants beautiful? Thank you very much for the flowers.”
“No, because I only have one assistant who’s beautiful and you’re welcome. 2 more days!”
After my work was finished, I left Ian’s study and walked to the kitchen. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Ian’s father, Richard, sitting at the table.
“Well, well, I thought you moved out,” he said.
I walked over to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of water before replying to him.
“I did move out, Richard. I’m working as Ian’s assistant. Today’s my first day.”
He looked at me and knitted his eyebrows while giving me a sinister look. “Really? My son hired you?”
Remain calm. He’s nothing. You’ve handled far worse. “Yes, Ian did hire me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” I smiled as I began to walk out of the kitchen.
“You’re not excused, little lady. Get back here!” he exclaimed.
I slowly turned around and stared at the so-called man before me. He got up from his chair and walked over to me.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-three,” I replied.
“You’re just a baby. No wonder why my son is keeping you around. If it’s money you want, name your price.”
His words were unbelievable to me, and I felt like a ticking time bomb ready to explode any second.
“I don’t have a price, Richard. Ian was kind enough to take me in and help me out. He’s given me a chance to start my life over, and I will always be indebted to him for that.”
“You poor, na?ve little girl. My son will break you. When he tires of you, which he will, he’ll break your spirit and then he’ll go on with his life as if you never existed.”
“Dad of the year, right? You taught him well. You should be so proud,” I said.
“Rory! That’s enough!” Ian yelled.
I quickly turned around to find Ian standing there with anger displayed all over his face. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I couldn’t answer him because it was apparent that he walked in on what I said, and he didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. I shook my head and stormed past him, bumping into his shoulder as I walked by. As I went down to the beach to try and calm down, I was burning mad at the way that man talked to me and also at how Ian walked in and yelled at me without hearing what his father had said.
“He’s an a*shole; what can I say?” Ian said as he walked up behind me.
“Yeah, well, you didn’t hear the things he said to me.”
“Then tell me, Rory,” he whispered as he put his hands on my shoulders.
“He told me to name my price.”
I wasn’t about to tell him what his father had said about him. So I just left it at that.
Ian’s hands lightly squeezed my shoulders. “I’m sorry. He’s just looking out for me. He doesn’t trust you because he thinks all women are after my money.”
“I don’t care about your money. But I will tell you this: you better set him straight or I will quit being your assistant and you won’t ever see me again.”
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back. “I know you don’t give a shit about my money and don’t talk crazy. You aren’t going anywhere. Two more days,” he said as he lightly kissed my neck.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you know how many times you’ve said that today?”
“Yes. Can you tell how impatient I am?” he said as he kissed my head.
I brought my hands up to his arms, which held me tightly. “Thank you again for the beautiful flowers.”
“You’re welcome. I’m having dinner with Andrew tonight so I have to get ready to leave. Are you going to be okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m going to head home anyway. Enjoy your dinner,” I said as I broke from his grip and started to walk away.
“You can spend the night again,” he said.
I didn’t respond. I just put my hand up and waved. Grabbing my purse from Ian’s study, I got into my new car and drove away.