“Exactly.”
Chapter Seventeen
Liam
Tess and I ended up spending half the day with Gran, and then we want back to her place, where I watched her work on her lingerie. I spent the night there, and as a result, I only slept a few hours yet again. I felt as if I was hungover, but it had been so damn worth it.
I was already looking forward to when I’d see Tess next. We didn’t make any plans—we’d been too busy devouring each other—but I wanted to actually take her out somewhere she’d like. I needed some intel on what would make Tess happy, and I was certain Skye would have no problem sharing info.
I was in a great mood when I reached the brownstone and was determined not to be an ass to anyone today. Unfortunately, I realized something was amiss the minute I stepped through the office doors.
The interns were all quiet, which never happened. And Becca was on the interns’ floor, huddled on a beanbag with her laptop. That also never happened. She liked to be alone when she was working, insisted she couldn’t focus if others were around. She was wearing David’s bulky noise-canceling headphones. I looked questioningly at Dexter, who just nodded to Becca. I went straight to her, lowering myself to my haunches so she’d see me.
She startled, taking off her headphones.
“What happened to make you work in public?” I asked.
Becca frowned, pointing at the interns. “I need people around to keep me from going inside your office.”
“Why?”
“Albert’s there.”
A vein pulsed in my temple. We had a simple agreement with Albert: we sent him a check every month, and he never, ever showed his face here. “What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. David left the second he found out Albert’s here.”
Which meant I had to deal with him, as usual. I rose to my feet, patting Becca’s shoulder.
“I’ll get rid of him.” I just had to remain calm and civil.
I took my time, making myself a coffee and then drinking it slowly. Dexter was looking at me with raised eyebrows. Even the interns could tell I was procrastinating. I always took the bull by the horns, but usually the opponent wasn’t someone who used to be a close friend. I didn’t take betrayal lightly.
After finishing my coffee, I went upstairs. Prolonging this wasn’t going to do me any favors, so it was better to just get it over with.
I opened the door and stopped in my tracks. Albert was sitting in my chair. That pulsing vein threatened to explode.
“Get up from my chair,” I barked. So much for keeping calm.
; “Hello to you too, Liam.”
“Get. Up.”
He held his hands up in defense, rising from the chair. I hadn’t seen him in three years, but he looked just the same. Bald, expensive jeans and shirt, sunglasses on top of his head, even though there was no sun today.
“I was just testing the...amenities. You’re spending a pretty penny on all this.”
“Why are you here?”
I sat in the chair he just vacated.
“I haven’t paid you a visit in three years.”
“Which suits us just fine. That’s the deal. You stay away, the checks come in your mail.”
Albert paced the room, looking out the window. “It’s all getting to be very boring.”