I dug in my wallet and pulled out a black card. “Take Banks shopping in the next couple of days,” I told her, handing over the credit card. “Will’s party is coming up, and she’ll need something to wear.”
Her impatient expression turned delighted as she snatched up the credit card.
“I’m a personal shopper?” she asked playfully. “Hoo-yah.”
“Bill me for your time.”
“Eh.” She shrugged. “Treat me to an outfit, as well, and we’ll call it even.”
She spun around and headed for the door.
“Alex?” I called. “Get her some clothes, too. Just everyday, average clothes.”
“And if she puts up a fight?”
I turned off the desk lamp and made my way toward the door. “Then buy whatever you want for her to wear. She’ll have some options if she ever decides to remove the stick in her ass.”
I opened the door wider, both of us walking out.
“How much can I spend?” she asked.
“I’ll call you when the text alerts start scaring me.”
I wrapped a rubber band around all the envelopes and grabbed my duffel bag. It was after six, and while we still had a steady flow of people coming in and out, I was done.
Will didn’t help, Rika was busy either teaching classes or going to school, and Michael was almost constantly gone. I was the only one who had absolutely nothing else to do with his day.
Not that I minded. I liked what we did here and where we were taking our other real estate interests, but I wanted to get over to The Pope. This time, alone.
Handing the stack of paychecks to Caroline, so she could dole them out, I waved goodnight and made my way out the front door.
Clouds loomed, rolling over the dark city like a flood of ocean waves, and it was unusually warm. Hot, even. I could smell the tar on the streets.
My phone rang, and I dug it out of my jeans pocket as I unlocked my car door and opened it.
“Hello?”
Tossing my duffel bag into the car, I took the phone with my other hand and switched ears.
The line was silent.
“Hello?” I asked again.
And then the voice
said, “Have you fucked her yet?”
I raised my chin, my spine straightening. Heat flooded my veins.
Damon.
I didn’t know what it was about his voice that rattled me. It always did in a way, but I hadn’t realized it until now. After going so long without hearing it.
Glacial. That’s what it was. He sounded like the point of a blade digging into your skin.
“She’s pretty when she sleeps,” he told me. “So many nights I watched her next to me, wishing I could sleep like that.”
My hand ached, and I realized my fist was strained around the door frame. I unclenched my fingers.