Money Man (King Maker 1)

I swallowed. “It’s not,” I said, trying to appear unaffected.

“Good.”

I turned to go back inside when his hand caught my arm. I waited for some kind of feeling to overcome me. But there was nothing like when Kalen touched me, which had burned through my skin like a brand.

“One more thing,” Scott said.

I almost groaned but managed to hold it in. I glared at him instead until his hand fell away.

“Melissa wants the ring.”

Talk about a jaw-dropping statement. Was he serious? It wasn’t like I wanted the damn thing. I’d left in such a rush after I saw the text from her on his phone, I hadn’t thought about the stupid ring. He’d been in the shower and I’d hurriedly packed a few things. My mind had been on finding a hotel for the night and what I would do after.

I’d called out sick the next day and had gone back to move the precious little I’d accumulated while living out from under my father’s rule. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized I’d just moved under someone else’s.

“You’re a piece of work,” I said by way of answer.

“Don’t blame me. If you’d been even a decent lay, I wouldn’t have had to go look for it elsewhere.”

I clenched my fist and struggled not to punch him in his smug face. I spun on my heels and went into the room.

Scott, being the good liar he was, smoothly transitioned into senior-in-charge like he hadn’t just insulted me.

I sat as far away from him as I could without it being too obvious as he went into speech mode.

“You are well aware of the rumors circling King Enterprises, specifically their private equity company.”

I wouldn’t have heard if not for Lizzy’s parents bringing it up the other night. Growing up in what some would call the “simple life,” technology wasn’t ingrained in my life. Sometimes I forgot I had a cell phone.

“The board brought us in to independently audit the financials of that corporation and not the entire conglomerate. The board wants to prove to the SEC and King’s clients that they have nothing to hide. Bringing us in as a firm without a stake in the larger audit pie makes our findings completely independent.”

Scott then began to dole out our assignments, leaving me for last.

“Bailey, you’ll be in charge of cash.”

I ground my teeth together. Of course, he’d give me grunt work. I would be responsible for getting confirmations from the bank to ensure that what was on their balance sheet matched what the bank reported. But it wasn’t that simple. I also had to review the bank reconciliations for each of their cash accounts of which they had many. Joy, I thought and nodded without making a groan of protest.

I pulled out my laptop, having made a decision. I would see Kalen that night. Lizzy was right. I deserved to enjoy myself and not let a pond scum like Scott make me feel less of a woman. If he only knew that when I came that night, it would be my silent fuck you to the man I once thought I loved.

Seven

Though it had been a productive day, Scott didn’t let us go on time. I was going to be late meeting Kalen.

The group asked if I wanted to join them for dinner. As Scott watched, I relished, saying for his benefit, “I’m sorry I can’t tonight. I have a date.”

His eyes had burned into mine as a disapproving line flattened his mouth. I didn’t care and swept out of the room with a grin on my face until nervousness crept in. There was no time to go home and dress for the evening. Would Kalen still find me attractive free of makeup and dressed more like a librarian?

At the street, I hailed a cab. It wasn’t an expense I took lightly if I planned to find a decent apartment and move out of Lizzy’s place. But I didn’t want to take a chance with the train.

Lucky for me, I quickly got a taxi. As I sat, I thought again about adding the Uber app to my phone as I gave the cabbie the name of the restaurant. He nodded without needing me to give him the address. The place was kind of famous and on the expensive side. Several TV shows and movies had been filmed there, so it wasn’t unusual the cabbie knew the place by name.

The ride over proved unpredictable if you include a backup, an accident, and general traffic. I made it to Club 21 three minutes after eight. I paid the fair and was ushered in by the doorman. I stood at the hostess station at five minutes past the hour.

“I have a dinner reservation with—” I paused, realizing then that I didn’t have Kalen’s last name.

Being that this was the kind of place that required men to wear jackets, and jeans and sneakers weren’t allowed, I felt foolish not to know Kalen’s last name.