Chapter Twelve
Dristan
Satisfaction curled inside my chest as my female settled next to me in my SUV. Walking into the kitchen and seeing her eating breakfast had brought out emotions in me that I hadn’t realized I was capable of.
I wasn’t what anyone would call a morning person, but watching her eat her fill had the corners of my lips curling before I’d even drank my first cup of coffee.
“We’ll go shopping for clothes for you after my first set of meetings,” I told her, eyeing her leggings with a raised brow.
Her narrowed eyes, the fire crackling there, raised the temperature in the confined space. My female’s temper was off the charts and I adored it. While I couldn’t touch her—yet, I promised myself to make it my life’s goal to keep that spark in her eyes whenever I could.
“I can go shopping on my own,” she gritted out, her jaw tight as she clenched it.
“I’d prefer to be there,” I countered just to see that sizzle.
“I can go on my own. I know that I might not be wearing something that’s appropriate for work right now, but I can get some things while you’re in a meeting or something,” she mumbled and I glanced at her sharply. The fire was being doused and transforming into something I hoped to never make her feel—shame.
“What you’re wearing’s fine,” I said, keeping my voice nonchalant. “There isn’t a dress code for this job. I just noticed that you didn’t bring very many things with you. I assume you haven’t had the time to shop.”
I saw her study me out of the corner of my eye, but I kept my gaze focused on the road.
“T-that’s right,” she stuttered, her chin lifting and my heart clenched as my female gathered her pride around her like a shield. “And I can go by myself.”
“No,” I responded, pulling the car into the underground carpark beneath Everlock Financial Tower. “I’ll take you after our morning meetings.”
“ Our meetings,” she sounded out, her head tilting to the side. I just stopped myself from leaning forward and kissing her. “I’ll be attending meetings? I didn’t prepare anything.” Panic was making her voice higher, but I waved her off.
“No, you don’t need to prepare. This week, you’ll just be observing. You need to become acquainted with my projects and the people I meet with. Eventually I’m hoping some of it can be passed on to you so that I won’t have to deal with it anymore,” I assured her, trying to put her at ease.
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed for a few moments. “How would I take over anything? I didn’t go to school for any of this.”
I shrugged, scoffing as I parked in my assigned space, right next to the elevator. “You’re smart. Organized. And that’s all that matters for the things I’m going to hand over to you. If you want, I’m willing to pay for you to go back to school as well.”
I eyed the sedan next to us, tapping the steering wheel. “Do you drive?” I asked her, glancing over at where she was gaping at me. “What?”
“Y-you just said I could go back to school. And that you’d pay for it,” she breathed.
Nodding, I pointed at the car. “Can you drive?”
She nodded absently and I grunted, leaning over to open the glove box in front of her, ensuring that the back of my hand brushed against her knees. She almost jumped out of her skin and I hid my grin.
My female’s sensitive to my touch.
I pulled out what I was looking for and handed the key fob to her. “Here.”
She took it hesitantly. “What’s this?”
I jerked my head toward the car parked next to us. It was a sleek sedan that my brother bought for me as a birthday present last year. One that I could barely cram myself inside. “That’s yours.”
I didn’t wait for her response—already knowing that she’d fight me on it. She scrambled out of her seat and I growled low in my throat. She came at me with the keyfob held out and I lifted my hand.
“You’ll wait,” I groused, gesturing toward the door. “If you’re driving with me, you will wait for me to open your door.”
She was still holding out the fob, her gaze flitting between me and the door a few times, her eyebrows lifted.
“Do you understand?” I demanded and she nodded slowly. “Good.”
I turned and walked toward the elevators, holding a keycard toward her. “This is also yours.”
“Something else ?” she gasped, shoving the keyfob toward me again. “I can’t accept this.”
“Part of your job. Part of your contract. Deal with it. Now open the damn elevator,” I snapped, holding out the keycard between us.
Her huff was music to my ears as she snatched the keycard and inserted it into the elevator. The doors opened smoothly and we stepped inside.
“That’ll work for the penthouse, too,” I told her, my gaze sliding over her as we rode to the top floor. “It’ll let you into any locked room in both buildings.”
“ Buildings ?” she asked with a sharply inhaled breath. “Do you own the building you live in too?”
I nodded, stepping out of the elevator with my palm spanning her lower back so I could propel her forward to my office. “Of course.”
Her laugh sounded a little hysterical as she repeated, “Of course.”
“Our first meeting is in fifteen minutes. Before that, do you need anything?” I asked, waving at the elegant elvish male who sat at the giant desk—gatekeeping both myself and my brother. “Fionel can help you.”
“You must be Penelope,” Fionel said, standing and taking my female’s palm into his. “Thank the Gods you’ve joined us.”
I could feel the growl in my throat and struggled to hold it in. If the male wasn’t being completely professional and appropriate—I would rip his throat out with my teeth. Instead I brooded silently on the inside as he welcomed Penelope.
“You can sit with me,” he told her, gesturing to a chair that he’d already set up for her. “And I can get you situated and familiar with everything Dristan has going on right now.”
The relief in Penelope’s eyes annoyed me. She should be seeking that information from me .
“That’s not necessary,” I told him instead. “She’ll be joining me in all of my meetings this week and I’ll be bringing her up to speed. She’ll share my desk, not yours.” The male elf was attractive. Blond and tall and the ladies loved to swoon all over him. But not this time. I met his gaze and the silent communication was acknowledged with a nod from him.
Mine.
I saw Fionel’s lips curve and his eyes soften before he cleared his throat. “Of course. Well, I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re joining our team. Dristan is…” he trailed off, seeming to be searching for an appropriate word. “Dristan.”
My eyes narrowed at that. Yes, I was indeed a lot to deal with. I’d come to terms with it in the past. I didn’t need Fionel to be warning my female . Clearing my own throat, I pressed my palm against my favorite spot on Penelope’s lower back, urging her forward into my office.
“Yes, well, she’ll be working with me even more closely than you do, so I assume she’ll be getting used to Dristan rather quickly,” I snapped at him.
The elf just grinned back at me. Penelope smiled at him and I was immediately irritated. Was that what she preferred then? Annoyingly handsome males with stupid perfect faces who were closer to her size? Someone who was cheerful all the time, as if he had some sort of social disease that made him nice ?
I scowled down at her as we walked into my office.
Well too damn bad. She’s going to have to settle for me.