Chapter 18 – Dominic
EIGHTEEN
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO
DOMINIC
Emergency! Emergency! Emergency!
My second business cell blares in the middle of the night. Only three people have the number, and they all vowed not to call me this week, so it must be a desperate telemarketer.
I roll over in bed, trying to shut it off, but it’s a FaceTime call from Mindy.
Worried, I sit up and hit the lamp before answering.
“What’s going on?”
“Sir, I know it’s the holidays, but I’ve come across something rather disturbing and I need to know how you want me to handle it.”
“Okay.” I get out of bed and carry my laptop to the balcony. “Give me the employee’s name and tell me what they’ve done.”
“It’s not an employee. It’s your ex-girlfriend, Amy.”
“She’s not a relevant part of my life anymore.”
“I don’t think she got that memo.” She holds up a press release. “This is one of thirty that are scheduled to be published, and they’ve given your company until midnight to comment.”
“How is this an ‘emergency,’ Mindy?”
“Because I didn’t receive these from the media,” she says. “They came from your shareholders. Some of them are threatening to invoke the “Indecent Character” clause and remove you as CEO before the new year.”
“What am I missing here?”
“Amy is embarking on a scorched earth and scorned woman tour.” She sighs. “She’s claiming mental, emotional, and psychological abuse.”
“What?”
“She says that after all the time you two spent together, she realized you were displaying toxic signs of control over her every move. She has a jewelry store manager backing up a claim of you storming inside and demanding they take everything in her name out of your account.”
“That did happen.”
“Did you also tell her what clothes to wear, how to wear her hair, and control everything she ate?”
“Not at all.”
“I thought so.” She shakes her head. “If you give me an hour of your time, I can draft a statement about these heinous allegations.”
“Don’t bother,” I say. “Tell them I’m engaged to a woman named Georgia Grey, and I’m currently in town visiting her family for the holidays. Tell them we’ve been seeing each other for over a year now.”
“You want me to lie?”
“It’s technically the truth, Mindy.”
“But how?” She sucks in a breath. “I’m your ride or die, so why are you just now telling me? .”
“I forgot to hit send on the email about it weeks ago.” I give up on her ever letting that go. “It’s just been a bit of a whirlwind.”
“I can imagine.” She nods. “Is that why you struggled to fire her for so long? You loved her?”
“I really liked her.”
“No, I’m pretty sure it was love.” She taps her chin. “Look back, she got away with a lot of shit you would fire anyone else for.”
“I did eventually fire her.”
“Because you wanted to date her, right?”
“So she could return to what she was good at doing.”
“See?” She beams. “It is love!”
I laugh. “Don’t spend too much time on the statement. Just send it off, okay?”
“Will do, sir.”
“I meant to tell you thanks for this cup.” I hold up the ‘Finally a Billionaire’ mug I brought. “I appreciate it.”
“That wasn’t from me.” She looks confused. I bought you an “I’m richer than you and all your friends combined” T-shirt that’ll be here after the holidays.”
“Do you expect me to wear it?”
“No.” She laughs. “That mug in your hand was sent from some place called The Grace Estate in Colorado. I have a ‘thank you’ card scheduled to go out next week.”
“I’ll deliver it personally.” I smile. “Merry Christmas, Mindy.”
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Reiss.”
I wait for her screen to fade and return to bed.
Around three in the morning, Georgia tiptoes into the bedroom.
It’s her first time coming here since we arrived, and instead of joining me in the bed, she slips into an oversized T-shirt and plops onto the couch.
She pulls the blanket up to her neck, and I push off my covers and walk over to her.
Sliding my hands under her body, I lift her off the cushions.
“What are you doing?” Her eyes flutter open.
“Putting you where you belong.” I drop her onto the bed and move beside her. “You’re welcome.”
She rolls over to face me. “We don’t need to sleep this close together.”
“Okay.” I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her even closer. “Anything else you want to say?”
“I keep trying to avoid you, but you’re the only thing everyone wants to talk about.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“No, I just wanted the keys to running the resort,” she whispers. “I can’t even say ‘Good morning’ without someone responding with, ‘How is Dominic’s morning?'
I laugh. “I’m having lunch with your grandmother tomorrow. Anything I need to know?”
“Yes. Don’t go.”
“I think she just wants to get a sneak peek of the engagement ring.” I laugh. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Are you going to tell her you threw it out the window?”
“No, I have one to show to her.” I trail a finger against her perfect, puffy lips. “I bought a pretty convincing one the other day.”
“Part of our deal was that you wouldn’t have to do that.”
“It’s just in case,” I say. “Thank you for the coffee mug you sent on billionaire day. If I’d known it was from you, I would’ve said something sooner.”
“That’s okay, you’re welcome.” She pauses. “Did you ever notice the tiny sentences in the letters saying, ‘I still hate you for what you did last Christmas?’ and ‘I hope you’re miserable?’”
“No.”
“Okay, I’ll show them to you.” She tries to roll off the bed and get away from me, but I’m done playing that game.
“You can show that to me in the morning.” I kiss her neck, and she sucks in a slow, unsteady breath. “In the meantime…”
I slide a hand against her T-shirt, slowly pushing up the hem until I can see her pussy.
“I have work in a few hours.” Her breathing slows. “I can’t.”
“You can’t let me kiss your sexy ass lips and finger your soaking wet pussy until you come?”
“Yes…” She moans as I slip two fingers inside her. “Fuck…Yes, you can do that.”
“I plan to.” I roll her on top of me. “We’re officially done talking for tonight…”