Chapter 25 #2
Gloria pouts, moving in closer to me, and taking my tie in her hand, she runs her fingers through it.
Dove side-steps her, taking her chance to get away from me.
But she’s still watching, those pretty eyes assessing the woman now touching me with just enough jealously that I know things between us are far from over.
“Oh, but you know how lonely I am since your dear daddy left us, K. Can’t I come along?
” She glances in Dove’s direction, not hiding her distaste for her.
“Or instead of your date. She’s not even dressed for a nice lunch. ”
I have suffered through five years of this shit, ever since Keller decided he needed another woman to fill the shoes of my mother.
Someone to stand by his side and give him the image he needed.
We all knew it was a sham marriage; she’s half his age and in it for the money.
I’m sure for Keller it was all about creating an image this town would respect, and that meant a wife he didn’t care to be in the same room as, unless of course it was for business.
I kind of felt sorry for her at first. That was until she turned her attention to me and Bodhi, doing whatever she could to sink her long claws into us. Not that it ever worked.
I suck in a labored breath, removing my tie from her grip before I place a hand on Dove’s lower back, giving her my full attention. “Dove was just leaving to change.” I give her a subtle look, telling her to behave and just do what I say for once. “River, can you show Dove to the ladies’ room?”
Dove’s bitchy-as-fuck expression flicks back to me, her entire body stiffening under my touch. “You can take her. I’ll stay here in my perfectly fine clothes,” she mutters clearly, unimpressed by the whole scene as she tries to shove the dress and shoes in my direction.
River takes the items and her hand. “Come on, Dove, you’re going to love the facilities here. We have it all, a sauna, showers, a gym.” He smiles at her like she’s the sun that lights up his world. The kid is in love with her, that much is damn obvious.
Gloria grips my arm. “See, the girl doesn’t mind. I’ll go to lunch with you. I have the afternoon off anyway. Where have you booked, Strahan’s? You know it’s my favorite.”
My temper rises, and I glance over her shoulder at River to tell him to take care of Dove, seeing they haven’t yet moved out of the room.
I don’t care how much she doesn’t want to come to this lunch with me, she’s doing it.
She has been pushing me away since she got back, and I’m done with it.
Without a word, he takes her hand in his and drags her from the room.
“I’m not going, Riv,” she tries to protest, but he manages to get her to leave with him.
I place a hand on Gloria’s delicate shoulder, trying to placate her.
Just a few more weeks and she will be out of our lives for good.
She will get the Throne family estate and enough money to comfortably live the rest of her life in luxury, and we will have full control of the board and any business-related decisions without her lurking around to see what we are really up to.
“We will have a family dinner at Alejandro’s soon.
I know Rochelle wants to see us all as well.
Bodhi can show you back to your office,” I try dismissing her.
Her eyes narrow, her long fake lashes giving her a Wicked Witch of the West look. “Who’s the girl, K? You have some explaining to do before I’m going anywhere.”
My fake smile fades, my patience wearing thin. “No one you need to concern yourself with, Gloria.”
“Looks like a gold-digging bitch to me. You know how careful you need to be in your position. It’s only been a couple of weeks since your dear daddy died and already you have some girl chasing after you. I thought you were smarter, K.”
Bodhi chuckles, his amused eyes landing on me. There is no way in hell Dove is chasing me for my money. If anything, she’s literally only here as our hostage, and that shit appeals to his sick sense of humor.
Gloria moves toward him, running a hand up his arm playfully. “See, even Bodhi agrees this is not a time to be getting into a relationship with anyone.”
“You don’t have to worry about K, Gloria, he knows what he’s doing,” he grumbles, stiffening under her flirtatious touch.
She nods at him, then fixes her attention back on me, placing a hand on my arm, rubbing back and forth.
I tuck my hand in my pocket and take a step back, making it clear she’s not going to get what she wants from me.
“You need to be with family right now, K. Let me take some of that stress off your hands. We can go to lunch, then you can come back to my place.” She bats her lashes flirtatiously.
It would be pathetic, if it wasn’t so sad.
The poor girl married a man who was still in love with someone else and spent five years trying for any scrap of attention he would give her.
And now he’s dead, and she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Doesn’t mean she is my problem.
“Be careful, Gloria,” I warn. We might need to tread carefully with her, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to let her sink her claws into me. I still hold all the power here, and she needs to know it.
Her lips form a thin line as she huffs out a breath.
“I’m not the one who needs to be careful, K.
” She leans in closer, and with her hand cupping my cock, she squeezes.
“We both know I could have you by the balls if I wanted to.” I wrap my fingers around her wrist and pluck her hand from my junk, my grip hard enough to send a message not to fuck with me.
She blinks a few times, I think in shock.
“Lucky for you I have a soft spot for you and like seeing you at the top of this corporation, especially if that means I’m under you.
” Her teeth sink into her bottom lip suggestively.
Dear God. I need to get this situation under control before Dove comes back in and sees her carrying on. I glance at Bodhi, looking for help.
He grins back at me, having way too much fun at my expense. So, I do the only thing I can. Deflect. I’m sure he will understand.
“Bodhi has a free hour, and I just know he’s dying to show you the plans for the new golf course. There in his office,” I say enticingly. He’s up for fucking anyone, Gloria knows that all too well.
She turns her attention back to him, a seductive smile back on her lips. Her heels click on the timber parquetry as she makes her way over to him. “The new golf course, hey. That sounds fun.”
His glare is deadly, but he knows this is for the best. Today is too important. Without a word of complaint, he leads her out of the room. He’s a good mate, the best with the shit he’s done for me in the past.
I find my suit jacket and throw it on, then check my reflection in the mirror as I straighten my tie. The dark circles under my eyes are getting worse. I need sleep. And now that the golf course deal is done and Dove is settling into life back with us, it might just happen.
River clears his throat, and I glance up to find Dove hovering in the doorway, a picture of perfection in the little white dress I picked out for her.
The expensive fabric hugs her curves, the white making her tanned skin pop even more, and the extra-tall heels making her legs look impossibly long.
She fusses with the off-the-shoulder neckline, looking uncomfortable.
I take her hand. “You look beautiful,” I say, even surprising myself.
“I don’t think that’s the word for it. I look like the version 2.0 of whoever that was just in here.”
River chuckles out a laugh, covering his mouth to stop it. “That was Gloria, K’s stepmum.”
Dove’s horrified eyes flick back to me. “Oh, ew, gross, why was she giving you come-fuck-me eyes then?”
“You don’t look a thing like Gloria,” I mutter, placing a hand on her lower back, not liking the turn this has taken. “You look classy and will fit in perfectly where I’m taking you.” I give her a push, needing to be out of this place before she changes her mind and doesn’t come with me.
She glances up at me, but this time she looks less angry, more lost. “Expensive clothes won’t change who I am, Kasen.”
I huff out a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to change who you are, Dove, just trying to fit in with the dress code.
Not everything is a personal attack. I happen to like your cute bikinis and shorts so damn small I can see your ass, but they would get us kicked out today.
Can you just relax and enjoy yourself for once? I want to have a nice lunch with you.”
She stares back at me for a beat, looking a little lost for words.
“Fine,” she mutters with a roll of her eyes.
It’s not quite the compliance I wanted, but it’s as good as I’m going to get, so I’ll take it.
This girl will be mine in every way. If she lets me, I will give her a life full of everything she ever dreamed of.
She just needs to get out of her own way and stop fighting me.
Maybe after today that will become clear for her.