Chapter III
THE CEO
DANTE
The definition of “regretful decision making” sat across from me, tapping her foot against my town car’s floor and biting her bottom lip. She was showing me exactly why I should’ve taken a separate car for this.
Or maybe just let this situation go.
Then again, if I let her go without punishment, other people might start thinking they could play games with me too.
“Would you care for something to drink, Miss?” Sarah turned around from the front seat. “We have another thirty minutes before we reach our destination.”
“Maybe.” She hesitated. “Like, a bottle of water?”
“No.” Sarah smiled and handed her my usual beverage card. “Like, whatever you want from this menu.”
I was about to tell Sarah that the card was meant for my guests, not thieves, but the way Miss Sterling’s eyes lit up caught me off guard.
“I’ll have the prosecco, if that’s okay,” she said.
“Do you typically drink alcohol on the job?” I asked her.
“No.” Her cheeks flushed red. “Do you?”
Silence.
“Here you are, Miss Sterling.” Sarah handed her a chilled glass, and then she handed me an iced Coke.
Miss Sterling licked her lips before sipping the champagne, and I turned away before I could let my thoughts meander down a filthy road.
“Are you there, Anthony?” I’d forgotten he was on the phone. “Hello?”
“I’m here,” he said. “Still making a list of high-profile people you mentioned.”
“I didn’t mean for you to do it in silence.”
“Then allow me to entertain you with a joke.” He cleared his throat. “The only way you have a chance in hell of buying The Holden is if you consistently kiss the mayor’s ass, or get on your knees and personally suck him off yourself.”
“When I fire you, please don’t pursue a career in comedy.”
“I won’t.” He laughed. “I sent it to you. Anything else you need?”
“Besides you wanting to take my property ambitions seriously, no.”
“I’ve been here for you since day one, and I do take you very seriously,” he said, “but this property is different and you know it.”
“No, it’s just like all the others.” I lied. “It’s just larger and requires a bigger renovation. That’s all.”
“Well, it would help if you gave me a reason why this one matters to you so much.” He paused. “Otherwise, I can’t blame people for thinking that you’re just being greedy.”
I said nothing.
“In addition to the historical part of it, and the memories that the residents seem to have for its better days,” he said, “there’s a big homeless encampment that’s made a community there.”
“I’m aware of that, Anthony.” I looked out the window.
I used to live in a tent there with my mother…and I still remembered what cardboard felt like beneath my back.
“I’ll schedule a few dinners with some city councilmen and call you back in a few hours,” he said. “Did you make Miss Sterling sign off on her ‘permanently banned’ from your properties contract yet?”
“I had a change of heart on that.” I glanced over at her. “Given how difficult my goal is becoming, I think we could use her in another way.”
“That’s not what we discussed, Dante.” His voice was terse. “Make her sign the form and let’s move on with actual professionals.”
“I’ll call you later with my thoughts.” I ended the call as the car coasted through the smaller streets of Hoboken, climbing up the winding drive that led to the tallest condominium in New Jersey.
“Um…” Miss Sterling’s eyes met mine. “Just so you know, if you’re planning to hold me for ransom, no one I know has more than five hundred dollars in the bank.”
“You honestly think I would be interested in kidnapping you?”
“Now that I think about it, there are some rumors about you being into BDSM.”
“Excuse me?”
“I didn’t mean to say that aloud.” She sucked in a breath. “Because I mean, I don’t believe those rumors, of course, but like—even if you were—that’s a completely different category than kidnapping. Right?”
“I’m going to do you a favor and pretend like I never heard the words that just fell out of your mouth, Miss Sterling.”
“Sorry...” Her cheeks flushed red, and she glanced out the window.
Unfortunately, that only made me stare at her harder and imagine exactly how flushed she’d look if I pushed her any further.