23. Cassandra Walker
Alyssa met me in the lobby like she did every morning, but before she could start her usual recount of my daily schedule, I cut her off.
“I need you to get movers to Fairview funerals by three pm today, at the latest,” I said, and she faltered slightly.
“Uhm… okay… usually you need more notice than that. Do you know how many boxes there are going to be?”
“No. I doubt she’ll even be fully packed yet. See if whoever you can get has a packing service that can help her out.”
“Uh, that might be a little challenging on such short notice.”
I shot her a look, raising an eyebrow.
“Are you telling me that you can’t do what I’m asking?”
She shook her head.
“N-no! No! There are rush services. I’m sure I can make it happen. It’s just… I mean, it’ll probably be very expensive. Are you sure you need this done today? Even a week’s notice will significantly reduce the price–”
“Alyssa, I don’t give a fuck how much it costs. My fiancée is not staying in that sad excuse for a home a moment longer. She’s moving in with me today. I don’t care if you need to move heaven and hell to make it happen; it’s going to happen.”
Alyssa’s eyes were the size of saucers, and I frowned, wondering why she was looking at me like that.
“Did you say… your fiancée?”
Fake fiancée, I mentally corrected her, but externally, I nodded.
“Yes. We’re getting married next week.”
“Oh my gosh!” Alyssa gushed, bouncing up and down with a surprising level of excitement.
“Ms. Walker! This is so exciting! I’m so happy for you!
Congratulations! You deserve someone to come home to after working so hard here every day.
I really never thought I’d see the day… but wow. You’re engaged!?”
I stared at Alyssa, completely baffled as to why her eyes were suddenly filling with tears.
“Yes. I’m engaged, and thanks for the congratulations… I guess. Just please make sure she’s moved in before I get home from work. Like I said, money isn’t an issue. I don’t need to approve anything. Just get it done.”
“Yes! Of course! Omigoshhhh, a wedding! How exciting!”
“Mhmm. Yes, it’s all very exciting,” I agreed dryly as I pulled out my phone to quickly check my email.
I cringed at the little red notification icon that told me I had over a hundred new emails in my inbox since I’d checked the night before.
We were almost at my office when Alyssa suddenly seemed to snap out of her wedding announcement-induced frenzy, and she lightly grabbed my arm.
“Sorry, I was about to tell you before all the news about your engagement, but Nolan is in there waiting for you.”
“What?” I snapped, glancing down at my little flustered assistant.
“Y-yes. He wouldn’t listen to me again when I told him he needed to schedule a meeting. He said he needed to talk to you about a new case you two are working on together. Something about a Reverend Sterling?”
My gut soured, and I sighed.
Nope.
Not dealing with that today. I didn’t need to see Nolan in person to work this case with him. He could email me like everyone the fuck else.
Abruptly, I turned on my heel and marched back toward the elevators.
“Well, I guess Mr. Cross will be waiting a while. I think I’ll spend my day doing external research and background on the reverend. I’ll be in the library if you need me. Please do not disclose my location to Mr. Cross.”
Alyssa gave me a sly grin and nodded.
“You got it!”
I smirked at her, pleased once again with how loyal my little minion was. Now, all she needed to do was make sure Theo ended up in my condo by the end of the day, and I would make sure she was set for life.
“Thank you, Alyssa. Let me know immediately when the movers arrive at my condo.”
“Will do!”
Alyssa bounded off as I called the elevator back to take me down to the legal library Edmund and Vivian had built for the firm on the main floor.
While background research was an important part of kicking off any new case, it was usually a little dry and boring. I was going to need to really compartmentalize to avoid obsessing over what Theo was doing while she was out in the wild without me.
The way she’d effortlessly made that barista blush had turned my blood to liquid fire.
She’d called her pretty girl, and then referred to me as her friend.
Ew.
I was going to need to put a stop to that behavior. It just wasn’t appropriate if we were supposed to be convincing the world we were in love and happily married.
I tapped my foot impatiently, doing my best to convince myself that once Theo was living with me, this obsessive need to know where she was and who she was with at all times would settle down a bit.
Yeah.
I would feel calmer once she was safely where I could keep an eye on her.
She couldn’t flirt with people and put our little facade at risk if she was spending most of her time at home with me in my penthouse.
The elevator dinged, and I grinned.
The more I thought about it, the more I loved the thought of it.
Once she was moved in, everything would be better.
Maybe she could have her planning sessions with Jerry in my condo.
If I could get that espresso machine working, she wouldn’t even need to go to that cafe…
Even better… Maybe if she had everything she needed in the condo, she would realize she didn’t even need to fight for whatever tiny scraps of winnings she probably earned in that shitty league, and she would stop fighting for good.
Then I wouldn’t have to suffer through the rage I felt every time I saw a new mark on her face.
Oh yes.
Everything would be so much better once she’d moved in.
Don’t fuck this up, Alyssa.