Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101147 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Fucking coward.
I ignore that voice in my head and deal with the problem at hand. “I need a real admin. I need someone who understands the company. Don’t we have a beauty division Sandy would fit into?”
Susan crosses her arms over her chest and stares down at me. “We have a consumer product panel that she would love. Why? Do you have someone in mind, and please tell me she’s at least of age?”
I don’t give in to the urge to needle my sister. “Yes, I was thinking about bringing in Mack. He’s smart and organized, and he knows this company like the back of his hand. He’s being wasted in reception.”
My sister’s eyes get wide. “You want a male secretary? A fifty-year-old male secretary?”
I’m not going to argue with her. I made that bed. “Admin. Secretary is a little dismissive. And yes, I would like to hire Mack. Mack’s been around forever. He knows what he’s doing. Hell, he can do half this paperwork himself.”
My sister’s mouth hangs open for a moment. “Holy shit, you’re serious about this. You’re really serious. I was coming in here to bitch at you about ignoring your wife, but you’re actually working.”
Yeah, I deserve that, too. All of it. “I’m not a kid anymore. I have a consort. I have to take care of her.”
“I can see that,” Susan says, her voice softer than before. She walks to my ultraexpensive leather sofa and sits down. “Come and sit with me, Dante.”
I get up because she’s my sister and my boss. And because it’s been a long time since I simply sat and talked with her. It’s so obvious now that I’ve been drifting. I can remember with crystal clarity that moment in the forest when I was sure I was going to die. The fact that my sister can be a ball-busting boss didn’t matter then. The fact that she is a damn good sister did.
“The sunscreen project is showing some remarkable results,” I begin. “We should be ready to take it to the FDA in a week or two.”
She holds up a perfectly manicured hand. “I don’t want to talk business. You’re doing a great job. I can tell from the reports. I want to talk about Kaja.”
My stomach takes a turn. Kaja. Guilt gnaws at me. I can’t even pretend to not notice her unhappiness. I feel it every time we make love. She longs for a forest, for grass beneath her feet. She feels trapped here.
Isn’t that what I wanted? She isn’t suited for life in a high-rise penthouse. I can find someplace nice for her and keep my cushy job and get on with my life. Except I know it will seem empty without Kaja.
“What about her?” I ask, trying to sound unconcerned.
Susan smiles, her eyes lighting up. “She’s a sweetheart. I don’t think you could have found a better consort, but I have my concerns. She’s never lived in a society like this.”
“She’s smart,” I say. “She’ll adapt. We have to give her time.”
Time to forget that she’s connected to nature and now all she has are vampire-made structures around her? Everything is fake. Even the trees on the balcony are fake. They even fake photosynthesis.
“Of course,” Susan says, putting a hand on my shoulder. “She is very smart and quick. She’s funny, too. I enjoy having her in our family. I’m not worried about that at all. I’m worried about the press. My office has fielded over a hundred calls about your new consort.”
I knew that would happen. When I came up with what I now think of as the stupidest plan ever, I counted on it. The press would be the thing that pushed my father to allow me to live apart from her. Now I’ll do anything to keep the vultures off my consort. I can’t stand the thought of people talking about her, judging her. “Tell them to mind their own business. I’ve been saying no comment to every single one of them.”
“Yes, I know, and that’s a problem,” Susan replies. “It’s making them curious. There are some reporters saying there’s something wrong with her. They’re wondering if she can possibly fit into our society. It’s come up that if someone like Dante Dellacourt had to settle for a damaged consort, we should consider making a deal with Torin.”
I feel my fangs come out. “She isn’t damaged.”
Susan holds her hands up in a conciliatory fashion. “I know that. She’s wonderful. But she is outside the norm. She changes into a wolf, for gods’ sakes. We have to reconsider the hardwoods in the penthouse because her paws go four different directions when she tries to walk on them in her wolf form. And we need to talk to her about hanging her head out of the window in the hovercar.”