Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 821(@200wpm)___ 657(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“Yes.” He takes out his phone. “How do I spell his name?” I spell it out and he sends it off to his sources. “As soon as we have an address I’ll send a crew over.”
“Just watch him,” I reply. “Stay at a distance and unnoticed if possible, but we need to know his whereabouts at all times.”
“Agree, better to be safe than sorry.”
“We’re just packing up a few more of Alora’s personal things and then we’ll be returning to Monaco later this afternoon,” I tell them.
“Okay.”
I head inside and walk through to the back of the house; the French doors are open and Alora is out in the sunshine, watering her beloved garden. She’s hosing and walking around pulling out weeds, and I smile as I watch her in her happy place.
I flick the coffee machine on and turn to notice a book on the floor. I walk over and pick it up. “Why the fuck is this book constantly falling off the shelves?” I set it on the kitchen counter. “Keep falling on the floor and I’m throwing you in the trash, fucker.” I make us both a cup of coffee and walk out and pass her one.
“Thank you.” She takes it from me.
“Did your carrots grow in the rain?” I blow into my coffee cup as I look over the garden.
“They did.”
“And what about your chili?”
She smirks, knowing I’m making fun of her. “Still hot.” She flicks the hose up at me. “Go and lie on the deck chair before I hose you down.”
“You’ll be the only one getting hosed down around here, Miss Sorenson.” I grab my crotch and she smiles and flicks the water up at me again.
I take her advice and lie down on the deck chair. Alora potters and waters and weeds, she snips and rakes the leaves.
I lie in the warm glow; the afternoon sun moves across the sky as the hours tick by. It’s funny how life throws curveballs, if someone told me a year ago that watching my love enjoy being in nature would become my favorite pastime, I would never have believed it. Yet here I am, doing something that brings me a great deal of happiness. Who knew such a perfect simplicity existed?
When we’re here doing this, nobody else exists, the world is calm and centered.
Peaceful.
I take out my phone and scroll through my Realtor contacts. I need to find us a new house…one with good soil.
MONDAY MORNING.
I stride through the casino on a mission, I have way too much work to get through this morning. My first Zoom starts in fifteen minutes and I haven’t even gone through my notes yet. I take the elevator and step out on my office floor to see an angry face.
Fuck.
I am not in the mood for this fucking bullshit today.
“King Volter,” I say. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
He glares at me, his face solemn. “I’d like a word.”
“Of course you would.” I brush past him. “This way.” We walk up the large corridor and into my office and I close the door. “I am on a very tight schedule.” I gesture to my desk. “Take a seat, but we will have to be quick.”
We both sit down.
“How can I help you?” I ask.
His cold eyes hold mine and he links his fingers together on the desk. “I’ve heard a story.”
“Story?” I ask.
“Don’t act oblivious. You know exactly what the story is.”
“No.” I shrug. “I don’t.”
“Let me enlighten you.”
I roll my lips as I concentrate on not rolling my eyes. “Please do.”
“It has come to my attention that you were on a night out with my daughter when you bid on Alora Sorenson at a charity auction.”
“For charity.”
His eyes hold mine. “I know what you did.”
“And what was that?” I snap. “Land the plane.”
“You were having an affair with her behind Hermione’s back and now there is a sordid story about to come out in the press.”
“You’re wrong.” I stand and on autopilot go to the bar, fuck…it’s too early for scotch. “Water?”
“No,” he barks. “I don’t want fucking water.”
“I knew Miss Sorenson.” I sip my water as I choose my words carefully. “We dated years ago and I bid on her internship at the auction to help her professionally.”
He narrows his eyes as he listens.
“Hermione and I had not been working for a long time and our relationship had run its course. It organically ended and if I hadn’t done it, she would have.”
His calculating eyes hold mine.
“Hermione is fine, I have kept in contact with her. This was the best decision for both of us.”
He slams his hand onto my desk. “Hermione is anything but fine,” he yells. “I want to know what this scandal is.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ve heard rumblings from our guards that there’s a scandal brewing and it involves you and Hermione.”