Page 86 of All Your Hate

I follow after her. “It’s for your protection and my peace of mind. I’m sorry. I can’t miss this meeting. I didn’t tell you the details before, but my father’s selling out the company. That’s why I need to be there on time to make sure I keep what’s mine.”

A look of understanding and then determination pass over her face. “Then I’m definitely coming with you. If you don’t let me into the meeting I can at least be there for you when it’s over.”

Did I just hear that correctly? She wants to be there for me?

The way she’s looking at me, so hopefully, I’d be a bigger asshole than I already am to say no.

“Fine.” I sigh. “But you’re waiting in the car and not moving an inch. Actually, I have some spare burner phones in my office.You can have one of those and keep me updated every two minutes.” She thinks I’m exaggerating, but I’ve never been more serious.

“I’ll be sat in the car, there'll be nothing to update you on.”

“I still want to know. Tell me what song you're listening to, if you’re too hot or too cold, if your ass is going numb. Everything.” An excited smile lights up her face as she realizes I’m actually saying yes and she runs into the closet to change. That might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Part of me is terrified that she’s playing me. That these few weeks have all been a lie and she’s not really mine.

She’s put a lot of trust in me recently, the least I can do is give her the same back.

I’m halfway through today’s meeting and I’m already bored out of my mind. My father still won’t tell anyone who our surprise investor is. He says he wants everything to be drawn up properly before he announces it.

I’m still working on getting rid of the mystery man completely. Hence why this is the third meeting I’ve attended in two weeks. If I can convince my father I’m capable of running this company then he can let me invest in it and finally take over.

Wynter’s waiting in the car outside and I send her another quick text asking for an update.

She texts back a devil horns emoji and the name of the song she’s listening to. It's one by Lorna Shore. She’s so fucking adorable it hurts.

“What are you smiling about, Noah?” my father asks.

“Hmm?” I hum without looking up from my phone.

“I appreciate you showing up more, but if you don’t want to be a part of this meeting then go home.”

“You mean like our mysterious benefactor? Where is he exactly? I would have thought that someone investing so much would want a say in how things are run.” Placing my phone down I give my father a pointed stare.

“He will when he’s ready.” A vein pulses in his forehead, I remember it doing that anytime Mom was mad at him.

“I agree with Noah. Some of us have invested years into this company. This is disrespectful expecting any of us to be happy with someone new coming in like this,” Francis Butcher, one of the older members here pipes up.

“It’s my company! I still have the final say over everything. If any of you don’t like that then get out!” My father shouts like a child having a tantrum. This isn’t like him at all. Not once has he raised his voice at work.

Everyone quietens down and we get back to the meeting. My father looks about ready to explode the entire time and there’s an uncomfortable tension in the air.

I go back to texting Wynter and ask what she’s doing now. She doesn’t reply straight away like she did before. I text again and there’s still no answer, so I bring up the app and find she’s no longer in the car.

“Fuck.”

“Do you have something to say, Noah?” I can hear the way my father’s gritting his teeth without needing to look at him.

I wave my hand dismissively. This is far too important to ignore. Pinching the screen, I zoom in until I see the name of the building her icon is at. A hair salon across the street.

My anxiety eases slightly, but not completely. This time I call her. Instead of answering, she sends me a picture of her sitting in a salon chair, her eyes facing away from the camera and a shy smile on her lips.

You’re getting your hair done?

Yes. It might take a while

And no I'm not asking your permission

I also need you to pay for it