Page 36 of Wrecked By You
“Forgive me,Mr. Kingcaid, for taking you at your word. Maybe next time, you should make your communications clearer. It’s a well-known fact that if someone misunderstands your meaning or intent, that’s on you, not them.”
My eyes bulged, the simmering spark of irritation exploding into an inferno of rage.
“How fucking dare you! This ismyoffice. Mine. Your job is out there on the floor, pouring drinks, smiling at the customers, and keeping your nose out of my fucking business.”
Her chin wobbled, but she stood her ground. I had to give her credit for that. Most wilted beneath my wrath.
“I did a nice thing for you, and this is how you react? I read only what I needed to in order to categorize the papers logically. I’m not the slightest bit interested in your business. After what you did for Chloe, I wanted to pay you back in some small way while I figure out how the hell I’ll settle Chloe’s medical bills and still put food on the table. Next time, I won’t bother.”
She pivoted.
“Wait,” I barked as she gripped the door handle. She paused but remained with her back to me. I closed my eyes, releasing a slow breath through my nostrils. My anger withered as fast as it had ignited.
“I appreciate that your intentions were good ones. I’m a private person. That’s all. I don’t like having my shit messed with. And I don’t expect repayment for Chloe’s medical treatment.”
She turned to face me, her eyes filled with challenge rather than submission. Heat flooded my groin at her blatant provocation. And somehow, it meant more coming from her because of her situation and how desperately she needed this job. Yet she wasn’t willing to be a doormat or discard her principles for anyone. I respected the fuck out of that.
“I’m not a charity case.”
“I never said you were.”
“But you think it?”
“You’re in my head now?”
“Even I’m not that brave.”
A smile tugged at my lips. Goddamn her.
“I don’t want your money.”
“What do you want, Johannes? Just what will you expect in return?”
“Nothing. Like I said, I needed you back at work. That’s all. Anders’ fee was cheap for ensuring that outcome.”
Silence fell over us as she chewed over my words, probably weighing whether she believed me. That lack of trust in another was something I understood all too well, and I admired her for it.
“You need an assistant.”
I blinked at the change of subject. As much as I hated to admit it, she had a point. The business was growing, and I couldn’t keep on controlling everything. Sooner or later, I’d have to learn to delegate, although trusting anyone other than myself wasn’t an easy thing for me to accomplish.
While I only had twenty clubs, it was right on the edge of manageable. But what about when that expanded to thirty, forty, a hundred? What would happen when I developed the business globally? I couldn’t possibly approve every decision. Trusting my staff to do the job I paid them to do would become a necessity, not a luxury.
Maybe hiring an assistant was a good place to begin growing that trust in others. I’d almost missed a requirement to complete a form for theHottest Nightspotaward only a couple of weeks ago, remembering in the nick of time. And this was supposed to be my goal, my focus, yet with all the other demands on my time, it had slipped my mind. If I had an assistant, it would be his or her responsibility to ensure I kept on top of such matters.
But who? Where did I even begin?
“I can see the cogs turning in your brain.”
I looked over at Ella. “Sorry, what?”
“Cogs. Brain.” She tapped her temple. “I can hear them, too.” She flashed me a grin, and I found my lips stretching in response. There was something about this woman that appealed to me on more than a physical level. She wasn’t in awe of me, or afraid of my moods. She stood up to me, and I had enormous respect for her courage. It wasn’t easy battling the boss when you were the underling.
“I’ll be sure to take on extra fluids today for lubrication purposes.”
She pressed a hand to her chest, her mouth forming a perfectly round shape. “Johannes Kingcaid, did you just make a joke?”
My lips twitched, the beginnings of a chuckle rising into my throat. I swallowed it down. Laughter wasn’t something that came easily to me, but Ella’s teasing had brought me closer than I’d come in a long time. The only other person who could almost drag a laugh out of me was Gia, my brother Penn’s fiancée.