Page 12 of High Rise Secrets
I blink and shake the thoughts from my head. “What? Shit. I’m sorry, Addy. I didn’t get a lot of sleep this weekend. I must be more tired than I thought.”Great, now my daydreams are feeling too fucking real.
“Want me to run to the coffee shop next door and get you something?” She hugs the tablet to her chest and smiles brightly at me.
“Sure. That would be great. When you get back, we can talk about the meeting with Mr. Hughes. Have you gotten it set up yet?”
She nods. “Yes. His secretary got back to me a few minutes ago. You have a meeting set up for Wednesday.”
This is too easy. Patrick is going to be eating out of the palm of my hand before long. I’ll get the usual team together, and it shouldn’t be hard to win this one over. I’m sure he’s already pissing his pants just thinking about the cracks in his system. Not that it was hard for my guys to break in. He really needs to hire a company with strong security ties if he doesn’t want his personal business out there.
She turns and walks out, and that’s when I notice something on her lower neck. It blends in with her skin, almost like a scar or something. I wonder what the story is there. She usually wears her hair down, but today it is pulled up and away from her neck.
When she gets back, we need to go over the events for the ball this weekend and what I expect of her. I usually call a girl from my little black book, but I need someone that will actually be able to help me. The board has been riding my ass about bringing on a few larger clients, and Penn Sandolval is the one I’m after at the charity ball.
If I give Addison his name, she can get me all sorts of information on him, and I can use it to my advantage. I can also get her a list of people who are going to be there; I know she’ll help keep them straight for me. I get to kill two birds with one stone—a pretty girl on my arm, and she will help me win over the clients.
Thoughts of Madam Ember infiltrate my mind. I’m still trying to find more information on the owners ofRISE. I haven’t been able to break into their systems. They must have hired a good company to keep their records safe. All I’ve been able to get is the holding company’s name.Johnson and Smith Associates.So, of course, they were my next search, and all I got is it’s an attorney's office. Big shocker there.
Addison steps back into my office with coffees in hand and sits, waiting for me to give her instructions.
“The ball this weekend, it’s a masquerade. Find an appropriate dress and mask, and you can expense it to the company since you’ll be working. Black tie.”
“Okay, and what will I be doing for the evening, Mr. Freeman?”
“Be my date and help me keep the names of some beneficiaries straight, along with having information ready on Penn Sandolval.”
Her eyes shoot up to her hairline. “Y-your date?”
“Yes. I need you there to help me, and I need a date. Kill two birds with one stone.” She still doesn’t seem appeased with my answer, but she hasn’t shot me down yet either. “I’ll make sure to work a nice bonus into your pay.”
She rolls her eyes but nods. “Okay. Well, I need to go shopping then. Is there a certain color I should get?”
“I’m sure whatever you pick will be fine. I’ll be by to pick you up at six sharp. Be ready.”
She huffs and leaves my office without another word. Despite me telling her this is simply for work, I’m excited to have her as my date. Most of the women I bring to things like this are just looking to see how deep my pockets go. I learned a long time to not trust any of those women. Addy is safe. She’ll be a good date for the evening.
As long as I don’t take her home to my bed.
* * *
The meetingwith Patrick Hughes has gone exactly to plan. He was happy I contacted his office due to some system discrepancies his teams have uncovered. I had to work hard to suppress my smile, knowing I’m the mastermind behind those issues. I’ve been doing this long enough that I’ve learned to keep a good poker face.
By the time I return to the office, Addison has already received the go-ahead from Patrick to draw up a proposal on how we will cover his security from here on out.It’s like taking candy from a baby.I knew it would be easy, but I didn’t think it would bethateasy.
She hands me my messages without saying a word, and I look over them as I drop my stuff off in the office. One is from my old friend from high school, Callan Manning. We played ball together back in the day. Last I heard, he’s been jet setting around the world. I wonder why he didn’t call my cell.
“Hey, man, long time no talk. Too good for your old friends now that you’re Mister Big Shot CEO?” Cal teases as he answers.
“I could say the same thing about you, the hotshot book model. Bet all the women are throwing themselves at your feet, hoping to be taken by the rogue pirate,” I snicker.
“Very funny. Never heard that one before. At least I’m getting laid by horny women. When’s the last time you’ve fucked something other than your hand?” he badgers; he never takes anything seriously.
I rub my forehead. I’m not going to dignify that question with an answer, but it has been a while. I thought for sure I’d be sleeping with Ember this weekend, but she blew me off. Nothing kills a hard-on faster than a disinterested girl.
“What do you want?” I grumble, my mood deteriorating at the thought of Ember’s rejection.
“I gotta go to this stupid charity ball thing and saw your name on the roster of attendees. Thought we could hang. Thing is, all the chicks my sister has tried to set me up with lately have me pegged as some freakin’ Dom like in that smut shit they all read. Don’t get me wrong, it was fun to start with, but I’m over it. I thought maybe you had someone I could take out on a date, no strings attached.”
“Since when do you need help getting a date, Cal?” I roll my eyes.