Page 6 of Silver Fox Grump

Maisie’s eyes fill with panic, and she presses her palms together in prayer, to me. Her god in this situation. Her dad’s best friend, and she’s hoping I’ll save her.

There’s a knife edge of decision.

For a second I teeter, wondering if my loyalty to my old friend comes first.

“There is a problem with that, though,” I say carefully. “She’s already my employee.”

Maisie has re-oriented everything around her, like she’s the sun and I’ve been living underground. She is my only priority now.

“Sack her.”

“I can’t dismiss her over nothing, Wes. That’s not how we do things.” We will do anything, Wes and I, but it needs a justification.

“She’s my daughter!” he explodes.

I hold her gaze. “If she fancies playing at being an office bunny for a while, it would be fine, wouldn’t it?”

Hurt and hope flow over Maisie’s expression in equal measure.

Wes swears colourfully, and I wait for his anger to burn out. He’ll realise I’m right before long.

“No, no. Absolutely not,” he concludes. “I’ll send over a car, and pay you for the inconvenience of losing your new staff member.”

“Or you can let her work for me.” My heart hammers in my chest. “I promise to look after her. What else is she good for?”

Definitely hurt this time, but she rallies, keeping her chin up, and fighting back her emotions with an expression that combines ingratiating cheerfulness with begging.

“She’s mydaughter, Sev, you’ll understand when you have one.”

“I doubt that.” I mean the daughter as much as the attitude. I’ve just met the only woman I’ll ever want children with, and that door has slammed shut in my face. She’s forbidden.

“You’re not going to keep her locked up all day making cupcakes when she has…” I reel off her qualifications from the file. I don’t know if they’re good or not, but she was smart enough to get employed at Morden Company, so they’re not shabby. “They’re great cupcakes, by the way.”

“Are they?” Wes asks, momentarily distracted.

“Yes. Delicious.” Right, that was the word I was looking for earlier. A normal, appropriate word of appreciation for a cake, and you can tell, because Maisie gives a shy, proud smile.

“Damn it, Sev.” He sighs.

I grunt an agreement, and take my opportunity. “I need her at Morden. I know you don’t like the legal stuff, but I’ll tell you what. I’ll launder fifteen per cent of your dirt for free, and you give me your daughter.”

“As youremployee,” he checks, and I have him.

“She’s part of Morden now.” And part of me.

There’s a pause. “I knew she was unhappy, and wanted to do something, but…” He growls in frustration. “Could she not have waited until I sorted it out?”

“Gen Z has higher expectations due to technological changes and economic uncertainty,” I say with a straight face, but Maisie has to cover her mouth with her hand as she giggles.

My frozen heart cracks. What a fucking disaster this is.

“She can stay for now,” Wes grumbles. “Guess she might as well be useful, and you’ll do a quarter of my cleaning.”

“Steep price. She’ll live in Morden accommodation so you can’t use her as a spy.”

Her hands fall away from her mouth and there’s an expression of awe on her face.

She wants independence, and I can give it to her. Mafia bosses aren’t the most compromising, and while I only found out that Wes had a daughter when he brought it up five years ago, and has barely mentioned her since, I can’t imagine it’s been fun.