“Why was he here?” She scowls.
I watch her a moment, partly amused that she and Taylor are so much alike. The level of anger they possess for such tiny women is impressive. “I’m considering doing business with him.”
“You’re considering doing business with him?” She repeats.
I nod. “That’s what I said.”
She begins shaking her head and then doesn’t stop, like she’s battling something in her mind.
One second passes…
And another…
Then she’s picking up the notepad on my desk and throwing it at me. “You are so stupid,” she shouts.
I block the hit, sending my chair to smack against the window behind me. Before I can even move, she picks up the pen holder and starts whipping pens at me. “Allison,” I shout, as I’m hit in the shoulder, the arm, the head, hearing them pinging off the window behind me. Good thing for me Allie isn’t good at sports and her aim is terrible. “Stop,” I order, blocking five more pens hurled at me.
Right then, Charlotte whips the door open. “Sir, are you oka—”
Allie’s eyes narrow into slits before she glances over her shoulder toward Charlotte. “Shut that door right now, unless you want to become my next victim.”
The traitor, Charlotte, slams the door shut.
Allie’s glare returns to me, as do the pens being hurled in my direction. “Honest to God,” she sneers. “I don’t know how you can be so smart in business, but so stupid when it comes to your personal life.” She throws another pen at me, which I happily dodge. “At first, I thought that it was just your issues that you needed to sort out. But I have loved you for ten years now, and you’re still entirely stupid.” She throws another pen, which misses me.
“Stop it!” I roar.
She doesn’t, and throws the rest in her hands at me, including the pen holder, hitting my torso before they all fall to the ground. “I’m so angry at you.” Her fists are clenched, and she’s visibly shaking.
“I see that.” I stay against the wall, thinking it wise not to approach her, feeling the slight sting of the pens against my flesh. “And what have I done to piss you off?”
She lifts a finger and points it at me. “Your father? Seriously, Darius? You are doing business with th
e man who took everything away from you when you simply did something right.”
“I’m investing my money alongside his to make more money.” I straighten out my suit, dignifying myself.
“Do you not remember what he did to you?”
Like I could ever forget. “Yes, of course I remember.”
“And you’re still going to make him richer than he already is.”
“No,” I say with a sigh. “I’m going to make myself richer, and that’s the only thing that I’m thinking about. I don’t understand why this bothers you.”
“Of course you don’t, you’re you.” She glances at my desk, no doubt looking for something else to throw at me.
I point at her now, narrowing my eyes. “Don’t even think about it.”
She huffs again, crossing her arms. “You have your second chance. It’s right here, right now, and yet again, you’re doing what you always do.”
I arch a brow. “Which is?”
“Royally fucking it up,” she growls at me.
“Ah, so, this isn’t just about my father?” I heave a long sigh, returning to my seat, still keeping my distance. “You know why I’m keeping my distance with Taylor. If I didn’t, she’d end up all over the tabloids.”
“So the fuck what!” Allie fires back, her anger vibrating off her. “Announce your love to the tabloids. That’s a damn good reason to be in the magazines. Stop hiding and doing the wrong thing. But step out and do the right thing. Not only for Taylor, but for yourself, too.”