a fire that was big enough to roast a whole pig on a spit.
“Charles said he’s been having issues with his men—”
“No.” I straightened in my chair and leaned forward, one of my heavy arms resting on the shiny surface of the preserved wood, a relic of my noble ancestors. “Don’t explain why he hasn’t paid. Explain why he’s still alive.”
Liam stilled at my command, his blue eyes showing a brief hesitance. “It’s only been a day—”
“If it’d only been a minute, that would be enough. Tell me when it’s done.”
“He’s one of our biggest distributors—”
“You think I give a damn?” I instantly blew up, spittle flying from my mouth and sprinkling the desk with my outburst. “Everyone wants to do business with me. You know why? Because I don’t fucking play games. If I say I’m gonna do something, I fucking do it. You don’t pay me, you die. That simple. I made that very clear when he signed his contract.”
“His men were hit by somebody. Bad blood—”
“Don’t. Fucking. Care.”
Liam finally shut his mouth.
“Now that you’re done wasting my time, go do your job.”
My elbows were on the desk as I stared at my laptop, my hands together in front of my mouth, my eyes combing through the columns to make sure every single ounce was accounted for. Magnus did his own measurements at the camp and sent them to me securely, so we would always be able to track every single grain from start to finish. If someone was disloyal, we would find out. It’d only happened once, and it never happened thereafter because the men never forgot that brutal execution.
People were only honest if you gave them no other option but to be honest.
The door opened without a knock. My eyes immediately glanced up to see Melanie standing there, wearing a beautiful dress and heels with a sparkling necklace and bracelet, her hair straight and shiny, her makeup ready for a formal event.
She kept one hand on the door as she stared at me, trying to gauge my mood.
That was pretty easy to do—since I was always angry.
She took the risk and stepped farther into my office, scanning the elegant room as she approached my desk, her heels were muffled on the rug and then loud against the hardwood floor as she made her way across. She stopped in front of my desk, her fingertips fidgeting together at her waist, having an elegant poise that I found so attractive. Even when she was in the clearing, she had this graceful posture that gave her an unspoken power despite her situation. She was both confident and timid at the same time…especially around me.
I waited, in the exact same position as I’d been in before, except my eyes were on her instead of the screen that required my attention.
“Will you have lunch with me?”
I ate lunch alone, right here at my desk, so I could keep working. My dinner was usually enjoyed in the same way. I hardly ever dined with anyone except at social events, and without company, there was no reason to sit alone at a dining table, my thoughts my only conversation. I didn’t want to spare the time to eat with her now, but when her appearance was so hypnotic, it was difficult to say no. I could stare at a bright screen with spreadsheets and emails, or I could stare at the most perfect thing ever created. My only answer was a nod.
We sat at the dining table in the garden room, where the windows showed the rose bushes and tulips. The different seasons gave birth to different kinds of flowers, so new ones were constantly cycled in to mask the dead ones. Right now, the pink roses were in full bloom despite the winter season. It was a clear day, so the sun came through and highlighted the water drops on the petals and leaves from the rain that came in the middle of the night.
She sat across from me, eating with proper manners Gilbert must have drilled into her, her back perfectly straight and off the padding of the chair. Lunch consisted of sandwiches, a salad, and a side of fruit, along with homemade bread.
Melanie must have enjoyed tea because Gilbert had placed a teapot in the center of the table and gave her a vintage teacup to enjoy it. He didn’t bother to bring me one because I only drank tea on formal occasions.
She ate quietly across from me, her eyes