The Tycoon's Baby Revelation - Elizabeth Lennox Page 0,6

discovered. Sloane wasn’t just a fast food worker, struggling to find a new job. She’d dropped out of high school after her mother’s death to take care of her two younger sisters. What she didn’t know was that the courts were about to serve her with papers that would put her sisters into foster care.

Josh didn’t know this Abbot girl at all, other than the twenty minute interview this afternoon. But he sensed a strength inside of her, a power that just needed a bit of direction to unleash. Jefferson had given Josh that direction and guidance years ago. It was time to pay that gruff old man back for his kindness and help Sloane Abbot. He’d have to move quickly in order to save her small family…and possibly her pride.

It took about three hours, but by midnight, he finally had everything in place. Tomorrow morning, he’d find Ms. Abbot and, hopefully, she’d accept his help.

Stripping off his clothes that night, he wondered why he was so sure about Sloane. What was it about her that drew him in? She was too young for any sort of romantic inclinations. Not to mention, she’d vehemently announced that she had no sexual interest in him in any way. That was good, he thought, even though something inside of him told him that he was a liar.

Sloane stood in front of the barren building the following morning, her stomach in knots. She’d received the text message early this morning. “Be at the office at eight o’clock, sharp.” That’s all it had said.

Was she in trouble? Good grief, she probably should have kept her mouth shut yesterday! The man she’d snapped at, he didn’t seem like the kind of man who took kindly to a mouthy teenager.

Sloane straightened her shoulders, her chin lifting with that stubborn pride that would one day be her downfall. She had nothing to be proud of right now. At this point, her life was in shambles, she was a high school dropout and she worked at a fast food joint while living out of a homeless shelter, desperately trying to keep her two sisters safe, clothed and fed. But she wouldn’t give up! She’d make it somehow and if this guy wanted to yell at her again, well…she’d just walk away. But this morning over a meager breakfast of rehydrated eggs and lukewarm coffee in the shelter dining area, Rayne and Pepper had convinced her to at least meet with the man, both of them certain that it was a second interview.

It probably wasn’t, she thought as she put her trembling fingers on the door handle and, with a sigh, pulled open the door.

The lobby area was empty today. No sexy blonds primping or beautiful brunettes unbuttoning their blouses. No clicks of high heeled shoes or wiggling of butts in tight skirts.

It was quiet. Eerily quiet!

Looking around, she wondered if the text had been incorrect. Did she have the wrong time? Was she…?

“You’re late!” the sharp voice snapped.

Sloane looked down at her watch. It was eight oh one!

“I’m…”

The man from yesterday, with those beautiful, green eyes and crazy long lashes, walked…prowled…towards her. He wore dark slacks and a crisp, white shirt with the cuffs rolled up, almost as if he were trying to look professional, but there was just too much raw masculine power to be contained by the fabric of his clothes.

“I expect you to be here at eight o’clock every day, ready to work.” His green eyes flashed with icy calm as he glared down at her. Yesterday, he’d been sitting in that cold, metal chair so she hadn’t realized how tall he was, but wow! He was at least a foot taller than she was and…!

“You’ll have a salary and health care, dental and all the benefits, as well as a retirement package. The health care and dental include you and any dependents.” His firm lips curled slightly into what she suspected the man might consider a smile, but was really just a baring of his teeth. He leaned forward, “As soon as you set all of that up.” With that he turned, leaving her standing in the oddly open space as her mind tried to understand what he’d just said.

Without waiting for her to respond, the jerk moved into the empty space of the building. “I’ve hired a construction crew, but you’ll be in charge of supervising the progress here. I’ll be working from my home office and will come by to ensure that progress