while she picks up my coat and puts it on a wooden hanger in the closet.
“Fit him in.” I open my laptop and start working on my emails, all while feeling antsy to get to my design programs and start the work I enjoy. “Better be important,” I mumble to myself.
Eventually, I get through the emails and dig into design. Three hours feel like minutes, and when I look up from my desk, Mrs. Miller is waiting for me. “Sir, your meeting with North Senior.”
I shrug on my jacket and take the coffee Mrs. Miller offers me. We walk in silence down the long hallway to the corner executive office.
“Mr. North.” My dad’s very young and attractive assistant perks up when she sees me coming. “We’re so happy to have you back.”
I cringe at how easily she bunches herself in with my dad. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re sleeping together. “We?”
“Miss Vogul,” my assistant swoops in to save me from hurting the woman’s feelings, “you look lovely today.”
The redhead blushes. “Thank you, Diana.”
“If you two are finished,” I grit through clenched teeth.
“Of course.” The redhead picks up her phone. “August? Alexander is here to see you.” Whatever my dad says makes her cheeks flame, and she giggles as she hangs up. “You can go on in.”
I push past her and into the office, Mrs. Miller at my side.
“Son!” August stands and reaches over his desk to shake my hand.
People have always said August North is something of a silver fox. They must be right because there isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t seem to fall for his charm. His wife, however, seems happy to turn a blind eye as long as her allowance isn’t affected.
“Diana,” he says to my assistant with a charming smile. “Would you mind giving me and my son some privacy?”
“Of course, Mr. North.” She steps out of the office, and when the door closes behind her, I have a pretty good feeling of what’s to come.
“I heard you had an interesting experience at the cabin.” He sits back into his seat while I take the leather chair in front of his desk. “Hayes tells me there was a woman?” His tone is casual, but he’s clearly digging for information. I’ve told Hayes everything he needs to know about Jordan Wilder. The things he doesn’t need to know I’ll keep locked away just for me.
“Yes.”
He lifts his brows. “You want to tell me about her?”
“Nothing to tell.”
He drums his fingers against mahogany wood, his expression growing more serious. “I need to know she isn’t going to be a problem.”
“She won’t be.” Not to anyone but me—because the knowledge that I’ll never see her again feels like a big problem.
His chuckle is fake and condescending. “Forgive me if I’m skeptical.” When I don’t respond, he nods once as if understanding my unspoken fuck off. “Very well…”
I’m not stupid enough to think he’s dropping the issue for good.
“The charity event is in a few weeks. Are you prepared for that?”
“I wish you’d send Hudson in my place. He’s better with those things.”
“These people don’t want to rub elbows with our PR department. They want to say they were in the same room with the great Alexander North.”
I rub my eyes with my thumb and finger. “It’s a risk—”
“Not at all. Geniuses are expected to be cold and cruel. A kick in the face from a god is still something to brag about.”
I never asked to be anyone’s god. I never asked for any of this. I only need to stay busy for fear that if I don’t, I will wind up in prison—or worse. “Kingston asked that he not be required to go. He’s not an official North Industries employee. I don’t see why—”
“And yet, he’s on salary.” He rubs his forehead. “That kid will be the death of me.” He lifts his chin. “If he wants to continue the lifestyle he’s accustomed to, he’ll make sure he’s there.”
I hate that this man has so much power over us. Forget the fact that all four of us are grown men, August has managed to pin us all in positions where we’re forced to bend to his every whim. From sperm donor to warden. “Are we finished?”
“One more thing. Your mother wants you all over for dinner this weekend.”
“She’s not my mother.”
He waves me off. “You know what I mean.” He rocks back in his seat. “It’s important to her to keep up appearances.”
“To who? Your waitstaff?”
He