Guess not.
I sip my wine as I stare at her staring out the window . . . my anger gently simmering on the stove.
“Are you cold?” I ask her.
“Nope.”
“What’s with the attitude?” I mutter under my breath.
She throws me a dirty look. Her eyes dart to Hans as if to remind me that he’s here.
Really?
I stare at her as I hear my heartbeat in my ears.
I’ve done nothing wrong. If she didn’t care that I had no money . . . why would she care that I do? Why has she gotten pissed off without so much as a discussion?
I treat her like a queen, and for her to sit beside me for ten fucking hours without one word is infuriating.
Hans’s eyes meet with mine in the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry for the delay, Mr. Miles. I should have checked the radar before I came this route.”
I exhale, annoyed. Yes, you should have. “That’s fine, Hans.”
Hayden tsks beside me, and my eyes sweep across to her. I raise my eyebrow in question.
She raises her eyebrow right back.
Don’t fucking piss me off.
I snap my eyes away. Don’t tell me our first-ever fight is going to be in the back of my limo while stuck in traffic.
I. Am. Not. In. The. Mood.
One and a half silent hours later
The car pulls into my building, and Hans fusses around nervously. Even he can tell she’s pissed. Who am I kidding? The space station on Mars can tell she’s pissed.
“I’m so sorry about the delay, Hayden,” Hans stammers.
Hayden smiles calmly. “Please, don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
She gives him a huge smile as she opens her door before the doormen get a chance to. They all come running to help her out of the car.
Her being nice to Hans infuriates me even more. So she’s not pissed in general.
Just with me.
I climb out of the car behind her. “Mr. Miles,” they all say excitedly. “Welcome home, sir.”
“It’s good to be here,” I reply. They go to take our bags, and I stop them. “I’ve got it. Thank you.”
We walk into the foyer. “Good evening, Mr. Miles.” The staff all smile. “Welcome home, sir.”
“It’s great to be here.” I smile back. It is genuinely good to be back.
“This way.” I gesture to the elevator, and we get in and turn to face the front. I push the button to the penthouse.
Hayden’s eyes flick over to me. “You live here?” she says, unimpressed.
“We live here.” I glare at her.
She fakes a smile, and I see red.
Game on.
The doors open to my foyer, and I step out and scan my fingerprint. The double doors unlock, and we are met with a floor-to-ceiling magical view over New York, the city lights twinkling as far as the eye can see.
Hayden stops on the spot, shocked to silence.
How you hating that money thing now?
I walk in and put the bags down, and she tentatively follows as she looks around.
I try to imagine what it must be like to see it for the first time. It’s industrial trendy, with the best of everything over two floors.