Page 32 of Alex

“Yeah, why not? You said you wanted me to be more involved in the company, and that includes looking through rubble and soot.”

Dad beams like I made him the proudest father alive. “That’s my boy.”

When Dad walks away, I close and lock my bedroom door and lean my head against the wood.

Knowing Elise is awake and heard the entire conversation, I say, “We’ll give him a few minutes, and then I’ll drive you home.”

Elise’s voice is soft and full of sleep when she speaks. “Why didn’t you tell him I was here?”

Her question plays on repeat in my mind. Why didn’t I just tell him she stayed the night with me?

I feel protective of Elise and whatever it is that we are doing. I don’t want Dad coming in and popping the bubble.

Plus, what if he wanted Elise and fired her because she chose me? It wouldn’t be the first time that scenario has happened amongst the elites. Thankfully, it hasn’t happened to Dad and me, but the possibility is still there.

Does Elise think Dad’s attractive? Would she even date her boss?

I don’t know how long I’m lost in my thoughts for, but it had to have been a while. When I turn around, she’s already getting dressed.

Walking over to her, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into my naked body. “I don’tknow. I just didn’t want him to know that you were here. Is that a problem?”

She tilts her head up to look at me. “No, that’s not a problem, per se.”

She averts her gaze from mine, and that’s my first clue that I fucked up. “Per se?”

“Well,” she whispers before meeting my gaze once again, “are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

Her question is not what I was expecting. How could she think that? I was with her in the bar and at the office last night.

“What? No. Why would you ask that?”

She looks down, but I cup her chin with my hand so she has to look at me.

“Elise, what’s wrong?”

She shakes her head and steps away from me. “Nothing is wrong. I was just curious.”

“Curious if I was embarrassed to be seen with you? What gave you that idea?”

She doesn’t answer me. She gathers up her purse from the floor near the door where she dropped it last night and crosses her arms across her chest.

The movement pushes her perfect breasts together, and it takes all my willpower to not ogle her.

Maybe her question isn’t really about me. Maybe someone in the past was embarrassed to be seen out with her and she assumed I would be the same.

Anger bubbles up in my chest as I throw on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Who in their right mind would be embarrassed by Elise? She’s everything any man could ever want, and for the moment, I’m the lucky asshole who gets to be with her.

If anything, she should be embarrassed to be seen with me. Like Dad said, she’s not like me. She’s responsible. I’m not.

I grab my stuff off my nightstand and slip on my socks and sneakers.

Putting my ear to the door, I listen for any sounds coming from the garage or kitchen. Not hearing any, I say, “I think he’s gone. Let’s go.”

We walk down the long hallway towards the garage. Elise doesn’t ask for a tour or to see the kitchen, so I open the garage door and wait for her to walk through before following.

When we are settled in my car, she gives me her address, and I type it into my phone. She lives on the opposite side of town, where the two most ruthless gangs in the city call home.

She shouldn’t live there. It’s not safe for her. Why would her friends and family let her live in the worst part of town?

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