Page 38 of Double Daddies
“We played a game to throw her off, Damian, and she bought it hook, line, and sinker.” Drake adjusted his tie. “Now, we wait, then we’ll reel her in like a little floundering fish.”
“She’s anything but floundering. She’s a fiery baker with her back against the wall, believing she has nothing we might want.” Damian’s laugh echoed through the lobby.
“Oh, she has everything we want. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
They headed toward their offices, their identical expressions crafted with anticipation. The Texas Tower was their biggest acquisition after Williams Tower, but Elle Fitzgerald was about to become their most pleasurable one.
“Remember the forex projections we need for the meeting with the European emissaries at ten,” Drake said as he turned into the large open-plan reception area of his executive suite, which he used part of the day. The rest of the time, he and Damian shared a semi-penthouse office suite in one corner of the top floor.
“Will do,” Damian’s voice chased after him as he continued on to his suite. “I want to double-check the econometric modeling for the project, but I’ll have it ready in time.”
Drake nodded and smiled at Brenda Cook, his executive assistant, who was already busy preparing his morning latte.
“I’ve told you numerous times, Brenda, you don’t need to be here before me. Your official work hours are from nine to five.”
“Says he who doesn’t know the actual definition of work hours,” she scoffed as she added honey to his cup. It was the one sweet luxury he allowed himself. “Tell me, Drake, when was the last time you worked less than a ten-hour day?”
“Well, there’s the odd Sunday where I indulge in the principle of being a couch potato.”
She looked at him with disbelief. “You? Excuse me, but there’s no way in hell I’ll ever believe you’ll do anything as asinine as watching television.”
Smiling, he took the mug and headed into his office. Brenda didn’t follow him, knowing the first hour of his morning was sacred. It was his personal time to enjoy his hot beverage, read emails, and shuffle around the calendar she so carefully managed.
“I am NOT a little anything.”
Drake sipped his morning latte as his mind focused on Elle’s chilled response the day before. Two years of calculated planning would soon come to fruition. From his corner office on the sixty-fourth floor, he watched the early Houston traffic crawl below.
Brenda had been right about his work ethic. Even now, at 7 am, he had already completed his morning run and answered numerous emails. His only other regular breaks involved his daily gym sessions with Damian. They shared more than just business acumen; they shared a vision.
The first time he had seen Elle just over two years ago had been like a punch to the gut. He clearly remembered that corporate run that had been hosted by a client. Her bakery had donated pastries and coffee at the event. It had been a marketing stint for Elle’s Delicacies to broaden their customer base.
Elle had been directing her small team, arranging displays of pastries with precise care. What caught his attention wasn’t just her beauty. It was the way she fussed over everyone, ensuring they had coffee and treats while taking time to straighten a worker’s collar and tie a little girl’s shoelace. Beneath her professional exterior, she was a natural caregiver.
Drake’s instincts about people had built their empire. He could read the subtle signs others missed. In Elle, he saw something special. She was unaware, but she was someone who needed guidance as much as she needed to nurture. She was the Little he and Damian had been searching for. They went after her with the same ruthlessness as they approached every acquisition.
Once they knew her entire history, Project Little Elle had been implemented with meticulous precision. Every business decision around Texas Tower was calculated. Apart from paying millions above market value for the property, they also purchased nearby properties, redirected foot traffic, and influenced local development. Each move was engineered to affect Elle’s business—even the opening of Le Chic Bistro, the one move that had put an abrupt halt to her success. Some would say the way they went about it was cruel, but to them, it was a necessity and an investment in their, and her, future happiness.
She was a fiery and confident woman, but deep down, he just knew there was a secret desire waiting to be uncovered.
Drake allowed himself a satisfied smile. The eviction notice was the final piece of the puzzle. They had dismantled hersupport system brick by brick, ensuring she would be vulnerable and susceptible to the proposal he was itching to make.
“And Damian and I are the perfect duo to trigger her need to please our desires and to be taken care of as our own little babygirl.”
Chapter Five
Late afternoon two days later
Elle’s Delicacies, Texas Towers
Elle
“I need to get out of here for a while, Carlos,” Elle said with finality as she stacked the confectionery boxes and picked them up. “I’ll do the delivery.”
“The Bower Group is all the way in St. George’s Place, Elle,” he protested. “It’ll be dark by the time you head back.”
“I know, but I also need to drop off the paint I bought to redo the bakery. The paint shop was kind enough to agree to a full refund, even though I bought it over a month ago.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve been driving around with gallons of pink and silver paint in your SUV?” Mia frowned as she shook her head in a motherly reprimand, even though she was five years younger than Elle. “What if the cans fall over and spill all over your car?”
