Page 6 of Damaged Billionaire Daddy
Charles thought about it for a moment, his lips pursed. Then the smile was back on his face, and he shook his head. “I built this company from the ground up, and I’m not letting it go anywhere until I’m deep in my grave.”
I nodded and brought the glass back to my lips.We’re just going to have to see about that.He would learn how persuasive I could be.
Chapter three
Kandis
“Kandis!” Mila exclaimed as she stepped into the house. She was not much different from how I remembered her, except she’d grown into her looks a lot more.
She was tall and thin as a model with black hair cut into a luxurious bob and kind, brown eyes. She looked decked out in designer clothes and shades on her forehead which meant she must have been doing well for herself since I saw her last.
“Don’t you look gorgeous?” She gestured with her finger for me to twirl, and I did so with a little laugh. “You’ve grown up so much since we were thirteen! The last time I saw you was a decade ago. Can you believe that?”
Mila talked so fast that I was barely able to get a word in, which reminded me exactly of when we were children, so much so that I couldn’t help but to smile.
Before there was ever Cali, there was Mila, and if there was one person who I knew wouldn’t betray me, it was her. She’d always had such a kind heart which was why it didn’t surprise me that she’d been happy to hear from me and eager to see me when Icalled her out of the blue to let her know I was coming back to town.
“No, I can’t.”
She touched my hair. “It used to be red. You dyed it?”
After all of the teasing and bullying I suffered?“Yes.”
“I loved your natural hair!”
“When it grows out this time, I think I’m going to keep it.”
“You’ll have to keep me updated and not lose contact.” She rolled her eyes. “Why did you stop coming here? I thought you loved your grandparents’ place.”
“I did…I mean, I do. I had a lot of stuff come up with my mom.”
“Oh.” She knew all about my mother and didn’t even bother to ask more questions than that. “Well, are you still straight?”
“Huh?” I frowned, laughing out of confusion, sure that I heard her wrong.
“Heterosexual. Still in love with the men.”
“While I’d like to stay far away from them right now, yes, I am.”
She sighed and leaned against the doorway. “That’s a shame. A woman could do you right. They’re better than men. I learned that a long time ago. Anyway…” Mila bounced back up. Nothing could keep her down for long. It was hard not to be happy in her bubbly presence. “I was thinking that the two of us could have some fun at the bar.”
“The bar?” I repeated, and my face scrunched up. “I don’t think so, Mila. Honestly, I was going to have dinner with my grandparents and call it a night. I’ve had a long three or four days.”
“And what would make it better than some tequila?” she offered as if that was supposed to solve everything.
“From my experience, tequila often makes it worse.”
“Yeah, well, that’s the day after, not while you’re drinking it.”
I laughed. “You are something else.”
She smirked. That was something she’d known all of her life, but the difference between me and her was that she embraced it. Mila was completely content not being like everyone else. Maybe that was why I always enjoyed her company so much.
“Come on, you owe me. You fell off the face of the planet, and I couldn’t reach you. The least you can do is buy me a couple drinks. I won’t even force you to have one.”
“How kind of you,” I said sarcastically and shook my head, looking at her puppy dog eyes. “Fine, just a couple hours.”
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