Page 22 of Her Beastly Billionaire Rock Star
“I could use a steel scrubber and still have the day all over me.” He lifted his gaze to hers, and all she saw was anguish. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am.”
“I know, but I haven’t really given you a reason to trust me.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “It shouldn’t matter. My temper gets me every time. Why can’t I learn?”
She pulled the lounge chair a little closer and sat across from him. “Maybe try figuring out what you’re really mad at? There’s always a reason, but sometimes it takes us a while to put it into words. We think this thing over here is the issue, and it’s not. Most of the time, it’s the one staring us right in the face.”
“I’m mad at myself. I deserve everything coming to me.” He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “It’s like I’m doomed to be this idiot who can’t get his life on track.”
If there was one thing she understood, it was that. Charlotte was still trying to find out how to take her dad’s company back, and it had been seven years now. “I know the feeling.”
“Yeah?”
She chewed her lip, debating if she should tell him about Octavia. It wasn’t like he could talk. If he did, the whole image change would be blown. His career was at risk. Plus, she’d kept her mouth shut for so long, and she was no closer to freedom than she was when she returned from college. “Octavia is my stepsister.”
His head jerked up. “Your stepsister?” His voice cracked on the last word.
“Yeah.”
“She’s awful. Why are you working for her?” He blinked. “I mean, I’m sorry. She’s just so…”
“Overbearing, controlling, manipulative, and cold.”
He grunted a laugh. “Uh, yeah.”
“The Company You Keep was my dad’s business. I left for college, and while I was gone, she took it from him. I’ve been working for her so I can see how she did it. I keep thinking I’ll find something. If I didn’t have to work for her, I wouldn’t.” It seemed like the weight of the last seven years was sliding off her shoulders. She hadn’t realized how heavy the burden had become.
“You don’t know how she did it? What did your mom have to say? Where—” He paused. “Sorry. I’m kinda just pelting you with questions. You don’t have to tell me any more. I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to bare your soul to keep me from being a jerk to you again.”
“I’m not telling you this stuff expecting to get anything back. I mean, it would be great to have your trust, but I want that when it’s given.” Shrugging, Charlotte smiled. “Actually, it feels pretty good to tell you. My mom…she’s in her own world in Greece. I haven’t had much contact with her since I returned from college. I haven’t had much contact with anyone.”
“No friends or anything?”
“No. Since I started working for Octavia, I’ve pretty much been at her beck and call. I live at the office so I’m able to take care of anything that might come up during the night. We have clients who travel internationally, and sometimes we have to do damage control.”
Malakai’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “You live at the office?”
Nodding, she replied, “Yeah, and before you ask, Octavia keeps me on a tight rein. She knows everyone in LA, and risking her catching onto me wasn’t something I could gamble on.”
“Yeah, she strikes me as that kind of person.” He paused, and the corners of his lips quirked up. “I know a private investigator—”
“No, Malakai. That’s very kind of you, but no. I ju—”
He reached across and covered her mouth with his hand. “She’s in Dallas and a close childhood friend. I trust her. If I tell her what’s going on, she can help. I’ll put in a call to her and set up a time so you can tell her what’s going on.”
Charlotte blinked and pulled his hand from her mouth. “What?”
Curling his fingers around hers, he smiled. “I have a friend, a private investigator in Dallas. She’s good with secrets, and she’s fantastic at her job.”
“Really?” Charlotte swallowed down the tears threatening to spill. It wasn’t something she could pin her hopes on, but that someone was even offering was more than she’d had in years.
Malakai’s smile widened. “Absolutely.”
She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, wishing there was a bigger, better way to tell him how grateful she was. “Thank you.”
“Oh, hey, it’s okay,” he said softly. “Really, it’s nothing. I kinda owe you for terrorizing you earlier.”
Charlotte chuckled and pulled back. “I’m a wimp.”
