Page 8 of Broken Rules
“What are you doing? It’s eleven in the morning.”
“Yeah? I’ll have another five by noon.”
I shouldn’t be drinking, but I need something to ease the edge, to numb my mind. Kylo furrows his brows and walks beside me, taking the bottle from my hand when I pour another.
“What happened?” he asks, eyeing the liquid as I lean forward on the counter, letting out a low chuckle.
“Same shit, different fucking day.” I take the shot, allowing the burning inferno to slide down my throat before I slam the glass on the bar. “Felling trees on top of loading them and paperwork at the end of the night, which isn’t my job, while expecting me to get it done in an unreasonable time frame. I don’t mind working as a feller. I prefer it, but we’re understaffed, and my dad’s taking his sweet time hiring more men.”
I groan, rubbing my eyes, an ache forming deep within my gut, but I hold back the anger trying to take over me, a sick revelation that even though Dad’s working me to the bone, I can’t get mad at him, I don’t want to disappoint him that I’ve resorted to liquor to stop my tongue.
“I wake up at four every morning, and the moment I get there, he’s hounding me. I’m lucky to get a break at all, which I left for early today. I’m sure he’ll have something to say about that once I get back.”
“Lex, I feel for you—” The doorbell rings, and Kylo’s eyes widen as he looks toward the front. “Shit. My client’s here.”
“Alright,” I say, needing something else to occupy my brain, so I scavenge around his cabinets to make myself lunch, not wanting to be alone right now.
“At least make yourself scarce.”
“You want me to be more included, right? As your assistant, I should get to know the clients, so this is me involving myself—planting my ass right here.”
There’s knocking this time, and Kylo glances at me before jogging to answer the door. A few moments later, I’m by the range, ready to make a sandwich with whatever ingredients Kylo has on hand. A woman with long blonde hair slowly walks inside, glancing around the cabin. I try not to eavesdrop, but can’t help myself when Kylo’s voice differs from his usual tone when it comes to his clients, as if he’s nervous or something. Since when does Kylo get nervous around women?
They stop by the short hallway between the living room and kitchen that leads to his office and the guest suite, then she looks at me, whispering to Kylo. They walk toward me, and I wipe my hand on my jeans before holding it out to her.
“Nice to meet you….”
“Sadie,” she says, taking my handshake.
“Sadie.” I smirk, tapping on my temple. “Gotta remember that.”
Kylo turns to her. “Lex lives in the guest house out back, but your comfort is most important, so it’ll be only you and me in the cabin during your stay.”
Damn right, she won’t see me after today. I don’t need to witness whatever goes down during his sessions, though I raise a brow while watching them—the way Kylo’s taking her in when she blushes like he wants to touch the rosy hues in her cheeks, and it’s taking everything in him not to.
Interesting.Something about her is familiar, like I’ve met her recently, but I can’t pinpoint where.
“Okay, that’s ideal,” Sadie says, and I take a sip of my water as they walk down the hallway.
Getting lunch situated, I’m sitting at the island eating my three-meat sandwich when Sadie rushes toward the front door, Kylo not far behind her.
“Wait,” Kylo says, and she stops as she reaches the front door. “I’ll help you.”
Her brows move close together. “What about your rule?”
“It’s in place for women who can’t keep their end of the contract, but this, your request, is different.” Sadie glances at her feet, and I take another bite of my sandwich as Kylo steps closer, gently lifting her chin to look at him. “You’re requesting my service, it’s new to me, but I’m here to help. I’ll make you fall in love with me, but it won’t happen in two days.”
Make her fall in love…well, that’s new and contradictory.
“Oh, okay…how long are we talking?”
He glances at me, and I pause my eating, investing in whatever is happening right now to grasp what scheme Kylo’s trying to come up with on top of the hectic schedule he’s already given himself.
“Let’s start with a week.”
A week?
How does my suggestion to take time off become more work added to his plate?Even she looks taken back as she blinks a few times, trying to figure out her words.
