Chapter 5
Isaac
What the fuck is wrong with everyone?
I was just about to get a bottle from the stables. That’s where I’ve been hiding my bottles when I get a phone call. Tom, the IT director, ’s quit. Granddad sent Steven in to run the company for the weeks that I’ll be at the stables. The guy’s a fucking mercenary, he’s my oldest cousin and is desperate to take over the family business. Granddad says that he’s good because Steven doesn’t get attached, that’s right he’s a fucking workaholic because no one wants to be with him. He’s the type that treats women like dogs and his staff as if they’re the bottom of the food chain.
I told Tom to sit tight, and I’ll be in the office in a couple of hours. As soon as I got here, it was fucking World War IV.
“Isaac you need to realize that you don’t need an IT Director, Senior Manager and Head of the IT Department. All in the same building and all doing the same fucking job,” Steven says as we all sit down to discuss Tom’s resignation.
Shit, I didn’t even realize that there were so many senior managers working in IT. I drum my fingers on the table because I know that Steven’s right. I feel like a fool for even jumping in the car, stroking my bottle the whole fucking journey thinking that I’ll be having a drink soon.
“So, what now?” I whisper as I feel as if I’m in fucking school and being told off by the principle.
“Well, he can leave immediately. That’s the way that we normally do it.”
Steven has that smug look on his face as he rubs his oversized stomach and balding head. The guy’s only thirty, and he looks over forty. If that’s what dedication and hard work look like, then they can count me out.
“I don’t understand why you drove all this way, Isaac? Aren’t you enjoying being on the ranch?”
I hate his smugness and his tone.
“Yes, it’s just that I wanted to make sure that everything was alright here. There’s nothing wrong with that. I am still the CEO.”
He stands up, “Yes, we all know that.”
Good, that shut him up!
“Seeing as you have everything in hand, then I’ll be getting back. I just need to take a few things from my office. If you don’t mind?”
He stands up, “Be my guest. After all, it is your office. I’m going to grab something to eat, so I’ll be gone a while. If I don’t see you again, then have a safe trip.”
I nod because there’s no fucking way that he’s going to see me again and I’ll make sure that I’m not here when he comes back.
I just want to go to my office to see if my stash is still there. I’m going to get my driver to take me back to the ranch, and I want to make sure that I have some good stuff before we reach there.
“Until next time Steven.”
He’s standing and waiting for me to say something. The one thing that I rarely do, but I know that if granddad were here, then he would force me to do it.
Fuck!
Just this one.
“Thank you,” I say through gritted teeth. The smugness and smile reappear on Steven’s face as he holds out his hand and says, “Anytime cuz.”
Great as if I need reminding that we’re related. That’s when it dawns on me as I slump my shoulders and head to my office. I better go back to the ranch. I was so lost in my thoughts when I came here that I didn’t even tell granddad that I was going. I could have told Olivia, but I hated the way that she treats me at times as if I’m her kid or something.
I’ve never been with a woman that doesn’t want me to try something. Not even once. She makes me feel as if I’ve lost my fucking touch. No man wants to be with a woman who wants to be his friend.
Hell no!
Every time I flirt with her, she just backs away. I grab my key open the closet and my Scotch Malt Whisky Society Karuizawa Single Malt is sitting there begging me to open it. Shit, it won’t have to wait long. One phone call and one long car drive with a couple of blocks of ice, and I’ll be in fucking heaven.
I’m stuffing it in my bag and closing the door. I’m about to leave when I see a face. One that I never expected to see this side of Texas.
“Olivia!”
“Isaac!” she says as she walks into my office.
I don’t even know what to say to her.
“I should have told you that I was leaving…”
“But you didn’t.”
She says with her hands on her hips. I may not know much about women, but I know one thing for sure. Olivia’s genuinely pissed.
“Well you didn’t, and I came to bring you back to the ranch.”
“Really?” I sigh, because I’m not used to seeing her not smile and acting a bit too chirpy any hour of the day. It’s as if she’s constantly on a happy dial. Maybe I’m rubbing off on her with my crappy attitude.
“But before we do that. Let’s go and have a coffee.”
She’s so fucking close that all I want to do is kiss her right now. Tell her that she must be as attracted to me as I am to her. But as she backs away I blurt out, “Fine, but you’re paying.”
Apparently, Granddad’s paying her too much. It didn’t take her long to get here, which means that she either drove or Trevor brought her? But he couldn’t have because he’s out for the day on some run, which means that she has her car. So, not only is she living in the cottage for free, she’s riding around town for free too. Not with me. Granddad may think that she’s an angel, but the way that she commanded me right now. I can tell that it’s all one big act.