CHAPTER TWO
Isaac
I slam my foot down on the accelerator pedal and burn rubber across town, but I can’t get that new nanny out of my head. Why does she have to be so young and attractive? She must be a raw recruit, and that’s the last thing I need on my hands right now. Give me a fat old granny any day of the week.
I skid in and out of traffic. I pound my fist against the steering wheel and curse every car in sight. I don’t need this today. She wasn’t the least bit intimidated when I smarted off to her, either. She just shot it right back at me. This could be a match made in hell. I hope she’s gone when I get home.
I slot into my parking space under my office building and head for my private elevator. I’ve got my own name on the letterhead, so I can enjoy the perks of success. I need my own private elevator to get my nerves in order before I get to the office. I’ve got an important client meeting this morning, so I can’t stand any distractions like some nanny showing up on my doorstep.
I can’t stop seeing her in front of my eyes, though. Her long straight chestnut hair brushed her shoulders and dangled into her sparkling black eyes. Her jeans hug her curves, and her leather jacket shows off the cleavage down her white shirt.
Christ, I gotta stop thinking like that and get my head back in the game. I do my breathing exercises in the elevator, but it doesn’t help me calm down. I burst out into the tenth floor and head to my office. Everybody greets me, and I do my best to nod back and say, “Good morning.” I hate this part.
I shut my office door as soon as I get in. I don’t want to talk to anybody right now. Why do I get so wound up about all this stuff? Anybody off the street can come along and push my buttons and set me off. I gotta do something to stop that or I’ll go out of my mind.
I pull up my notes for the meeting on my laptop, but I have to struggle to concentrate. Too many things pull me in every direction. This can’t continue, or I’ll be out of business.
Ten o’clock, and I’m gearing up for the meeting when my phone rings. I take one look at the number on the screen, and my blood starts to boil. I push the green button. “What do you want?”
Jade’s voice clangs into my brain. “I filed a writ of harassment against you for that outburst you had this morning. You should get the paperwork in your inbox in a few hours.”
I grit my teeth, and my fist closes around my phone. “What is it you want now, Jade? Didn’t you get the message this morning? You’re not welcome to call me up in the middle of work to tell me about your latest writ of harassment.”
She laughs, but that sound grates on my nerves more than anything. “You want to know what I want? You shouldn’t have to ask. I want the same thing I’ve always wanted. I want my daughter, and I’ll do anything I have to do to get her. You think you can keep her from me? You’re gonna learn you can’t, so don’t even try.” Click.
I slam my phone down on the desk, but I make sure not to slam it too hard. Ten phones in two months is too much even for a guy with my money. I gotta be more careful. I glance at the clock. Ten-fifteen. Fifteen minutes, and I’ve got to have my head clear and ready for business. I don’t need this right now.
I have to deal with the situation at hand, though. I learned a long time ago to take Jade at her word. If she said it, I have to take it seriously—not that writ of harassment stuff. That’s child’s play. No, it’s the other part that gives me night terrors, the part about getting Ivy back.
I stab my finger into my phone and pace around the office while it rings. “Hello.”
“Jerry!” I blurt out. “It’s Isaac Gibbs. I just got a call from Jade.”
Jerry groans on the other end of the line. “Not again.”
“She’s threatening to get Ivy back,” I tell him, “and you know what that means.’
“Yeah, man. I know what it means.”
“When can I see you?” I ask. “I’ll pay extra for emergency time. We’ve got to cut her off at the pass. Oh, and she filed another writ of harassment.”
“Forget that,” Jerry barks. “We’ll take her to town.”
“That’s what I told her. I don’t understand why she doesn’t get the message.”
“Some people are just thick that way. Jade is not your business. You concentrate on your little girl.”
I can’t stop pacing. The meeting and everything connected with it sail right out of my head. “That’s what I’m doing, man. I’m going out of my mind.”
“Keep calm, dude. Where is she now?”
“Who? Jade? I have no idea.”
Jerry laughs. “No, shmuck, Ivy.”
“She’s at home with her new nanny.”
“Well, you better get on the phone to the nanny and let her know what’s going on. Make sure she understands.”
“Right.” Things are starting to make sense again.
“I’m hanging up now,” Jerry tells me. “Sherry will call you when I have an appointment for you.” Click.
I let out a shaky breath. Gotta focus. Gotta get the job done. Seven more minutes, and I’m sweating like a pig.
I hit my phone one more time. My heart pounds in my brain while I wait for the voice on the end of the line. “Hello?”
“Hello, Kira. This is Isaac.”
A long pause stretches into the distance. “Isaac? Isaac who?”
“Isaac Gibbs,” I snap. “What Isaac did you think it was?”
She pauses again. I don’t have time for this. “Oh! Isaac! Of course. What can I do for you?”
Finally. “Listen very carefully, Kira. This is an emergency. It’s a matter of life and death. Do you understand?”
Her voice hardens. “I’m listening.”
“Ivy’s mother is trying to visit her again. It’s of the utmost importance that she doesn’t come anywhere near Ivy. Do you understand? She’s not to set foot within a hundred miles of Ivy. If she does, you’re to call the police and have her arrested. Do you understand?”
Kira sighs on the other end of the phone. “Listen, Isaac. It’s my first day at work, and I don’t want to get into your custody disputes with Ivy’s mother. I’m here to do a job. If you want to take it out on Ivy’s mother, leave me out of it.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I can’t believe she would flout me at a time like this. “Are you deaf? This is important. Don’t argue with me and just do what I say. You better open your eyes and pay attention, or you’re gonna wind up in a very uncomfortable position.”
“What uncomfortable position is that?” she shoots back. “Do you mean you’ll fire me? Well that would be a pleasure after talking to you. Keep your business out of my life. I’m not interested in whatever’s going on between you and Ivy’s mother. I’m busy now, taking care of your daughter.”
I hear my voice rising, but I can’t stop it. “This has nothing to do with whatever’s going on between me and Ivy’s mother. This has to do with Ivy’s safety. Don’t you get that? If Jade shows up at the house, you’re not to let her anywhere near Ivy. If you leave her alone with Ivy for a single second, she could steal Ivy away.”
“Come on, Isaac,” she chides. “I find it hard to believe the situation could be as bad as all that. She’s Ivy’s mother, not some serial killer.”
“You idiot!” I burst out. “Are you listening to a word I’m saying?”
“Don’t call me again, Isaac. This is my private number, and you don’t have my permission to use it. Good-bye.”
And then that little witch actually had the nerve to hang up on me. Me! How dare she? I’ll string her up for this.
I slam down the phone one more time, and this time, I don’t even try to do it gently. What’s one more phone in a man’s life?
Ten-twenty-eight. I don’t have time to screw around with this situation any longer. I scoop up my notes and head to the conference room. I don’t see or hear anything around me. I’m so fuming mad I’m ready to walk out on the whole conference.
I keep walking, though. I have to go through with this. I can’t let months of work and planning go down the crapper. I settle my notes on the podium, but I keep burning up inside. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be thinking and talking about some billionaire firm’s investment package.
I should be home. I should be there with Ivy. I should be the one to protect her instead of leaving her in the hands of some high school girl who doesn’t know the back end of a garden hoe.
What am I thinking? I worked for fifteen years to build up this firm. I slaved night and day and battled in court to keep what I earned out of Jade’s hands. I won’t let her rob me of it now.
Jade bent over backward to make my life a living hell. Only the steady rhythm of going to work every morning kept me sane. I can’t throw it away now. I’ll get Jerry on Jade’s tail, and as soon as this meeting is over, I’ll race home and protect Ivy myself.