Daddy's Watching, page 12
Her stomach gurgled from hunger as she emerged dressed in a severe black dress and pumps. Elaine smoothed down the skirt before heading into the bathroom to apply her makeup. Using the older containers she hadn’t taken to Fane’s home, she erased any sign of sadness and replaced it with her professional face. Edgewater’s second-in-command was ready to go.
She took the elevator to the basement, wishing to avoid Knox at the front desk. Striding through the underground tunnel to A Tower, Elaine organized in her mind what she’d say to Easton. Their relationship had always been professional—she’d maintain her business persona.
Taking the elevator directly to Easton’s office, Elaine headed for Piper’s desk. “Good morning, Piper. I have a ten o’clock appointment with Easton. Is he ready for me?”
“Hi, Elaine.” Piper leaned forward to whisper, “I’m sorry,” before announcing, “Mr. Edgewater is free now if you’d like to go into his office.”
Ignoring the private message, Elaine nodded and turned to enter her boss’s office. Easton stood as she walked in and gestured to a chair in front of his desk. “I’m glad to see you, Elaine.”
“We should have resolved this issue when I asked previously,” she answered coldly. “Has Fane been removed from my office?”
“I think the two of you need to talk,” Easton began, and paused when Elaine interrupted.
“I wish to focus on Edgewater Industries and nothing else,” she stated firmly. “Has Fane been removed from my office?”
“Not yet. I would like the two of you to talk. I will be glad to arbitrate a meeting…”
“No, thank you. I will work from my apartment until you notify me he has vacated my office. Easton, I will be candid. I made a mistake in allowing Fane to enter my life. I’ve always kept my private and business lives separate. This is obviously the practice I need to return to.”
When he spoke once again, she continued to talk over him. “Working remotely is not optimal. If I do not hear from you in three days, I will tender my resignation so that you can find a replacement who is able to work in that office.”
“That is not necessary, Elaine. I’m simply asking you to speak to Fane. After that meeting, I will transfer him immediately if you wish.”
“Easton, please put aside any attempts to rectify this matter. It simply is none of your business.”
Her boss nodded. “I think you’re making a mistake, but you’re correct. This isn’t officially Edgewater Industries’ concern. The function of the company is my business. As one of my employees, I need you working at full power.”
“I will do my best as soon as you free up my office for me to work there. In the meantime, I’ll be at my apartment,” Elaine answered. She knew he insinuated that her productivity had increased with Fane’s planned interruptions in her work schedule. He was right. Catching that mistake in the surveyor’s report had only happened with Fane’s assistance.
She turned to leave and paused at the door. “Make sure he ends up in a good place.” Walking quickly, Elaine distanced herself from his possible reply.
Chapter 16
One day later, Fane sent a message. I am no longer your assistant. I will always be your Daddy. When you are able to talk, I’ll be here.
Somehow, Elaine’s triumph didn’t feel like a victory. She gathered up her materials from home and walked to A Building. Focused on her path, she did not acknowledge or even notice any of the greetings or calls of the employees she’d met during her time with Fane.
Exiting the elevator, she walked down the hall to her office. In the middle of the hall sat a desk with a familiar set of office toys scattered over the top. A colleague ran into her from behind when Elaine stopped abruptly.
“Whoops! You haven’t seen Fane, our new hallway monitor, Ms. Rivers? He’s a hoot,” the woman commented as she navigated around his desk to continue down the hall.
Elaine paused next to Fane’s desk when he held up a life-sized stop sign.
“You can’t sit in the middle of the hallway, Fane!” she hissed in a low voice when he’d allowed the employee to continue down the hall.
“I’ve been removed from your office. There were no desks available in the administrative assistants’ area on the second floor. I’m just here until another desk comes available,” he explained with a smile.
Standing, he scooted his chair in to allow the hall traffic to move smoothly around him. “I’ve put myself on your calendar for a meeting this morning. Is it convenient for me to talk to you now?”
“No. Consider that appointment canceled. I do not wish to talk to you,” Elaine answered. She turned on her heels and continued down the hall.
Damning Easton for the wide hallways he had incorporated in the ABC Towers, Elaine pasted a professional look on her face even as she fumed inside. She considered reporting it to the fire marshal as a hazard, but his sideways desk didn’t even take up a third of the spacious pathway.
She walked into her office suite and tried to ignore the empty space that had been Fane’s. Walking into her private office, she turned on her computer and began working. A meeting reminder popped up on her screen and she canceled it.
I am not meeting with him.
Elaine dove into work. She was on the second page of a report from a division detailing a problem at their site when a second meeting invite appeared in the corner of her screen. Again, she refused it.
After this happened repeatedly every ten minutes or so, she opened her calendar and blocked Fane from accessing her schedule. Elaine returned to work but found herself waiting for another interruption. She realized she hadn’t absorbed anything in the last four pages of the report. Grabbing a piece of paper, Elaine forced herself to take notes to concentrate.
At noon, Cynthia appeared with a tray from the cafeteria. “Hi, Elaine. I have your lunch order. I’ll have someone come pick up the tray and dishes in an hour if that’s okay?”
Her first inclination was to send it back. Elaine stood and gestured to the small table at the side of her office. “Thank you, Cynthia. Just set it there. I’ll come to the cafeteria from now on. You are all too busy to bring food to me. Ignore it if you get another message from me.”
“Oh, no. We wouldn’t do that. I love bringing trays to people. Always feel free to order food!” Cynthia rushed to reassure Elaine.
What else could Elaine say? “Thank you again.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy!” Cynthia smiled at Elaine before leaving.
Knowing it was ridiculous to waste the delicious-smelling food out of spite, Elaine got up from her desk and ate there. The sandwich and salad were exactly what she would have ordered herself. There was no doubt who had ordered this. Fane was still taking care of her.
Elaine refused to let his kind gesture fool her. She repeated in her mind, “Fane has another Little. He lied.” Each time, it seemed to lose a bit of the shock value she’d felt when she found that envelope.
After finishing her lunch, Elaine immersed herself in work. She tried to ignore her growing need to use the restroom. Determined not to go back into the hall until he’d left for the day, she tried to convince herself she didn’t need to go.
“I’m leaving my desk to take a file to C Tower,” flashed on her computer.
Elaine watched the clock and, after three minutes, dashed into the hall, past his empty desk, and into the bathroom. No, no, no, no, no! she chanted in her head as she slid the tight skirt up over her hips. Made it!
Hurrying back into her office, she found a sticky note on top of that pink envelope sitting on her keyboard. Open it!
Fane hadn’t been at his computer when she’d returned, but somehow, he’d come in while she was in the restroom. Elaine inhaled. She could faintly smell his unique scent—warm, male, Fane. Her knees buckled, and she sat down in her chair. She was so screwed. Her heart and mind were in two completely different spaces.
Picking up that pink envelope, she opened the bottom drawer and dropped it inside. Elaine couldn’t open it. Maybe another day. Not today.
By the third day, Elaine wanted nothing more than to work from home. Her head pounded with the stress of having him a short distance from her doorway. Fane continued to send periodic meeting requests from different emails. She blocked each one.
A knock on her door pulled her away from the project she had embroiled herself in. Looking up, she saw a man and woman at her door, each wearing a visitor tag.
“You must be in the wrong office. Who are you looking for?” she asked politely as she stood.
“Are you Elaine Rivers?” the young woman asked.
“I am. Did we have an appointment?” She moved to pull up her calendar, but the man’s words stopped her.
“You haven’t read the letter yet, have you?” His voice was filled with power—gentle, but with underlying steel.
Elaine answered without thinking. “I can’t.”
“Then let me tell you what it is,” the woman blurted.
“My name is Anabel. I met Fane in college. He and I were in a math class together. Thomas was our professor,” Anabel explained.
“Fane tried to explain everything to me, but I wasn’t getting it. I’ve never been good at math, and I hate it. Fane approached Thomas to get help for me. Daddy took me under his wing and tutored me privately.”
“Daddy?” Elaine echoed, trying to understand Anabel’s words.
“He’s my Daddy. We’ve been together for several years. Married for three,” Anabel clarified.
“Tell her the rest, Little girl,” Thomas directed. His tone was mild but unrefusable.
“I was stupid in the beginning. I dated a few guys while I was seeing Daddy. He put an end to that. He gave me a second chance, but I definitely wiped out his trust. We’ve rebuilt that over the years, but I never want him to feel… Well, like you do now.”
“I don’t think you have any idea how I feel,” Elaine corrected her bluntly.
Anabel looked sick. “I never thought my letter would cause Fane to lose his chance at happiness.”
“I don’t understand why you’re here,” Elaine said coldly.
“Because I screwed up so badly in the past, I always share conversations or letters with Daddy. He puts his stamp on it before I send anything. Fane isn’t my Daddy, Thomas is.”
Elaine didn’t know how to answer that. She looked back and forth between the two visitors.
“That letter I sent has a wax seal on it. That’s Daddy’s stamp,” Anabel rushed to add.
Thomas reached into his pocket and pulled out a polished wooden handle with a metal flat end. “I do not require Anabel to share her communications with other men. She chooses to share them with me. This is the stamp I use to seal her letters.”
He rotated the device to show Elaine the word chiseled into the shiny brass. The letters were reversed, but she could easily make out what they spelled. Daddy.
“Will you read the letter now?” Anabel asked.
Nodding, Elaine opened her bottom drawer and pulled out the pink envelope. Opening it, she pulled out a sheet of stationery with strawberries streaming down one side as decoration. Elaine unfolded the page and read:
Dearest Fane,
I had to write when Daddy told me you’d found your Little girl. My heart is bursting with joy. I hope you and Laney are happy for a billion years to come and that she adores you as much as you love her.
Your math-phobic friend,
Anabel
P.S. Come visit us soon. Daddy and I would love to meet Laney.
* * *
“I did not mean to cause a problem between you and Fane. I just feel awful. We flew here as fast as we could to talk to you.” Anabel’s voice drifted away as if she didn’t know what to say.
A sound from the doorway captured Elaine’s attention. Fane stood one step outside her office. He looked ragged. She could tell he had run his fingers through his hair in exasperation, just like he had many times as he’d organized things in her office.
“You’re not her Daddy?” Elaine asked, frozen by her desk.
“Never. Anabel and Thomas are close friends. I knew Anabel wasn’t my Little girl when I was nineteen. That fact has never changed,” he answered, walking toward her. “You are the one I’ve struggled to find.”
Elaine took one step and then another before running forward to throw herself in his arms. “I’m so sorry.”
“I want you to promise me you’ll talk to me if you ever worry about us, Laney.” Fane brushed his fingers through her hair to cup the back of her head.
“I promise. I’ve been so stupid.”
“Not stupid. Hurt,” he suggested. “It’s torn me apart not to be able to help you—to ease the pain I know you’ve felt.”
The door closed behind them, but neither Laney nor Fane turned to look. In the silence that followed, Fane drew her face toward his. His lips met hers in a whisper-soft kiss that touched her heart. She entwined her arms around his neck before pressing her lips against his urgently. Laney plastered herself against his chest, needing to eliminate all the space between them.
Passion flared between them as Fane’s hands roamed over her back. She could feel his cock harden against her. Fane still wanted her. Regret for losing days they could have spent together crashed over her and tears escaped from her eyes to trail down her face.
“Laney, Little girl? Why are you crying?” he asked, leaning back in concern.
“I hurt you. I didn’t even give you a chance to explain,” she sobbed.
Fane leaned down to scoop an arm under her legs to pick her up in his arms. He carried her over to the office chair behind her desk and sat down with her cradled on his lap. “It was all a very unfortunate set of circumstances, made worse by us not being able to talk it out. That can’t happen again. Can you commit to at least listening to me next time?”
“I’d like to, but what if I make another mistake? I was so sure, Fane, that you were playing me for a fool.”
“I enjoy life, Laney, but I also know what’s important. I want you to think back on all our serious conversations. Kites, stuffies, or jokes weren’t involved. It was just you and I focused on each other.”
She closed her eyes as she recalled their time together. Fane was right. Laney always pictured him as a fun-loving man who brought joy and laughter into her rigidly focused life. He was really so much more than that.
“Do you still want me? You know… as your Little girl?” she forced herself to ask, afraid of his answer.
“You are my Little girl. For better or for worse. My heart can’t handle you not talking to me again, so I’m going to ask one more time. Will you commit to listening to me in the future?”
“No matter what’s going on?” she asked, trying to envision a time when she wouldn’t be able to keep that promise.
“Yes. Our relationship must be as important to you as your business reputation. You’ve worked hard to achieve all your successes. Will you put that same energy and focus into our relationship as well?”
“I’m good at what I do here. I don’t think I’m a very good Little girl,” she admitted.
“You’re not secure being a Little girl. It’s a risk for you.”
Laney nodded. “It’s scary and thrilling and new all at the same time.”
“How do you feel when we’re together, Laney?”
She exhaled slowly, gathering her courage. “Better than I’ve ever felt before.” Laney straightened his collar, giving herself time to think. “I promise to listen to you.”
“Thank you, Little girl.” Fane pressed another soft kiss on her lips.
“Is that it? Do you forgive me?”
“Of course. And you will forgive yourself after your punishment.”
“My punishment?” she repeated, feeling her eyes widen in shock at his words.
Chapter 17
“I have to carry it home?” Laney asked, biting her lip at the sight of the paddle in Fane’s hand.
“Put it in your briefcase, Laney,” he instructed before returning to his desk that once again filled the empty spot in the outer office.
She stared at the hard wooden implement. He’d had it in the box on his desk the first day he’d arrived. It scared her. Fane had spanked her before, but only with his hand. Laney swallowed hard before her boss’s voice in the outer office made her scramble to hide it in her satchel.
“Hi, Easton! Yes, I escaped from the hall. Did you wish to speak to Elaine?” Fane asked nonchalantly.
“I’d like to speak to both of you, please, if this is convenient.”
That simple request skyrocketed Elaine to her feet. She smoothed her skirt down over her hips as she headed for the door.
“Easton, of course I have time to speak with you.” Elaine waved him into her office as she stepped back to clear the way. Fane followed the founder of Edgewater Industries into the room and closed the door for privacy.
She watched Easton walk over to the window and look out over the campus he had created. Elaine joined him as silence settled over the room. Was he going to fire her?
Finally, Easton turned to her. “Elaine, I count on you as my second-in-command for extremely difficult tasks and advice. During your time here, my confidence in your dedication and extreme efficiency has grown by leaps and bounds. Life, however, is not just focused on making money and expanding business. It’s easy to stick with what you’re an expert in and so difficult to risk everything on what you don’t understand at all.”
“Easton, are you firing me?” she asked, stiffening her spine.
He didn’t acknowledge her question but continued to speak as if she hadn’t interrupted. “I’m older than you. I have more acquisitions and tough choices under my belt. One thing I know is no one should try to navigate through life without someone who has their back. I can say with absolute confidence that when it comes to Edgewater Industries, you and I fill that need for each other.”
He held his hand up when Elaine opened her mouth to chime in. “I’ll ask for your indulgence in letting me speak.”
