“I don’t need a verbal reminder of my appointments. I made them. I know who I’m meeting.”
“Yes, sir.”
The door opens. I let her step inside first.
When it closes, she clutches her hands in front of her, staring at the top of the door as if a number will light up there.
Sighing, I make a conscious effort to be more approachable. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Top floor,” I say.
The elevator jolts, causing the hot coffee to spill over my hand.
“Motherfucker,” I mumble, shaking drops from the sleeve of my jacket. The white cuff of my shirt is stained brown. For God’s sake. I’ll have to change before my meeting.
Hold on. Are we going fucking down?
“Up,” I grit out.
The elevator continues to descend. It jostles on the first underground parking level. Mavis loses her balance and trots sideways with a yelp. More coffee sloshes over the rim of the mug, the hot liquid burning my wrist.
“For the love of—” I swallow my curse as another bump shakes us.
Mavis screams. Fuck, that hurts my eardrum. I grab her elbow and steady her before she trots to the other side of the elevator.
My irritation boils over. It’s like being in a fucking boat on a rough sea.
“Tech room,” I say. They better sort out this shit pronto.
The communication system doesn’t react to my voice command. Cursing up a storm, I shove the mug into Mavis’s hand and pull my phone from my pocket. Of course, there’s no cell phone reception in the elevator.
“Lovely,” I growl.
We hit the second underground parking level with a bump that makes even me take a sideway step.
We wait. Nothing. The elevator jolts again and ascends with a speed that makes my stomach climb into my throat.
Mavis drops the mug and grabs the rail. Coffee spills over the tiles, splashing on my shoes. The ear of the mug breaks off. The maimed mug rolls over the floor and comes to a stop against the wall.
“Son of a—”
The elevator runs through the floors like a rocket and stops at the top. I only know where we are because the floor numbers light up on my phone. It’s an added security measure I thought clever at the time. Now I feel like having the head of my technician on a platter.
“Open,” I say.
A sultry, female voice answers. “Ask nicely.”
Mavis almost swallows her false teeth.
“What the fuck?”
“Ask nicely,” the voice repeats.
You’ve got to be kidding me. Forget the technician. When I get my hands on Leon—that little twat. I can’t think of a harsh enough retribution.
“Please,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Please, Candy,” the woman says.
Mavis looks at the ceiling with a frantic expression.
“Please fucking Candy,” I repeat.
“Just please Candy will do.”
“Open the doors or you’ll fucking regret it.”
“That’s no way to say good morning,” Candy says. “Didn’t you enjoy the ride? I thought you’d say thank you for the little adventure.”
“If you don’t let me out—”
“Tsk, tsk, no threats, Mr. Hart. You’ll hurt my feelings.”
Lips curling, I say. “Fine, Candy. Thank you for the ride. Please let me out.”
“That’s better,” she says.
The door opens. Mavis charges out of the elevator like her jacket is on fire. She only manages to compose herself once we’re in the lobby.
“Shall I call IT, sir?”
“No,” I say, stalking to my office. “I’ll handle this. And drop the sir.”
“Yes, Mr. Hart.”
Turning my eyes toward heaven in a plea for mercy, I slam a palm on the door and barge into my office while dialing Leon on voice command.
“Brother?” he answers with a drawl.
“Fix my fucking elevator.”
“Admit it.” He laughs. “I won.”
I dump my satchel next to my chair. “You won.”
“See? It wasn’t that difficult to hijack your elevator. I even managed to do it remotely.”
“I want to know how.”
“Ask nicely,” he says, taunting the fuck out of me.
My tone is flat. “Please.”
“Fine. You can have your elevator back, but Candy stays.”
“If you dare—”
“Uh-uh, no threats. You can do with a bit of loosening up in that stuffy building of yours.”
“No more Candy.”
He utters an exaggerated sigh. “Have it your way, but it’ll cost you.”
I hook a finger under my collar, already seeing red. “Are you fucking blackmailing me?”
“Tsk, tsk, remember what Candy said about having a stroke.”
I sink into my chair and stab the button to start up my laptop. “What do you want?”
“A nice set of diamond earrings.”
When the app opens, I check the morning’s figures. The cost per carat is up ten percent. Good. “Are you for real?”
“Never been more serious,” he says with a full mouth, chewing whatever he’s eating for breakfast.
“I suppose you want four carats.”
“Nope. Something small. Nothing pretentious.”
“If I get your diamonds to you, I want to know how you managed to hijack into my system.”
He smacks his lips. “I’ll send you a full report.”
“You do that.” I’m about to hang up when curiosity gets the better of me. “Leon?”
“Huh?”
“Why would you blackmail me for diamonds you can easily afford to buy from any store?”
“This is more fun,” he says with a chuckle.
Shaking my head, I disconnect the call and dial my secretary.
“Yes, si—I mean, Mr. Hart?”
“Send Tony up when he has a moment. Tell him to bring the entry level design in our jewelry collection.”
“Yes, Mr. Hart.”
My phone pings with an incoming message. I read the text. Ian and Cas landed safely in Zim. Rubbing a hand over my eyes, I lean back in my chair.
I won’t say we’re buddy-buddy now that Ian and Leon resurfaced from the past. I doubt we’ll ever be. I’m not angry with them for leaving home when they did. I resent them for not keeping in touch after, but I understand why they didn’t. If it weren’t for Zoe, I would’ve done the same. If I were in Leon or Ian’s shoes, I wouldn’t have thought twice about quitting the hovel we called home, but I meant it when I said blood is thicker than water. There’s nothing I won’t do for any one of them.
Swiveling my chair, I look out over the yellow mine dumps in the distance. Fucking Leon. A smile plucks at my lips. Loud, boisterous laughter erupts from my chest. Leon has talent, that’s for sure. Who could’ve guessed that geeky kid who loved playing chess would turn into a criminal app developer? And Ian. He was born a thief. He shoplifted from long before he was old enough to safely cross the street alone. He’ll die a thief, which is why I’m keeping my diamonds locked very far away when he’s around. Zoe is naïve, innocent, but she has Maxime to look out for her. Even if I don’t like the Frenchman, I have to admit he’s doing a good job. Me? I wasn’t born with pickpocketing talents or geeky skills. I was born with ambition. Ian has his lodge, Leon has his apps, and Zoe has her designs. I suppose you could say I have my diamonds, but it’s never been about the diamonds. It’s always been about a woman. For me, for Ian, and if those earrings are anything to go by, for Leon too.