Gianna wheeled herself from behind the desk and nodded to the chair in front of it. Unbuttoning my jacket, I sat as she moved closer.
“Do I want to know what happened to Speedy?” I asked. She named all of her chairs.
“I’m having stripes put on it. What has Dad done?”
“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
She scowled at me, contemplating, but knew I wasn’t going anywhere until I got answers.
“My spine shifted.” She rolled her eyes. “That’s the bottom line. It’s a new type of pain, but I can handle it.”
“Did you call Dr. Greer?”
Her eyes narrowed in annoyance—she could get pissy. “Yes, and stop worrying.”
Gianna was born with a musculoskeletal condition and had been confined to a wheelchair for most of her life.
“What’s going on with you and Dad now?”
“He’s meddling with a friend of mine.”
“Ahh, the singer.” She smiled. “Not cool of you, not bringing her here yourself to meet me.”
“I didn’t know she came here. Dad told her he would help her career, but we both know it comes with ulterior motives.”
“Wow, and I didn’t hear yelling. You must be really angry.”
My sister was the peacemaker in the family.
Gianna and her team occupied the offices below my father’s. The floor was designed for her to get around easily, but I always said she wanted to be under my father’s office, so she could hear everything, especially when my father and I had disagreements.
“Would our father’s motives be to convince his son to come back into the fold?” Gianna’s green eyes held mine, but we both knew the answer.
I could see my mom in her eyes. When we traveled to Italy to see my mom’s family, they always said Gianna was Harper’s twin, tall and slim with an olive complexion. Harper’s beautiful raven hair had framed her face perfectly. Gianna’s dark hair was long, full, and curly, inherited from our father.
“Dad’s been trying for years to get me to come back, and I have declined every time.”
“He wants his son in control.”
“You will be head of Harper.”
She mocked me in my father’s tone before sighing heavily. “I love that you think that. Uncle Klaus would have my head, literally. It’s difficult enough keeping you two in line.”
“Gi...”
“You know I’m right. Besides, you will be a better boss than Dad. He’s been on a tangent lately with the case.”
I closed my eyes, trying to gain control. The damn case was worrying everyone, and as much as my sister tried to hide it, the concern was apparent from the deep lines that formed across her forehead.
“It’s handled.”
She looked into my eyes for a moment and nodded.
“That’s why you are king.” The lines disappeared as she fanned her arms out, bowing up and down.
I swatted at them, enjoying the smile on my sister’s face.
“When will I get to meet the girlfriend?”
“We haven’t officially put a title to our relationship.”
Gianna rolled her chair closer to hit my leg.
“You took her to the house. I expect to meet her soon,” she said pointedly.
I rubbed my shin. “You will meet her soon if she’s speaking to me. If not, maybe in a few weeks.”
“I love her already.” She laughed. “If you care that she’s angry with you, she’s the one.”
“Honestly, I’m starting to understand the whole ‘she’s got you by the balls’ phrase.”
Gianna laughed harder. “Have fun with that.”
I planned to, once I made things right with Melody.
“Ben, whatever you did or did not do, apologize, and let it go. I’m sure it’s not worth the suffering.”
She was right.
“One more thing. Let Dad help her. Hell, that’s the least he can do. This isn’t for you. It’s for her.”
I couldn’t stop thinking about Melody and what my sister said for the rest of the day.
“Did you personally hand it to her?” I asked.
Scott turned around. “Sir, I personally handed it to her. I also watched several delivery vans arrive and return completely empty.”
“Thank you.”
Scott was military trained and the head of my security. Asking him to spy on Melody was off, even for me. However, Scott did anything I asked. I also needed to check if it was safe to face Melody, or if I needed him as a shield. My Songbird could get fired up when she was angry.
Her building was easy to get in, due to the buzzer not working. I was unsure if she would let me in, even after the gifts. When I knocked, there was no answer, but Scott assured me she was home. I knocked harder and nothing. Thinking she was asleep, I pulled out my cell to call her, then I felt her.
I turned, and there she stood, my beautiful and sexy Songbird. She had on a ripped T-shirt and tiny shorts. I took the basket of laundry she was holding.
“I came to talk to you.”
She hesitated for a moment, then brushed past me to unlock her door. She threw her key on the countertop.
“Come in. You have the clothes I need to fold.”
I wanted to spank her smart ass right then, but thought that could wait.
I chuckled to myself at the garden in her apartment. I might have gone overboard with the flowers, but she was worth every bouquet in the shop—both shops. She could set up her own flower store.
“I see you’re admiring your work,” she said. She took the basket from me and placed it on the floor.
I grabbed her hand and turned her toward me.
“I am an ass. I made this about me and not you.”
Melody’s eyes scanned mine. “You’re right, you are an ass. A controlling ass.”
I smiled as I pulled her closer. Looking down at her, I breathed out.
“Forgive me.”
Melody’s face turned away, but I placed my hand under her chin and brought it back to me.
“Please.”
Her eyes visually dilated, then she sighed.
“Yes. How can I not forgive the man who did all this?” She waved her hand around. “Genesis loved the gesture, especially when the CD arrived.”
I wrapped my arms around her. I’d had an advanced copy of her favorite band’s CD hand-delivered.
“I aim to please.”
I kissed her slowly and firmly.
“Come over tonight for dinner, and later, I can show you how sorry I really am.”
Her mouth puckered into a smile. “Dinner sounds good.”
Chapter Fourteen
Melody
Scott pulled up to the entrance, and a doorman opened my car door. I stepped out, unclear where to go, but Scott got out of the car, too.
“Ms. Dumas for Mr. Schilling,” he said, then got back into the car and drove away. Scott wasn’t one to make conversation.
I stepped into the future when I entered the lobby. It looked more like the Museum of Modern Art versus condos. The futuristic condominiums were in the Hudson Yards on Manhattan’s West Side, a very expensive area. I would come here on nice days to enjoy the weather along the Hudson River, watching the rich and famous go on with their day. Sometimes, I would walk the High Line walking path next to Ben’s building and wondered about the people who lived here.