Everything He Desires (6 page)

All
the
way
home,
I
puzzled
it
out.
Was
he
serious?
Or
was
this
just
something
he
did
to
unattached
women
at
parties
to
give
them
a
thrill?

I
gave
up
trying
to
figure
it
out.
I
just
wouldn't
get
my
hopes
up.
I'd
continue
on
with
my
life
and
not
expect
him
to
contact
me,
even
though
he'd
said
he
would.

When
I
got
home,
I
slept
like
the
dead,
in
spite
of
how
keyed
up
I'd
been
with
Rock
Weldon.

*
*
*
*

Loud
pounding
on
my
apartment
door
exploded
into
my
consciousness.
I
groaned,
my
hangover
evident.
I'd
had
more
wine
than
I
thought,
and
then
there
was
Rock
Weldon...

“
Oh
my
god.
Rock
Weldon.
”
I
leapt
out
of
bed,
frantically
searching
for
anything
to
put
on.
Cotton
shorts
and
a
t-shirt
were
it.
“
It
can't
be
him,
”
I
murmured.

Another
knock
came.

I
ran
to
the
door
as
quietly
as
I
could
and
looked
out
the
peephole.
Not
Rock
but
a
man
and
a
limousine
in
my
driveway.

This
could
not
be
happening.
I
gulped
and
eased
the
door
open.

“
Ms.
Pate?
”
The
man
smiled.

“
Yes?
”

“
I'm
Rob
Forrester,
a
driver
for
Mr.
Weldon.
”

I
clung
to
the
door
to
keep
from
falling
down.
“
I
see.
”

He
smiled
as
if
I
were
a
bit
slow.
“
He's
here
to
fetch
you.
He's
waiting
in
the
limousine.
He
said
to
grab
your
keys
and
a
few
incidentals.
Don't
worry
about
clothing
and
come
along.
”

I
just
stared
at
him.

“
Miss?
”

“
Yes.
”
I
looked
at
the
limousine.
I
couldn't
see
anything
through
the
tinted
windows.
Was
Rock
Weldon
really
in
there?

“
Mr.
Weldon
doesn't
like
to
be
kept
waiting.
”

“
Oh,
right.
”
I
shut
the
door
in
Mr.
Forrester's
face
and
scurried
through
my
small
apartment.
I
grabbed
an
old
suitcase
and
threw
a
toothbrush,
makeup,
and
a
few
sets
of
clothing
in
it.

I
just
couldn't
leave
with
nothing
to
wear.
After
all,
I
had
no
idea
where
I
was
going.
I
punched
in
Alma's
number
on
my
phone,
praying
she'd
pick
up
at
work.

“
Hey!
”

“
Alma,
can't
talk
now.
Will
you
check
on
the
apartment
for
me
in
a
few
days
if
I
need
you
to?
”

“
Sure.
Is
everything
okay?
”

“
Just
fine.
”

“
You
sound
flustered.
”

“
I
am,
but
I'm
okay.
”

“
Alright.
Take
care
of
yourself
where
ever
you're
going.
And
call
me
one
way
or
the
other.
I'm
worried
about
you
after
last
night.
You're
acting
so
strangely.
”
Alma
sighed.

“
I'm
fine.
Really.
I'll
call
you
soon.
”
I
pressed
end
and
slid
my
feet
into
my
flipflops.

Here
goes
nothing.

I
opened
the
front
door.
Mr.
Forrester
was
still
waiting.

“
Right
this
way,
Miss.
”
He
grinned
at
me,
took
my
suitcase,
and
led
me
down
the
steps
and
opened
the
back
door
of
the
limo.

“
Glad
you
decided
to
come,
Lacey.
”
Rock's
voice
was
hard.

“
Yes.
”
I
cleared
my
throat
and
climbed
inside.
He
was
sitting
all
the
way
over
to
the
left
of
the
vehicle,
his
face
turned
away.

“
Ugly
city,
isn't
it?
”
He
didn't
wait
for
me
to
answer.
“
That's
why
I'm
not
sticking
around.
”

I
said
nothing,
wondering
what
he
was
talking
about.
I
didn't
find
San
Francisco
ugly
at
all
and
wondered
why
he'd
say
such
a
thing.

“
You
may
speak
now,
you
know.
”

I
said
nothing.
Tears
threatened.
What
was
I
doing?

“
Lacey,
I'm
not
harsh,
but
I
do
demand
that
a
job
is
done
well
if
you
take
it.
Here
are
the
terms
if
you
agree
on
a
formal
acceptance
of
the
position
as
my
personal
bookkeeper
at
Regal
Industries.
”

I
found
my
voice.
I
didn't
want
to
be
pushed
around,
handsome
billionaire
who
wanted
me,
or
not.
“
Let's
hear
them.
”