Wishing Well(22)

Barron was due to arrive at any minute, and following his introduction to Penelope, I would know exactly what type of girl she was. How far she could be pushed. Whether it was a hellcat that lay beneath her skin or a damsel unable to handle the distress.

As I retook my seat, Penelope admitted, “Theresa told me you needed me to fill out some paperwork before I started working. I can give you all my information, but I don’t have identification or anything else. It was all stolen with my clothes.”

I caught her brown eyes with mine, admired the wisps of gold and green streaked through the light brown. Her dark lashes framed the almond shape, her cheekbones set high and wide. Now that her hair was dry, I could see the natural waves that were soft, the length cascading over her shoulders and down her back. “We’ll make due with what we have for now. I’ll give you five hundred in cash. That should help you buy some more clothes and have your identification replaced. You can use the hotel’s address, if you need to.”

“Thank you,” she answered softly. Fidgeting in her seat, she added, “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this for me. It almost feels like you’re my father, taking me under your wing and all that.”

Her words cut deeper than I was sure she understood. “I’m not old enough to be your father.” And I don’t have the same intentions of a man who would look out for what’s best...

Laughter curled her lips, but before she could respond, a knock at the door drew our attention. I rolled my eyes as if I hadn’t expected the interruption. “Come in.”

Barron walked through the door, his suit perfectly tailored, his blond hair styled back and out of place. Allowing his eyes to land on Penelope for only a short second, he shifted his attention to me, playing his part perfectly without need for my instruction.

“I apologize for interrupting. I didn’t know you had someone with you already.”

Standing, I extended my hand to shake his. “It’s no problem, Barron. I was just going over some information with a new employee.”

Releasing his hand, I waited for him to take a seat next to Penelope. “Barron, this is Penelope Graham. Penelope, this is my friend and business associate, Barron Billings.”

“Hey,” she said, her simple greeting pulling a curious glance from Barron. It didn’t take longer than a minute for him to glean that Penelope wasn’t the standard type of woman I would endeavor to entertain. A smile tilted his lips.

For the next few minutes we made small talk, discussing subjects as ridiculous as the weather and as boring as our businesses and financial holdings. Penelope shifted in her seat every so often, quiet and obviously wanting an excuse to leave the two of us alone, but that had never been my intention. When she appeared ready to make an excuse to leave the room, I pressed a button on the keypad of my computer and pretended to have noticed a message that never really come through. “It looks like I’m needed elsewhere for a moment. If you two will excuse me, I’ll make my departure brief.”

I never gave Penelope the chance to complain. I simply slipped from the room and took a stroll through the hotel. It bothered me not to know how Barron would test her. I wouldn’t see the attempt, wouldn’t know what he said or did to sample her flavor, but he had ten minutes to lay his hands on her, which meant if I timed my arrival just right, I’d witness the results of his game.

Smiling and nodding at the people I passed, I made it appear as if I were simply checking on the ongoings of the hotel, and finding nothing that required my attention or intervention, I returned to my office in time to hear a muted shriek, a few swear words being lobbed from the throat of an angry woman and the unmistakable slap of a hand against skin. Throwing open the door, I narrowed my eyes in anger to see Penelope backed against my desk, Barron’s hand wrapping over her shoulder as he cocked an arm to return the slap that left a noticeable mark over his cheek.

“What the hell is going on in here?” I demanded, my voice rising above the commotion, my reaction of surprised anger played well.

Without giving either of them time to answer, I jerked Barron away from Penelope, my anger clear as I shoved him toward the door of my office and growled, “Never return to my hotel again. Do you understand me? My employees aren’t here for you to manhandle.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he argued. “She’s a fucking tease who got pissed off that I called her out on offering to fuck me and then -“

“Liar!” Penelope yelled from behind me. I turned to see her shifting her skirt back into place, tears leaking from her eyes to drip down her cheeks. “He asked me to hand him a pen and then tried to hold me against the desk and reach beneath my skirt.”

Clenching my jaw, I took hold of Barron’s arm and made a show of forcing him through my office door. Continuing the display should Penelope peek out to watch me walk him through the lobby, I didn’t ease off until we were outside of Wishing Well and fully out of view.

Releasing him, I grinned. “Well, what did you think?”

Rubbing at his cheek that was blistering pink, he shook his head. “Where did you find that girl? She’s practically feral.”

“The streets. I figured if this were to be an actual challenge, I should make it impressive by starting from scratch.”

“Good luck with her. I have a feeling I’ll be a richer man by the time you fail with that particular challenge.”