Elijah:The Boss's Gift(5)
“Yes, I love it.”
Cherry nodded. “I like cooking.”
“You do.”
He watched Cherry as she talked with his daughter. She wasn’t much older than Mindy, and he hated the need that Cherry inspired inside him. They ate their food together with Cherry and Mindy talking about food. He was surprised by how much Cherry knew, and from the look on Mindy’s face, she was loving her already.
When it was over, he sent his daughter off, as she had done the cooking, and he carried the dishes through to the kitchen. He dumped the leftovers in the trash.
“Thank you for not crushing her heart.”
“I’m not mean, and the food tasted okay.” Cherry took the dishes and started to dry them up. “So what’s my job now?”
“Clean, do whatever you want. I’m not interested in dealing with your shit.”
He shouldn’t be doing this. If Cherry went to the cops he’d be in for a world of shit, but he just couldn’t bring himself to lock her up. When she’d been tied to the chair, the fear in her blue eyes had struck him hard.
“I’m going to my office. Mindy will show you to your room.”
Drying his hands, he left her alone in the kitchen. He’d not finished the dishes, but he needed to get away. Closing his office door, he sat behind his large oak desk. On top of his desk was a picture of Bethan. She had gorgeous black hair with startling blue eyes. All of the women he fucked now were either blonde or dyed out of a bottle. Bethan had died giving him Mindy. She hadn’t been strong enough to handle a pregnancy. It was lucky she’d carried Mindy for so long with her heart defect. Bethan had a hole in her heart that weakened her.
“What the hell am I doing?” he asked, staring at her picture.
He expected a phone call from his security detail that Cherry had run off. Ten minutes passed and still nothing.
“Dad?” Mindy asked, knocking on the door.
“Yes.”
The door opened, and she peeked around the corner. “Can I show Cherry to a room? She says she’s staying here.”
“Sure.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed at his temples, looking toward her.
“I like her. She’d be great for you.”
“Mindy, don’t start.”
“What? I’m just saying. She’s really pretty.”
“Go, show her to her room.” He waved his hand out for Mindy to leave.
“Love you, Dad.”
“Love you, too, honey.”
His door closed and he heard Mindy talking. He should just let the girl go, but if Marcel wanted, he’d find her. Picking up his phone, he dialed Caleb Cassell, one of the few men he actually trusted with his life.
“Hello,” Caleb asked. “This better be good.”
“I need some information on a woman.”
“Fuck, Elijah, it’s Friday night.”
“So?”
“I’m with my woman and you want to talk business. Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?” He heard Caleb moving away from the sound of Donna laughing.
“No, it couldn’t wait.”
“Fine, I’m in my office. What couldn’t wait?”
“I need information on a woman. She goes by the name Cherry Morgan. I don’t think it’s a fake name. It was on all of the identification with her.”
“Okay, you want a thorough detail on her?”
“Yes, everything you can get your hands on, I want it all.”
Caleb was silent, and he imagined his friend was writing everything down. Elijah rubbed at his eyes.
“Anything else?”
“No, that’s it.”
“Do I want to know why you want to know?” Caleb asked.
“Let’s just say she was a gift.” He liked working with Caleb and Henry. Both men were known as being the Deadly Duet, two fierce men that rivaled his own reputation. They were good friends and did a lot of business together.
“Wow, you’re taking living gifts now.”
“I didn’t have much of a choice.”
“She’s staying with you?”
“Again, not much of a choice.” Elijah stared at Bethan’s picture. She smiled back at him, pressing both hands to her swollen stomach.
“Seeing as you called, Donna’s pregnant again. You’re invited to dinner Sunday. Henry’s coming and bringing Lydia. She’s pregnant also. You can bring Mindy and your new friend.”
He didn’t think he’d be bringing Cherry anywhere.
“I’ll be there. I’ve got to go.”
“Wow, rude, you call me up and now you’re trying to get rid of me,” Caleb said.
“Since you’ve gotten married and settled down, you’ve become way too fucking happy.”