CHAPTER 68

JORDAN.

I AM A VERY SUCCESSFUL MAN.

I've been lauded several times for closing major deals and topping the charts on the stock market. I owned one of the largest conglomerates spanning across several countries on the globe.

I even appeared with some regularity on the cheap tabloid magazines. Some people say I am ruthless, some say I am cold. They all agreed on one thing, and it was that I do not fold. I do not run from situations. I do not back down. I hadn't when I'd almost been fed into a meat grinder, and I won't now because of some feline creature.

The alarm had gone off at about 2 am, jerking me awake when I'd just begun to fall asleep. It was an alarm that was activated whenever an authorized being somehow gained entry into the grounds. I was tempted to ignore it because it might turn out to be nothing, but I never felt comfortable leaving anything to chance.

So here I was, standing barefoot in the cold at a corner of my property and facing off with a hissing, spitting demon from the darkest depths of hell. It must've landed in the lily pond when it snuck in, and didn't look too impressed by my presence or the stick I'd been using to prod it. But if it has decided I won't have peace, then it won't get any either.

“Shoo” I attempted, but the cat only stared defiantly back at me, letting out an unearthly yowl when I followed the command up with another prod.

“I could do this all day, you know. You're no match for me”.

I was too irritated to even question the sanity of talking to something that couldn't reply.

The arched back and extended claws were enough reply though, and I didn't care much for being told to fuck off by an animal whose total net worth amounted to a big fat zero.

The sound of the sliding door caught both our attention and I watched as Melanie stepped, immediately bringing her hands up to rub her arms at the chill in the air.

The cat took a step back and put a paw in the pond, making it let out another sound and arch impossibly higher.

“Jordan? Is that you? I heard the alarm go off, is everything okay?” Melanie called out, coming closer until she was standing beside me.

She stared down at the devil creature and for a moment I thought I had gained an ally in this battle. Then her eyes went all sparkly and she made the girliest sound I've ever heard from her.

“Awww, it's a kitty!” she squealed, bending down and scooping it up quicker than it could flee. She held it close, miraculously deaf to its shrieks of protest. But its resistance was nothing compared to my disbelief and revulsion on full display in my voice.

“How can you hold that thing?” She gave me a look like I was the one who wasn't quite right in the head.

“It’s simple, like this. Here, you try”, she extended the hellspawn to me and I took two steps backward.

“I’d rather shoot myself in the head.”

Her face filled with disapproval, “Jordan, You're hurting its feelings!” she scolded, which was ironic because I was pretty sure the creature's heart rivaled mine in being stone cold.

“You don't like cats? Is that why it's wet? Did you push it into the pond? Jordan”, her tone carried a heavier dose of disapproval this time.

I marveled at the way she had asked questions without waiting for a reply and came to a conclusion all on her own where I was in the wrong.

“I didn't do anything. The devil's seed fell into it all by itself” I retorted, unsure as to why I felt the need to defend myself.

She totally ignored me, “Poor baby. It's shaking and scared and maybe even hungry. You're hungry aren't you, you cute little baby?” she started back into the house still fussing over the cat, leaving me with no choice but to follow.

The cat had stopped resisting at some point so when she set it down in the kitchen, it just backed itself into a corner and meowed piteously.

I glared at it but had to admire its skills; it had identified the weak link and intended to milk it to its frozen heart's content. A smooth operator. Melanie took out a carton of milk from the fridge and scrambled in a drawer until she found a bowl. She poured the milk into the bowl and set it in front of the creature like an offering.

The cat took a few tentative steps forward while we watched, then bumped into the bowl and scrambled back. We watched this curious behavior for a minute before coming to a realization at the same time.

Melanie walked over to it and picked it up, holding it up to the light as she examined the eyes.

Even from this distance I could see the thin film of white over one of its eyes. Huh. The devil creature was half blind. I dug for the feeling of triumph that should accompany this new knowledge but felt nothing. Melanie gently set it down and guided its head to the milk. It slowly began to lap it up and she let go.

Without a word, she left the kitchen. I heard the sound of ripping and she came back holding two halves of what used to be the rug on the sofa.

“Did you just destroy that priceless throw?” I shook my head in disbelief.

“Feel free to bill me for it," she said tersely and began to rub the cat with the first half then threw the second half around it when she was done. It didn't even react to her anymore, focusing on drinking the milk without diving headfirst into the bowl.

Melanie stood up “I’m keeping it” she declared.

“Like hell you are”, I retorted. “I don't want it in my house.” “Fine, we won't be in your house then”, she shot back like she had anywhere else to go if she moved out. Except Blaine's house; he'd take her in within a heartbeat. The thought of her living with Blaine and them raising a cat and living happily ever after soured my mood even more. Still, I will not fold.

“You don't just take in stray cats. You don't know where it's been. You could be bringing all sorts of germs and whatnot into the house for all we know”, I argued.

“I just said we won't be in your house, didn't I? I'll just give Blaine a call in the morning and we'll be on our way,” she said, her eyes fixed on the cat as it began to blink slowly.

She took the bowl away and wrapped the creature more securely in the throw.

“And I'll make sure everyone knows that I left because you wouldn't let a helpless, half-blind kitten stay”, she delivered her winning blow.

I couldn't believe I had just been threatened by a manipulative monster. Worse, I couldn't believe that for the first time in my career, I was going to fold.

“What’s it going to be?” she prodded, finally staring me in the eyes as she cradled the cat in her arms. I refused to concede my defeat and simply walked away, feeling her triumphant smile on my back all the way to my suite.