CHAPTER 83

MELANIE.

I COULDN'T STOP STARING AT MINI JORDAN.

When I'd first seen that dark hair and those green eyes my first thought was that Jordan had a secret child who had now come out to demand acceptance or go to the press with the scandal.

I wouldn't put it past him. And with his aversion to the press and even greater aversion to being put in tight situations, I reckon he'd just slice the kid's neck ear to ear, chop her teenage body into bits and run her through a meat grinder in one of his factories. I'm kidding. Maybe. All I'm saying is, I'd stay off burgers if I were you.

“I did say you have pretty eyes, but that doesn't mean I want them trained on me every second”. Jasmine commented lazily, sitting on the edge of my desk. I blinked. “Sorry. Just that Jordan never mentioned a sister. Or any family, for that matter”, I explained.

A shadow crossed over her face and she opened her mouth only to close it again and shake her head.

“If he wanted you to know, he would've told you”, she said bluntly. I could see the resemblance. Not that I needed it.

“Okay, mini Jordan”, I checked my watch and noted the time. “It’s past my lunch break. You hungry?”, I asked.

She shrugged. “I could eat”, she said casually. So sassy. I asked her what she wanted, then went down to the fourth floor to get it since Jordan had instructed that she was not to leave our floor.

I'd heard parts of their whispered conversation earlier and it was clear she was to be kept under wraps. The mystery cloaking his family was intriguing to say the least, but even I knew better than to ask. Like Jasmine had said, if he wanted me to know, he would've told me. Still, that didn't stop my curiosity from growing.

I wondered if Blaine knew; they'd been together for a long time so I guess he did.

Perhaps Jordan would call and tell him he finally found his sister. Perhaps that would break the ice between them. Lost in thought, I bumped into a guy in a maintenance suit so hard I shifted back. Startled, I looked up as I muttered a quick apology and the words almost caught in my throat. The man was glaring at me with eyes that somehow were both cold and filled with anger at the same time.

“You think because you're banging the boss, you can step on us normal hard workers? Why don't you watch where you're going, office cunt?”, he sneered loud enough for people around me to hear before stalking off.

I stared after him with my mouth agape, aware of the glances people were throwing my way. What was up with him? I mean, we'd bumped into each other, how was it only my fault? Also, why did something about him nudge something in my head? I shook my head and just kept walking while my cheeks slowly heated up.

How many of these people I passed also thought I was sleeping with Jordan? I couldn't fault them completely though. I'd just shown up without warning and assumed the role. There were bound to be all sorts of rumors flying around. It was better than having them all know the truth. At least I was mostly unbothered and could exchange smiles and pleasantries with some familiar faces. It wouldn't be the same if they found out I tried to steal from their boss.

I greeted the friendly waiter at the restaurant and placed my order, sipping a cold drink and taking out my phone as I waited. Bennett had left Paris and kept sending me all sorts of random pictures on his way to the airport and then on the plane back to Washington. A hobo lying passed out on the ground, an empty cup of what had been coffee from the place we'd first met, Henri batting his lashes flirtatiously at a particularly buff guy, and so on.

I was glad he was safe and back where he called home, but I missed him. I texted him asking if I could drop by one of these days to visit as they came back with my bags of food.

I paid and thanked her, careful to watch where I was going where I was going this time so I don't get called names again. I breathed a small sigh of relief as I stepped into an empty elevator, jolting a little when my phone buzzed.

I hadn't expected a reply from Bennett so soon. I took out my phone again with a smile, which faded when I saw the text was from an unknown number.

“I hope you're having fun. Enjoy yourself while it lasts, but always remember there is nowhere you could go in the world that I wouldn't find you. P.S: You should wear red more often”. Attached to it was a photo of me on the runway at Paris Fashion Week in the showstopper red dress.

The message wasn't signed, but I didn't need it to be signed to figure out who it was.

My heartbeat increased a bit but I scoffed. Cadell thought his petty cyber bullying tactics could scare me? He had another thought coming. I knew he had probably sent it from a burner phone and tossed it by now, but I couldn't resist being petty right back.

“Cute. You miss me so much you're stalking me now? What's the matter, sweetheart? Realized your underground business is nothing without me? That sucks. P.S: I do look good, don't I?”, I added a few choice emojis then pressed send with a satisfied smile just as the doors opened. I walked into the outer office where Jasmine was still seated and giving me a weird look.

“Why are you smiling like that? It's creepy”, she asked.

I instantly rearranged my face, removing the serial killer smile. “I basically just told someone Fuck You and it felt good”. I replied even though I didn’t have to, handing her the bag of food before I realized something.

“Oh, fuck. It's not your first time hearing swear words, is it?” Jordan would kill me if he found out I was inadvertently teaching his sister how to curse.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. “When I was coming here, I hitchhiked with a group of Norwegians on a road trip. My ears were burning for miles”, she said and I laughed.

“Hey, they aren't that bad. You should try the Irish”. I said, slipping into a Norwegian accent. Somehow I'd started using what was learned to add authenticity to my fake identities, to make people laugh. And I didn't feel weird about it.

It was fun to show off my talents for a reason that didn't involve relieving anyone of their properties for a change.

Besides, Jasmine looked greatly impressed. “That is really cool. How many of those can you do?”, she asked around a mouthful of a chicken and bacon sandwich I hoped was healthy. I shrugged casually, hiding my smirk behind my large Coke.

“Anyone I choose to. I pick up accents really fast. Jordan finds it annoying.”

I watched Jasmine smirk. “Does he, now? I have a feeling we're going to be good friends”, she said and toasted me with her sandwich. I toasted her in return, my smirk matching hers. We had only just met a few hours ago, but I had that same feeling.