“This is for you, I didn’t want you skipping breakfast. As it is, you don’t take time to eat lunch in the office. Your father will fire me for overworking you.” I smirked at her.

“Oh, you worked me real good last night, Luc,” she laughed, spinning the meaning of my words. “I think Bryce is suspicious that something is going on between us,” she said, grabbing her coat and purse. “Do you think we should tell him about us? He likes you, Luc, he will probably approve anyway.”

“Vicky, Bryce knows about my past, he may like me, but I don’t think I’m the kind of guy he wants for his daughter…” I trailed off. I didn’t think that he would consider an ex-mafionnaire to be good husband material.

Vicky walked over to me with a sad look on her face and placed her hand over my heart. “You are the perfect kind of guy, Luc. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. I came to this city a mess, and it’s because of you that I was able to pull myself together. Please believe me when I say that I think we should tell him soon. I think he will be happy for us. I don’t see him often, but he came by my office yesterday and asked if there was someone special in my life. I got the sense that he knew something but wanted to hear it from me. He’s been kind to me, Luc, and I feel like I owe it to him to be honest,” she said, placing a soft kiss on my mouth. I love to feel her warmth against me. She was the only thing that made me feel whole. Lately, even when I had my dark moments, when I thought of my past and my family, it was the thought of her that pulled me back into the light.

“Okay, if you want to tell him then go ahead, I feel like maybe I owe him an explanation, but you are his daughter, if you want to tell him I can’t stop you.” I grinned, grasping her behind in the sexy blue skirt she was wearing, hugging every inch of her curves. I knew all the males at the office would be ogling her today, as they did every day. Only today I wouldn’t be there to give them my death stare in return. I inwardly cringed thinking how possessive I was of her, but I couldn’t help myself, she was mine.

As Vicky left my apartment, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out wondering if it was the Japanese canceling our breakfast, but when I saw the screen, I stumbled back. It couldn’t be. Not now. Not when everything was falling into place.

Chapter 22

Vicky

Leaving for work without Luc felt strange. I still stopped by my apartment to check on Nessa but her bed was empty. After sending her a quick text, she said she had crashed at Brad’s place. I was worried about those two. They had developed some sort of relationship that included going to sex parties and screwing other people. I wasn’t naïve and I understood that monogamy wasn’t for everyone, but deep down I felt like Nessa wanted more for herself. I had a feeling that Brad did too, but they were both too lost to realize it.

My thoughts quickly drifted to Luc and me. We are also two broken people, we are still living with our fears, despite the risk we took with each other but at least we were open to take the risk of falling in love, and so far we were happy.

Luc insisted his driver drop me at the front door of Tyson, since he refused to let me take a cab this morning, or allow Bryce’s driver to pick me up. I had to notify Bryce’s driver that I wouldn’t need him. It seemed like it was important to Luc for his driver to take me around now that we were together. It was the caveman in him; he felt the need to protect me all the time.

As I entered Tyson, knowing that I wouldn’t have Luc to flirt with all day, or watch his beautiful body as he was busy at work, I felt off about being at work. Yes, I enjoyed my job more than anything, and I was so grateful, but it was spending time with Luc that had become the highlight of my day. Not that we were together all the time. We definitely weren’t. Luc was the boss, he was busy taking care of everything and running in and out of meetings, but he would always take a second, here and there, to step into my office. He would close the door and embrace me in his strong arms. He gave me a quick hug and a hot kiss before he stepped back out, but it was enough to reassure me that things were good and I wasn’t alone. We had fallen into a routine without even realizing it. One minute I was forcing myself to try something with him because he was lost and so was I, and in our attempt to save each other we found something real. Something worth fighting for.

“Good morning, Vicky,” Sheila, the secretary, lifted her head smiling at me.

“Good morning, Sheila.”

“Mr. Lebaum thought it would be a good day for you to visit the plant, they are putting a new model together,” Sheila suggested. Luc never mentioned anything to me, but sometimes he does things like this, so that I truly look surprised when confronted by coworkers and they won’t be suspicious of us.

“That sounds great, Sheila, I just have a few things to finish up from yesterday. Can you let the shuttle know I will be ready for noon?”

“Sure dear,” she smiled kindly and continued her work.

As I sauntered into my office I placed my purse on the floor and started up my computer. Thinking of my night with Luc made me feel warm in all the right places, but I put my dirty thoughts aside since I needed to get my work done.

As I went through all the building logistics the hours passed. By the time I noticed the clock on the bottom right screen of my computer, it was a quarter to twelve. Darn, I had to get down to the shuttle in fifteen minutes. I didn’t have time to eat lunch and I’ll probably be at the plant until the end of the day. I was grateful to Luc right now for my warm morning croissant. I quickly ran to the bathroom to relieve my bladder and headed down the forty floors in the elevator to the main lobby. Since the night of the sex party I hadn’t heard from Scott Wellington and I hadn’t seen him either. Luc mentioned that he brought up Scott’s name to Bryce and Bryce only mentioned that his company wouldn’t be a good fit for Tyson. Although I am guessing that Luc maybe convinced Bryce that Scott wasn’t a good fit for Tyson. Having been in the building for over a month there are some familiar faces. As I arrived in the lobby my cell phone rang. I figured it was Luc. He probably had a minute and wanted to check in with me, but when I pulled my phone out of my purse it said, No Caller ID. I figured it’s one of those telemarketers trying to sell me something, and I didn’t pick up. It was already five to twelve and I didn’t want the shuttle to leave without me.

“Hi, Maggie, is the shuttle here?” I asked. Maggie was one of the ladies that sat at reception in the main lobby, she directed people around Tyson and she was also responsible for setting up the shuttles.

“No, hon, he should be here any minute.”

“Thanks,” I said, walking outside. Working in an office means I didn’t get much fresh air, so I tried to get outdoors when I could. As I waited outside, the November air had a cold bite to it, but the sun was shining and I looked up to the beautiful blue sky. The wind picked up and sent a chill through my body. My cell phone rang again and once again I hoped it was Luc. It was ridiculous I knew, but I missed him. The same No Caller ID popped up on my screen and I began to worry.

Hesitantly I pressed the green button to pick up the call. “Hello?” I asked questioningly, not knowing whom to expect.

“Oh thank goodness, Vicky, I was trying to get a hold of you….”

As I heard the voice I tried to place it. It sounded familiar.

“Marie?” I asked, my voice turning up a notch.

“Yes, honey, Oh, Vicky….” she whimpered into the phone and my stomach dipped.