“So are you still officing out of XTX?” Cole asked.
“No. With Dylan coming on, he wanted to put a little distance between himself and his grandfather, so we took up residence in a building not too far from them. XTX is still our biggest client, and Xavier is a very demanding man.” Alex smiled.
“Well, just let me know what the next steps are, and I’m game. I don’t have much going on right now, so I just need a week or so to tie up some loose ends.”
Alex downed the rest of his drink in one quick swallow. “I’ll set up a meeting for you, me, Dylan and Sam so we can discuss what our strategy is. Big things are coming for CISS, and if I don’t get ahead of this now, we might have some big problems on our hands.”
The two men shook hands, both standing from their seats. Cole had a couple of things he needed to get done before he stopped by Lucie’s. Once Alex disappeared out the back doors, Cole stopped by the bar, acknowledging Luke as he passed him.
“I’ll see you tonight.” Cole said to Lucie before turning to leave.
“Alright.” She whispered, obviously aware of her audience. With both Luke and Kane looking on, she had every right to be nervous.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
When Susan opened the front door, looking both elegant and highly pissed off, Sierra knew she was not going to enjoy this meeting. Not that she had enjoyed any of their meetings, especially the last one Susan had insisted on. Sierra had to walk away from Luke and Cole that day just so her work could be questioned yet again. Although that day something seemed off about Susan, and if Sierra wasn’t mistaken, the woman was trying to ask about her personal life.
However, being the professional that she was, she’d agreed to meet Susan when she had called that morning. Her inner bitch hadn’t been so excited about the deal, but Sierra had repressed that part of her, gotten ready and high tailed it over to Susan’s house.
“It’s about time.”
Well, how the fuck are you too? Sierra had grown accustomed to Susan’s bitchiness, but she had to bite her tongue repeatedly to keep from telling the woman exactly what she thought of her. Knowing this woman had been with both Luke and Cole had set off something dark and possessive inside of her, making each and every meeting they had nearly unbearable.
Following Susan into the kitchen, not her office like she expected, Sierra began to get a little nervous. Had something gone wrong? Did one of the contractors screw something up?
“Can I get you something to drink?” Susan was ever the hostess, never missing a beat, but Sierra wasn’t going to drag this out any longer than she had to.
“No, I’m good, thank you.” When Susan took a seat at the kitchen table, Sierra stopped abruptly.
“Sit.” Susan stated firmly, followed by a reluctant, “Please.”
Sierra sat.
“We need to talk.”
That’s the one thing, and probably the only thing, they both agreed on. Getting up each morning was beginning to be a difficult chore just knowing she might have to face Susan again. Although they had agreed on a design, and Sierra had subcontracted out the work, Susan still nitpicked over every little detail, often causing the contractor to insist Sierra come over to smooth the waters so to speak. Not that it had ever done any good.
“There’s a rumor going around that has me concerned.” Susan started, glancing down at her hands and then back up at Sierra.
Unsure of where this was going, Sierra remained silent.
“It’s been brought to my attention that you are in a relationship with two men.”
Susan was doing her best to sound disgusted with the notion, but Sierra’s hackles immediately rose. Susan was a member of the club. She had been a willing participant in some sexual exploits that would likely blow Sierra’s mind, and here she was trying to pretend that the idea of being with two men disgusted her. Did Susan not realize Sierra knew who she was? Or at least who Susie Mackendrick was. They apparently were two very different people, housed in the same body.
Deciding that this might just be the blessing she had been hoping for, Sierra opted for the truth. “I am.”
“And you don’t see the problem with that?” Susan asked, clearly startled by Sierra’s honesty.
“I don’t.” Keeping her answers simple was the only way Sierra was going to manage to get through this awkward conversation. She only hoped Susan would fire her and get it over with. Never in her life had she wanted to take the easy way out, but that was before she met this overbearing, impossible to please woman.
For a lawyer, used to arguing her case, Susan faltered more than Sierra expected. Or maybe Sierra’s answers hadn’t been simple enough for her to understand.