The Beast of Stornoway

Chapter 64: Van

Van stood in the mirror and adjusted his tie. It was time for him to face Blarcum Industries again. He felt like he'd just got rid of one nuisance and now he had to deal with another. This was the most important annoyance he had to deal with. He could care less about the sinister threats Rebecca made before she left. She wasn't pleased that he hadn't paid much attention to her and told him he'd better act like her fiancée in Spain or he'd be saying goodbye to his manor. Van rolled his eyes. If he gained control of his company, she could go back to meaning absolutely nothing to him.

Van looked himself over in the mirror one last time before he left his room. He sighed as he walked downstairs and pulled on a black overcoat.

I can do this.

He had to do this if he didn't want to keep living under his mother's thumb. A grin spread across his face as he neared Amani standing in the foyer. His eyes wandered over her black stiletto heels and up her black stockinged legs. He'd be just fine with her around.

Amani looked up from her phone and her eyebrow raised in confusion. "Where are you going?" she said as her eyes trailed slowly over his business attire.

"To my office. I do run a company occasionally."

"Okay, but you never attend the meetings. Does this mean I don't have to go in today? Because I wouldn't mind going back to bed and hanging out with Nova."

He laughed at her cheeky request. "No, you're still needed, assistant. I haven't dealt with these people in a long time. I need your guidance today."

She rolled her eyes. "The board members hardly tolerate me. I'm not sure how much help I'll be." She frowned and tilted her head to the side. "What's with your sudden interest in your company again?"

To take down my mother, so I can explore these feelings I have for you. Don't say that, Blarcum.

It was far too soon to tell Amani something like that. He'd probably freak her out. The little witch wouldn't even say his name yet.

He shrugged. "I figure my mother is going to force me back into the office at some point. I might as well get a head start." That wasn't a lie. His mother was going to make him run the company visibly once he and Rebecca were married. She'd enjoy him taking initiative like this. She'd think he was finally ready to play her Mionlach games. It was exactly what Van wanted her to think.

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea." Amani nodded. She smiled as she looked over his attire again. "It's weird seeing you in a suit and not your usual farming clothes."

He grinned. "I hope that's not a bad thing."

Her cheeks swelled and she shook her head. "No, it's not. It's...a nice change." His heart thumped as she moved the lapel of his coat to the side to take a closer look at his clothes. "But all black? You could at least wear a colorful tie. You're not going to a funeral."

My cheeky little witch.

She had a lot of nerve calling out his all black attire. "You're wearing all black too, ya hypocrite."

She laughed and pulled her coat back. "Yes, but at least my top has ruffles."

Those damn ruffles perfectly accentuated the curve in her voluptuous breasts. Bloody hell. He wasn't going to be able to concentrate on anything today. "Fair enough, but where's your usual political statement top?"

She shrugged. "They aren't ready for that yet. It's pretty stiff at Blarcum Industries. I don't want to freak them out too much with my feminist attire. It's bad enough I have to stop some of them from touching my hair."