77
“This is a puzzle box. See if you can solve it,” Mr. Knightly places a beautiful cube before me. It’s black with golden
triangular designs all over it. I can already see the lines where it opens up. The craftsmanship is beautiful.
“Aizen can solve this,” I sneer at him.
“Humor me, Phoebe,” he sighs, placing his phone on the table. “I’ll time you, and then I’ll time the boy,”
I reach for the box and spin it around. When I’m done, I look over at him, and he taps his phone. I press two buttons on the side and it spins open. I pull it apart to reveal a photo of the twins in a crystal frame.
“Aww, I love this. Thank you,”
He stops the timer and opens his mouth as he reaches for the puzzle.
“What the fuck? It’s a sixteen–step puzzle,” he shakes his head.
“If you start at the top,” I close it back up and go through all the steps, but ultimately, it’s simple to get it open.
“What made you decide this was the top?”
“You decided when you set it down. I’m very good with patterns. I make luxury clothes,” I remind him.
“Yes, you do,” he sighs, reaching for something on the floor beside him.
It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest when he lifts a Louis Vuitton briefcase up and sets it down in front of him. He snaps the latches and glares at me as he opens it. From inside, he pulls out a bunch of files and portfolios. A smile almost tugs at his lips when he sees he finally got an honest reaction out of me.
“Are those my designs?” I ask him.
“I was able to get most of them back,” he says as he slides the stack of thirteen designs to me.
“She kept the ballgowns,” I nod.
Typical. She has no taste for it. It’s why she’s the best sportswear designer. She never tried to grow out of her tomboy phase. They were also designs based on a drawing Ayrie did for me. There’s no way I’m not going to make a big deal out of this.
“She had already sold the designs when she fired you. Xo gave me the name and number of who she sold them to without your permission. Out the kindness of her heart,” he smirks, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I will choose to believe you because we have to come out of this, best friends,”
“That doesn’t need to happen,” he shakes his head.
“It does, or I’m never going to be happy again, Mr. Knightly,” I admit, and it’s not a threat. I don’t know why I want this asshole to like me, but I do.
“I don’t know why I have that effect on people, but you’ll grow tired of trying to please me, Phoebe. I’ve done a lot of weird shit in my lifetime. Let’s keep this professional,”
“I’m honestly already invested in this, but sure. Let’s talk about this,” I pull my portfolios to myself. I open each one to find a check paying for each design. “So, who has them?”
“The former Luna Queen has them. She and her sister will be wearing your dresses for a ball hosted at court,”
“My cousin Perry lives near there, doesn’t she?” I ask, setting the checks side by side so I can scan them with my phone. I‘ m going to frame these, and they’ll go up in my study next to these designs for the rest of the year.
“Yes, does,” he smirks.
I begin to take pictures of the checks with my bank app. This is going to be one of those things that is going to be a who lot of fun, and then I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks that follow with knots in my belly for being a monumental bitch.
“If I asked you to help me make sure that the former Luna Queen and her sister are never seen in my designs, would you?” I set my phone down.
Arnold Knightly presses his lips together and sits back as a smirk starts to form on his very handsome, for a man who is about sixty–seven years old, face. If this is what Knight is going to look like when he’s older, I am literally the luckiest bitch
ever.
“I guess it depends on how far you are willing to go to make that happen thy dear,” he shuts the briefcase and places his
hand on top of it.
“Mr. Knightly, I would rather see those dresses ripped to shreds and on fire, before I let those entitled hoe–bags who sent assassins to my home where my children live than ever see them photographed in a design my baby girl helped me create days after she woke up from a poison induced coma,”
77
The smirk on his face disappears as he sits up and fixes his tie.
“When you put it that way,” he nods.
“I knew that you would be the most understanding of everyone around me. Others might see you being a realist as your worst quality, but if we’re being honest, there really isn’t any other way of dealing with lesser minds. They’re just sheep, needing to be herded,”
Ugh, that felt disgusting coming out of my mouth. I hold up my phone to show him the frame I will be putting my checks on with the money Xo gave me. It’s gold with a pretty black velvet lining.
“What’s that for?”
“There’s four hundred and fifty–five million dollars here. The money I’m going to use to build my own fashion company. I am going to put it up behind me on some of my how–to on a budget videos on PawTube,”
“It’s subtle and directed at something, not of my personal interest, but I like the enthusiasm. I personally go for the throat, but this would wound them in a place I can’t reach them. I’m in. I have a question for you. Why choose me? I’m the least of all of Nathan’s family members to know a damn thing about any of this,”
“What?” I look him over. “Mr. Knightly, you are literally the cleanest and most elegant man I’ve ever come across. You look, smell, and move like a god. I mean, you have perfect posture, and your teeth are gorgeous. Your hands,” I reach for them to show them to him. “Are impeccable. When you were carrying those wooden panels for Knight in his studio, I thought you were going to get a splinter. I have my mani–kit on standby at all times.
“You have great taste. Anyone who knows anything about the presentation of the self knows you know exactly what you’re doing. It’s obvious Knight gets that from you. Mr. Blake was clearly raised on a ranch. I once saw him where corduroy trousers with a silk button–up,”
“It is obvious, isn’t it,” he breathes in, loving the compliments.
I am going to hell for this, but if time is what Perry and Knight need, I will provide it. I hope that Mr. Knightly sees my betrayal as evil bonus points. I, too, am a Slytherin, Mr. Knightly. I just hide it very well so my kids can hopefully be better people than I.
“I am going to get started on dinner for the twins. Let me know if you have any requests,” I gather everything and start taking it to my study.
“Dinner rolls. I loved your dinner rolls the other night,” he says as he stands to go back up to his room. “When you are finished, pack a weekend bag for you and the twins. Perhaps call your cousin and inform her we will be visiting,”
“I have to look for flights,” I shake my head.
“Sweetheart, I’m one of the richest men alive. We’re not going commercial. I have my own plane. Coincidentally, your cousin‘ s mate designed it for me,”
“I am going to make the hell out of those dinner rolls for you, sir. Thank you,” I grin and turn around to put my things on the drawing table. I don’t shut the doors until he’s gone.
“That was intense to watch,” Perry’s voice comes through my speaker.
“I am terrified,” I squeak, taking in deep breaths to calm myself. “Oh, and um. We’re coming to visit,”
“I am so excited. I’m going to set you guys up, right now. Be safe, Phoebes. Don’t let that fuck catch you,”
“What the fuck am I doing?” I whisper to myself as I head into the kitchen. Knight is sitting at the counter with a bottle of water as he prepares his pre workout.
“You are a fucking genius,” he smirks. “I think I like evil Phoebe. She’s got a mouth on her,”
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