Leaving the room, Sylvie felt as if she was floating. What was she really doing? This man was a client, about to face a shit storm of controversy, and she felt herself falling for him. Oh, this had to stop.
It’s just sex, it’s just sex. She walked down the stairs and kept telling herself that she wasn’t going to get serious with this man. All being serious with Erik would do is open her heart up to pain again. After Stephen, she was done with all of that.
“Sylvie,” Olivia called out. “Can I catch a ride with you? Logan is going to follow Erik to the headquarters, and I need to get to my computer in order to monitor the news coverage of this.”
“Sure. We need to talk anyway.”
“Yeah, we do.” Olivia looked up at the top of the staircase, catching Erik gazing at Sylvie. “Somebody has a love jones going on.”
Sylvie elbowed her friend in the side. “Let’s go.”
As they headed for her car, Sylvie turned to Olivia and sighed. “I ran into Amanda yesterday.”
“Ugh, that bi—”
“She’s pregnant.” A lump started building in her throat. “And it’s Stephen’s child.”
Olivia covered her mouth with her hand, holding back an angry howl. “That dirty tramp! Really? Of all the men in Atlanta and after what she tried to do to your business.” Olivia reached out and hugged her friend tightly. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s like the hits keep coming.”
“And you keep coming out swinging. Forget her and sorry-ass Stephen. You’re so far above them.”
Olivia’s pep talk would’ve worked if Sylvie didn’t feel as if her life was about to spin out of control.
Chapter 12
Erik and Logan walked through the throng of reporters and cameras to get into the building. “Well, the lobby looks great,” Logan said once they walked inside. “Sylvie’s very creative. But I’m sure you know that already.”
“Yeah, that’s why she’s going to redo the house.”
Logan shook his head. “That’s not why she’s redoing the house, but if that’s what you need to make it through the night, then cool.”
“Come on, man, cut me some slack. I’m just having—”
“A woman stay over at your place. And then cooking her breakfast with your own hands is pretty much an announcement of love.”
“You’re going too far, little brother.”
“I don’t think so. Look at how she took off after you when you were sulking this morning. And you didn’t toss her out like last night’s garbage when I told you I was on my way. I’m used to seeing your women look like blurs of lace and weave.”
Erik nudged his brother in the side with his elbow. “Don’t be a dick.”
“There are so many things I could say right now, but I’m going to let it go because we have business to attend to. But she’s special, isn’t she?”
Before Erik could reply, Ingrid dashed over to them. “Great, you’re finally here. We need to draft a statement pretty quickly. This story is picking up all kinds of traction on social media. One of those gossip websites has reached out to a few of your exes or whatever you call them.”
“Weave blurs,” Logan quipped.
“Who was it and what did she say?” Erik sighed, ready for more drama to be piled on him.
“She kept saying that you’re the real MVP. The video is quite comical. She seems high.”
Erik hid his grin and made a mental note to send Chantelle a makeup gift basket with all the high-end moisturizers.
“Let’s look at my parents’ interview and then address those vultures outside.” Erik and his crew walked into the conference room where Ingrid had a big screen attached to her laptop. She pressed her mouse and the screen filled with Yvonne and Simon Jordan.
“It’s sad that a civil war has broken out in my family and my son is using these trumped-up charges against me to grab power. Let’s be clear, I started this company and without me there is no Jordan Industries. My blood, sweat, and tears. Erik is a glorified chemist, what does he know about running a multinational company?”
The reporter was about ask a question when Simon interrupted her. “None. That’s what he has, no experience to lead, and he’s falling for the lies that a jealous board of directors is feeding him because they want to sell the company.”
“Turn it off,” Erik growled. “I can’t believe he’d get on TV and lie like that!” He looked up at the screen and stared at his mother’s blank face. Though she held her husband’s hand, her eyes looked dead. Maybe Yvonne wasn’t 100 percent behind his father like he thought. But she sure made it seem that way in the few conversations he’d had with her over the last few weeks.
Ingrid turned the feed off and chewed her bottom lip. “I watched the entire interview and drafted a release.” She handed Erik her iPad. “Feel free to make any changes you feel necessary.”
Erik gave the release a cursory glance, then shook his head. “Here’s the deal. I’m not issuing a statement about Dad’s lies. He wanted to sell the company and fighting back and forth in the media is going to drop the stock prices.”
Logan held up his smartphone. “It’s already happening.”
Erik rolled his eyes. “That’s why we’re making the announcement about your line, today. I know that the press is going to ask questions about Dad, and I’ll address them. But what we need to do is show that business is moving forward.”
Ingrid and Logan exchanged shrugs. “You’re the boss,” she said.
“And it’s time that everyone knows it.” He looked at Logan’s jeans and T-shirt and shook his head. “You need to change your clothes.”
Logan cocked his right eyebrow. “I’m an artist, I can wear whatever I want.”
“But you have dried paint on your shirt,” Ingrid pointed out.
“Shit. All right, what kind of monkey suit do I have to put on to stand in front of the cameras?”
Ingrid snapped her fingers. “Keep the jeans and maybe a sport coat and a tank top. I’ll send one of the assistants to Macy’s right now.”
“T.J. Maxx,” Erik called to her retreating figure.
“Or, I can just call Olivia and have her bring me another shirt. Y’all are super extra around here.” Logan chuckled and sat down in one of the chairs around the table. “Did you see Mom’s face?”
“Yeah. She doesn’t seem to be on board with all of this.”
“Then why won’t she talk to us?”
Erik shook his head. “That’s the million-dollar question. Have you tried calling her?”
“You know I had a hard time getting through to the parents before all of this started. I did an oil painting for their anniversary two years ago and sent it to the house. It was returned unopened.”
“I believe that was all Simon. You know our father believes his way is the only way.”
“So, why would he destroy the only thing in the world he ever seemed to care about? Because lord knows that selfish bastard didn’t give a damn about us.”
“Not that I’m defending our father, but you two don’t get along because you’re just alike.”
Logan furrowed his brows and pursed his lips. “Are you on drugs or something?”
Erik held up his hand. “Headstrong. Only able to hear what they want to hear. My-way-or-the-highway, attitude-having motherf . . . Yeah, you are more like Dad than you want to admit. Think about it. He was ready to leave me in the lab because his plan was to mold you in his image. If you were taking over, he probably wouldn’t be doing this press blitz.”
“Shit, if I sat in the big chair, selling this company would be the least of our worries. One of the reasons why Olivia and I work so well together is because she has a brilliant business mind and I don’t.” Logan folded his arms across his chest.
“Bullshit. You were doing very well before you and Liv hooked up, and by the off chance that things don’t work, LJ will be fine.”
“I’d lose my mind if I lost my woman. Speaking of women, please tread lightly
with Sylvie.”
“First of all, Sylvie and I aren’t some epic romance like you and Olivia. She made it pretty clear last night that she doesn’t want titles and drama. Makes me think that we’re on the same page.”
“That’s what they all say in the beginning. But I saw something today that proves both of y’all wrong.”
“Oh, so you’re a psychic now?” Erik sat across from his brother. “Enlighten me, oh wise one.”
“You were smiling, despite what I told you. When you walked in the kitchen and saw that woman, you actually smiled.”
Erik rolled his eyes. “No I didn’t.”
“Deny all you want. But Sylvie is different and you’re intrigued. That’s why you’re trying to make her remodel everything, so you can spend time with her in close spaces. Give you a reason to look over her shoulder and possibly kiss it.”
“You sound like a horrible Hallmark Christmas movie.”
Logan rose to his feet and walked over to the window overlooking the city of Atlanta. “I sound like I’m telling the truth, and you don’t want to accept it. But let me be clear: Don’t fuck around with her and have that shit spilling into my relationship. She is Olivia’s best friend.”
Erik laughed. “So this is about you and not some cosmic love story. See, just like your pops.”
Logan lost his smile as he glared at Erik. “Don’t do that.”
“Calm down, junior. I’m going to my office to listen to all the messages I’m sure the board has left, and get ready for this press conference.”
“Think about what I said about Sylvie. Be open to letting her inside that icebox you call a heart.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Erik wasn’t going to admit it to his brother, but she’d already opened the door to his heart. He just wasn’t sure if she could really walk in, or if she wanted to.
* * *
Sylvie shook her head as she and her crew pulled up to the Jordan Industries building. At least she had finished the lobby, and if the cameras caught the beauty of what she and her crew created, that would be another feather in her design cap.
But she was really concerned about how this all was affecting Erik. Was he okay? Though she wanted to rush up the stairs and give him a hug, she had to focus on work and not his lips, hands, and tongue.
Get a grip, girl. She directed her driver to the loading dock on the right side of the building. Today she was going to tackle the executive suites. That meant she was going to have to deal with Ingrid the Annoying. Something about that woman just rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe it was the way she looked at Erik with stars in her eyes like a lovesick puppy. Sylvie knew she didn’t have a right to be jealous. Yes, the man gave her orgasms, but he wasn’t hers. She couldn’t control what he did when he wasn’t in her arms. And if Ingrid had the hots for him, she was probably just one of many.
Still, she didn’t like her. “Stop being petty,” she muttered as she hopped out of the truck.
“Boss, you over there talking to yourself, everything all right?” her driver quipped.
“We’re good as long as I don’t answer myself back.”
The man laughed as he pressed the button to raise the door on the back of the box truck. “Damned shame that this family is at war like a soap opera. I thought I was watching The Black and the Beautiful this morning when I saw that interview. I know my grandma is probably mad as hell right now.”
“Why?” Sylvie asked as she took inventory of the cargo.
“She loves Jordan cosmetics and she hates to see black people on TV fighting, unless she’s watching one of those housewives shows.”
“Your grandmother sounds like a hoot.”
“She is. Wish I could get you to redo her place. But you’re big-time now and I probably can’t afford you.”
“Please! You tell me when your grandma is ready, and if we can watch one of those hip-hop love shows together, and I’m there.”
“Oh no! She watches enough of those shows and you can’t be adding more to her schedule. You’re a bad influence.”
Sylvie checked off the last item on her clipboard and nodded for the two men on the back of the truck to start unloading. “I’m a bad influence? I think my feelings are hurt.”
“Umm, it should be. Stop watching trash TV.”
“I’ll think about it,” she replied as she tapped him on the shoulder. “Tell your grandma to call me, I got questions about last week’s episode.”
He shook his head and pointed his finger at Sylvie. “You’re too much. I don’t know why Amanda wanted us to believe you were stuck-up.”
Sylvie fought the urge to roll her eyes. The things she could say about her former partner. But she was going to focus on the future and forget that lying, scandalous tramp. “That’s why you should always judge for yourself.” She smiled broadly at him and headed for the entrance.
As Sylvie and her crew got to work, she kept looking over her shoulder, hoping to catch a glance of Erik. The whispers in the hallway told her that she’d walked into a shit storm. Was it possible that the interview had been even worse than what Olivia had described earlier?
“That was really cold what Mr. Jordan did this morning,” a woman said as she passed by the open door where Sylvie was standing.
“Yeah, he didn’t just throw Erik under the bus, he drove it right over him.”
“I’d be happy to help Erik lick his wounds. That man is too fine to frown.”
“Kill that noise, he’s your boss and he only goes for the model types anyway.”
The other woman shrugged. “I just want to know if he lives up to that MVP status.”
Sylvie furrowed her eyebrows. MVP? What does that even mean? Shaking her head, she headed for the break room for a cup of coffee.
She wasn’t surprised to hear more gossip when she walked in. “I know Ingrid is loving this,” Sylvie heard a woman say in a loud whisper. “Now she gets to be up under Erik without having to come up with more public relations bullshit for us to do.”
“Please, you’re just mad because it isn’t you. I wouldn’t want to be in either of their shoes right now, and then this annoying remodel is going on. You know we have to get out of our office for the next three days.”
Sylvie cleared her throat as she walked over to the coffee machine. The women looked at each other, sucked their teeth, and then left. It would’ve been comical if she weren’t pissed about the annoying remodel comment. They should be happy that when they returned from three days of paid leave there would be a new and pretty thing waiting for them. She tried not to think about how jealousy flowed through her soul when she heard them talk about Ingrid’s efforts to spend more time with Erik. Though she couldn’t blame her, she needed Miss PR to back off. As Sylvie poured sugar into her coffee cup, she heard the click of high heels. Turning around, she locked eyes with Ingrid—who looked less than perfectly put together for once.
“Good morning,” Sylvie said.
“Clearly, you haven’t been watching the news. There is nothing good about this morning.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. Good morning. How’s the decorating coming along?”
“Great. If you’re doing a press conference, you should use the lobby. It’s done and beautiful, if I do say so myself.” Sylvie gripped her coffee cup and headed back to the executive suites.
* * *
Erik sat at his desk reading the statement that Ingrid insisted he should have for backup. He knew exactly what he wanted to say and he didn’t care if he went off script. His father was a thief. He didn’t care if this back-and-forth in the media put a stain on the Jordan family. Simon was being strategic in his plan. But didn’t he know that selling the company would do nothing but highlight his malfeasance? Did he even care? Rising to his feet, Erik started pacing. What made Simon think that he could get away with stealing? And what was behind it? Was it simply greed?
One thing Erik knew for sure was that he needed to get to the bottom of it. That meant he needed to have a one-on-one conversation with his mother
. Before he could have another thought, the door opened and Logan walked in. Erik hid his grin as his brother tugged at his tie.
“This is ridiculous,” Logan complained. “I hate wearing ties, but your PR chick has some horrible taste in clothes.”
“She was probably trying to capture your personality or whatnot.”
“Do I look like a man who wears floral shirts?” Logan cocked his right eyebrow. “I’m not Eric Benet.”
“So where did this shirt come from?” Erik eyed his brother’s plain white oxford shirt and blood-red tie.
“Olivia. She saved me, as usual.”
“Think she can use some of that magic to save this family?”
Logan scoffed. “That ship sailed and sank a long time ago. I don’t know what all of this means for the family. And to be quite honest, I don’t care. Dad wanted us to be his clones. Then when you step up and do what’s best for the company, you become his verbal punching bag. I don’t know when Mom became his damned puppet. She won’t even take my calls and she’s always done that.”
“We do need to talk to Mom, and the only thing I can think of doing is going to the house and making them face us.”
Logan nodded. “I think you’re right.”
Erik sighed and stood up. “Let’s get this press conference over with.”
“Where are we hosting this dog and pony show?”
“In the lobby. That way we can go on and on about our new direction with our new look taking center attention.”
“Damn, I hope you’re paying Ingrid what she’s worth.”
“Actually, Sylvie gave me this idea.”
Logan chuckled. “Of course she did. You better watch out. Next thing you know she’s going to be giving you the idea to settle down and become a one-woman man.”
“You’re going to be that annoying-ass dude now? Because you’re locked down in love, the rest of the world has to follow your lead?”
Logan shrugged. “If we can find some happiness in all of the madness around us right now, then you’re damned right I’m going to push it.”
Tempted at Midnight Page 12
