Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

S elena

Baking.

The artistry had always drawn me to various baking shows on the Food Network . My mother had called me weird when I was the little girl who wasn't into video games or social media, even keeping a notebook of my favorite recipes, forcing my parents to endure horrible ones I'd created early in my teens.

But they'd eaten the cardboard crap with smiles on their faces.

What I had learned early on was that I was a messy baker, today no different. I had flour all over me, icing from the last batch caked on my face. But I was happy. The sun was bright in the sky, the eighties music, which I'd become consumed with lately, was blaring on my iPad in the kitchen, and the heat was oppressive since I'd had the oven on for four solid hours.

I did a little jig after taking out the last batch, a combination of berries with a hint of white chocolate.

After precariously placing the muffin tin on the overcrowded wire rack, I rubbed my arm across my sweaty forehead, instantly laughing from the various colors of icing covering my forearm. Yep, I was a total mess but at least I could smile.

Maybe I should wash my hands before I started another batch. I'd gotten up early that morning, pulling my hair into a ponytail and jerking on sweatpants and a tank top before consuming two cups of coffee. A shower could wait.

Tomorrow might be the perfect day when someone discovered my goodies and adored them. Then I'd become rich and famous. Right. Dream on, girl.

The hard knock on the door meant one thing. Willow had arrived just to ensure I'd texted the hot man. Maybe hot. Okay, so I still wasn't convinced but I had enjoyed our conversation. It hadn't really approached naughty as maybe my bestie had hoped, but I'd been able to tell the guy on the other end of the phone was intelligent.

I grabbed a kitchen towel, groaning as all I'd managed to accomplish was smearing more icing all over my hands. As I walked toward the door, I found myself almost eager to let Willow know I'd enjoyed myself the night before. So, when I threw open the door, I decided to blast her with the news.

"Yes, I texted the man as demanded and oh, boy. What a little hottie that I could see myself…"

Thankfully, I'd stopped before spouting off the word ‘fucking' since my father stood on the other side. As usual, he had that gaze, the one that screamed disappointment.

"Dad. I wasn't expecting you."

"Obviously, or you would have dressed for the occasion. Or so I'd like to hope."

His disdain was worse than normal. "What do you need?"

"A moment of your time and what man did you text?"

Telling my father it was none of his business would challenge him to dig deeper. I refused to allow him to interfere with my life any longer. "It was just a prank. Willow enjoys playing them."

"Yes, well, she has no couth." He didn't bother asking if he could come in. He simply did.

I stood with the door still open, trying to rein in my anger. Since moving to what my father considered to be a bad part of town, he'd visited once. And that had been forced by my mother, the plant they'd brought as a housewarming gift dying within a month.

Maybe I'd allowed that to happen on purpose.

He was glancing around my apartment as if thoroughly disgusted. I closed the door, also forced to control my breathing and my mouth. I watched as he walked to the window after tossing a nasty look toward the pass through between my kitchen and postage stamp-sized living room.

As he shoved his hands into his pockets, I knew what that meant.

He had the umpteenth proposition to make.

I folded my arms, taking my time walking toward him.

"You had everything going for you, Selena. The best education. A position that you excelled in. A bright future. Yet you threw it all away. I keep asking myself why. You are just so talented, so brilliant as well as beautiful."

It was the same beginning almost word for word. "A little passive-aggressive, Dad?" The answer I really wanted to provide would likely horrify him.

There was something different about the expression he wore as he finally turned around to face me. While I couldn't place it, I had a feeling this was his idea of a full court press. "You're my daughter. I want what's best for you."

"Yet you refuse to support me in following my dreams."

His features softened, which was another surprise. "I'm not going to apologize for being hard on you. I'm also not going to lie in telling you that when you quit, you nearly broke my heart. I value your opinion, your work ethic, and your skills. I know I didn't tell you that enough."

"Nope. You preferred chastising me in front of my peers."

He shook his head. "I've apologized for that. It was a mistake in judgment."

A mistake in judgment? I kept my mouth shut. A headache I didn't need. The longer I remained quiet, the antsier he became. Good. Hopefully, that would pressure him into leaving sooner so I could return to a joyful day.

"I'll get to the point since you're obviously busy. I want you to reconsider working with me again and before you say anything, you need to hear me out. Instead of being my assistant, you will have the title and the salary of vice president with your own office and your own staff. Of course, your benefits will increase significantly to reflect your position, including two additional weeks off. Plus, an expense account."

The perks were exactly what I'd asked for more than once and he'd told me flat out I hadn't been ready. "Why the sudden change in heart?"

"Because you more than managed to prove your worth. You were such a valued employee, someone I trust and a person everyone could look up to." Why was the man smiling? Oh, yes. Because that usually meant he had something up his sleeve.

"So, I'm supposed to abandon my dreams to come work with you." He almost seemed desperate, which wasn't like my father at all.

"Only for a year. Only for one year. After that, if you're still interested in pursuing your…"

When I exhaled with sound to it, he smiled. It was meant as a caution to him. "We've been down that road before."

"Your dream, Selena, then I'll back whatever the name of the place is so you can get a decent location. I'll even purchase you a building of your own."

"I think I've found the perfect place, Dad. You don't need to do that." Lying to him was often in my best interest.

He laughed. "Daughter, do you not think that I made it a point to check up on you? Alicia's father and I go way back. I understand you just fired her."

I'd be damned. Now I was the one laughing, although it was bitter and cold.

"What's the real reason you're kowtowing to my desires and requests, Dad? You never do anything without a solid reason."

The look on his face was full of amusement. "I could never get anything past you. The truth is that since you left, things have gone awry. Plus, we're in more competition than ever for new accounts, networks breathing down my neck, with one extremely unscrupulous firm doing everything they can to undermine us. Plus, you know I loathe having anything to do with the actors."

He continually used words like ‘we' and ‘us,' another sly attempt at making me feel a part of his illustrious world.

"Who is this enemy?" Of course, there'd been competition while I'd worked there. It was a media and advertising firm, for God's sake. But his use of the word ‘enemy' was a bit new. Plus, I could tell he was truly troubled.

"Well, we have several, many of which you knew about while working with me, but lately it's been all Progressive Media Productions owned by Sebastian Royal. Maybe you've heard of them."

"I know who they are." They were the big fish in the ocean, holding court in all areas of media production. In my mind, they were out of our league. Either they were having difficulties keeping clients or my father was stretching himself a little too high and too fast. "What did they do?"

"Just the usual threats."

"Meaning what?"

"Sebastian is a bastard. A real bastard. However, with the way you handle aspects of business, I'm certain you'll navigate the gray areas much better than I can. And don't worry about his bullshit. Nothing I can't handle."

Gray areas. Really? My father often thought he was a big, bad wolf. I'd never wanted to tell him that he was still a little fish in piranha-filled waters. One day he'd get more than just a chunk taken out of him. However, I was incensed another firm would dare threaten my dad. He'd worked very hard to get to where he was.

With the big boys.

But I also had my scruples and I refused to lower them for anyone, including him.

"If you're talking illegal, Dad, not a chance."

"Of course not. I do have my scruples left."

Sure he did.

The man had been capable of doing some pretty ruthless things over the years, something I'd discovered by searching through the files. I'd been somewhat shocked, but I'd soon realized that was the way of business. He'd told me I needed to toughen up. Maybe he was right.

But I wasn't interested in returning to the seven to six grind I'd been on.

I hadn't noticed until now, but it appeared as if my father had aged. Just to keep my hands busy, I wiped them on the messy towel all over again, uncertain what to do with his offer. "As I said, I'll need to think about your offer, Father. I'll let you know when I can."

That was the moment his entire expression changed.

"Make no mistake, Selena. The Royals want to take us down using any method available and as a member of this family, you are under an obligation to help me keep that from happening. You owe me."

He had to play that card. It made me wonder if he'd already crossed that imaginary morally gray line. He'd paid for my expensive education happily. Had I known he'd call in a favor, I would have worked four jobs to make ends meet. I was trapped now. The man was my father. "That's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, Selena. In truth, I would certainly hate for you to lose the opportunity you have to indulge in that dream of yours but as you might remember, I know almost every real estate developer in town. I've talked with them." He eyed me carefully.

My jaw immediately tightened. I'll be damned. My father had done many horrible things in his rich life but he had never threatened me. I was suddenly at a loss for words. "As I said, I'll need to think about it." Whatever was really happening inside the firm had him rattled.

And me pissed off. I crossed my arms, my back rippling with tension.

He stared at me for a few seconds before nodding and heading to the door. "Just do me a favor and take my offer as an opportunity. You will truly be useful."

An opportunity. In battling the enemy? Useful? Like a commodity? It wouldn't be the first time.

Great. Maybe I could use that as a sign in the front window of Sinful Treats . Blackmail, a real opportunity.

I closed the door behind him, holding my breath until I was certain he was halfway down the hallway. Only then did I stamp my feet like I used to when I was a little girl.

"Oh!" Why did my father need to make a big deal out of everything? And why did I allow the man to get to me?

I stormed back into the kitchen, tossing the towel halfway across the room. It was time to ice the cooled cupcakes. Maybe I'd add a meanie face in the icing. I snickered from the thought, almost immediately hearing a blip meaning an incoming text on my phone.

Another grimace crossed my face and I was pretty certain it was my mother making a push of her own. I was in the kind of mood that I could do something rash. Snapping the phone into my hand, an immediate smile broke out on my face.

Unknown: What are you up to this morning, mystery girl?

Why was it a white-hot heat immediately pulsed in my core? Even my nipples were aching. For all I knew, the man could be a troll or at least someone Willow had hired to play the part in order to get back at me for the wretched date she hadn't been able to get out of.

It was her fault she hadn't driven herself to the restaurant. Not mine.

As I typed a little line, I anxiously awaited his reply. When he did, I had to lean against the counter, trying to keep my cool. The few lines were short but delicious.

His reply at the end? A devil emoji. At least the guy had a sense of humor. As silly as it sounded, it was nice not knowing his name.

The conversation ended there but at least it gave me another smile, my mood brightening. Sadly, I had a feeling my mood would end up in the toilet by the end of the day.

Or maybe I needed to garner a brand-new attitude, thinking of the offer in happier terms.

Yes, a decision did need to be made and I had the distinct feeling I'd end up working for my father all over again. If I didn't do it quickly, he'd try to weasel out of the deal he'd made.

There could be worse things in life, especially since I seemed to have the upper hand. Maybe it would be fun to topple an empire, using my newly acquired skills in becoming a ruthlessly conniving bitch. I could take a few lessons from Willow. Right?

One year. Tops. And my own office. My own staff. I'd ask for a half million, not a penny less. Maybe more. And no more twelve-hour days or weekends. I would continue to pursue my dream and hold my father to his promise. Damn it.

A sly smile crossed my face for a change. Yes, I could parlay this into a perfect opportunity.

Perhaps my petty but joyful glee meter was working overtime.

As my mother would say, not a good look on me.

Not that I cared.

My father had wanted to toughen me up. Fine. I was one tough and strong girl.

Besides, I deserved the best in life and I'd need to be the one to reach out and grab it by the balls.

No matter how many feathers I ruffled.