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CHAPTER 1
LEXIE
"Fuck." I tossed my phone down on the desk and grabbed a set of keys off the hook on the wall. That was the third driver to call in sick today. Tony and Blake were able to cover a couple of jobs, but Larry left us a driver short. I already had big enough shoes to fill, taking over my father's limousine rental, without letting clients down.
And no one let this client down.
"I'll take this one myself," I said to Opal, my office assistant.
She brushed bright pink hair off her forehead and eyed me. "You sure? Mr Ellison is used to Larry."
"Mr Ellison will have to make do," I said. "Unless he wants to catch this nasty cold that's going around." Under no circumstances would I let my drivers drive when they were that sick, contagious or not.
"Good luck then." Opal smiled.
I snatched up my phone. "Thanks, I'm going to need it."
I stepped out the rear door of the office, into the parking garage. Three limousines, two white and one black, were parked beside a stretch hummer, also black. All four vehicles were in pristine condition, immaculately clean inside and out. Our clients expected nothing less. Neither did I.
I pressed the button on the wall beside the door. The garage door clanged and slowly rose, revealing the side street outside the building. The only vehicles to use it were delivery vans, my cars and anyone who was lost.
I climbed into the driver's seat of the black limo and turned on the radio. I'd driven for Dad on and off for years before his retirement, but not since I took over Pearson's Luxury Limousines.
I didn't mind getting my hands dirty, but my skills were in organisation. Invoices and payroll, paying bills and keeping rosters straight.
This was a last resort I was only taking because I had no choice. This particular client was known for being difficult. He may decide to terminate our contract because Larry wasn't his driver today.
"Fucking billionaires," I muttered under my breath. Give me a good wedding. I'd take a joyful event over a grumpy businessman any day. White Wedding, pumping through the speakers, agreed with me. I ignored the fact Money, Money, Money directly followed it.
I backed the limo out of the parking space and onto the road. Parkview Tower was only a handful of blocks away, a few minutes, even in heavy traffic. Today's was mercifully light. I made it there by the start of the fourth song.
I pulled into the pickup area in front of the main doors and texted His Ridiculously Richness to let him know his chariot awaited.
No less than five minutes later, Gabriel Ellison stepped out of the front of the building, a laptop bag under one arm, oversized travel mug in his opposite hand. He wore a dark, navy suit, perfectly tailored and as immaculate as my vehicles. He looked like he hadn't shaved for a couple of days, but his blue eyes were sharp.
I hopped out to open the door to the back of the limo to let him slip inside.
He stopped a couple of metres away. "You're not Larry."
By some miracle, I managed to contain an eye roll.
"I'm Lexie." If he was a member of a wedding party, I would have smiled. Men like him preferred discretion. People should blend into the background in his presence, or some shit like that. "Larry is sick."
Gabriel looked at me like he wasn't sure if he should get into the back of the limo or call for an Uber. Eventually, he tossed his laptop into the back and slipped inside. He didn't so much as look at me as I closed the door and stepped back to the driver's seat.
Before I could start the engine, he tapped on the privacy screen between us. I pressed the button to lower it and swivelled around in my seat.
"Do you know where we're going?" he all but barked at me.
"Yes, sir." I recited the address booked into the system. "Unless there's been a change of plans?"
"No change." He sat back and sipped his coffee. Half a second later he said, "What are you waiting for then?"
For you to get some manners? I thought. "Nothing," I said cheerfully. I pressed the button to raise the privacy screen again and started the engine.
I pulled the vehicle back onto the road and drove several blocks to the second location. The moment I pulled up in front, my passenger tapped on the privacy screen again.
I lowered it and swivelled around again.
