Page 30 of Royal Bastard

Matthew knew he would need it.

“Fine,” Emily said with a sigh like he’d known she would. “I’ll help. But if it doesn’t go the way you plan, you’ll be on your own, Dad.”

Matthew just smiled, looking forward to having all his children together with him again. Finally.

* * *

Trent

I walkedinto the office and heads turned in my wake. I didn’t care if it was my height or my expensive suit that caught people’s eyes, but I strutted across the room like I owned the place.

In a way, I did.

I walked over to the elevator and pressed the button to go up. A few people waited for one to come down to either of my sides, and I kept facing straight ahead as they turned to each other to mutter and gossip. I didn’t bother listening to what they said. It was all the same.

They loved to talk about how I was smart, sophisticated, and savvy. That part, I loved to hear. I was totally in control of my world and my father’s empire, and I didn’t mind that people envied me for that.

The rumors I hated were the ones about how my father must have helped me get to where I was. That I’d spent all my life riding on his name and his money, instead of building up my own life and career without much of Dad’s help. None of them knew the real me, or the life I’d endured to get where I am now. Still, no matter how much I hated hearing it, I never let those emotions show.

Be in control at all times.

That was the motto I’d set up for myself, and I’d followed it just fine over the years. So what if people talked shit behind my back? I was going to show them just what my effort brought me, and I was doing it my way.

The elevator doors finally opened and I walked inside. None of the other people waiting followed me in, and after a few seconds, the doors slid shut with only me inside.

Well.

Not that it was unexpected. I was the big boss around here, and most people naturally kept out of my way. None of that stopped them from gossiping about me, though.

As I was left alone, I swept my hand through my thick, blond hair and frowned to myself as I thought about cutting it short. It got in the way when it was long enough to fall over my forehead and tickle the nape of my neck. But I was too busy with work for even a quick trip to the high-priced salon I visited to have my hair cut.

The inside of the elevator was reflective, as though the walls were made of mirrors. I’d checked myself at home, but I didn’t mind checking again. Everything had to be perfect and in place. The shined black shoes, pressed dark slacks and matching jacket, the navy-blue shirt under it and the blue and black striped tie were all perfectly in place without even a stray thread to mar the picture of perfection. I’d styled my hair away from my forehead and I pushed it back just a little more. I held my briefcase at my side, a gold diamond watch on my wrist and a small ring on my pinkie finger. I kept my right hand free of accessories because it was my dominant arm.

The elevator stopped on my floor, and I shrugged my shoulders to readjust how the jacket had settled, even though I knew it was already perfect. I strode onto the floor, heading straight for my office. There were fewer people here, but I still caught their attention.

My PA was already at her desk and working, and I gave a small nod of approval. I’d given her instructions the day she started working for me, and one of them was that she always be there earlier than me in the morning and be ready for anything I needed her to do. She stood up as I walked over to her desk, lifting a cup of take-out coffee from her desk and holding it out to me.

“Thank you, Jennifer,” I said, accepting it.

I took a sip and almost sighed at the taste. I gave another small, near imperceptible nod of approval. Like she could see it, she beamed for a moment, then schooled her face to professional politeness.

“Please patch any important calls over to me,” I instructed. “If it’s not so important, please handle it yourself.”

It was going to be a busy day, and we both knew it.

“Yes, sir,” she said with a sharp nod.

I nodded back and walked over to my door, pushing it open with my shoulder. I moved over to my desk and set down the coffee and briefcase, then rounded it as I took off my coat. It was still a bit early, and the air hadn't quite warmed up yet, but I might as well be prepared early. I draped the coat over the back of my chair and sat down. I pulled some important documents out of my briefcase, then set it down to the side.

Finally, I took another sip of my coffee, cracked my fingers, and got down to work.

I had about twenty minutes to look over some papers; then the calls started coming in. My PA took care of some of them, but I still got the bulk of them, and I settled into the busy environment with ease, taking phone call after phone call and ending them with both sides satisfied.

It hadn't been easy starting out, but I’d made my fortune as a financial trader. Of course, there were plenty of people under the impression I got so many investors because of my father’s connections. Quite the contrary, I’d distanced myself as much as I possibly could from the Thompson family name. There was the occasional investor who called me up because they saw my name and connected it to my dad’s but as far as I cared, Thompson was just another name. Working with me didn’t mean they would get any perks out of my dad.

Not that he would give perks to anyone, even his sons. My old man was nothing if not a proper businessman.

Most of the morning was spent taking calls, and by the time it hit lunch I was starting to feel the strain. I’d got used to being busy and it barely phased me anymore. I’d learned early on that you didn’t get anywhere without hard work. I’d wanted to make a name for myself, with my time and my sweat, and I had.