Who's Your Boss? (Original Version) Revised version available in eBook/paperback

Chapter 16

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(Winnie)

The next day I walked into Reed's kitchen and found him sitting at the table. He had a folded newspaper in one hand and was reading it while eating breakfast. As I moved toward him, he glanced up and wished me a good morning. Returning the greeting, I bent down and kissed him.

"Have you had breakfast?" he asked.

"Yes." I pulled out a chair and sat down. "Where's Lorna?"

"She had to leave." Reed set down the paper and reached for his coffee cup, taking a drink. "She had a doctor's appointment to get to." He put down the cup and his fork. "We need to talk, Winnie. There's something I have to tell you. It's about Mark."

"What about-" My phone started ringing, cutting into what I was about to say. I retrieved the phone from the pocket of my blazer and pressed the talk button. "Hello."

"Good morning, Winifred."

I quickly switched to speaker so Reed could listen in on our conversation. "What do you want, Mark?"

Reed swore under his breath.

"I wanted to hear your lovely voice," he answered. "I've missed it and you. Do you miss me, Winifred?"

"No," I said without hesitating.

"Honest little thing, aren't you?" Mark commented.

"Just tell me what you want," I told him. "I don't have the time or the patience for this."

"Very well," he uttered coldly. "I'm sure Reed hasn't told you so I will. He came to the prison last night for a visit. It was at my request that he came. I wanted to speak with him face to face about you. You see, I learned from mother that you no longer wish to visit me. You should know that the news upset me. I want to see you, Winifred."

"Well, I don't want to see you," I informed him.

"Reed told me as much," Mark said. "I know deep down he's the reason you don't want anything to do with me anymore. He filled your head full of lies about me. I am innocent, Winifred."

"I don't believe you." I glanced in Reed's direction and noticed he had a muscle twitching in his jaw. Anger flared in his eyes. I reached out and placed my hand over his. "Reed would never mislead me and-"

"Enough!" he thundered. "I'm growing tired of this conversation so I'm going to get to the point. You won't come and see me willingly therefore I'm going to make you come and see me. You care for my brother, don't you?"

I locked eyes with Reed and said softly, "Yes."

"Good, because that means you'll do anything for his well-being," Mark muttered. "So this is how we're going to do it, Winifred. You're going to come and see me whenever I want you to. If you don't show up for our little visits I won't punish you. I'll punish big brother. To show you what I'm capable of and that I mean business I left a little surprise waiting outside."

I swallowed hard. "What kind of surprise?"

He chuckled. "Now if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise. I will be expecting you tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. Don't be late." The line went dead, signaling that he had hung up.