The Second Excerpt from BLOODLINE

 

I should warn you that if harsh or sexually explicit language offends you, don't read this. It contains some of each.

 
 
 

"I have to admit," Holly Vanderlindt said, holding the eleven by fourteen drawing up to the light that fell easily into the fortieth floor window of her office. "The thing is fucking gorgeous."

Keith Manners looked at the way the light came through what he suspected to be a three hundred dollar blouse. The material seemed no more than an aura given off by her body. If only she weren't a senior veep. Of course, it would help if he weren't married, but he could get over that. The corporate hierarchy, now that was unforgiving.

"That's what I like about you, Holly," Keith said. "You're such a lady."

"I'm serious," she said turning the picture toward him. "It's beautiful. And for your information," she pointed at the floor, "ladies tend to stop about five floors down."

Keith laughed.

"And it's your fault," she said. She tossed the picture on her desk and it slid several inches on the oiled oak surface.

"Mine?"

"Men."

"Oh, Christ," Keith said, "not the glass ceiling thing again."

"You made the rule, not us."

"What rule is that?"

"Any woman that wants to play up here with the big boys has to act like she has a dick."

Keith faked a shudder, looking her up and down as she sat at her desk. "That's a disturbing thought."

She smiled at him. "Wouldn't you like to know if it's true."

He was laughing before he knew it. "Stop," he said. "You win. All men are assholes."

"Thank you."

"We still have to make a decision," said Keith, nodding toward the picture that had lodged against the base of Holly's antique brass desk lamp.

Holly dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "That's easy," she said. "McKenzie-Noble."

"What?" That was the last firm Keith had expected her to name. "But you just said you liked that one out of L.A."

"No," Holly smiled, "I said it was fucking gorgeous. I never said I liked it."

"But. . . ."

"Look Keith," suddenly she was the old hand, explaining the fundamentals of business to some kid fresh out of the mail room. "The group in L.A. is young and inexperienced. Sure, the bid looks okay, but they'll never hold up to it. Plus we're running short on time. If they get behind schedule so much as a month, we have to repermit. That means more grease, more money, more time, more interest. Do I have to go on?"

Keith shook his head. "But McKenzie-Noble? You know as well as I do they do half-assed work and I don't think they've come in under budget on a single project yet."

"But they're fast," she said.

"Holly, the permits just aren't that big a deal. What aren't you telling me?"

She looked away, frowning, and Keith waited patiently. At last, Holly nodded as if she had made a decision. "There's a rumor," she said.

Oh, yes. Keith had heard it. "About the company being in play?" he said.

She nodded.

"And you believe it?"

"It's true," Holly said. "I know it for a fact."

"And you think it'll be a clean sweep of the upper floors."

"It's possible." Her expression said it was more than possible.

"Go on."

She leaned back in her chair, comfortable, but poised. "I already have commitments on the retail footage."

"If it's done in time," Keith added.

Holly nodded once. "If," she said. "When this goes down--."

"No, no," Keith cut her off. "Let me guess. As soon as you hear the broom in the hallway, you whip these commitments out and play them like trump cards."

"Without me, there are no commitments. No commitments, no bond issue. No bond issue--."

"I get it," said Keith. He shook his head. She was playing a high stakes game. "So now I look over my shoulder for the next six months."

"You have nothing to fear from me."

"You've told me about it," he said. "I could rat you out."

"But you won't."

He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Because," said Holly. "You want this office."

He smiled. He knew what was coming.

"And if I get the one upstairs," she added. "It's yours."

Keith could only shake his head. There was no question. She was a player. He pushed his smile wider. "Are you sure you don't have a dick," he said.

She scowled at him, but her eyes and the corners of her mouth proved the expression a fake. "Hey," she said. "Watch your fucking language in front of a lady."