Read Online The Claiming of Sadie Graves by Angela Price - Free Book Online

Lucas.
     
    Lucas:
    I met Peter last night. He dropped by the shop to ask me for a favor.
    I thought you might be interested in, or perhaps behind, his request.
    Sadie Graves, Designer
    Anna Rosenstein LTD, International
     
    My phone rings. It’s Lucas. Again.
    I pick up. “Hello?”
    “Sadie, listen to me. I love Peter like a brother, but I want you to stay away from him. He runs with a crowd that’s way too fast for you. Hell, they’re too fast for me. Do you understand? You are to stay away from Peter. And, from Violet.” He pauses to take a breath.
    “Lucas, I’m having dinner with Peter next week. It’s work related. Please, don’t tell me what to do or who to see. You don’t have that much leverage in my life.”
    He’s silent for a minute; so quiet that I pull the phone away from my ear to be sure he’s still there.   But he is. He’s just at a loss for words, so used to ordering people around. He sighs. “Listen, I’ll be there shortly. We can discuss this later. I simply know my friend and his proclivities. I’d like to keep you far away from that.” I make an “uh-huh” sound. “Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?” I ask.
    He makes an irritated sound in his throat. “No. But we can discuss the rest in person.”
    He hangs up without saying goodbye. In my opinion, that’s the height of narcissism. I really, really hate people who do that.
    I sit there staring at my phone for a few seconds, and decide that when Lucas Sutton drops by today…I’ll be long gone.
    Lesson number one: never treat a red-headed girl with anything but respect, buster.
    Lesson number two?
    Easy.
    See lesson number one.

Around noon I tell Anna I’m stepping out to run a few errands. She waves distractedly at me, and tells me she’ll see me when I get back. Her eyes never leave what she’s working on. That’s so Anna. I love how engrossed she can get in a project. Her cheaters are on the tip of her nose, and a shaft of light bounces a multi-colored prism from them – red, purple, violet and pink. She’s bathed in light. I memorize the way she looks, leaned over her drawing table, and grab my coat and scarf. 
    I walk up and away from the atelier, and wander around Midtown East. I decide to eat something , and walk until I see the Pret a Manger at Lexington and 47 th Street. I walk inside and order a chicken and avocado salad, and a tea. I eye the desserts, but abstain. My phone starts to buzz at 12:38PM. Guess who? It’s Mister Social Calendar. He seems upset that I’m not waiting for him with baited breath at the studio. All the other women he knows, I’m sure, would be. That makes me jut my chin out with irritation. I ignore my phone, finish my salad, and walk a few streets over to the Body Shop to get some moisturizer. I struggle with dry skin in the winter, and applying this stuff makes my whole body relax. I pick up a flat round container of Aloe Body Butter and head back toward work.
    I’m almost to Madison Avenue when I see him. He’s getting into a town car with the blonde I saw him with at dinner last night. That’s right – Lucas Sutton, with a gorgeous blonde. Shocking , I laugh to myself.  They’re on the same side of the street as me, about one block up. I keep walking. They’ll be so engrossed in each other he’ll never notice me when they pass.
    I get about 50 yards ahead when the town car comes barreling up to the sidewalk, and stops next to me. Taxis and other cars immediately start to honk. Lucas rolls down the window. His face is a mask, but his voice is dripping with contempt.
    “I came by to see you, Sadie Graves. And I’m pissed now, because you deliberately left to avoid seeing me. Tell me you didn't.” His eyes narrow.
    “You’re very astute for a mogul, Mister Sutton” I say acidly. “Luckily you have lots of other interests to keep you busy on this beautiful Friday.” I incline my head toward the interior of the car, where his companion is seated. I walk