CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

POWER

managed to locate an acceptable outfit after searching through the walk in closet and drawers of the bedroom called hers in Duncan's apartment. Letting her blonde hair loose, it stopped right at her shoulder blades. Her white shirt with black stripes was tucked into a pair of black pants. The look was completed with a few gold rings, necklaces, and a pair of white Balenciagas.

Grabbing her Chanel purse, the girl threw her wallet into it. Quickly giving herself a once over in the mirror, she left the room. Walking down the stairs, she entered the kitchen. Sitting on one of the barstools, she took out her phone, and texted Alexandria.

Ready.

Where are you?

10:06 AM

🧚🏼‍♀️

Five minutes.

10:10 AM

"Don't you look pretty, baby." Duncan spoke, his charming voice announcing his presence. Spinning around in her seat, the teenager saw the man standing in the doorway, leaning nonchalantly against the wall. He wore an Armani suit that had to be one of a kind, specially made for him.

Her pale cheeks turned bright red with color and a smile appeared on her lips. Butterflies seemed to find their way into her stomach, like always. "Thank you, Duncan."

"Daddy." He corrected her, shaking his head after tsking her. "You know I like when you call me daddy."

"Thank you, daddy."

He smirked, loving the way the word dripped like honey from her lips. Her golden hair was like a halo but every time she called him that, he wanted to deprive her of her innocence.

The man repositioned himself so he was standing in between her legs, his hands on her hips. "Why are you so dressed up, pretty girl?"

"I'm supposed to go shopping with Alexandria. She's going on a trip to Italy with her family and she wanted help picking out a new wardrobe for the occasion." The teenager explained, her hands finding his, and resting on top.

"Take my card in case you see anything you want." He said, pulling away, and rummaging through his coat pockets until he found his designer wallet. Everything the man owned seemed to be designer. Pulling out a black metal card, he placed it on the counter.

The teenager's jaw fell open, a shocked expression on her face. She had been expecting his card to be green or red... not black. Surrounded by the top 1% of America, the girl had grown up hearing stories about a black card that only a few high rollers owned. She had never seen one, almost believed they were fake. But here Duncan Shepherd was just handing his over to her.

He chuckled at her reaction and just shook his head at her. "It's a charge card so don't worry about running out of money. If you find something you like, just swipe it. That's all there is to it."

She reluctantly grabbed the card and slid it into her purse, not fully trusting herself with it. She was prone to losing things and this was the last thing she needed to misplace. "What are you doing today?" She asked him, truthfully curious about what the day to day activities of a man such as himself was like.

"I'm meeting with a CEO of a technology company. He's a possible partner for the new app the Shepherd Foundation is planning to launch." Duncan explained, not caring to go into too much detail.

A few seconds later, Cindy's phone vibrated. It was a text from Alex saying she was outside the apartment complex waiting. Hopping off the barstool, the teenager hugged the man. "Have fun, baby. But not too much fun." He winked after placing a kiss on top of her head.

The only people in the large meeting room were the two business men and an assistant of each to take notes about the meeting. The men sat opposite of each other, the large wooden table separating them. In the middle of the table was a pitcher of water, condensation rolling down the side.

The pair of wealthy men had been discussing their possible partnership for the pasty thirty minutes and only then did it seem as if they had finally reached an agreement. The pair of assistants had pages upon pages of notes typed on their laptops.

"For four million dollars, Saint Enterprises will happily partner with the Shepherd Foundation to create whatever app your heart desires, Mr. Shepherd." The CEO of Saint Enterprises declares, a wolffish smile on his face. He had just pocketed millions of dollars, after all.

Duncan stood up and met his new partner half way, the two closing the deal with a firm hand shake. "Perfect. I'll have my legal team draft up a contract and have it faxed over to you first thing tomorrow."

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Duncan."

"You as well, Charles."

The CEO of Saint Enterprises and his assistant exited the meeting room, leaving Shepherd and his assistant. Duncan stood silently in thought for a moment before turning to face his assistant to give her instructions.

"I want you to email me a copy of the notes you took. After you're done doing that, I want you to run down the street to Starbucks and order all the staff their regular orders."

Pulling out his wallet from his back pocket, the CEO handed the young woman a blue card from it. With that, he left the meeting room.

"All I'm saying is that if I had a wealthy man who was practically my sugar daddy and he gave me a black card, I would have spent more than you did." Alexandria shrugged, handing over a few ones to cover her Starbucks order.

"Well then I guess it's a good thing you don't have a rich daddy giving you his card." Cindy winked playfully, handing over the black card to the barista that had taken her order.

The two friends sat down at a table close to the wall of windows, people watching as they chatted aimlessly, and waited for their drinks.

"Ma'am, we can't make fifty drinks in thirty minutes!" A male employee exclaimed, catching the attention of many customers, including the two girls.

The brunette woman who was attempting to place the order sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, her heel tapping rapidly as she tried to calm her nerves. "I don't think you understand, Carl." She annunciated his name as she read the nameplate pinned to his green apron. "This order is for the Shepherd Foundation. As in the company owned by Duncan Shepherd."

The Starbucks employee, Carl, laughed and shook his head. "Ma'am, with all do respect, it doesn't matter who the order's for. We physically can't make that many orders in such a short amount of time. We're extremely understaffed today."

"Carl! I am not about to lose my job because you all can't get your shit together." The woman was seizing with anger now, her foot tapping even faster.

Carl truly looked frightened for his life. He hadn't planned on dealing with a "Karen" on steroids that day. Deciding to step in to diffuse the situation, Cindy spoke up.

"Duncan won't fire you because of something you can't control."

Her statement caused the woman to whirl around on her heel, trying to find who was inserting themselves into her conversation. Her eyes landed on a blonde girl and she rolled her eyes.

"And who are you to know what Mr. Shepherd will and won't do?"

Cindy wanted to laugh in the young woman's face. Every customer and employee in the Starbucks was looking at her, awaiting her reply, hoping that it would shut down the stuck up brunette.

"Cindy Shepherd, nice to meet you." The blonde titled her head ever so slightly, challenging the woman to say anything else.

There were faint gasps that could be heard throughout the building. Carl just smirked, knowing that he had won. The brunette's whole attitude changed and Cindy could have sworn that she saw a shiver run down her spine.

The Shepherd name had power and it was sending Cindy Blaine, no, Cindy Shepherd, on a power trip.