e
tively imagining my boss sprinting to
eranged. I just wanted him to have a t
unbearable.....so
that I felt should be useless to him. He had asked for sudden revisions without explaining what was
Brandon rarely gave me any work or attention. He floated in and out of the office like a man allergic to responsibility and deeply committed to avoidin
an assistant can do is nod, take notes, and mind
ffee incident tha
more often than anyone cared to admit. A suit could definitely be cleaned. Th
with me was
reaching out because that was part of my job and part of who I was. I knew how to handle situat
stopp
did not know how to handle a simple mistake. The tone he use
he part th
t had been a sign of incompetence rather than responsibility, as thoug
tent. It sat with me as I worked, affecting the way I moved and spoke. I became more care
confidence could erode un
ply. I had worked under demanding executives before. I knew how to separate professi
eadspace when his voice cut throu
en
nto his office with the posture of a woman who ha
s,
going so
lled faintly of coffee and something expensive I
d to go anywhere toda
am
as tucked under my arm earlier, because facts matt
nal meetings, no tr
ess tycoon," he said, cutting
. "That meeting
does
ck was wron
. "Sir, inventing meeting
n I am payin
uing with him was a bloody waste of t
o need for
wned.
l need
ny jet, what on earth was he talking about? Brandon never
," I r
es
where
ta
d heavy and ab
ha
. We are headed to Italy. Do I
fully, "am I going
y personal
wed the former
ke. He didn't know
t fluttered in my c
his jacket. I noticed he was we
following him. "You made
he responded while
a private hangar with my heels clicking against
obscene an
han my entire kitchen at home, fully stocked and shining. Everything was spotless and perfect, as if no one had ever made a mess
xcessive,"
" he said calmly, already unbuttoning hi
because apparently my mouth had no
ll not
question. A sensible one. Possibl
second mista
a full three secon
garment bags lined neatly a
ere id
ere pr
ere la
ith m
so abruptly my hee
lly, "why are there
d out," Lucas replied e
ed toward him
y for my trips," he said, li
tion," I said flatly
ntly amused. "You
ot a su
e under
not the s
y stomach in a way I did not enjoy. I gripped the armrest withou
ticed in
otion sicknes
mitted, annoyed that
a button. "Could we get so
mmediately, carrying pills and water
ou," I m
re not thirty thousand feet above
ok a
ano
stop myself. "This is the b
is own glass. "
hok
like joy. This tastes like I ma
ousand-dollar b
not make
kes it a
ousand dollars on alcohol," I snapp
a moment. "Do yo
rd at my champag
ade hi
t this morning,"
caught me
he added. "I will not fi
quite vain and that's a c
ually laughed.
seri
kno
eath us as the pilot informed u
ught with a top and I was a
e full force. I squinted, shielding my eyes, and turned to
black car waiting at the curb. "We're headed to his hotel
Villa Romano? And... wher
id smoothly, like it
at's... extremely suspici
in...." he replied calmly, opening the back do
ause at this point, what
om collapsing, it's been running at a deficit for a
Marco Bellini who is wealthy business tycoon has a business in the slums,
ou're thinking," he said dryly, reading my expression like an open book. "No, they don't sell dr
der my breath
, his smirk widening
eyes so hard I half expected them to get
comes with the territory. Knowing eve
noyed. "Wonderful. So not only do you en
that made my thig
s is going to b
, amused as he opened the car door to speak
lid down
in a
ay, I realized something
ed this trip
was not just h
for somet
re I wanted to k
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