Beneath the Shades

ri

nish plating, my

n - because simple is safe, right? Simple is honest. And also, simp

rackles back to life just as

irs. Second floor. Ea

thank you. J

, in this place, m

aty. My shoes squeak on the marble again as I follow the long, silent hallways,

the time I reach the landing, I'm breathless

East win

, three - and then stop at a pair of tall,

ow you don't just barge in

" a voi

. A little rou

my elbow and step inside,

s when I

o

- like it was sewn directly onto his body. He's wearing dark shades, even though t

e's half-bored, half-annoyed. His suit is just as sharp, but his energy feels different - s

et fr

th goe

says quietly. His voice... it's not cold exact

tray down carefully like it m

I feel like I just walked into t

black folder with one hand, the other still flipping through those papers. "Before you continu

t him. "O

te a smile, but close enough

between t

htly toward me, but he doesn't say a word. Just sits there b

all at once, h

sign papers in front of two men in suits who look like

ves before my b

ing for the pen. "Happy

w arches just slightly

n hovering o

esk - the one in the shades - smiles. Barely there.

ecause what else

elve bucks in my

folder closed. "You'll be given further instr

ike I'm some

ng up from the plate, the lemon scent filling the to

the door,

but clear: "Than

man behin

in the

ok back. I just nod and slip out, closing the door

the feeling that I just walked into something way bi

irs - same driver, same dark glasses, same energy th

ay a word as

liding back through the gates, leaving that monster of a mansion be

ng out the window, chewing my thu

se -

right? Like, o

en in

s ind

t reading because I'm apparently t

ng my head agai

You said you wanted a normal job. Not

s stuck, definitely not mansion material - I'm ready to colla

ys, just as blankly as befo

I mumble, grabbing my bag and practically t

, and I have to give it a good shove with

sweet

d, slightly mo

shoes, and flop onto the

he ceiling. "Who signs up to work for people who

zes on the c

ing spam. But no - it's a n

up a little

rt nearly leaps

deposited to

at the

some

because surely I

ere. Ten. Thou

the ac

sh the sentence, anoth

mes

wn nu

ins tomorrow. 8:00

signature. No

t t

eels smaller. Hotter. Like t

tching my phone lik

0,

der, not

f, flopping back against the cou