Page 46 of The Umarova Crime Family

I head for the bedroom and place my phone down on the bed while I get dressed. This way, she and Karim can’t see me. My wardrobe for work is business, and on Friday, we’re allowed to wear business casual. So I throw on a dress and some heels, then grab the phone and go into the bathroom.

I brush my hair and pull it up into a tight ballerina bun, then put make-up on. By the time I’m done, the coffee pot is dinging, telling me it’s ready. Amelia keeps going on and on in the background, and I have to cut in as I’m filling my to-go cup up with coffee that I have to get on the road. We quickly say our goodbyes, and I rush to the office.

Somehow by the grace of God, I manage to get to the office two minutes ahead of when I’m supposed to be there. I for sure thought today was going to be the first day I showed up late, but I’m glad this isn’t the case.

Most of the day, things go like they typically do. I respond to emails, manage inquiries on the website, and call back potential buyers who have questions about some of our commercial listings. Somehow, I end up working through lunch and eating at my desk, and then it’s hitting four-thirty.

“Emily, would you mind coming into my office for a few minutes?” Michael, my boss, surprises me by suddenly appearing on the other side of my desk. The big wigs here have offices, but all the interns are out in a common area with small cubicle sort of things. We can see right through them, so we don’t have any real privacy.

“Sure, I’ll be there in a moment. I just want to respond back to this inquiry that came through a few minutes ago,” I tell him, and he smiles widely.

“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you in there.” Michael walks away, heading back to his office.

Kim, the man who has a cubicle next to me, cocks an eyebrow. “What’s that about?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I have no idea. I hope I didn’t piss off a client or something,” I finish typing up the email response and click send.

“I highly doubt it. You pay attention to detail and what the clients want,” Kim says, waving me off.

“Well, I’ll let you know once I get out of there,” I tell him and walk off toward Michael’s office. With every step, my nerves take over me. Could I be told I’m being let go once the internship is over? I only have another week left. If I am, I’m going to be so upset. I’ve given every bit of myself to this company to prove that I’m worth keeping.

I knock on Michael’s office door, and he looks up from his computer, then waves me in. I walk inside and head for the chairs, but Michael clears his throat. “Would you mind shutting the door?”

“Sure,” I tell him and turn around, then shut the door. The fact he wants the door closed totally messes with me, and I suck in a deep breath through my nose. Everything is going to be fine. Even if he’s telling me that he’s letting me go, it’s going to be okay. I have my state licensures and passed my exams. I can do whatever I want.

“I’m going to get straight to the point since it’s almost the end of the workday, and your productivity level is exceptional. I don’t want to waste your time when it’s better spent tending to our clients. I, as well as the managers on my team, have seen your dedication and work ethic. I know you’ve probably heard that I occasionally keep some of the yearly interns on, and you’re one that I’d like to keep here.”

My mouth drops open in surprise, and I’m so ecstatic. This was what I was hoping for, but I wasn’t sure I was going to be picked. “Michael, thank you so much! I was hoping you’d see my potential and efforts here.” I smile widely, so happy.

“Of course. Having another pretty lady on the team won’t hurt, either. Helps with sales and makes the office a little more enjoyable throughout the day.” Michael winks at me, and my heart sinks into my stomach. Suddenly, I doubted he was keeping me here because of my work ethic. I imagine it’s because of my pretty face.

“Well, thank you for the opportunity. Like you said, I need to get back to work since the day’s almost ending.” I rise from the seat without any direction from him and head for the doorway.

“Perfect. Send Kim in next if you don’t mind,” Michael tells me, and hopefully, Kim will be here with me as well.

“Sure.”

I head back to my workstation and tell Kim I was offered a position, but now Michael wants to speak to him. Kim heads into the office with the most confidence I’ve ever seen from him, and for my sake, I’m praying he’s getting a position offered as well.

I respond to emails and make a few more calls. By the time I’m hanging up the phone, Kim’s coming back out, and he’s all smiles. Once he gets over to our workstation area, he tells me what happened. “I was offered a position too, girlfriend. The two of us have to go out for drinks after work to celebrate.”

As much as I want to say no, I haven’t gone out in so long. “Yes, we surely do. I need a drink so damn bad it’s not even funny. Getting called into the office had my heart pumping.” I laugh, and Kim laughs with me.

“Who knows, maybe when we’re at the bar, we’ll both find a nice man for each of us.” Kim’s flamboyantly gay, and he doesn’t shy away when it comes to ogling handsome men. Most of the time, I can’t blame him, but I wouldn’t go to stare and flirt as much as Kim does.

While Kim’s on the hunt for the man of his dreams, I’m caught in a situation-ship with Amelia’s soon-to-be husband’s brother, Lom Umarova.

I’m like a moth to a flame when it comes to him. We haven’t labeled anything, but the sexual chemistry is real between the two of us. Whenever he’s around me, it’s like I’m literally being pulled toward him, and I’ve never felt like that with any man before.

Lom and I have sex. It’s what it is, and we don’t go out on dinner dates or whatever. I’ve been debating asking him what this is, but I don’t want to push him in a certain direction. The last thing I want to do is lose the only person in Atlanta besides Kim, who I actually think gives a damn about me.

“Did you hear me, sweetie?” Kim asks.

I shake my head, “No, sorry. What did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to go to Mason’s. I’ve heard they have some good happy hour deals.”

“That sounds perfect, honestly. I have about another fifteen minutes before I’m done with all these. Is that okay?”

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