Page 31 of Her Boss

Blowing out a breath, I spun on my heel, crossing my arms. I knew how I looked—petulant, bitchy, insubordinate. I didn’t care.

His elbows were resting on the arms of his chair, fingers steepled together in front of him. His dark, flinty gaze bore into me. “What is it that you think you do around here?”

“I… don’t know what you mean.” I paused, Rick not moving a muscle, waiting. “I do whatever I’m told? Isn’t that what I’m supposed to say?”

“At least you got that right.” He leaned forward, arms on his desk. “And no, it’s not what you’re supposed to say. It’s what you’re supposed to do. Don’t forget it.”

“Are we just going to pretend yesterday never happened?” I scrubbed a palm across my mouth, hating that my tongue was suddenly so dry. “You haven’t so much as mentioned it. At all.”

His head tilted. “Mentioned what, exactly?”

I threw my hands up, not quite believing what I’d just heard. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact you fucked me over that desk you’re currently sitting behind less than twenty-four hours ago?”

“And?”

My mouth fell open, his casual rejoinder so surprising I’d lost my entire train of thought. “I… I don’t understand you.” I walked to his desk, plopping down in the worn leather-backed chair set before it, my words dripping with dejection. “I can’t believe I was so stupid…”

“Care to explain that, Geneva?”

I didn’t want to say it, and at the same time, I had to fight not to snarl it. Because it was the truth. “I was dumb to take this… internship.”

Rick’s voice grew gravelly. “You’d better watch that tone, young lady.”

But I plowed ahead, my frustration and anger taking hold of me. “Uncle Chester, he told me about you. Said you’d be someone who’d be a good opportunity for me. That you knew people.”

“I do. More than you’d believe.”

“I don’t see it.” I looked around me, scoffing. “This place… it doesn’t say anything like that.” I peered up at the cracked ceiling, the off-brown water stains marring the faded cream paint like dirty sunspots.

“You seem to think this office… says something? About me?” He leaned over, his right elbow perched upon his armrest. “Tell me then. Regale me with the truths of the universe, bestow insights upon me from your deep well of experience and wisdom you’ve accumulated in all twenty-one years of your long life.”

But his sarcasm only goaded me further. “It’s all bullshit. That’s what it looks like, anyway. You’re… I don’t know what you are, but you’re sure not what Uncle Chest said you were. This isn’t an opportunity for me. It’s… I don’t know what it is.”

“Let me guess. You think this is a way for a down on his luck small-timer to get his dick wet? Is that about the size of it?”

“You said it, not me.”

It wasn’t that I believed him either. Not quite. It was that something… just didn’t fit. And I desperately wanted to be wrong. Especially because of how the asshole made me feel. It wasn’t fair!

Falling for a loser. Just the sort of career trajectory you’d choose, idiot.

For a long minute, he simply stared at me, the corner of his square jaw twitching now and then. Finally, with a sigh, he stood up, sweeping his suit jacket from his chair and putting it on. “You’re coming with me.”

“Wh-where are we going?” I was already up on my feet though, my heart hammering away in my chest. “What?”

You shouldn’t have shot your fucking mouth off. Now he’s taking you back to Chest. He’s going to tell him you’re just a piece of shit. Nice going.

“Just be quiet. I need to decide what I’m going to do with you. In the meantime.” Opening his door, he stepped out into the cramped office beyond. “There’s something you need to see.” He glanced over at Chloe. “Reschedule my meetings, and take messages for anyone calling in. I won’t be back the remainder of the day.”

I followed him out on legs that had suddenly grown rubbery, my belly tight, twisted. I was slightly sick to my stomach.

Chloe’s gaze slid to me then back to Rick. “What do I do with her?”

Rick’s wink was anything but mirthful. “Oh, I’ll take care of her.”

CHAPTER 14

Geneva

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