Page 57 of Sinister Devotion

My mind won't stop scrolling down my mental To-Do list.

"Yes?" I ask him.

"Take a breath, babe, come here." He pats his legs for me to sit and I oblige even though his office door is wide open.

"Someone will see us, Julian."

"I don't care because I'm going to fire you."

I push away from him, but the strength of his hand on the small of my back keeps me in place. "Excuse me?"

"I don't want your philanthropy idea to be under the umbrella of Nuvola. There's too much darkness surrounding me, this company, and everything that's happened with my parents. I don't want you tainted by the Blackwell name anymore. So, I'm going to give you the seed money to start your own non-profit."

My eyes widen. "That's crazy. That's great. I don't know what to say. Thank you for firing me."

Fiona walks in with her stupid binder and a smile on her face. I push myself to get off Julian's lap because he hasn't fired me yet.

"Did I just hear correctly that you're firing, Miss Anderson?" Fiona's eyes light up. "That's great, I have the perfect candidate?—"

Julian holds his hand up to stop her from speaking. "Fiona, you have six months to fix those deals you botched by opening your big mouth to those sellers. I want those properties paid for and in my portfolio or you can look for a new job. I'm taking off for the next few days, I'm not to be disturbed. Understood?"

She blanches a pale shade of peach as she backs out of his office.

"I need you to go to Nina's before we fly out this afternoon. Okay?" Julian says. "There's a gift box there you need to pick up for our trip."

"That devilish smile tells me it's something made of leather rather than lace."

Julian licks his lips with a boyish shrug. "You'll see. Now go. We have to finish up a few things before getting out of here."

I can't stop the joy exuding out of every pore in my body as I go to my desk and message Edward I'll need a ride to Nina's. However, a dark cloud looms over my desk with Fiona standing there, binder in hand, and an envelope much like the one that allowed me to see the man responsible for my father's death.

"You look like you're going out. Take these with you and drop them at the address on the envelope." She slaps it down on my desk.

"No. Let me be very clear, Fiona, I'm not your lapdog. I'm not even an executive assistant anymore. So, Ms. Executive, I no longer have to assist you. Do it yourself." I pick up the envelope and push it against the binder at the center of her chest.

Fiona stumbles back but steadies herself before her face reveals her intentions. She lunges at me, screeching and ready to claw my eyes out, but good old training with Bonnie. I dodge out of her way and push her in the back, which sends her skidding to the carpeted floor for everyone in a nearby cubicle to see.

When I turn toward Julian's office, he's standing there with a furious gaze locked on Fiona.

"Fuck the six months. I want your credentials with security within the hour. Your services are no longer needed. Leave peacefully, and I won't press charges for attacking a Nuvola employee on company property."

Fiona skulks away to her office just in time to see Julian's expression shift to lust as he looks to me. I smile and drop my gaze, suddenly shy, before I haul ass out of the office to get to Nina's Boutique where I slam into a rock-hard chest as I barrel into a man leaving the store.

My eyes travel up the frame of one of the most handsome men I've ever seen. Ice blue eyes, with a salt and pepper beard to complement a head full of dark brown hair.

"Fuck!" I rub my nose as his hands steady me and Edward comes to my side.

"Holy shit, Luca, what are you doing on this side of the country?" Edward asks. It's clear they know each other, and he introduces us. "Claire, this is Luca Devlin. One of Julian's first clients."

"How is Julian?" Luca asks. "Tell him he has my condolences. I just heard over the news his father passed in some car accident this morning."

I don't have time to process that right now, but still, I step back and shake the man's hand. "Thank you. I'll be sure he gets the message.”

I dash inside the boutique while Edward and Luca speak. By the time I come out, Luca is gone and we're on our way back to the office. Fiona has a box of her belongings in her hand as she stands outside the building. Julian waltzes by her to get in the car beside me for us to run our last errands before we get on a private jet to Lake Tahoe.

Dr. Malia Mescal is gorgeous in every sense of the word. Long black coils fall at varying lengths around a face with honey brown skin and almond-shaped eyes. They're a mix of colors that lure me in, and I ignore the man who answers the door and kneels beside her. It's obvious to me why she and Julian didn't work out. She's in a custom-made pantsuit and the slave is in linen pants, shirtless and wearing a diamond collar.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Claire. Edward has told me so much about you." Her deliberate word choice makes Julian roll his eyes. "I'll show you around and take you through some things we like to do out here to relieve stress and demolish nightmares."

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