Page 70 of When Hearts Ignite

“Almost. Maybe five or ten more minutes.”

Typing a few lines of Excel formulas in the spreadsheet on her computer, I run the latest assessments on companies that have peaked Elias’s interests in the last few months. Sofia lets me use her office for my research on her brother’s behalf.

“You know, my brother’s company has a great research position. He’d be more than happy to forgive our loan to you. You’re clearly happier amongst numbers than on the dance floor.”

I shake my head. The curious thing is, if the Kents were not embroiled in the criminal underworld, I wouldn’t have minded working under Elias. He’s sharp and seems to respect my intelligence. He always comes back with thought-provoking questions on the investment rundowns I provide him, which, ironically, has sharpened my skill set in the financial analysis arena much better than textbooks and courses could do. He may be a walking dark cloud simmering with danger, but I don’t typically see that side of him.

Part of me wonders why he’s involved with the Andersons, and I asked him a few months ago when he left The Orchid the same time I did after my shift ended.

He let out a deep, raspy chuckle and said, “Perhaps you think I’m the bad guy, the criminal. But don’t you think these large corporations are criminals too? They’re just more accepted. And it’s the twenty-first century. The days of flinging around knives and hustling on street corners are over. It’s all about connections, whether you’re a legitimate business or a company with a more colorful background. And connections are the one thing I do have.”

With that interesting tidbit, he strode away, disappearing into the night like a phantom in some gothic story.

“I want to do this on my own, pay off the debt once and for all, and start off with a clean slate.” I give Sofia a smile and she nods in understanding.

As the most powerful woman on the Rose floors, Sofia’s looks can be very deceiving. Her tall, graceful physique reminds me very much of Taylor, but when chaos happens on the floors, you’d see the transformation to a sharp, lethal predator before your eyes.

“Well, lock up when you’re done here. If you need me at Trésor tonight, you know how to find me.” She gives me a wave and disappears from the doorway.

The last thing I want to do is to depend on another person or be indebted to a man. Look what happened the last time I opened up my heart to trust a man? He took away the very opportunity that would’ve saved my family.

But he didn’t know. You never told him, Grace.

I’ve had this argument in my head many, many times and while I don’t directly blame Steven for what happened with the job offer at Pietra, I’m angry at the patriarchy, at the men sitting at top of the food chain, making all the decisions, holding onto all the power.

I should’ve gotten the job offer. My performance alone spoke volumes. But alas, one man decided I wasn’t worthy, and therefore, took it away without even giving me a second thought. And Steven, well, he delivered the death blow with sympathy, but it was still a fatal hit, and he had absolutely no idea how much it devastated me.

He should’ve fought for me.

How do you know he didn’t?

Logic doesn’t come into play when you’re hurt.

Regardless, it was a necessary reminder not to get my hopes up, and rich men always hold the power in relationships.

It’s always the woman getting hurt in the end.

The power imbalance is too great, and if I were to tell him everything now and he came in riding on his white horse, rescuing me from my job here, I’d be indebted to him for good. It’d set my heart up for more heartbreak, for more disappointments.

The only person I should rely on is myself.

After I sent off the completed spreadsheets and answered Elias’s probing questions in his email, I lock Sofia’s office and head to Trésor for my shift for the night.

I change into my outfit for the evening, the pearl and chain minidress, the one that shocked Steven into stillness in the courtyard. It’s one of my favorites really, if it only had more fabric affixed to it. I check my reflection in the mirror, noting my makeup, a sharp cat-eye with classic red lipstick I’ve come to love, and whirl toward the lounge.

My pulse races at who I may encounter there tonight. Will he show up now that he has found me? Or would he stay away?

“Genevieve! I’m so glad I caught you before you went out there,” Camille screeches in excitement as she nearly smacks me in the face as I am about to step through the dressing room doors.

“What? Did something happen? Are you okay?”

“I’m completely fine. In fact, I have the night off…with pay, I might add.” She grins at me, her face beaming like she won the lottery.

“And here I thought you like shaking your ass off in public.”

“Hey! It’s because I like the power, lady. You still don’t get it. We hold all the power out there. When on earth can we literally, well almost literally, grab rich men by their balls and make them obey us?”

Rolling my eyes, I move to brush past her, but she stops me with her hand. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I have the night off with pay?”

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