Page 42 of The Billionaire's Masquerade Ball

“Sorry, I should have been more clear. I won’t bring her back.”

“So, you refuse to do it?”

Xander watched Wyatt’s face. He could tell that Wyatt was struggling to stand up to him. This was new. Wyatt had been more bold lately, but had never said no. Xander appreciated this even if he couldn’t tell Wyatt that. Yet.

Wyatt steeled his face, but Xander caught a nervous tic in his jaw as he spoke. “You were the one that upset her. She’s not going to come back for me.”

“She seemed taken with you yesterday and she’s upset with me. I think she’d come back for you.” Xander went back to the contracts he was signing.

Wyatt blew out an exasperated breath. “It’s not me she likes.”

“I’m sorry?”

Wyatt didn’t move, but muttered something that sounded a lot like, “You’re both idiots.”

“Excuse me?” Xander dropped his pen.

“I’ll go, but you’re coming with me,” Wyatt said. He put his hands on his hips, a power stance. Xander used the same positioning in the boardroom. Wyatt probably hadn’t even realized that he was doing it. Xander smiled.

“I’ve got a company to run,” Xander said. “I can’t just leave on a whim.”

“Too difficult a job for you?”

Wyatt issued the challenge with a slight smirk, but his face turned to terror as Xander stood. He seemed to be preparing himself for a sharp rebuke, but instead Xander clapped him on the shoulder. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I like this new leaf you’ve turned over. You’re starting to understand how I like things to work around here. Now get your coat. We’ll go together.”

* * *

Cynder sat curled up on the coach with a blanket and her laptop while Lucy scurried around the apartment getting ready for work. The dress she had worn to the ball was thrown over the back of the couch, waiting for a garment bag. Cynder traced a finger over the fabric again, thinking of how much had changed since she wore the gown a few days before. When she still worked at Looking Glass. When she hadn’t fallen for a jerk of a billionaire and somehow manipulated him into giving her a job. And when she had the use of both thumbs.

Her skin was itching under the splint. It was also very hard to Google new jobs. “Lucy,” Cynder whined. “Come itch my thumb!”

“Itch your own thumb!” Lucy called from somewhere in the depths of her bedroom. “It’s not like it’s broken. Stop trying to milk your stupid injury. It really takes away from the tough-chick-who-punched-someone image.”

“But it itches. And it feels better when you scratch it.”

“Go to work! Don’t you have a fancy new job?”

Cynder wasn’t really sure where she stood with Xander or with the job. Sure, he said he would give her a job, after she half-jokingly bullied him into it. But then he gave her the assignment to find the woman in the mask, which she wasn’t going to do. After he had been so cold to her, maybe she didn’t want to go back at all. When she called that morning to ask if she could work from home, she half-expected to be fired. She had thought about quitting over the phone, but couldn’t work up the nerve.

Lucy emerged, a few more dresses over her arm. “You’re being such a baby. You like Xander. Stop running from him.”

“He’s my boss now. Nothing can happen. And I don’t know if I want anything to happen. He was such a jerk yesterday. He’s clearly not interested in me. He’s interested in the woman who wore that dress.” She ran her fingers along the fabric again. “You’re sure I can’t keep this one?”

“Wish I could let you,” Lucy said. “One day when I’m rich and famous you’ll get all my dresses.”

“I have nowhere to wear them anyway,” Cynder said.

“Ugh! Your pity party is the worst.” Lucy sat down next to Cynder on the couch. “Look, I know a lot has been going on. Not just this weekend, but the past year and a half, starting when your dad married your stepmonster. Some of the things you’ve been through are awful. But there are some good things too. And I don’t think you’re allowing yourself to see them, much less experience them.”

“Like what? From where I sit, I just see the bad. I lost my dad. I lost our company. I have a pseudo job that I’m going to lose unless I out myself as this mystery woman, which I refuse to do. I have an epic crush on a guy who is hot and cold—mostly cold—and also my boss. And also a player.”

“When you put it that way, it does sound bad. Guess I can’t help you.” Lucy started to get up and Cynder grabbed her hand.

“I need your optimism, Luce. Help me see the good.”

“Swear your pity party is over?”

Cynder hesitated. “I swear I’ll try to shut it down.”

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