Page 2 of The Bonus

“You are talking about the flow-on effect from the defamation case against Noble Industries,” I reply.

“Yes, that’s right. Did we get that information?”

“Bryce has sent it to your email, and it’s saved in your Noble Industries file.”

“Thank you.” He pulls on his white shirt and slowly does up the buttons. “And do I have the graph?”

“Uh-huh.” I bite my bottom lip as I try to focus on the screen. Something about him standing there in his briefs doing up a white shirt…it scrambles my brain.

Every.

Single.

Morning.

“Okay, so what then?” he asks.

“You have a meeting with Roger at ten fifteen.” My eyes flick up to him. “Why do you have a meeting with Roger?”

“I’m letting him go.” He pulls up his navy suit pants and zips up.

“What?”

He shrugs. “He’s not performing.”

“You can’t fire Roger; he’s going through a lot right now. His wife left him.”

“Probably wasn’t performing in bed either,” he mutters dryly as he puts his gold cuff links on. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Now is not the time, can you just give him a warning, please?”

“It’s amusing that you think you have a say in this matter.” He pulls his suit coat on. “Next appointment?”

“You have a phone conference with Holly, you are closing on the land for the shopping mall at one p.m. today and she needs to run through a few details.”

“Uh-huh.”

“At eleven you have a walk through the finance department to see the new refurbishment of their office.”

He screws up his face in disgust. “Why?”

“Because you do,” I snap in frustration. “You paid for it, the least you can do is be excited.”

“You’re getting a bit lippy this morning, Grace,” he mutters dryly. “Don’t piss me off before nine.”

He walks back into his wardrobe and the scent of his aftershave wafts through the office.

Fuck it…why does he spray that when I’m in his office?

It’s morally wrong.

I keep reading through his calendar. “You have lunch at twelve thirty with…” I frown and my eyes rise to meet his, “…Veronica.”

“Uh-huh,” he says casually. “Drink your coffee so I can collect your cup.”

I sip my coffee as I plot his death.

Is it Veronica Rothchild?

---