Page 49 of Stolen By the Bratva King

Veronica turns her head to look at me, and there’s understanding sparkle in her brown eyes. “Everyone around here plays it safe. Everyone but you.” Her gaze is fierce. “And for that, I applaud and respect you.”

“Wow.” I grin at her. “You reallyareheavy on the compliments today.”

She rolls her eyes and shifts back to face her computer screen. “Don’t push your luck.”

“I think I’ve been doing a little too much of that lately,” I admit.

“You’re still here,” Veronica says. “And I’m glad.”

“Me too. I don’t know how I would ever get through this job without you.”

“Well, the story I’m covering is the celebrity piece you gave up on,” she laughs.

I teasingly toss a paper clip at her, which she catches in her lap and tosses right back.

“Yeah, but you love celebrity gossip,” I remind her.

“I live for it.” She winks.

I want to tell her I wish I could be more like her, more carefree, more relaxed and comfortable in her own skin, in her work, in her responsibilities. Veronica lives her life in an unproblematic way, and she has little problems because of it. Maybe I shouldlearn by example and try to sprinkle some of that mentality into my own life.

I remind myself that sitting under fluorescent lights in an office cubicle is better than being dead under cold morgue lights.

When I look at her again, she’s chewing the pen top and staring across the room.

I follow where her eyes are looking, and land on Stephen, one of the new project editors. He’s young like us, but he’s been assigned to one of the lead teams, one that Veronica has been working on for several weeks.

He spots us, and he beams, a friendly smile washing over his face. He waves in our direction before the copy editor approaches him with a binder, distracting him.

When Veronica notices me looking at her, her lips turn pale. “What?”

I give her a knowing smirk. “Why don’t you just go talk to him?”

“Who?” She tries to play innocent, but I know better.

I nudge my chin in his direction. “Chris Hemsworth over there.”

Her mocha cheeks splatter with pink and her eyes dart to her lap. “He’s the team lead.”

I shrug. “So? He’s cute, and he seems nice.”

Veronica blinks at me. “Have you talked to him?”

“No, we just went straight to the bedroom.”

Veronica throws her pen at me. “You’re not funny.”

While laughing, I say, “I beg to differ.”

“He wouldn’t be interested in me anyway,” Veronica declares.

“And why not? You’re beautiful, funny, and smart.” I lean back in my chair. “I’d date you.”

Veronica blows out a laugh. “Oh, yeah. I bet you would.”

“But I’m too busy sabotaging my own dating life with Bratva guys.”

Veronica gives me a sympathetic smile. “At least you’re willing to joke about it.”

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