Page 124 of Desperate Actions

She’s been married to the same man for the last thirty-five years and has worked as a loyal Volkov employee for the past twenty years.

She’s kind and patient but also tough as nails, someone who knows the system inside and out like nobody’s business.

I’m really glad to have her on my side. It took me all morning to set up my system and upload all my software.

I expected to have to order the basic office supplies I’d need, but apparently, my amazing husband had already taken care of that for me.

Sammy had an entirely new system sent up to my office to prepare for my arrival.

Three enormous, curved monitors, and two specialty keyboards, one wired and one wireless for when I needed to move around. Both were mechanical with color-coded keys and a Dyslexie Font typeface designed to improve readability and reduce common typos for people like me.

The thought of him doing all of this without being asked—just anticipating my needs and acting on them—warms me from the inside out.

But it doesn’t stop there. The real key to my heart is the ergonomic lumbar-support chair with memory foam cushions, and beneath the desk, a foot swing.

He justknew.

He really just knew.

But I shouldn’t be surprised because Sammy seems to know everything about me.

A fact that makes my pulse race and my whole body tingle in ways I probably shouldn’t be thinking about at work.

He loves me. He told me so.

I’ve been cowardly—a damn idiot—for not saying it back yet.

I feel like I should just call him now and get it over with.

But I’m not going to say it here.

Not at work.

Not when I’ve had all morning to let it simmer in my head, growing heavier by the second.

For now, I focus on something I can control.

Like lunch.

Andrea is on her way, and we agreed to keep it simple by grabbing something from the cafeteria downstairs.

I don’t know why, but I don’t want to leave the building without Sammy. It just feels wrong.

Maybe I’m being ridiculous, but I can’t shake the feeling.

Right on time, Andrea appears in my doorway, her signature smirk already in place.

“Hey there, important boss lady. You ready for lunch?”

I snort and open my mouth to answer, but before I can, I catch sight of the others filing in behind her.

Andrea didn’t come alone.

Elena. Merida. Julia.

All of Sammy’s sisters.

My sisters-in-law now.

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