Page 124 of Rhet

I can’t answer nor can I hold it in any longer. “Julian, have you seen Zeeta?”

“Who’s Zeeta? Dax asks.

“My new substitute PA.” I’m seeing everything thing but Zeeta. There is even an ice sculpture with wine passing through it.

“She’s his new person,” Julian whispers to Dax.

He widens his eyes. “You have a girl? Do know the guys know? The last girl you had was Char.”

“No. I have a PA, who I’m going to choke to death,” I grumble.

“Women are into that shit these days. Asphyxiation is trending.” Dax sighs.

Julian and Dax start a conversation. I get lost in my thoughts.

“Did you get your bid permit?” Dax asks as he looks around the crowd.

I turn my attention back to him. “Yes, I did. I had to bend some arms, but I got it.”

“Congratulations on that.” Dax lowers his glass.

All of a sudden the room felt still. I knew in mygutthat Zee had arrived.

When I turned around, the woman coming down the stairs belongs in a vogue magazine. Where every woman, here is wearing dresses, Zee is making a statement. She looks more like a business owner than a PA.

“Shit, I think they painted that dress on her. She has no spanks under that.” Dax moves forward and squints his eyes. “She has nothing on under that. Maybe tape?”

“That’s Mr. Banner’s PA,” Julian says to Dax.

“That’s your PA? Yeah, she isn’t wearing anything under that dress.” He sips on his wine.

What? She better not be naked under that dress. She makes eye contact with me and begins to walk through the crowd.

“If you don’t want her, I volunteer as tribute.” Dax raises up three fingers to show he is willing to volunteer.

“You will volunteer nothing,” I seethe through my teeth.

Zeeta is stopped when York grabs her by the elbow and turns her around. She smiles up at him.

“Motherfucker this York guy pisses me off.” I really want to punch York in the face.

“Julian, did he and the PA?” Dax wiggles his eyebrows.

“I’m not one to gossip, but ya know.”

“You both know I’m still here, right? You two sound like two old ladies.” Why the hell is he pulling her in for a hug?

“He doesn’t realize how gone he is,” Julian says.

I look at Julian as he stands in his dark purple dinner jacket. “I will fire you.”

Dax laughs. “Fucking never.”

Why are York’s hands not stopping it? He moves his hands from her shoulders down to her ass.

“Fuck no.” I begin to move in their direction only to hear Dax in the background. “Another one bites the dust.”

I flip him the bird as I walk away. Yorkshire fucking pudding, lifts his head and smiles cunningly at me.

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