Page 93 of Thor

Behind the desk sat a young woman with bleached blonde hair that was growing out, dark roots forming a stark line of demarcation about an inch from her scalp. She wore a tight tank top and chewed gum with methodical precision, her eyes glued to her phone. She didn't look up when I entered.

I cleared my throat. "Hi, I'm Amanda Wright. I have an appointment with Mr. Phillips at two."

She glanced up, her eyes traveling over my suit with the quick assessment of someone used to judging others. She smacked her gum twice before responding.

"Right. He's expecting you." She pointed a long, pink-tipped nail toward a door with frosted glass. "Through there."

No offer to announce me. No "have a seat." Nothing.

"Thank you," I said anyway, moving toward the door.

I knocked lightly on the frosted glass door.

"Yeah, come in," called a voice from inside.

The office beyond was cramped and smelled of cigarettes despite a boldly posted "No Smoking" sign on the wall. A desk that had seen better days dominated the small space, its surface buried under a disorganized pile of blueprints, invoices, and fast-food wrappers.

Behind it sat Devin Phillips—a man in his mid-forties with a combover that wasn't fooling anyone and a shirt that strained against his belly. He rose when I entered, extending a hand across the desk.

"Amanda Wright," he said, his handshake lingering a beat too long. His palm was clammy against mine. "Have a seat."

The only available chair was a metal folding chair with a thin cushion. I perched on it, setting my purse carefully beside me on the floor and placing my resume folder on my lap.

"Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Phillips," I said, adopting the professional tone I'd perfected over years at Prestige. "I appreciate the opportunity."

His gaze slid from my face down my body and back again, not even attempting to hide his appraisal. I fought the urge to cross my arms over my chest.

"Your resume is impressive," he said, leaning back in his chair. It creaked ominously. "Prestige Partners? That's big league stuff. Senior financial analyst, executive client portfolio manager—fancy titles."

He made them sound like jokes. I forced a small smile.

"Yes, I handled the financial management for several of their high-profile clients, as well as internal auditing and tax compliance. I believe those skills would transfer well to—"

"So why are you interested in our little operation?" he interrupted, gesturing around the shabby office. "Bit of a step down, isn't it? We're not exactly Fortune 500 material here."

I launched into my prepared explanation, the one I'd practiced in Amy's bathroom mirror this morning.

"I'm looking for new challenges in a different industry. Construction is growing in this region, and I believe my expertise could help Ironridge Builders optimize its financial operations and potentially expand. Sometimes a change of environment can be refreshing professionally."

The words sounded hollow even to me. Phillips wasn't buying it either. His smile never reached his eyes, which remained cold and evaluating. He leaned forward, elbows on his cluttered desk.

"Let's cut the bullshit, Ms. Wright. I know who you are."

My heart stuttered in my chest. I kept my expression neutral through sheer force of will. "I'm not sure what you mean."

He turned his computer monitor so it faced me and clicked his mouse a few times. My blood turned to ice as a photo appeared on the screen.

Me, in Thor's cabin, beneath him, in bed.

Naked.

"These have been making the rounds," Phillips said, clicking through to show more images. Me in my pink onesie. Me sitting on Thor's lap while he read me a story. "Quite the scandal. Turns out the Kings' accountant has some unusual hobbies."

Each click felt like a physical blow. The room seemed to tilt around me. I gripped the edges of my resume folder so tightly that my nails dug through the paper.

"That's—" I started, but my voice cracked. I swallowed hard and tried again. "That's private."

"Nothing's private anymore, sweetheart." Phillips leaned back, enjoying my discomfort. "Gotta say, it's not what I expected when I heard about the Heavy Kings' financial wizard. Though I guess it explains why a guy like Thor Eriksson kept you around." His smirk turned ugly. "What exactly did you do for him, besides playing dress-up?"

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