Page 15 of Rebellious Hearts
But on the other hand, a part of me was excited that she was coming on this trip with me.
But that was the part I had to squash as quickly as I could because if I wanted anything more from her than her best on this project… I was in trouble.
4
SOFIA
Oh. My. God.
“You’re not going to believe it,” I said to Elena when she answered her phone.
“You got a big promotion?”
I rolled my eyes. “You know that’s not going to happen. An increase after this project, maybe… but that’s it.”
“Right… wait.Could have?”
“Yeah,” I said and groaned. “You know how they told me last minute I have to go to Georgia on some important project that just popped up?”
“Yeah?”
“Guess who my boss is.”
Elena waited for a beat, actually thinking about it.
“It’s Ben,” I said to put her out of her misery.
I wish I could have put myself out ofmymisery.
“What? Wait, I’m confused. Ben from the bar? Ben you slept with?”
“Yeah. It turns out he’s Benjamin Blackwood, lead of the plane sales division andpartnerin Blackwood Inc. He’s one of the four infamous brothers.”
“Oh, shit,” Elena said. “How is that possible?”
“I’ve been asking myself that same question for the past hour.” I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. I’d shut my office door to get a bit of privacy from all the interns walking around. My head ached and my fingers trembled. I wasn’t sure if it was adrenaline or low blood sugar.
Maybe both.
I took out a chocolate bar from my bottom drawer and peeled it open, just in case.
“How did we not recognize him?” Elena asked. “Isn’t he in the papers?”
“Yeah, sometimes,” I said. “But not as often as his brother, Alex. Besides, he doesn’t have the best reputation, so I guess they’re trying to keep him out of the limelight. Personal Relations can be pretty crazy about stuff like that. Image is everything, and with the Blackwood brothers and all their money, it’s even more so.”
Elena was quiet for a while.
“Are you still there?” I asked.
“I’m just trying to process.”
I sighed. “Yeah, also what I was doing for the past hour. He’s nothing like he was at the bar, though. He’s cranky and grumpy and seriously upset about me being with him on the trip. I have no idea why.”
“Maybe he’s just in a bad mood.”
“That’s what he’s always like, from what I hear,” I said. “Maybe that was why I didn’t recognize him at the bar—because he was so charming and charismatic. But he’s seriously pissed that I’m the one going with him.”
“Didn’t you have a great night with him, though?”
