Page 54 of Duplicity

‘Have you had any more ideas about how you’re going to get leave to take Tabs to the US?’ Athena asks.

‘I’ve pretty much thought about nothing else. It just goes around and around in my head.’

‘Have you booked the operation yet?’ Soph asks. Her tone is far gentler than any she’s used so far this evening, and I can sense her compassion from here. But she doesn’t need to go gently on me, because this is a good thing. Having to nail both the logistics and the duplicity around sneaking off to save my daughter’s life is what I’d call a high-quality problem.

I nod. ‘It’s booked in for the first week of August. That’s the absolute earliest I can do it after this month’s pay cheque drops.’

Soph grimaces. ‘Three weeks from now? Okay, so you need to get your ducks in a row with Brendan quick-smart.’

‘I know. I need to do it this week. My current plan is to tell him a family member needs a procedure and to ask him for the time off.’

‘I have a far better plan,’ Athena says crisply. ‘It came to me the other day. Tell him you’ve been called up for jury duty. It’s by far the most bulletproof option. He could be a real pain in the arse if you ask for time off for a family member, but if you say you’ve been called up to do your civic duty, he’ll legally have to agree to it.’

I stare at her. Trust Athena to come up with the most effective lie. ‘That feels so dishonest, though. And can’t you get out of jury duty?’

She nearly spits out her drink. ‘Darling, you’ve lied through your teeth since you applied for this job. What’s one more lie? The key is that it preserves your credibility and your job for afterwards. Just tell him you’ve already escalated it and they won’t waive it. This way, you save faceandyou get the time off without him being able to do anything about it.’

She’s right, of course. But my mind is still whirring, turning over potential obstacles. ‘Wouldn’t he ask to see a copy of the summons?’

She shrugs. ‘Honestly, I can’t imagine he’d bother. He trusts you, so why would he question what you tell him?’

Ouch. She’s right—he does trust me. Which is why the idea of abusing that trust even further is so painful. That said, I’ve known this entire time that I’ll need to come up with a plausible reason to secure two weeks off from a brand-new, very highly paid job.

I’m already going to hell. One more lie won’t make any difference. And if it gets me on that plane with Tabs, it’ll be worth it.

CHAPTER 26

Brendan

Marlowe has proven to be a most excellent hire these past couple of weeks. Not only does her beauty strike me just as much each day as it did at that first meeting when I crashed and burned, but she’s quickly proving herself to be smart, proactive and competent as an assistant and genuinely excellent company as a human being.

I’ve very much enjoyed putting her through her paces. We’ve even managed to sneak out to a nearby hotel for a couple of lunchtime quickies where we can really let loose. Marlowe has put those sessions in my calendar asContract Fulfilment Assessments,which made me chuckle. I’ve tried to coax her out for post-work drinks a couple of times, but she’s really dug her heels in around any after-hours socialising. It pisses me off, but I have no choice but to respect her decisions.

What I haven’t done yet, though, is anything too kinky. I haven’t needed to, if I’m honest. I’m as horny as a schoolboy just being around her. As someone who likes my sex the dirtier the better, I’ve been remarkably slow to add in bells and whistles. The simple knowledge that she’s sitting outside my office and can be summonedintomy office to suck my dick at any point is kryptonite enough.

Today, I plan to ramp things up a notch. I made it clear in my questionnaire and in that first audition with Marlowe that I intend to show her off and work her hard. I intend to get full use out of my stunning little fuck toy, and I plan to kick things off this afternoon.

I told her yesterday to make sure she came in today wearing the black dress with a flared skirt and the very special underwear I’d bought her: namely some black lace, crotchless panties and the matching lace bra whose cups are held in place by a tiny fastener. When the fasteners are undone, the centre panels of the lace cups hang down, exposing her breasts.

I really enjoyed helping her try that lingerie set on last week.

After lunch, I had her come and perch on my desk while I indulged in a little leisurely fingering to ensure that she was indeed wearing the panties.

She certainly fucking was.

Aside from that, I haven’t touched her.

I can tell she’s in a state of suspense.

I can tell she’s wondering when I’ll make my move.

She’ll find out soon enough.

Yan drives us across the river, into the City. I told Marlowe that we were meeting with the head of The Kingsley Group, a global luxury hotel chain that contracts Sullivan Construction for all their London hotels. I haven’t, however, suggested that this is anything other than a regular business meeting.

Until now.

I’m on a call with my strategy team about the upcoming International Green Building Summit. It’s a mouthful, but it’s also a massive deal: a gathering of the world's top developers, government officials, and sustainability leaders to address the environmental responsibilities of this industry. This year London is hosting it and Sullivan is being recognised for the carbon-neutral construction techniques it’s pioneered.

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