Page 16 of Dirty Little Secrets
It’s done.
10
Iwince as Kristina gently cleans the wound. “I can’t believe he did this,” she mutters. “You would’ve needed stitches if it had gone any deeper.”
“He was angry. I honestly didn’t think he’d turn violent or I would have left sooner.”
Her eyes flash. “Angry is an understatement.” She presses the bandage into place and wraps my arm. “The man chased you down the stairs, Nori. You should have gone straight to the cops.”
“He did.” I glance down at the dressing remembering his footsteps behind me. “But it’s over now. He hasn’t called or texted. I think he got the picture.”
Kristina snaps the medical kit shut and stows it beneath the office sink in the break-room. “I still think you should go to the cops.”
I shake my head. “What would that even do? Cops barely help domestic violence victims. Husbands get away with shit all the time. Restraining orders don’t do shit. And Landon... he’s never hit me before.”
“But he chased you, Nori. And that vase? It might as well have been a weapon.”
I nod slowly. “If I went to the police, what would I say? That my ex got mad I was leaving and threw something that he owns? That he chased me down the stairs? He’d twist it around. He’d say I came back to start a fight. If they believed me, great—he could possibly get arrested. But then what? He bails out. Makes my life hell. Gets me fired. Hurts me. I’ve seen what people are capable of when they feel like they’ve lost control.”
I can’t tell her the real reason. The last thing I need is to alert Brent I went to the cops. I’ll have more problems than just Landon. If he got wind, I might as well pack my shit and head to Seattle and be a club whore. He would think I’m ratting him out.
She crouches next to me. “You don’t have to do this alone.”
“I know. And I’m not. I left. That’s what matters.”
Kristina checks the time. “You’ve got five minutes until you meet with Drazen.”
The name alone sends a flutter through my chest. I grab my blazer and the folder Kristina printed out for me. “Do you think he knows?”
She raises an eyebrow. “About you replacing his secretary?”
“Yeah.” I pull my sleeve down to hide the bandage.
Kristina shrugs. “It was last minute. Maybe she didn’t tell him or maybe he doesn’t care and like the idea. He would have sent an email otherwise. Emma said you’re a good fit and he wouldn’t go against the Ai he created. It would go against his work.”
It shouldn’t matter. I’m qualified. Sort of. I’m not a secretary, but I understand business and tech. I’m not in over my head… not really. What he doesn’t know is that I hacked the Ai to choose me. It was the only way I could get access. It’s only a matter of time before Brent seeks me out. It’s almost been a year since I’ve moved to New York and I’ve barely scratched the surface.
But now, it’s him I’m worried about. The thought of being close to Xaiden Drazen, one-on-one, makes causes my stomach to flip.
The elevator dings open on the fiftieth floor. My stomach twists. Everything about this floor screams power. Glass walls, black leather furniture, sharp lines, and zero clutter. A huge upgrade compared to the cubicles on the fifth floor.
I follow the hallway to the double doors not needing to know where his office is. His name gleams in gold:Xaiden Drazen, CEO, Drazen Enterprises.
I don’t let myself hesitate. I knock twice.
“Come in,” his deep voice calls.
I step inside. The skyline stretches behind him in a flood of daylight. But he steals all the air in the room. Dark tattoos crawl over his throat. His sleeves are rolled, revealing ink on his forearms.
His gaze is as sharp as his suit when his brows pull together. “Are you lost?”
I don’t move, offering the folder. “No,” I say quickly. “I’m your new secretary.”
He places his elbows on the desk, one palm facing up. “It would help if you came closer.”
I step up to his desk. My legs unsteady. My pulse is a mess.
He takes the folder, flipping it open. “Nori Summers,” he says, reading my name like it’s a challenge. Like he doesn’t already know. “And what exactly are you here to do, Nori?”
