Page 27 of Ruthless Mr. Ricco
After relieving myself and washing my hands, I splash cold water on my face and let it drip off my chin as I study my reflection in the mirror.
Brook Simons makes me lose control.I hate it.
I crave more.
When my anger fades and my introspections become too indulgent, I dry my face and exit the bathroom, ready to tackle the rest of the workday.
I sit at my desk and complete the last of my morning requirements as the other executive officers leave for lunch.When one holds Brook’s handshake a little too long, my pen snaps in my fist and ink spills over my knuckles.
I clean the mess with paper towels from the bathroom, narrowly avoiding staining my suit, and toss the broken pen into the trash.By the time I return to my chair, Ms.Simons is nowhere on the floor.Assuming she left for lunch, I switch to the camera in the cafeteria and scan the crowd but don’t find her, so I check for the last place she scanned her badge.
I pull up the feed from the lobby and launch back into the heights of fury as she greets a man I’ve never seen before.About our age with a decent build and preppy clothes, the man presents her with a bouquet and kisses her on the cheek before slinging an arm over her shoulder and leading her out onto the street.
If I were a scrupulous man, I’d kill him.Instead, my mind supplies dozens of legal ways to make his life miserable.All I need is a name.
Mr.Brunswick announces himself with a knock.We settle at the smaller table for lunch and schedule review.
When we finish and part ways, I take the stairs to the rooftop and walk a few laps around the garden, greeting the other regulars as I pass, and return to my office ten minutes before lunch break ends.
Brook already sits at her desk flipping through paperwork.In a Herculean feat of restraint, I walk past her without a glance.
The afternoon swings into hyperdrive.I spend little time at my desk as Mr.Brunswick ushers in the other executive officers one at a time, but I check on my little rabbit as often as I can.Even though today is her first day, I recognize the stubborn determination written in both her expression and her body language.She has no plans to quit, no matter how many asinine tasks Ms.Lynn gives her.When my secretary calls for her as soon as her ass hits the chair for the first time in three hours, I smile at my screen as she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and blows it out before rising.Her obvious struggle to contain her annoyance electrifies my senses and fills me with eager anticipation.
Her last explosion landed her in my lap.
I can’t wait to see where her next one leads us.
As Mr.Brunswick brings in the last one-on-one meeting for the day, I turn off the monitor and direct my attention to the task at hand.Although my guest keeps his spiel brief, I breathe a sigh of relief when he thanks me for my time and leaves.
I sit and turn on the security feed, but my little rabbit is nowhere to be found on the executive floor.The minutes tick by as I respond to the emails Mr.Brunswick tagged as important until half an hour passes with no sign of Brook.I tap my fingers against my desk a few times before convincing myself to wait a few more minutes.
Most workers leave the building at five o’clock, but we have a department head meeting today at six, so everyone on the executive floor will be here until later in the evening.
Ms.Lynn notifies me of a phone call with a company I hope to collaborate with, so I swivel my chair away from the screen and pour my efforts into navigating the business talk.When I end the call over twenty minutes later, Ms.Simons still has not made an appearance.
I page Mr.Brunswick into my office.
“Where is Ms.Simons?”I ask without preamble.
“Delivering files for Ms.Lynn,” he responds.
“To which department?”I demand.
“I’m not certain,” he says.
I stare in silent demand.
“I will ask Ms.Lynn.”He turns to leave.
I press the intercom with more force than necessary.Ms.Lynn’s high-pitched voice grates through the speaker.
“How may I help you, Mr.Ricco?”
“Where did you send Ms.Simons?”
I grind my teeth as a few seconds tick by.
“She’s delivering files to HR and legal, but she left over an hour ago.She should be back already,” Ms.Lynn says.
