Page 9 of Billionaire in Disguise

“That’s right.” She smoothed her napkin. “You’re the infamous lasagna thief. I should have brought you to a different restaurant.”

“Too late now.”

Some of the tension seeped out of her body. PerhapsFake Boyfriend 101was unnecessary.

“I wanted to explore new places. Learn about different companies. So tell me–” He leaned forward. “Do you like working at Knight Technology?”

She brought the glass to her lips again, wetting her throat with the cool spring water. Should she be honest about the disaster the office had become? She glanced around, confirmed no other employees were present. “This stays between us.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t want to lose my job.”

His eyes turned serious. “I promise this won’t harm you in any way. Perhaps I could even help.”

A temp had no power, yet it was kind of him to say. She hesitated, but only for a moment. He would soon learn what their work environment was like. “When I first started, Knight Technology was a fantastic place to be.”

He smiled… until she added, “But it’s become a nightmare.” As his grin faded, she instinctively placed her hand over his. “Don’t worry, it’s not going to affect you, since you’re a temp.”

“I’m sorry it’s affecting anyone.”

“It isn’t your fault.”

By his hardened gaze, it didn’t seem like he believed it. Yet he’d barely walked in the door of a company he would soon leave. He held no culpability. “Your boss is unbelievable. Does he drive people away?”

“Employees come and go with alarming frequency,” she confirmed. “We lose a lot of good people, many of whom move on to make huge contributions to competitors. I’ve even gotten several offers.” At his questioning expression, she shook her head. “I turned them down. I have other plans.”

His face was a wall of granite. “Has anyone complained about Dobbs to higher management?”

“Again and again. It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head. “Word is he knows someone at the top. Anytime we say something, we’re told it will be addressed, and nothing changes.”

“That’s going to change.”

He said it with such certainty, it snagged her next words. Even if it was unlikely, he seemed to believe he could do something. She threaded her hands under her chin. “Do you know someone in upper management?”

He hesitated. “I could contact them.”

“You’d be wasting your time,” she warned, as she lifted her napkin off the table and placed it on her lap. “They don’t care.”

He visibly tightened, and suddenly he seemed a different man altogether. She peered closer. “If you don’t mind my asking, how did you get the position? We’ve never had a temp before.” His uncomfortable look returned, and the urge to make him feel better surged. “Let me guess. As a criminal boss, you snap your fingers, and people do whatever you want.”

“That’s right,” he drawled. “I have thousands at my command.”

“Do you?” She chuckled softly. “That must be fun.”

“Actually it’s exhausting.” He almost sounded genuine. “What about you? You mentioned career plans.”

She opened her mouth, just stopping herself from sharing her cybersecurity venture. Why did this man elicit her trust, even as he clearly hid his own secrets? “I’m working on several projects.”

He unfolded his red-checked napkin. “As part of your position?”

“Not exactly.”

He didn’t have a chance to respond before the waitress returned with the pizza. Steam drifted from a hot pie with golden crust, hearty tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese melted to perfection. Nick served them each a thick slice and an oversized garlic roll drizzled with olive oil and roasted garlic.

She bit into her slice. The taste of fresh tomatoes, melt-in-your-mouth cheese and fresh herbs burst in a savory combination of flavors, and she couldn’t hold back a sigh. She peeked at Nick. He was watching her with an inscrutable expression.

He took a bite of his own slice, before stilling. “This is delicious.”

She grinned. “They have best pizza in Florida. Depending on how long you stay, you’ll see Dobbs stealing a lot of it from the kitchen.”

He crumpled the napkin in his hand.

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