Page 8 of Tempting Her Forbidden Boss

‘Of course.’ The woman smiled. ‘But you might encounter the same problem.’

Dani looked at the computer screen again. Yeah, that was the real problem. She could see how many hits the clip had had. Too many just to be the bank staff and this agency—even if they had watched it over and over as she was quite sure some of those sleazy bankers had. No, this one had been doing the rounds; it would be a source of great amusement for anyone in the industries—both finance and recruitment. Alex Carlisle proving his legendary swordsman status with a temp at work.

There was nothing for it but to make a dignified exit. No way could she win this battle here and now. She needed to withdraw and come up with some kind of strategy.

She stood, stuck a small smile on her numb face. ‘Thank you for letting me know. Please get in touch when you get my record confirmed. I’d like to get working as soon as I can.’

‘Of course.’ The agent stood and saw her to the door.

It was a complete fiction. They both knew they were never going to talk to each other again.

‘You can collect your wages for the last couple of days from Reception.’

Yeah, she was being paid up and packed off the premises.

Dani made for the nearest cafe and ordered the biggest blackest coffee they made. She closed her eyes. The money she had would last less than a week. Her whole aim had been to work while she hunted because she hadn’t wanted to wait any longer before trying to find him. But she had to be able to eat—to pay for her accommodation, and to pay for the search. How on earth was she going to find Eli now? How was she going to keep the promise she’d made to her mum?

It had been her final request—she’d given up that precious secret only in her last few days and it was the one last thing Danicoulddo for her. Dani wanted to honour that promise more than she wanted to do anything. And if she found him, it would be like having a part of her mother back.

She called a different agency. Then another. But once she’d told them the kind of work she wanted, then told them her name, the ‘our books are full’ line got handed to her. Was she going to have to move cities to get another job? She didn’t even have the bus fare, and the best finance jobs for her were here. Or they had been. Now she was screwed.

Her anger fired even higher. What about Alex Carlisle? What abouthismisconduct? Had he been given a ‘warning’—she bet there was no way he’d have got the sack. Oh, no—he’d just ensured he had a peaceful work environment again. She wasn’t around to embarrass him anymore.

There was one person responsible for this. One person who owed her. One person who was going to pay.

Alex Carlisle was getting the bill.

* * *

‘Kelly, I need you.’ Alex called his PA into his office. ‘The temp who was working on the project for Ruben Theroux last week—’ He broke off.

His super-efficient PA had a touch more colour to her cheeks than usual. But her brows lifted as if she were vaguely mystified.

As if.

‘Temp?’

‘Yes. Short, brunette bob.’ Alex winced, hating to have to reveal that he didn’t know her name. He watched Kelly’s lips purse and sighed, frustrated. ‘You’ve seen the clip, haven’t you?’ Now he felt his cheeks heating.

Kelly dropped the ‘no idea’ look and nodded. ‘Yes. She no longer works here.’

‘How come she’s no longer working here? That project is months off completion.’

Alex found he couldn’t meet Kelly’s eyes. Hell, what a mess. He’d never compromised himself at work like this. Socially for sure—he liked to play. But not at work. Kelly had worked for this company for more years than he’d been alive. She’d worked with Samuel, and his father before him. A Carlisle loyalist. There was nothing in the business that she didn’t know. Alex remembered her giving him paper as a kid to entertain him while he waited for Samuel and him making darts to shoot at people walking past. The severe look she was giving him now wasn’t so different from the one she’d given him then.

‘I know,’ Kelly said quietly. ‘But there’s a new temp now.’

Alex looked at her then, hearing the soberness in her voice. He didn’t like the censure in her eyes, either. ‘I think you’d better send Jo to see me.’

Kelly disappeared and Jo, the head of HR, was knocking at his door in less than a minute.

Alex walked over to meet her. ‘The temp that we had working on the Theroux project last week—where is she?’

Jo looked distinctly uncomfortable. ‘The temp?’

‘Yes,’ he growled. ‘You know the one I mean.’

‘Yes.’ Of course she did. ‘Her services were no longer required.’

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