Page 6 of Mafia Captor

My stomach flips. What has she done? “Just tell me. Please.”

Tess takes a deep breath. “I knew you were going to try to quit, to leave the family. We just can’t afford to lose you. You’re too valuable. Soooo… the past five hours while you’ve been working the event, I may have had a team packing up your place at Nik’s and moving everything—including your cat—with the absolute greatest care, to a lovely apartment uptown. You’re coming to work for me. It’s settled. I’ll let Nik know, I’ll take care of everything. The apartment is over Gotchas. The music is a little loud sometimes, I mean, it is a nightclub, but a white noise machine will fix you right up. Be at Bachman Enterprises building in the Village at eight a.m. Monday morning. Don’t be late.” She tips her glass back, emptying it in one swallow. “And that’s final.” She grins.

What?

Not only do I have a new job—starting Monday morning—but a new apartment as well? At first, my stomach tightens, nerves over the changes to come rippling through my belly. But then, it hits me. Tess has literally solved all of my problems in five hours. I can move on. I don’t have to go through the horrible process of applying and interviewing for jobs. I can keep working for a family that I love and trust. And I don’t even have to pack a single box.

She gives me a nervous look, teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she awaits my reply. “Please,” she begs. “Say something.”

I’m speechless. I go to open my mouth, but no words come out.

Tears sparkle in her eyes. “Oh no. I’ve done the wrong thing, haven’t I? Damn it. Rockland told me I was overstepping, but I thought I was doing the right—”

“No.” I cut off her words, grabbing her in a tight hug. “Thank you, Tess. It’s just… I thought no one was really looking out for me, you know? But you were. It means so much to me that you would do this all for me.”

“Look, I don’t want to overstep again, but God, I’m going to, aren’t I?” She crinkles her nose. “My middle name should be “overstep.” Anyway, I think the truth is, you’re not falling in love with your bosses.”

“Huh?”

“You’re falling in love with men you know are unavailable to you. So you can stop yourself. From falling in love.”

“What do you mean?” A creeping feeling crawls across the back of my neck—the one you get when you know the person speaking is telling the truth, but you’ve never stopped to consider the thought.

“Listen.” She grabs my hands in hers, giving me a soft look of comfort. “I know you. Like, really, really well. And I know love. I mean, I’m the family’s most successful matchmaker to date—”

“And the only,” I interject.

“Sure. Beside the point. Anyway, I really think you’ve chosen to admire your bosses, tell yourself you’re falling for them. They’re gorgeous. Wealthy. In a position of power over you. And someone you would never, ever date. You know all those rules you have for yourself?”

I can’t breathe. Everything she’s saying… She’s… right. Speechless, I nod.

“Pretty damn sure one of those hard and fast rules of yours is no dating the boss. You’re too much of a professional for that.”

“Crap,” I say, all her words sinking in deep. “You’re right.”

She gives my hands a squeeze. “I know. I usually am.”

All the pain I’ve put myself through… it was all fake? For nothing? I was just fooling myself? My hands tremble in hers. “But—w—why would I do that to myself?”

“Easy.” She gives a delicate shrug of her slender, milky-white shoulders. “You had a messed-up childhood. Abandoned by your dad? A mom who couldn’t care for you? You safeguard yourself, you protect yourself, so you don’t have to go through that pain again. You love men, you admire men, you want a man, but you don’t want to risk it. You wrap yourself in a bubble of rules. You’d rather be alone than be hurt again.”

“Holy cow, Tess.” The eerie feeling of hearing a hard truth about myself begins to ebb away. It’s replaced with a feeling as clean and fresh as an early spring day. “I think you just saved me years and years of therapy.”

“Thank you.” She drops my hands, falling into a curtsey and flashing a grin.

Wow. I’m like a hundred pounds lighter, the feelings of shame and failure from falling in unrequited love rising from my shoulders. I was just protecting myself. Of course I was.

“I feel free… happy.”

She leans back, studying my face. “Really? You’re happy?”

“Really, really.” I nod, the relief of having the next chapter of my life sorted out filling me. She’s an angel.

“I’m so glad you’re not mad. I think this is the best decision for you right now.” She kisses my cheek. “And selfishly, for me too.”

I clear the emotion from my throat. “I guess I need to go check out my new place.”

“You let me know if there’s anything I can do to make it more perfect. And I’ll see you for work Monday morning.”

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