Page 6 of Alessio

June

I wake up at five in the morning, stressed, having been unable to sleep last night. Luckily, I showered before I went to bed because my brain is pure mush right now, and I need to get dressed, get coffee, and hit the road.

Zooming through the small apartment, I’m ready without managing to wake my sister, which must either be a miracle, or she was at her job all night and got in too late to bother to wake up from my noise. I see her keys and purse so I know she’s home, which makes my world a lot brighter. Still, she’s exhausted, so I move as quietly as possible as I get ready for my first day at the new job.

I’m out of the house by six, which I’m sure is plenty of time, but I refuse to be late. I arrive way too insanely early. It’s seven fifteen when I stand just outside the massive gates to the estate, and I could kick myself.

Nervously, I pace back and forth away from the main entrance until a man approaches. He’s surly and insanely handsome, hair messy and his suit not quite buttoned up, like he is still getting ready. When our eyes meet, I know I am in trouble. It’s the man from the temp agency. His five o’clock shadow from yesterday has thickened, adding to the sexy just out of bed look.

Did he personally select me? Shit. This is my first day, and I’m pissing off the owner already.

“Who the hell are you, and what are you doing roaming around here at this hour?” I guess he doesn’t even remember me.

“Um… I’m sorry. I’m the new maid, and I didn’t know how long public transportation would take to get me here. Since they can be delayed, I left early so I wouldn’t be late.” Tears fill my eyes, and I do my best to hold them back because that would surely get me canned on the spot. He softens his tough stance and opens the gate.

“Your name?” he asks.

“June Beaman,” I answer.

“ID?” I almost roll my eyes but remember this is my boss, so I straighten my face. Like why the fuck did you ask for my name if you were just going to ask for my ID in the first place? Anyway, I dig it out of my purse and hand it over.

“It says Juniper.”

“I prefer to be called June.” He smirks just slightly.

“Okay, come in.” He opens the gate and then takes my suitcase from me. He sticks his hand out, waiting for my duffle bag. After getting my brain to function properly, I finally hand it over and he slides it over his strong shoulders. He’s definitely more potent up close. “You are early and that’s okay, but from now on, you can just approach the gate. There is a guard here who will allow you entry unless told otherwise.”

He leads me into the estate from the side entrance and into the kitchen area where there is an elderly woman with a warm smile on her face. “Sorry I’m so early. I guess I got too excited.”

She takes my hands in hers and appraises me with another welcoming smile. “That’s fine, my dear.”

“Excuse me.” The gruff, handsome man leaves with both my duffle and suitcase. I want to know where he’s taking them, but I assume it’s to put them in a room. Although once he’s gone, I can finally breathe. For a brief moment, my shoulders drop and I can relax.

“I’m Mrs. Ricci, and you’ll be following my orders. Number one will be to not flirt with the boss in any way, shape, or form. He will not tolerate it, and you will be out on your ass faster than you can say hi.”

“Understood. I’m only here to make money.” It’s going to be hard, but I’m sure that I’ll manage it as long as I stay clear of the man. He’s sin on a stick, lust walking, and just too damn fine to ignore.

“That’s great.” She continues, telling me about the job and the last girl who worked here, and then in walks Mr. Conti so she changes the subject to the position itself.

The way his dark eyes are trained on me, I wonder how badly I’ve screwed up. He stands in the corner of the kitchen in his full suit with his coffee in hand while Mrs. Ricci explains the position to me. The last girl tried to get with the boss and found herself out on her ass in a second even though she was good at cleaning. I can see why, because he’s so damn hot. Like my panties are soaked wetter than that cup of Joe in his hands. I bite on my bottom lip as I listen to her. “Do you have a problem, June?”

“No, Mr. Conti,” I answer, choking on my saliva.

“He’s not the boss. That’s Alessio, Mr. Conti’s underboss.” Underboss? I’ve never heard that term before.

“The CEO,” Alessio answers, giving the older woman a look that’s almost scolding, but she just waves her hand at him dismissively.

“Oh. Thanks.” I blush with a nod and then return my focus to Mrs. Ricci.

She gives him a dirty scowl and then smiles at me. “So, back to the position. You will clean all the main rooms. I’ll inform you of which rooms will need your attention the most. Should we have guests, the order may change.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I nod.

A grunt comes from the brutish suit against the wall, which causes Mrs. Ricci to whip her head in his direction.

“Don’t you have someone else to bother?”

“Just supervising.”

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