Page 16 of Fierce

“Maybe,” he said, the tiger purring now, “I just didn’t ask nicely enough.”

“No. You didn’t ask nicely at all.”

“So. Saturday.”

“Tomorrow? I’m sorry. I’m busy.”

“Tell him no.”

“And again—you don’t get to say that.” My date was with Karen, but that was information he didn’t need.

“Sunday. My driver will pick you up at seven. Give me your address.”

I shouldn’t say yes. I needed to bundle these shoes up and send them straight back upstairs to him.

“Let’s get one thing clear,” I said. “Do I still have a job if I say no? If I say no at any point?”

The sigh came straight through the phone. “You still have a job.”

“And not because of you,” I thought to add. “You won’t interfere in any way?”

The silence stretched down the line, and I waited him out.

“I’m thinking,” he said, and my heart sank. Wait. I wanted to say no. I was going to say no. Wasn’t I?

“I won’t give Martine any direction,” he finally said. “But that means it’s down to you to do the job.”

“R-right,” I got out, my heart beating ferociously again. “But I’m not getting picked up.”

“No? And yet I could swear you are.”

“Well, you’re wrong. I’ll meet you at—wherever. At any restaurant, I mean,” I hastened to add. “But you never let the guy pick you up at your place on the first date. It isn’t safe.”

“And you want to be safe.” There was that edge in his voice again. “What if I told you that a bit of danger could be so much more exciting?”

I had to breathe. “Then I’d tell you,” I finally managed to say, “that you aren’t a five-foot-two woman.”

“No. I’m not. The idea of the car would be that we’d keep you safe from the danger you don’t want. And get you ready for the danger you…might.”

The sound of a throat clearing had me whirling in my chair. Martine stood there, an expression on her face I couldn’t read.

“That will be perfect,” I stammered into the phone. “We look forward to your participation.” Then I slammed down the phone and whirled to face her.

Her eyes were on the open shoebox on my desk. “Shopping on company time?”

“Of course not. Just receiving a delivery.”

“Receive your deliveries at home, please. And come into my office.”

I realized, as I stood up, that I somehow hadn’t ever managed to turn down the shoes. And that I wasn’t going to be able to.

Some things are just too hard to resist. And other things are impossible.

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