Page 9 of Boss of Her

Then she turned and gave him a curt nod. “Then let’s get that contract finalized before I change my mind.”

Fifteen minutes later, she led Gene and his lawyers out of the conference room. “I’m glad we were able to come to an agreement,” she said.

Gene murmured something inaudible. Simone ignored him. He could grumble and sulk all he liked. She’d gotten what she wanted.

But as they reached the elevator, she took Gene’s hand and shook it firmly, leaning in and speaking quietly so only he could hear. “If you ever try anything like that again, I’ll make sure you’re blacklisted from every hotel on the West Coast.”

Gene’s face reddened. But Simone didn’t let go of his hand. Not until the elevator arrived, and he nodded in acquiescence.

Once the men were gone, Simone made her way back to her office and shut the door behind her, taking a seat in the leather chair behind her desk. The large rosewood desk was an antiquepiece she’d acquired years ago, the very day she’d started her company. Like everything else in her office, from the gleaming marble floors to the Persian rug under the coffee table, she’d been drawn to its timeless elegance.

Even the building itself had the same charm to it, its original features kept in pristine condition over the years. It was why she’d chosen it for her company’s office, which occupied the top two floors. She’d always favored things with history. Perhaps because she liked the idea of making history herself, of leaving an indelible mark on it.

She was already headed in that direction. She was only in her mid-thirties and she’d already made a name for herself, having been crowned Los Angeles’ hotel queen. But she had bigger plans, bigger goals. And now that the deal with Gene was done, she could focus on acquiring her next prize.

The Ashton Star.

The prestigious five-star hotel was one of the oldest in Los Angeles, standing proudly at the heart of the city. And once Simone acquired it, it would be the crown jewel of her empire, embodying everything she’d worked for over the years.

She opened up her laptop. If she was going to make The Ashton Star hers, she couldn’t afford to waste a single minute. She’d already started laying the groundwork, but she had plans to draft, meetings to arrange, connections to call upon. Her workday wouldn’t end until the sun had set and the office was long empty.

But that was exactly how Simone had gotten to where she was. She’d climbed her way up from nothing, built her luxury hotel empire from the ground up, sacrificing everything for her career. Family. A social life. Romantic relationships. That was a price she was willing to pay. Love was nothing more than a fairy tale. Relationships always failed. She knew that all too well.

But she was only human. She had needs, just like any other woman. The difference was the kind of intimacy she craved.

And that was why she’d invested her precious time and energy into her new side venture. Club Velvet, a place for women to indulge in all of their deepest, wildest desires. She couldn’t take all the credit for it. She was only one of several owners, and they’d all had a hand in bringing it to life. But Simone believed in Club Velvet as much as she believed in her hotel empire.

And she had no doubt that her investment would pay off. It had only been two days since the club opened, but the launch night party had been a success. Aside from one or two minor incidents.

Simone leaned back in her chair and stretched out her legs. There had been one particular incident, one encounter that had been playing in her mind ever since. Club Velvet had zero tolerance for harassment. That fact was expressly stated in the agreements the guests had to sign just to get in the door. And Simone had already made sure that the woman who called herself “Mistress T” was blacklisted from Club Velvet and all other clubs like it.

But she wasn’t the person who was occupying Simone’s thoughts. No, it was the young woman she’d preyed upon. That woman had occupied Simone’s mind, danced through her thoughts, ever since. Her long, dark hair, which had flowed down her back like a curtain of silk. Those exquisite lips, the same pink as the blush on her cheeks. That little black dress, which clung to her voluptuous curves in the most enticing way—

Simone’s office phone rang. She picked it up. It was the receptionist.

“Your 3 o’clock is here, Ms. Weiss. Should I send her in?”

My 3 o’clock?Simone brought up her calendar on the monitor in front of her.3 p.m. Temp assistant final interview.

“Of course,” she said. “Send her through.”

Simone hung up her phone. She’d forgotten all about the interview. Her assistant usually kept track of her meetings and appointments for her, but she was on maternity leave for the next three months.

Simone needed someone to fill in for her. And her ever industrious assistant had conducted the preliminary interviews for her replacement herself, hand picking the best possible candidate. All Simone had to do was conduct a final interview to confirm her assistant’s choice.

Simone opened the candidate’s file on her laptop.Jade Fisher. Twenty-four years old.Fresh out of the same MBA program Simone had plucked her regular assistant from. When it came to her employees, experience wasn’t a priority for Simone. She preferred fast learners who were talented and committed, which often meant recent graduates.

Jade.Wasn’t that the name of the woman she’d met at Club Velvet on Saturday night? The woman who had lit a fire within her with just a glance from those shimmering blue eyes?

The woman who had practically been begging for a Mistress?

Simone pulled herself together. Now wasn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts. It seemed fate was toying with her by sending her an assistant with the same name.

There was a knock on her office door, followed by the receptionist’s voice. “Jade is here.”

“Come in,” Simone called.

As the door to her office opened, she continued to scan Jade’s file, committing the details to memory.

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