e

tively imagining my boss sprinting to

eranged. I just wanted him to have a t

unbearable.....so

that I felt should be useless to him. He had asked for sudden revisions without explaining what was

Brandon rarely gave me any work or attention. He floated in and out of the office like a man allergic to responsibility and deeply committed to avoidin

an assistant can do is nod, take notes, and mind

ffee incident tha

more often than anyone cared to admit. A suit could definitely be cleaned. Th

with me was

reaching out because that was part of my job and part of who I was. I knew how to handle situat

stopp

did not know how to handle a simple mistake. The tone he use

he part th

t had been a sign of incompetence rather than responsibility, as thoug

tent. It sat with me as I worked, affecting the way I moved and spoke. I became more care

confidence could erode un

ply. I had worked under demanding executives before. I knew how to separate professi

eadspace when his voice cut throu

en

nto his office with the posture of a woman who ha

s,

going so

lled faintly of coffee and something expensive I

d to go anywhere toda

am

as tucked under my arm earlier, because facts matt

nal meetings, no tr

ess tycoon," he said, cutting

. "That meeting

does

ck was wron

. "Sir, inventing meeting

n I am payin

uing with him was a bloody waste of t

o need for

wned.

l need

ny jet, what on earth was he talking about? Brandon never

," I r

es

where

ta

d heavy and ab

ha

. We are headed to Italy. Do I

fully, "am I going

y personal

wed the former

ke. He didn't know

t fluttered in my c

his jacket. I noticed he was we

following him. "You made

he responded while

a private hangar with my heels clicking against

obscene an

han my entire kitchen at home, fully stocked and shining. Everything was spotless and perfect, as if no one had ever made a mess

xcessive,"

" he said calmly, already unbuttoning hi

because apparently my mouth had no

ll not

question. A sensible one. Possibl

second mista

a full three secon

garment bags lined neatly a

ere id

ere pr

ere la

ith m

so abruptly my hee

lly, "why are there

d out," Lucas replied e

ed toward him

y for my trips," he said, li

tion," I said flatly

ntly amused. "You

ot a su

e under

not the s

y stomach in a way I did not enjoy. I gripped the armrest withou

ticed in

otion sicknes

mitted, annoyed that

a button. "Could we get so

mmediately, carrying pills and water

ou," I m

re not thirty thousand feet above

ok a

ano

stop myself. "This is the b

is own glass. "

hok

like joy. This tastes like I ma

ousand-dollar b

not make

kes it a

ousand dollars on alcohol," I snapp

a moment. "Do yo

rd at my champag

ade hi

t this morning,"

caught me

he added. "I will not fi

quite vain and that's a c

ually laughed.

seri

kno

eath us as the pilot informed u

ught with a top and I was a

e full force. I squinted, shielding my eyes, and turned to

black car waiting at the curb. "We're headed to his hotel

Villa Romano? And... wher

id smoothly, like it

at's... extremely suspici

in...." he replied calmly, opening the back do

ause at this point, what

om collapsing, it's been running at a deficit for a

Marco Bellini who is wealthy business tycoon has a business in the slums,

ou're thinking," he said dryly, reading my expression like an open book. "No, they don't sell dr

der my breath

, his smirk widening

eyes so hard I half expected them to get

comes with the territory. Knowing eve

noyed. "Wonderful. So not only do you en

that made my thig

s is going to b

, amused as he opened the car door to speak

lid down

in a

ay, I realized something

ed this trip

was not just h

for somet

re I wanted to k