Lord of Rain (The Dragon Demigods #5) - Charlene Hartnady Page 0,59
Bolt’s office. I know her name is Emily Lewis. I know that she works in this building because she had one of those tags. I also know that she’s pushy, and she likes to raise her voice. I don’t know what was said behind that door, but I know it was fairly loud or I wouldn’t have heard anything to begin with. She and Bolt have been arguing for a while now. It’s heated.
I open up the tab again and try hard to concentrate on what I am doing. I need to organize a business trip for next week for the two of us. Bolt has specified everything he wants to the last detail. We’re going to visit five of his companies in New York, spanning three days. He said he likes to keep his finger on the pulse. I’m excited. I’ve never been to the Big Apple. He wants me to book us into an amazing five-star hotel. It overlooks—
The phone on my desk rings and I blanch because it’s Bolt’s line. He’s calling me. Now that I think about it, things have gone quiet behind his door.
I pick up. “Anything I can do for you?” I ask in my sweetest voice.
He clears his throat. “I need you in my office, Miss Shaw.” He puts the phone down.
I stand and fix my suit. My skirt has ridden up some. I smooth out my jacket and take a deep breath. Then I take a step towards his office. I can do this without falling. I really can. I’m suddenly wishing I’d stuck with my lower heels.
I walk to his door. I take a deep breath, knock, and then enter. Both Bolt and the pushy lady are standing. Brother! That means I’ll have to stand.
“Come in and close the door.” Bolt is frowning.
“This is Emily Lewis. Emily, my PA, Ashley Shaw.” It feels weird to hear him say my first name. I think this might be the first time I’ve heard him say it, even though it’s formal and my last name is tacked on the end.
“Hi,” Emily says. No ‘nice to meet you’ or any of that. She looks really serious, which worries me.
I nod.
“Emily is my Public Relations Manager.” I note that he calls her by her first name. I wonder why. I assumed he addressed all his female employees by their last names…like he does me…Miss Shaw. She should be Miss Lewis. I hate the jolt of jealousy I feel.
“I came to see Bolt about this.” She has a glossy magazine open. She hands it to me.
I gasp when I see what’s in it. “Oh, my word!”
“Mogul cheats on new girlfriend while she looks on in despair.” My eyes are wide as I read the headline. “This is rubbish.”
“Of course it is,” Emily says.
“These pictures…” I say, sounding out of breath. In the one, Bolt has his hand on my lower back. He’s looking down at me with an intense expression on his face. The caption says that Bolt is looking at me with adoration. In the next picture, the hostess at the restaurant is coming at him with puckered lips. Her hands are clutching his arms. I’m in the background looking distinctly unimpressed. The caption says that Bolt is a player, that he already has his sights on someone else. Reference is made to poor me, looking jealous and sad. I have to say, I do look jealous and sad, but it’s not true. “This article…” There’s a whole lot about me, although the press has no idea who I am. I’m floored at how they can write so much, make so much up. It’s trash. Bolt wasn’t embellishing at all. I feel even more sorry for him. I look up, and our eyes lock.
“I’m sorry, Miss Shaw. I did warn you.”
Emily looks at Bolt like he just crawled out of a sewer or something. I’m not sure why.
“It’s not your fault, and yes, you warned me,” I say to him. “I’d better let my family know about this.” I widen my eyes. “I mean that it’s false. I won’t divulge anything,” I gasp. “Not that there’s anything to divulge.”
Bolt’s lip twitches. “Of course there’s nothing to divulge, and you should notify your family. Know that Emily will be releasing a statement letting the public know that you are my Personal Assistant. That there is no relationship or scandal to speak of. I also briefed Emily about our discussion at The Black Swan.”