okay.
I signed the check with a violent flourish, spent an hour having breakfast with my dad, who thought I was one of his high school students, and then cried for ten minutes in the parking lot, letting the February wind freeze tears and industrial strip club eye makeup to my cheeks.
Fate had just saved me from a downward spiral from which I had no way of recovering on my own.
I was going to be the best damn PA she or he had ever had.
37
Ally
“There has to be a mistake,” I croaked, looking at the non-disclosure agreement the HR rep—a nicer, more pleasant one than the first—handed me.
“Oh, no, Ms. Morales. It’s all there. You’ll be stepping in for Mr. Russo’s admin, Greta. She’s taking a two-month European tour. Isn’t that exciting?”
“Exciting,” I parroted as my head spun.
Pride warred with poor.
As soon as I woke up this morning, I’d checked my bank balance and danced a boogie in bed when I saw my paycheck had officially landed. There was money in my account. Enough to actually catch up on some bills, buy another box of drywall screws, and maybe even get myself some real groceries.
I’d already spent all of the signing bonus on Dad’s late fees and the good faith payment. I couldn’t afford to turn down the job and give it back.
But I could afford to be a complete ass to Dominic Russo.
He manipulated me into this. He hadn’t been able to force me out of the company from a safe distance, so now he was going to try it up close and personal.
Well, Charming had another thing coming. I had staying power. A stubborn streak wider and deeper than the Pacific Fucking Ocean. I’d sink my claws into this job and him. Maybe I’d make him quit.
“You’re so lucky,” she whispered conspiratorially. “He’s so good-looking it hurts to look directly at him.”
Yeah? Try looking at him after getting him off and then replaying those primitive grunts and growls for forty-eight hours straight without busting out the vibrator because you suddenly have principles.
I wisely chose not to share that sentiment.
See? I had self-control. I could do this. I could do my job, ruin this man’s life, finish the renovations on my dad’s house, and when it was sold, when Dad was safe for several years, I’d get that gosh darn mango margarita. Or at this point, maybe it was better to just go straight for an entire bottle of tequila.
“And here’s the employment contract,” she said, cheerfully handing over another piece of paper that would require part of my soul. “You can read it if you like. It’s pretty straightforward. The only new requirement is Section J.”
I flipped to Section J.
“The employee will not pursue outside employment during the term of the contract.”
That sneaky motherfucker.
I had a brief but entertaining fantasy of taking these papers and shoving them up Charming’s ass, making sure he got paper cuts. But then I started thinking about his ass. Fortunately for all involved, the compensation section of the contract caught my eye and convinced me that my dignity could indeed be purchased.
I signed the papers, my hand gripping the pen so hard it cramped, and then forced a cheery smile as HR Lady gave me directions I didn’t need to my new personal hell. I already knew the way.
My first instinct was to go in blazing hot. But that would give him the satisfaction of knowing he got under my skin. If mystery bothered him so much, this son of a bitch—wait, no. His mother was a lovely human being. This alphahole was going to suffer. I’d make sure of it.
Mr. Alphahole was not currently in residence.
But just looking through the open door into his domain had me feeling a little lightheaded. I guessed it was a combination of righteousness and lack of cheese.
I stood there, glaring at Greta’s empty desk for a long minute. I would be mere feet from the man I wanted to avoid for the rest of my life. All day, every day, for two months. One of us was bound to crack, and I really, really didn’t want it to be me.
“Admin Ally moving up in the world.” Linus appeared, slapping a stack of red-inked proofs against his palm.
I resisted the urge to grab Greta’s trash can and vomit into it.
“It appears so. I didn’t know Greta was planning a trip.”
He shrugged personal trainer-sculpted shoulders. “Sounds like it was a surprise anniversary trip,” he said.
“Some anniversary.”
“Are you all right?”