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Confusion crosses her face. “Is that what you do for all your staff?”
“Nope. I need a date to the event.”
Hadley scoffs. ‘I’m not going to be your date. I don’t want anything to do with you in that capacity at all. It’s highly outside the realm of professionalism.”
I grin and walk over to her. “If you think that’s unprofessional, wait until I get through with you.”
She glares at me as she puts her hand on my chest and pushes me back a step. “If you think that is going to intimidate me, try again. I’ve dealt with worse than you.”
I chuckle and shake my head, reaching out to wrap a strand of her red hair around my finger. I pull on it lightly before dropping the strand and walking to the door.
When I look back at her, she looks like she’s ready to kick my ass. “Go with me to the gala, Hadley.”
“No.”
“I’ll give you an extra thousand dollars to be my date. You said that you need the money. I can give you the money.”
I can see the fight behind her eyes as she wavers a moment before she nods. I see the shame on her face but clearly she needs the money more than her pride.
“Excellent. I’ll meet you at The Brazen on Friday.”
Hadley sighs. “Please just leave.”
I look at her for a moment longer before walking out the door and shutting it behind me. One man passes me, keeping his eyes trained on the floor while I wait for Hadley to lock her door.
Once I hear the lock twist in the door, I head for the stairs.
For the first time since Giana’s visit earlier today, I finally feel like I can go home and go to sleep.
Though I don’t know why, being around Hadley soothes my restless mind.
5
HADLEY
As the limo stops in front of The Brazen Friday night, I start to panic. Nothing about this situation is right. I shouldn’t be going to a charity gala with my boss at the business he owns.
I shouldn’t be potentially entangling myself with the leader of a cartel. Not after all the shit from my past. After what happened with my parents.
Who knows where my life would have gone if they hadn’t spent their lives chasing a high that always left them unsatisfied.
The door opens and the limo driver stands on a red carpet, extending his hand to me. Even though I want to hide deeper in the car, I know that Jovan is the kind of man who will come drag me out of it if he has to.
It’s as if he can sense my hesitation from the club. The doors open and the press that has been invited starts snapping pictures and shouting questions. Jovan walks out with an easy smile and a suit tailored to fit his muscled body.
When a man looks like him, it’s hard to believe that he would be the head of a cartel.
I step out of the limo, teetering slightly on my heels before regaining my composure. Jovan walks over to me and I take a deep breath.
I’m not ready for this. Not even a little bit. I should turn around now and run back to the limo.
“Don’t even think about it,” Jovan says as he stops in front of me and holds out his hand. “Come on. The red carpet isn’t as scary as you think it is.”
I glance at the canopy lined with lights and crystals that hangs above the carpet. It’s shining like stars against the night sky.
“It looks pretty scary. This isn’t the kind of thing that normal people do. This shit is reserved for movie stars and billionaires.”
He chuckles as his gaze drifts down my body, lingering on the cut-outs on the sides of the black gown. When he looks up at me, heat pools in my core. That look is the kind that promises a night I won’t forget.
