Page 17 of Her Filthy Cold Billionaire Boss

You got this. He doesn’t stand a chance.

Thanks. Also, if I disappear, check the koi pond. I’m probably feeding the fish.

I lingered a moment longer, watched the sun clear the hill and bathe the garden in gold, then turned and headed back toward the house. My heart still pounded, but the rhythm was steadier now, less panic, more excitement.

Today would be fine. I’d make sure of it.

The walk back to the house should have been a victory lap. I’d survived the morning’s wanderings, didn’t bump into Leo, and survived my daily crisis hotline check-in. All that wasleft was to caffeinate and face the gauntlet of spreadsheets, staff emails, and cryptic post-its from Gareth Wolfe. Last night’s: “Find the draft NDA and burn it. Not kidding.” Signed, “G.”

He had to be kidding. The man took his rules too seriously to want me to burn it. Besides, he’d still have a copy, so it was a silly gesture anyway.

As I reached the threshold of the conservatory, I collided with Leo Martin in a cloud of humid air and eucalyptus. He was holding a trowel and a pot of something that looked suspiciously like a succulent.

“Whoa, easy there,” he said, catching the door before it slammed into his shin. “I heard a rumor the new assistant was running laps in the rose garden.”

“Just getting a head start on the day,” I said, hoping my smile didn’t look as fake as it felt. Leo had the laid-back posture of someone who’d never lost a fight, not even against the weeds. His shirt sleeves were already rolled, displaying tanned forearms and a constellation of old scars and freckles.

He set down the trowel and grinned. “You’re an early riser. That’ll either get you promoted, or eaten alive. Maybe both.”

“Don’t tempt fate,” I said. I tried to step past, but he blocked the path with the subtlety of a brick wall.

He gestured to the orchid display, which was halfway between explosion and collapse. “Come look at this,” he said. “You ever see a Paphiopedilum wardii up close?” He pronounced it perfectly, which was both impressive and a little infuriating.

I played along, not because I cared about rare orchids, but because the only other option was to power-walk straight into his shoulder. “Is that the one that looks like a dragon’s tongue?” I asked.

He whistled, impressed. “Somebody did her homework. Most people just call it a Lady’s Slipper.” He led me to a cluster of plants with waxy, blotched petals and a pouch like a tiny,greedy stomach. “They only bloom once a year. Gotta respect that kind of discipline.”

“They’re beautiful,” I said. I meant it, but the word felt like a trap.

Leo crouched to adjust a wayward stem, then looked up at me, eyes blue and bright as a glacier lake. “You from around here, Eden?”

I was ready for this. Every job came with a staff member who made it their mission to extract your entire biography before your second paycheck cleared. “Not really,” I said. “Did a stint in Chicago, before that Indiana, before that a lot of moving around.”

“Military brat?” he asked.

“No. Just—life.” I shifted my weight, suddenly aware that my socks were soaking through at the toes. “You?”

“Born and bred. Wolfe’s paid my way since I was sixteen.” His smile was crooked, but there was pride behind it. “Not that he’d admit it, but the gardens are my babies. Most of the plants in here? I brought them from the old house.”

I doubted a control freak like Gareth would allow that, but I nodded, trying to look interested but not too interested. “It’s impressive,” I said. “You’ve got a good thing going.”

He straightened, and the energy changed. “You like plants?” he asked, stepping closer. “Or is this just a job?”

“Both?” I said, and then instantly regretted the way my voice went up at the end.

“Both is fair,” he said, as if we were considering something larger than a preference for houseplants. “But you seem like the type who likes a challenge.”

“I just like being useful,” I said. Which was true, except I liked not being the subject of an interrogation even more.

Leo smiled, but didn’t drop it. “I get it. You want to prove yourself.” He gestured at the glass walls. “I mean, who wouldn’t, working for a guy like Wolfe?”

The name landed like a dropped anvil between us. Leo watched me, looking for a reaction. I kept my face neutral.

“He’s…intense,” I said, choosing the least dangerous adjective.

“Intense is putting it mildly. Don’t let him get under your skin.” Leo’s eyes narrowed, as if he was testing to see if Wolfe had already succeeded.

I shrugged. “He’s my boss. That’s all.”