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“I’m sure you and Ari will have a blast. Be safe and have fun.” I make kissing noises in the phone and disconnect.
Before I know it, an hour has passed, and it is going on ten o’clock. Everyone left the office hours ago, but I’m used to being here by myself. The security in this place could rival a supermax prison, so I’m not worried about my safety.
Just as the thought crosses my mind, I hear noises coming from Mr. DeLuca’s office. At first, I think I must be mistaken, but then I hear a loud thud. I know Mr. DeLuca has a private entrance to his office, but he would’ve texted me if he was coming back tonight.
I want to call security, but if it’s Mr. DeLuca returning for some reason, I will look completely stupid. I don’t want to overreact, but I don’t want to not react either.
“What should I do?” I say out loud. I look around and bite my lip as I think of an answer.
I take a deep breath and get up from my chair. My desk is out in the open and outside of Mr. DeLuca’s first assistant’s office. You have to go through me, then Serena, before getting to Mr. DeLuca.
I’m working late because Serena is leaving to attend medical school, so she’s teaching me the ropes. I don’t want to mess up as the second assistant, or I’ll never make it to be the first. I’ll probably be fired if I inconvenience Mr. DeLuca in any way, shape, or form.
I move cautiously to the first office door and swipe my access card. The door clicks open, and the tension in my body ramps up. If it’s Mr. DeLuca in his office, I will just let him know that I’m here because Serena is off for the next few days. I’m sure he knows that already, but it won’t hurt to remind him. Besides, it will look good that I’m here taking my position seriously.
I approach his door and swipe my card. What I see is shocking. Mr. DeLuca is covered in blood. I look him over from head to toe slowly. I notice that his hands are swollen with cuts and covered with bruises.
I don’t gasp or scream or even widen my eyes with the shock that I feel. I keep a cool head, and I smile.
“Good evening, sir. I’m acting as Serena for a few days, so I’m working late tonight. I will also be the one on call.” I say in a calm tone. I move around his desk to the closet where his spare suits are stored.
I unzip the custom designer bag and pull out the black Bespoke suit. I bend down and retrieve a pair of black socks and Italian dress shoes to match. I stand and walk to the ensuite bathroom, hang up the suit, and place the shoes on the floor. I put the socks on the counter and pull out a pre-packed bag full of toiletries. I find a dry cleaner bag and a towel before walking out of the bathroom.
“I know you prefer white shirts with your black suits, and I must apologize because you only have a blue shirt here at this time. However, I can call for another and pick it up if you don’t wish to wear the blue one.” I hold a neutral expression while he stands studying me.
I don’t know exactly what happened, and to be honest, I don’t want to know. But I have enough common sense not to question a man covered in blood.
Finally, after a full minute of staring at me, his raspy voice breaks the silence, “I didn’t realize Serena wouldn’t be here.”
I nod but stay silent. Serena not being here is the least of my concerns. I just want to keep my job, hell at this point; I just want to keep my damn life.
I hold out the dry cleaning bag, “Sir, you can put the soiled clothes in here. I will get rid of them.”
Giovanni takes the bag from my hands and begins to undress. I didn’t expect him to strip down right in front of me, and I could be labeled a pervert for not turning away. But I doubt there will be another time that I get to stare at an Italian God’s bare chest.
When he starts to take off his slacks, I realize why I didn’t find any underwear in his clothes. This time I do indeed avert my gaze because I know I’m not ready to see all of his goods. The well-defined Adonis belt already has my heart racing. I thrust the towel in his direction, and he wraps it around his waist before I can have a heart attack.
“Thank you, Egypt. Do you know what to do with that?” Mr. DeLuca nods at the bag full of his bloody clothes.
“Yes, Mr. DeLuca. I will call Franco’s for a late night pickup.” I always wondered why Serena insisted that we only use Franco’s for Mr. DeLuca’s clothes. But what made me curious was when she told me they are the only ones that will dispose of anything that can’t be cleaned without any questions because they are owned by DeLuca’s.
I didn’t know what she meant, but now I do. I guess she was easing me into my position without outright telling me.
“I was going to hire another assistant to help with this part of my business, but it looks like you just got promoted.”
I smile then because that is the best news ever! “Thank you, sir.”
“Might as well cut that shit out now.” He frowns, and I instantly drop the smile from my lips. “Call me Giovanni. Not Mr. DeLuca, and definitely not sir.” His voice is gruff, and his frown gets deeper, and I’m confused.
“Yes… M… uh Giovanni.” I clear my throat uncomfortably because it feels unprofessional to call the owner of the company by his first name. I know Selena does, but I thought it was because she’s worked here for so long. But he’s the boss, so whatever he wants.
“We need to have a conversation after I get cleaned up, but just know there’s no turning back now.” He disappears into the bathroom and shuts the door. And although I was promoted, I feel like my life was just threatened.
Someone snapping their fingers rudely in front of my face brings me out of my memory. That was the night I learned what the mystery behind his dark gaze was. It was also the night that I knew it wouldn’t be easy leaving the DeLuca organization even though I wasn’t an official member.
And although Giovanni kept a lot of his family business separate from his corporation, I still knew almost everything about his activities. And even though I wasn’t included in the “DeLuca family” business, I knew enough. I was a trusted and valued member of Giovanni’s inner circle.
“Do you do anything but daydream?” The snarky woman in front of me tap dances on my very last nerve, but she’s Giovanni’s long time… bedmate? I wouldn’t necessarily call her a girlfriend, but out of all the women he has, she’s been around the longest.
