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I’d gone into the office with the excuse that I needed to make next week’s schedules and balance the inventories for the past week, something the manager was supposed to take care of, but since I was covering for Lucas, it was up to me. He was a sad excuse of a manager.
Holding the armrests of the chair, I slowly leaned back, letting my head fall onto the cushion. Every muscle in my body hurt, and I felt like I had just run a marathon.
A bolstering breath made its way down my lungs and I straightened, taking a sip of water and turning on the computer. For a moment, I seriously considered writing my resignation, but I had fought so hard for this job, for the opportunities it represented. I didn’t want to let go.
The thought of letting go took my mind to something else—someone else—and my hand slipped into my pocket. A glimmer from the lamp above reflected on the gold band, yet the crystal that engulfed the Dragon was dormant.
“You keep it. It’s yours now.”
My mouth tilted into a smile as thoughts of Evie inundated my mind. The feel of her skin. Her scent. The way she gave into me with each kiss. Like her ring, she was with me night and day, and even if she had left, I felt lucky to have experienced something so meaningful with her. I hoped that wherever she was, everything was going well, and that she found a way to save her lands and the people she loved.
A migraine hit me abruptly, the burning ache engulfing my left eye. The clinking sound of the gold ring hitting the glass desk echoed like bells in the distance, as reality was slowly pulled away from me.
I gripped the left side of my head, my other hand fisting with each controlled breath I took, trying to stop the episode, but it was futile. Darkness descended on me, yet unlike the last time, it didn’t feel as though I was going blind. It felt like the slow change of a scene. Turbulent waters appeared once the darkness receded, though it didn’t completely leave. The image was hazy at best, showing gloomy and stormy skies above, just as rain began to fall.
“Wait here…”
The faint voice reached me, and the image of the sea wobbled before like I had nodded. A face suddenly came into my line of sight.
“Evie!” I gasped, eyes snapping open. What felt like a rush of energy went through me, taking some of my weakness away. The office that surrounded me returned to me.
My shocked gaze fell to the glass table. The Dragon ring was glowing blue again, and I urgently gripped it.
“Hey, are you okay?” A hand landed on my shoulder and I jumped on the chair, seeing Josh standing before me… with Mr. Di Rossi next to him.
Shit. “Yes. I’m so sorry, I was—”
“Are you sure you are okay?” my boss asked, true worry coloring his features. “We called you, but it was like you couldn’t hear us. Like you were somewhere else.”
“And you are pale as fuck,” Josh gracefully added.
“I’m sorry. I was making some mental calculations, dealing with inventory, and I must have gotten more caught off than I realized,” I excused, reaching for the water and taking a sip.
I wasn’t fooling anyone.
Carefully observing me, Mr. Di Rossi glanced at Josh. “Can you bring us both coffees and something to eat? I haven’t had lunch yet, and I’m starving.” His attention shifted to me. “You’ll eat with me while we talk. I need to have a conversation with you.”
Josh and I exchanged a dreaded glance. Had he somehow found out my capacity to work had suffered because of my illness?
“Of course, Sir. I’ll be right back.”
Straightening on the chair, I watched my boss take the seat before me. “Mr. Di Rossi, I just want to say—”
“Paolo.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You have worked for me for almost two years, Braxton. I think you’ve earned the right to call me Paolo.” He smiled at me, accepting the coffees Sam brought in, sent by Josh, and handed one to me.
Dreading the conversation, I took a sip, and glanced at the coffee sleeve before focusing on him. “Paolo… please let me apologize—”
“Apologize?” he interrupted, shaking his head. “No, no. I speak here.” Taking a drink, he placed the coffee on the glass, and rested both forearms on the desk while he looked at me. “I should be the one to apologize,” he began. “For the past three months, I have put you through hell. Working a junior manager position without any of the perks. Covering for your halfwit manager, and taking care of his responsibilities—on top of yours—all while doing double shifts for weeks without a single day off… You must think I’m a tyrant.”
He chuckled while I shook my head. “No, Sir. I don’t. Me having to cover for Lucas is not your fault, and I have no problem stepping up when it's needed.”
Nodding, he held his hands on the glass desk. “Do you think I was taking advantage of you?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “I think you were testing my commitment to this job, hoping my work ethic would show you what I really wanted from this place.”
