AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That was the other thing I hadn’t been able to let go of. If he thought giving me a job meant that I was going to continue whatever happened in Shanghai, he had another thing coming. I didn’t care how handsome he was or how many times he made me come… The guilt over Christopher was killing me, and I wasn’t about to fuck things up with the one person in the world who always had my back.
The door to the boardroom opened, snapping me out of my head, and Angelique walked in. She made her way to Luca seated at the head of the conference table, her stride confident even in her five-inch heels.
Heat rustled up in my chest when I saw the way he leaned back in his chair, his eyes trailing the length of her body from bottom to top. Lingering, of course, on the scooped neckline of her dress. The rustling started to rage when his secretary not only acknowledged the attention but flirted back, making eyes at him as she bent over to whisper in his ear.
Luca’s hand came out to rest lightly on her hip as he cocked his head to the side, apparently listening intently to whatever message she’d brought him. And that’s when it happened. He looked right at me. It felt like his eyes were peering into my soul. The alarm that shot up my spine forced me to straighten and press flat against the wall at my back.
What was he playing at, exactly? Because that’s what it felt like—he was toying with me.
***
“You wanted to see me?”
I stood in the doorway of Luca’s office, fuming that I’d managed to avoid him all day after that team meeting only to have him send for me through one of the developers on staff.
Luca didn’t look up from whatever he was reading at his desk and curled a finger at me. “Come in. Close the door.”
His economy of words pissed me off even more, but I did as I was told. If only to shut out his flirty secretary.
“What do you want?” I asked, not making any move to step further into his office.
Luca finally lifted his head, eyebrows raised.
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and mumbled a barely audible, “Sir.”
A slow smile crept onto his face. He loved that. The unearned power his position gave him. The very reason I couldn’t stand him. And to complicate matters a little more, it was also one of the reasons I was so drawn to him.
“Please, Scarlett, sit.” He motioned with a hand to one of the armchairs in front of his desk.
I clasped my own hands in front of me, interlacing my fingers, and didn’t move. “I’m good here, thanks.”
If he wanted a power play, he was in for the time of his life. I might not have been a billionaire, but I was stubborn as all hell.
“The gala is tomorrow night,” he said, choosing not to fight me on the meaningless stance I was taking. “You will attend, of course.”
I snorted. “Yeah, uh, no thanks, boss. I’m not exactly a gala type of girl.”
“I wasn’t asking a question.” Luca walked around to the front of his desk and leaned against the edge the way he had on the first day I’d seen him. “Your translation services will be needed, and you will attend.”
Shit. I was hired as part of the software team, but I knew that after my showing in Shanghai he’d want to keep using me as his resident translator. I just didn’t expect it to be that soon or that fancy.
“Luca… this is kind of embarrassing, but unless your gala’s dress code is office formal—”
“It’s black tie,” he interrupted. “That means—”
“I know what that means.” I threw my hands up in frustration. “And that’s what I’m trying to tell you. The last time I wore an evening dress I was seventeen and getting stood up on prom night.”
I saw him fight back an amused smile, bringing up a hand to cover his mouth. Asshole. But I couldn’t argue that it didn’t break the tension a little. I wanted to be mad at him—Iwasstill mad at him—but staying mad was exhausting. Especially when it got mixed up with all the other… feelings I was having about his naked body.
“Wear that, then,” he said with a smirk. “I’m sure you’ll be able to pull it off.”
I groaned. “Just… forget it. I’ll figure something out. When is this gala thing anyway?”
“Here.” He held up a finger while he scrolled through his phone. After a second, my phone pinged. “That’s the contact for my personal stylist. He’ll take care of you.”
“Luca, no—”
“Again, I wasn’t asking a question,” he replied firmly. “You are representing Chord, and you will look the part. Cost to company.”
