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I had been an usher at a theater, a pizza delivery girl, and a cocktail maker at an upscale bar off Broadway – I learned how to be a Jack of all trades pretty damn quickly because lifedoesn’tcome cheap. Especially in the city that never sleeps.
Add to that the half of Lita’s care that wasn’t covered by our insurance—especially now with her current health status—and it’s safe to say that I needed to work in order to barely survive.
Finally, I found a cleaning job with an agency and took as many shifts as they’d allow, and eventually, dancing, alongside the joy it brought to me, faded into a distant memory.
I happened to meet Carter Reese, head of Human Resources here at Freemont, while cleaning these very offices one evening. He’d been working late and had spilled coffee on his shirt front when he was due to meet his wife for dinner across town.
I’d given him a little of the vinegar-cleaning solution I’d had on hand, and with a bit of help, the stain was removed in no time.
We’d gotten to talking, and he told me about the entry-level admin position he wanted to fill if I felt I was up for the task.
I’d confessed that I needed some flexibility to visit Lita, but he’d assured me that we could deal with that on an as-and-when basis.
So, I started work less than a week later, continuing with my agency cleaning job when I needed to pick up a shift, though the regular over-time at Freemont meant I didn’t need to very often.
I was busy. Content. With a roof over my head and food in my stomach. Lita was well cared for, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
The elevator doors slide open, and I step on with a pep in my step at the thought that I was fated for this job. Meeting Carter that evening had changed the trajectory of my life, and I’d been able to keep Lita in her Staten Island assisted living debt free.
Jamming the button for the ground floor, the door begins to close but stops suddenly when a hand grabs one side of the silver panel, forcing it to glide open fully once more.
Chad’s face comes into view, and I frown deeply despite the giant grin on his face.
“Told you I was patient, Reyna.” He tosses an exaggerated wink as he steps in beside me, nudging me with his shoulder. His grin is nothing short of self-congratulatory as alarm bells ring in my head. “Now, where did you want to eat?”
The elevator door closes as I continue to hold his stare, repeatedly blinking in silent disbelief.
“Sushi sound good to you? There’s a little place not too far—”
“Excuse me?” I cut him off, putting another foot of distance between us when I step backward. “Ibelievemy answer was no, Mr. Freemont—”
“Chad.” He quirks a brow.
I cross my arms, standing firm. “Mr. Freemont.”
His gaze holds mine, and the light blue of his eyes darkens turbulently to send a shiver of panic straight to my marrow. But even so, I’m immovable.
I’ve always been bull-headed when I’m firm in my decisions, and now is no exception.
“This conversation ishighlyinappropriate, sir, and I would very much like to pretend that it never occurred.”
I twist my body to face the elevator doors; arms still crossed defiantly as I watch the floor indicator slowly edge its way between floors.
Four. Three. Two. One.
I can feel the elevator settle on the ground floor even before the indicator changes to tell us that we’ve arrived at our destination.
But just as I’m about to expel a silent sigh of relief, Chad leans across me to harshly tug the emergency stop lever.
I raise wide eyes to find his expression is nothing short of vicious. The mild-mannered flirt from before is long gone, and in his place stands a frenzied version that scares the living shit out of me.
“Now, now, beauty.” He leans down to get right in my face. “This can go one of two ways, okay?”
My mouth is like cardboard, nausea rising in the depths of my stomach, and words escape me.
“I saidokay?” Chad’s bark makes me physically jump, and I nod frantically, my heart pounding against my breast painfully.
He reaches out, grasping the side of my long bangs to twirl it around his index finger before drawing the digit from my temple, along my cheekbone, and down to rest on my trembling bottom lip.
