AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I walked past him swiftly. I didn’t want to be any closer to him than I needed to be. I didn’t know why he’d requested me specifically, but already, Ezra Wright’s presence in my life was making things difficult, which was the last thing I wanted.
“Have a seat.” He gestured to the large, butterscotch colored leather armchair. I found myself surprised by the office decor. It was nice with curated modern finishes. They were also much more expensive than I would assume a public servant could afford.
I sat in one of the chairs, trying not to sink into the luxurious leather.
“Those are some of my favorite chairs,” Ezra said. He walked past me and sat behind his desk.
I sat primly on the edge of the chair. I didn’t want to get too comfortable. There was something about Ezra Wright that I didn’t trust, but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. For a moment, I wondered if it was because of my upbringing. A good Bratva daughter doesn’t trust law enforcement. Ever.
It was one of the reasons I decided to work at city hall—I doubted that I would run into any member of my family in these parts. The Bratva liked to operate under the radar of the arm. If you were getting the attention of a prosecutor, then you were already in more trouble than the Bratva could get you out of.
“Miss Smith?”
Ezra’s voice brought my attention away from my thoughts. “Sorry,” I said. My cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.
“It’s alright.”
It wasn’t. I didn’t want Ezra Wright to think that I was daydreaming because a man like him would think I was daydreaming about him. “It’s not alright.” I held my head up high as I spoke, ignoring how the friendly demeanor Ezra was showing was starting to crack as a frown overtook his handsome face. “I would like to know why I am here.”
Ezra’s blue eyes examined me, and I did my best to meet his gaze. I’d been working on being more confrontational lately, but I still struggled not to cower in the face of conflict.
“Maggie didn’t tell you?”
“Maggie didn’t say much of anything,” I admitted, “except that you had requested me personally, which I found odd.”
Ezra sat back in his chair and folded his arms. He looked unaffected by my question, at least, he did on the outside. “Why? You were working with Tommy yesterday, and he was highly impressed with the amount of work you were able to accomplish. Apparently, you never even came up for air.”
I hated that I was someone who was still affected by a compliment because I could feel myself starting to preen. “What sort of work do you need my help with?” I asked. I felt embarrassed by my assumptions.
When Ezra spoke, it seemed obvious that he would request help, and there was nothing nefarious in his request. I was so paranoid that I was seeing danger in even the most basic attention from a man.
“Mostly getting documents together. We’ve got several cases coming up, and things are going to be moving fast. I need someone who is able to keep up with the workload, and according to Tommy, that person is you.”
I nodded, but that pit in the bottom of my stomach would not go away.
Ezra’s expression grew intense. “What is it? Are you worried that the workload will keep you from your boyfriend?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I said, the words coming out before I could stop them. I winced. It was obvious now that he was fishing. “I’m also not looking for one.” The comment was pointed, but from the chuckle that Ezra gave me, my comment landed.
“Then, what’s the problem?”
For a moment, I thought about lying, but I knew that my lie would just come back to bite me in the ass. “When I interviewed for the temp agency, I lost my wallet. I’d been in the middle of a move, and I couldn’t find my documents.”
“Okay…” It was clear that he was confused as to where I was going with all of this.
“I used my roommates ID,” I blurted out. “So, my paperwork isn’t going to pass HR.”
My entire body was tense as I waited for my new boss's reaction. Ezra Wright was a lawyer, and a good one. I wasn’t sure if he could charge me with a crime, but I couldn’t imagine that he would want me working for him.
But he surprised me with a chuckle. “I’ll take care of it.”
“That’s it?” I asked, my voice full of shock.
Ezra shrugged. “Do you want to work here?” he asked.
I was surprised by the question. It wasn’t one that anyone had ever asked me before, and it wasn’t something that I had ever thought about before. I’d been so focused on surviving that I hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not I liked what I was doing.
“I’m still not sure that I’m the best person to assist you here, but yes, I do want to continue having a job.” It was the best answer that I could give him in the moment, and as I felt his eyes searching me, I wondered what he made of it.
