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I shake my head and say with a sigh, “I demand the best of everything, Laura. You will soon learn that I leave nothing to chance.”
I turn back to my file, and she whispers, “I disagree.”
I raise my eyes and she shrugs. “I can disagree if I want to.”
“What do you base your disagreement on?”
I lean back and wait, and she grins, something that takes me by surprise because I don’t believe she’s a cracked a smile in all the time I’ve known her. It completely transforms her, and I love the way the light dances in her eyes like an impudent spirit and her cheeks blush a pretty pink as she whispers, “You employed me, sir and I am definitely not the best personal assistant in town.”
“But you will be.”
She cocks her head to one side, and I find it quite adorable.
“I will train you to be the best.”
“Train me?”
“Yes.” I fix her with a hard stare, loving how she throws it right back at me and as the car hits a bump in the road, she falls against me with a surprised gasp. Instinctively, my hands reach out to grasp her and it doesn’t escape my attention that her mouth is now inches from mine. She smells of mint and innocence and it’s strangely compelling. The embarrassment on her face makes me hold on a little tighter for some reason and as we turn the corner, it throws us together even more.
“Your car sucks.” She whispers, her lips almost touching mine, and then adds, “Where the fuck is the suspension in this beast?”
If anything, it makes me smile and the curious gaze in her eyes holds me spellbound as she stares at me in confusion.
I lower my eyes and push her away and say gruffly, “There is nothing wrong with my car. Now, to business.”
She straightens up and folds her hands on her lap and sits a little straighter as she prepares to take instruction.
For the rest of the journey, I fill her in on what I expect when we reach the offices of Harken Wilmslow, the man who wants to buy millions of my computer chips. This is only one area of my company’s expertise and yet is the most profitable one. We make, design and manufacture technology and computers are just a small part of our portfolio. This meeting is important but not make or break, but I was interested to see how Laura copes in the world of big business.
There is the part of me that wants her to fail so I can shout at her some more and leave her humiliated. It was always part of my plan. To torture the innocent because of the sins of their father. Vengeance is high on my to do list but somewhere along the line, I found myself rooting for her and I wonder when that changed.
CHAPTER 17
LAURA
Troy confuses me. I definitely don’t like him. He’s arrogant, rude, and impatient. His appearance may scream top model, but that’s where the attraction ends. However, there are the tiny glimpses of humanity that make me want to dig a little deeper. The small smiles that intrigue me, revealing there is a personality somewhere deep inside him. I don’t know much about the man, only what I learned on the internet before I took the position, but he appears to favor work above everything. I expect that’s why he is so successful, but part of me wonders about his life outside the office.
He isn’t the kind of man to ask private questions, so I study him from afar. His smooth jawline and classic features. His dark brown eyes that hide a multitude of secrets that sparkle sometimes. I love his dark hair that is groomed to perfection and his sharp suits that obviously cost a fortune that somehow look as if they are fresh from the tailors. His life appears orderly, scripted, and, well, rather boring actually. Regimented even, almost as if he never relaxes. I’m guessing the Troy Remington at home is much the same and I picture his home as empty of anything that doesn’t have a practical use.
I have a fascination for the man that goes beyond the obvious attraction I feel for him and yet I must keep it to myself because the sooner I get away from this weird shit, the better.
We reach yet another skyscraper in the city and our car pulls up at the entrance; the chauffeur holds open the door so his greatness doesn’t have to walk too far. It’s a far cry from the world the rest of us inhabit and it sickens me.
What’s wrong with getting the subway a couple of stops like everyone else? It seems like a waste of resources but I’m not going to lie, I like the fact we didn’t have to struggle to get here. It’s strangely addictive and I don’t miss the glances of admiration that follow Troy when he heads into the building because he certainly cuts an imposing figure. It’s as if he is starring in an aftershave campaign.
His life is one only the rest of society can dream of, and I’m the one scurrying after him in a bid to keep up. I’m realize I’m definitely out of my depth and struggling with imposter syndrome.
We don’t even need to check in at reception because a man is waiting for us near the entrance and nods with respect.
“Mr. Remington. Welcome to Artemis. Mr. Wilmslow is waiting for you in the boardroom.”
Troy merely nods and as the man glances my way, I offer him a bright smile. It’s only manners, and he appears a little taken aback by that. With a sigh, I follow them to the elevator and wonder what planet these people inhabit. It all seems so cold and once again I think longingly of my little dogs, who must be wondering where I went.
We travel in silence in another elevator and Troy maintains his blank expression and stares at nothing, seemingly lost in his own thoughts and I’m guessing they concern the meeting we are about to attend. I’m not sure why I’m here at all. My list just mentions the meeting and not my part in it and I’m nervous thatI missed the page of instructions telling me what to do. Should I have a notebook or something to take the minutes? I’m not even sure why I’m here at all and I’m so far out of my depth with no one around to rescue me, because it certainly won’t be the man who appears to delight in my humiliation.
Harken Wilmslow isa beast of a man, with his portly figure, thinning hair and shifty eyes. He also sweats a lot, which tells me he’s nervous and he completely ignores me, focusing his entire attention on the man he seeks to do business with.
He is a little too exuberant in his greeting, which tells me he’s nervous and points to a couple of chairs set at the opposite end of the table to him. There is a woman sitting in the corner with a laptop and I really hope she’s the one taking minutes and I can slip her my email to forward them onto me.
