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If ever there was a moment to hate my job, it was this one.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret.” I crooked a finger, and she leaned closer, excitement wiping sadness from her eyes. “When people are mean, they’re usually just jealous.”
She leaned back abruptly, and her jaw dropped.
“Alex is jealous of me?!”
I gave her a casual shrug and winked at her.
She settled back in her seat.
“I don’t want Alex to be jealous of me.” Determination unfurled across her face. “I’ll just have to be super nice to her, so she knows it’s okay to be nice to me.”
I sighed.
Tessie was so innocent, it hurt my heart. If only the rest of the world shared her mentality. I’d be out of a job, and I wouldn’t even mind.
“How’d you grow up to be so good?”
I prayed that she’d stay that way. That she wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of her family. That she’d grow up, go to college, and follow whatever her dreams were rather than the ones her family laid out for her.
Oblivious to the terror for her future that shot through me, she shrugged and paused. “Wait a minute. If people are mean because they’re jealous, does that mean Bastian is jealous of you?”
I forced the negative thoughts away and laughed.
“Oh, totally.”
“Spreading lies, De Luca?”
At the sound of Bastian’s voice, my eyes shot toward the door, and I took him in. No amount of time in the world could ever prepare me for seeing this man.
It was sinful how attractive he looked in a suit, each of the three pieces perfectly fitted, his tie straight, and his rare Patek Phillippe watch barely peeking out past his suit sleeve.
If he made his way to us, I’d bet I could smell the distinct, addictive scent of aged ambergris and oak moss on his skin.
I hoped he didn’t make his way to us.
I glanced at Tessie, tempering the heat that threatened to eclipse my face. “It’s definitely not a lie. He’s jealous of me.”
Tessie squealed.
“Oh, my gosh! Bastian was just mean to you!” She turned to her brother and pointed an accusing finger. “You are jealous!”
His eyes shot to mine, and his pair of treacherous orbs waged a silent war.
You’ll pay for that, those persistent eyes promised.
You don’t know who you’re messing with, they lied.
Say something else, they challenged.
I was becoming an expert at reading his face, but he was becoming an expert at reading mine, too.
What filthy, forbidden secrets were my eyes betraying?
I’ve never met a man like you before, they undoubtedly divulged.
I want you, they terrorized.
