Illicit

“Well, Christ in a Chrysler, Mar, have you been inside it?” Hector leaned over his place setting, eyes wide. “Tell me everything.”

“No, okay, I haven’t been inside. I just…” Marisa shrugged again. “Hear things.”

Hector’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”

“Oh my god, you guys, I almost forgot!” Marisa motioned toward me, turning the focus back onto me like a pro. “Reed is an absolute stalker who watches her on the security cameras.”

The others gasped in unison, turning toward me.

“No way.” Hector scoffed. “Total stage five.”

Marcus nodded his agreement. “How do you know?”

“She came to see me after he sent her away with that manuscript this morning, and he literally called my desk to tell her to go down to the lobby and get to work.”

“No,” Eloise gasped.

Marcus shook his head, reaching to run his hand over Hector's shoulder. “That man is a nuisance.”

“He’s a genius, though,” Marisa added. “Nothing has ever passed his desk–or his father’s–and not hit the Times bestseller list.”

I knew all too well what kind of eyes the Reed men had for bestsellers. I’d studied Reed Publishing in depth to prepare for the internship. The eldest Cabot Reed was impressive beyond measure. The keen way he could sniff out a bestseller from even the most unknown authors was something that had really set this publishing house apart from all the others. But had he transferred that ability to his son? Was this Cabot Reed impressive or was he just frustrating and fine as hell?

I looked up and caught Hector’s eyes narrowed, pondering something while he stared at me. “What?”

“I think Reed likes you.”

I nearly choked on air. “What?”

Hector smiled slowly, glanced around at the others, then crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat. A smug look of satisfaction accompanied his curt, “Yep.”

I looked at Marisa for help, but the girl only smiled.

“No,” I stated firmly. “Absolutely not. He barely even talks to me.”

“He sent you that book yesterday.”

“Only to correct a statement I made.” These new friends of mine were obviously out of their minds. Reed didn’t like me. He wasn’t even nice to me. “It’s a game to him. He had to win the argument, that’s all.”

“Okay.” Hector shrugged, taking a sip of his iced tea. “Whatever you say, new girl.” He raised one eyebrow. “I’m just saying, he never scrutinized what I was doing or watched me on the security cams.”

“Never gave you a manuscript,” Marcus added.

“Ouch, babe.”

“Sorry, but neither of those men have ever let an intern anywhere near a manuscript.”

“No.” I shook my head. “He’s just being a pain in my ass with that whole security camera thing, and the manuscript…” I shrugged. “Maybe the terms of the internship have changed since last fall.”

“Yeah.” Hector nodded. “Maybe.”