Her Surrender (Irresistibly Bound 2)

April relished this little slice of power she had over Vicki. She had the ability to get under Vicki’s skin. She had the ability to drive Vicki wild. She still had some control. They were on equal footing after all.

With this in mind, April decided to try to talk to Vicki about the library once more. After she’d had a few days to cool off, she had realized that she hadn’t actually explained to Vicki the reason why Oasis Developments’ proposed solution wasn’t enough. Once again, she’d let her temper run away with her. April wasn’t usually quite this hot-headed. Vicki had that effect on her.

April messaged Vicki’s personal number to set up

a meeting. She felt like she was breaking some unwritten rule, mixing business with pleasure, but Vicki didn’t comment on it. She agreed to squeeze April in for a short meeting, but due to her busy schedule, April would have to come to her.

Which was how April found herself in the lobby of Oasis Developments late one afternoon.

She shifted in her seat, glancing idly around the lobby. The lavish office was a glaring reminder that Vicki lived in a completely different world from April, one where even the receptionist wore designer clothes and looked like a model. Could she ever expect Vicki to understand her point of view when it came to the library and West Heights? April suddenly felt like she was deep in enemy territory.

A woman, presumably Vicki’s secretary, came out into the lobby and led April to Vicki’s spacious office. When April entered the room, Vicki was sitting in a chair behind her desk, having a heated conversation with someone on the phone.

“That application should have been submitted three months ago,” she said. “Someone in your department dropped the ball. You need to fix this.” Vicki paused, no doubt listening to some poor pencil-pusher’s excuses. “I don’t care. If you want to keep your job, you have three days to sort this mess out.”

Vicki looked up at April, nodding at her in greeting. She gestured for April to sit down at a small glass coffee table by the window.

April took a seat. There was a strange desk toy on the table before her, a small contraption consisting of tiny chrome balls and moving arms on a wooden base. It seemed out of place in Vicki’s modern, minimalistic office. April pushed one of the balls, causing the entire thing to rotate and swing. She watched its hypnotizing movements while she waited.

After a few more minutes, Vicki finished with her phone call.

“April. Thanks for coming,” she said.

“No problem,” April replied.

The room fell silent. Both of them had cooled off since their heated encounter in April’s office. But there was a hint of tension in the air.

“Would you like a drink?” Vicki walked over to a cabinet in the corner behind April and opened the door, revealing a small fridge and an assortment of liquor.

“You have a mini bar in your office?” April asked.

“I’m here a lot. Sometimes I feel like a drink after spending twelve hours at work.”

It shouldn’t have surprised April that Vicki worked so much. It was clear from her job title that she was high up in the ranks. But Vicki always seemed like she coasted through life effortlessly. The idea of Vicki slaving away behind a desk seemed to clash with April’s impression of her.

Of course, the desk Vicki slaved away behind looked like it cost a fortune.

“So, would you like a drink?” Vicki asked.

“Sure,” April replied. “Whatever you’re having.”

Vicki produced two glasses and a cocktail shaker and set about mixing a simple drink. She divided it between the two glasses, and brought them over to the table, handing one to April. April took a sip. It was rum mixed with something. She wondered if Vicki chose the drink because she remembered that April was drinking mojitos the night they met.

Vicki sat down across from April, her lean body stretched out in the chair. The sun was still out, and the sunlight streaming through the window made her hair look like spun gold and made her green eyes sparkle.

“Was there something you wanted to talk about?” Vicki asked. “Or did you just miss me?”

April ignored Vicki’s quip. “I’ve been thinking about other options for the Oakmont Street Library. I’d like to discuss them with you.”

“Eager to get down to business, are you?”

“You said we only had half an hour.”

“My evening meeting was canceled. We have all the time in the world now.” Vicki sat back and crossed her legs. “Why don’t we take a step back? Tell me about your history with the library.”

“Well, what do you want to know?” April asked.

“How long have you been working there?”