Against the Rules

The head admin, Monica, greets me at the elevator.

“You’re in a good mood,” she observes. “Your meeting with Rydell must’ve gone well. Are we taking over the sporting goods company?” she asks as the car rises swiftly.

“Am I whistling again?”

“Humming, actually. It’s the hum you give off when a deal is imminent.”

“I didn’t realize I had a tell.”

“Not during the negotiations,” she assures me. “Only after.”

“That’s only slightly reassuring.” The doors open and I step off. Monica hurries to keep up.

“No one who isn’t close to you would know this. It’s not like you hum loudly. So are we? Taking over the company?”

My phone rings before I can answer. It’s Rydell. “Are you calling to tell me my portfolio has crashed or doubled?”

“Neither. I hear you’re in a good mood today. Decided on buying into that fund I recommended last night?”

“You know why I’m in a good mood and it has nothing to do with the fund.”

“She slapped you. Twice.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“I didn’t know you were into that kind of thing.”

“We learn new things about ourselves daily. And, yes, buy into the fund.”

“Will do and try not to get yourself slapped again.”

“I can’t make any promises.”

I hang up and turn to my assistant. “The party last night—I need the names of everyone in attendance. Also, get a personal jeweler from Tiffany’s on the phone. I have a purchase to make.”

She jots everything down and doesn’t ask any unnecessary questions. Monica’s a good assistant.

“You have a new employee meet and greet,” she says as we walk into the outer sanctum leading into my office. There are twelve employees lined up. We go down the row of the new hires, all decked out in varying shades of dark blue and black. I shake hands and welcome them to our company, making an effort to remember everyone’s name by repeating them in my head. I have a good handle on it until the end when my last new hire sends all my thoughts to the wind.

My prey from last night stands in front of me with her hair tied back and her curves hidden under a suit that makes her look like a gray rectangle. Her eyes are shielded by a pair of thick glasses in some kind of low-rent Clark Kent disguise.

“Lucia—“ Monica starts to say.

“Sanchez,” I finish.

Lucia’s complexion is unnaturally pale and her hand is cold when I take it in mine. Her eyes are glued to the floor and I have a feeling she wishes the ground would open up and swallow her. As for me, I must have done a very good deed in the past to be rewarded like this.

I turn to Monica. “Cancel the first agenda item and come into my office. We need to make some human resource changes.” I drop Lucia’s hand before I kiss it—and her—in front of all the new hires. In a few steps, I reach my office door. Monica jumps out of the way so she’s not hit when I open it.

“Are you firing Ms. Sanchez? I just hired her. It took me five weeks to find her,” Monica wails.

Lucia must hear her because she turns a shade whiter.

“No, no one is fired.”

I slam the door shut.

Chapter 4

Lucia

“What did you do?” I look over to see Kevin staring at me. I think that’s his name. They’d introduced everyone during orientation. I open my mouth but close it because I’m not sure what to say. Do I tell the truth? That I slapped the boss a couple of times the other night because he thought I was an easy lay?

“Maybe it’s her outfit.” The girl on the other side of Kevin leans forward to look at my suit. Her nose is scrunched up in disgust as her eyes roam over me. I didn’t think my outfit was that bad. I was trying to cover up. I wanted to look different. I thought maybe he wouldn’t recognize me if I dressed in this shapeless getup. No such luck.

“Don’t be a bitch,” Kevin says to her. Her eyes leave me and pin him. Her look of disgust has now changed to one of anger.

“I thought after college I’d be done dealing with you. I’m going to my office.” She stomps off. A few people follow, going to their designated areas. I have no idea where I’m supposed to go. The only thing I know is that I need this job and I guess it’s a good sign that he hasn’t fired me yet.

“Ignore her. She’s a spoiled daddy’s girl. I think your suit is-” He trails off. I snort a laugh because I know this thing I’m wearing is hideous, but I meant it to be exactly that.

“It’s not the best. Believe me, I know.”

“You’re pretty so I think you could get away with wearing a paper bag. That’s why Becky is being an asshole. She can’t have anyone prettier than her around. It’s some immature high school crap.”