She actually cranes her head around and looks up at me, like I’m saying something really radical. And not Marketing 101.
“Look at any hospital or pharma website,” I continue. “Right now, let’s go look. You’ll see pictures of happy people living life together. ”
Sasha pulls out her phone and enters the name of a large local hospital. Does she not believe me? I’m hugely relieved to see an image of a woman leaping in the air, trailing a silky scarf behind her.
Sasha looked surprised.
This place.
That jerk Mr. Drummond runs these people so hard, they have no life. Poor Sasha seems to be up to her neck in press releases and case studies. But seriously, do they not watch TV? Do they not mess around online?
“After all,” I say, “it’s not as if hospitals are going to fill their sites with pictures of bloody scalpels and ugly surgical scars. Right?” I try a smile.
Sasha doesn’t.
She’s back at my PowerPoint. A family at a picnic. Old people doing a puzzle. At one point, she sucks in a breath, like the images literally agonize her. “Mr. Drummond won’t like seeing all this,” she says in the most ominous tone possible. “He won’t like it at all.”
As if I’ve spent my three weeks filling people’s drawers with Ping-Pong balls instead of nailing my assignment.
“Why won’t he like it?” I hate how small my voice sounds.
She just shakes her head.
“The thing is, my assignment was to modernize and humanize Vossameer’s online presence…and people relate to people,” I say.
Cue the crushing gloom of stones.
If I were more mercenary, I’d give them the boring site they want and a sad Facebook feed shunned by all. I’d be long gone by the time they realized I screwed them over. But that’s not me. I may only be here for the bonus, but I intend to do a good job for them.
“No, you probably have a point. About the people,” she says. “It’s social media, after all.”
“Yeah, right?” I agree hopefully.
“Mr. Drummond does want this foundation partnership. But…” She gestures at a picture of a happy family. Makes a tiny little sound. A tiny little frightened sound.
Does Mr. Drummond just hate happy families? Will he start throwing chairs if he sees a little boy and his grandfather working on a train set?
And if so, why bother to invent lifesaving solutions?
“Welp!” Sasha straightens up. “Who knows, maybe he’ll like it.” Her tone is weird. Far too bright. “Mr. Drummond sees things we don’t, does things for reasons we don’t always understand. It’s amazing he’s as patient with us as he is.”
“Sure, okay,” I say.
“I’ll have you present with me,” she says. “We’ll head up after lunch.”
“Wait—what?” I nearly swallow my tongue.
I’m going up to the top? To the tyrant’s lair?
Read The Billionaire’s Wake-up-call Girl!
Also by Annika Martin (aka Carolyn Crane)
Romantic Comedy
Most Eligible Billionaire (formerly Most Eligible Bastard)
An enemies-to-lovers standalone!
He’s a powerful, arrogant billionaire CEO who built the family business into an empire. The money doesn’t matter to him, but the company is his life.
And then his eccentric mother wills it all to the tiny dog Vicky adopted.
* * *
The Billionaire’s Wake-up-call Girl
An enemies-to-lovers standalone!
When my manager assigns me the task of finding a new wake up call service for our CEO, I think, how hard can this be?
* * *
Answer: practically impossible. It turns out that no wake-up call company in the world will take him on as a client. They’ve all had enough of his surly personality.
* * *
So in an effort not to lose my job, I secretly start making the calls myself, every day at 4:30 am sharp. OMG yes you read that right—four freaking thirty in the morning.
* * *
Fun, super-dirty romantic comedy (read in order)
The Hostage Bargain (Free standalone)
I was a small town girl, trapped in an impossible situation…and then three hot, kinky bank robbers took me hostage.
The Wrong Turn / Deeper Game
The Most Wanted
The Hard Way
* * *
MM Spies - thrilling, sexy, and bantery!
Enemies like You (standalone) - They're dangerous men. Absolute enemies. And totally hot for each other.
* * *
Romantic Suspense standalones
Against the Dark - Playing the fake girlfriend of arrogant secret agent Cole Hawkins? It’s the last thing Angel wants to do. But it’s just a weekend, right? An ex-thief can handle anything.
Off the Edge - She’s running for her life—new name, new country, new hair. And no time for sexy professors with deep, dark secrets.
Into the Shadows - He’s a twisted, brutish killer who kisses like a god. And he must never, ever discover her secret.
Behind the Mask - What do you do when your twin sister is won in a card game by dangerous cartel members? Trade places, of course!
* * *
All four steamy, thrilling, award-winning Undercover Associates novels collected into one convenient and money-saving edition.
* * *
Mafia Princes (Dark romance alert! Read in order)
Dark Mafia Prince - He’s a devil in Armani with a twisted sense of justice. But when he kidnaps his enemy’s daughter, their sizzling connection puts everything at risk.
Wicked Mafia Prince - Viktor is stunned when the pretty assassin he once loved—and killed—appears in Chicago.
Savage Mafia Prince - Baby Brother Kiro is totally freaking SAVAGE. Like, literally. And SO hot!
Criminals & Captives (Dark romance alert! These are standalones)
* * *
Prisoner - He seethes with raw power the first time I see him - pure menace and rippling muscles in shackles.
Hostage - The police say he’s obsessed with me. But I’m the one who can’t stop thinking about him.
* * *
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Acknowledgments
I’m so grateful to have so many smart, creative, generous friends in my life—you guys are always up for reading my stuff at different stages and lending me your expertise and it means the world. It definitely meant the world to this book. Joanna Chambers came through with the most brilliant insights and tough love ever—omg thank you! M. O’Keefe blazed in with beautiful emotional ideas and key fixes; Katie Reus had great catches and character insights. Thanks also to Courtenay Bennett for a fabulous eagle-eye read
and ideas on certain terms. Hugest thanks to my local writing group—Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew, Marcia Peck, Mark Powell, and Terri Whitman—your thoughtful read and insights were absolutely inspiring and just golden to me! Deb Nemeth did a great developmental edit, Sadye Scott-Hainchek did an early proofread, Judy Sturrup proofed and Judy Zweifel of Judy’s proofreading delivered on a wonderfully helpful final proofread. Thanks also to Michele of Catalano Creative for the cover beauty, and kisses to Nina Grinstead and the gang at Social Butterfly for amazing energy and invaluable support. All of you! Hugs!
Most Eligible Billionaire Page 27