“Trent is our vice president. He’s not in the office today or I would introduce you to him.” He leaned toward her. “He’s second in command and runs the company’s day-to-day operations. Nothing goes on around here that Trent isn’t aware of. I can’t tell you how proud I am of him. Under his watchful eye our profits have soared.”
“I’m sure they have.” She gritted her teeth. Cheating, liar—Trent Farrington! Her stepbrother had lost his life because of that man. Any guilt she felt over lying to get the job, evaporated. “And thank you so much, Mr. Farrington. I look forward to working here.”
Her research told her that for forty-seven years, James Farrington had run a reputable company, but something had changed recently––and not in a good way. Her instincts told her where to firmly place the blame and now she was sure she’d been right. This elderly gentleman probably had no idea those high profits came at the expense of quality and on-site safety and that his grandson was probably skimming money from the company.
Mr. Farrington strode to the door. “Allow me.” He ushered her into the reception area. “You can start on Monday. Your first duty will be to hire someone to work as your assistant. Do you have anyone in mind that could fill the position?”
She thought about that for a moment. Her best friend, Darcy, needed a job. While she didn’t want Darcy involved with her investigation into the company, it would be nice to have her in the office for support.
Kate nodded. “I do know someone.”
“I hope she’s as pretty as you are.”
Kate narrowed her eyes. She didn’t think she had dressed attractively at all. In fact, she thought she’d succeeded to look downright plain.
He chuckled. “I mean qualified as well, dear. Don’t mind me. Please don’t think I’m a dirty old man or a chauvinist, but I have to admit that most of my loyal staff is aging alongside me. We need some younger blood around here.”
Kate relaxed her shoulders. “Yes, Mr. Farrington, she is pretty.”
At his age, he had to be harmless. She could forgive him because he was from a different era. She’d ask Darcy if she’d like to work at the company between jobs.
As she walked out of Mr. Farrington’s office, she thought she heard him whistling “Here Comes the Bride.”
Seriously? Confusing, to say the least.
Inhaling a deep breath, Kate stepped down the outside steps and into the Florida sunshine. She had succeeded in landing the job. She’d have access to the records at the company and would be able to prove the truth––that they were cheating. So, Trent Farrington’s hands were in all aspects of the business? If she could prove he traded the safety of his employees and the integrity of his projects to beef up his profits, she’d nail him to a wall.
Matt deserved justice. She owed it to her brother for all the beatings he’d taken in her place. If it was the last thing she did, she would see that Trent Farrington rotted in prison.
* * *
The following Monday, Kate marched down the sidewalk of Las Olas Boulevard like a general going to battle, her co-conspirator, Darcy King, at her heels. When they neared Farrington Towers, they paused. The building soared skyward, resplendent in dark green marble and framed against a blue, cloudless sky.
A chill ran up Kate’s spine. She was about to play the masquerade of her life, and it all seemed too real now. How had she ever thought she could take on the rich and powerful Farringtons? It was one thing if she were caught in this crazy scheme to get evidence to convict Trent Farrington, but she didn’t want her friend Darcy implicated or hurt.
As if she’d read her thoughts, her friend asked, “Do you really think we can get away with this?”
With her cute upturned nose, smattering of freckles on her pale face, and her bubbly personality, Darcy appeared so innocent. No one would suspect her of anything underhanded.
Kate sighed. “I have to. If you have any second thoughts, don’t worry. I can do this by myself.”
Flipping a short, carrot-red curl behind her ear, Darcy––originally from Georgia––said in her slight southern accent, “You need my help, plus I owe you. Anyway, I find this exciting. I feel like Darcy King, Secret Agent, reporting for duty.”
Kate gave her a tentative smile. “This is serious, remember? If we’re caught, we might be in trouble, or at least I could be for lying about my credentials to get the job.”
“You know I have your back, but I really just want to see you happy and carefree...with all of this behind you.”
“Carefree is something I’ve never been able to be, Darcy.”
“You can be, Kate. Matt’s dad can’t hurt you anymore.”
“I’ll smile again when I have the evidence,” Kate said, wanting to wipe that concerned look from Darcy’s freckled face.
Darcy’s red curls blew in the breeze as they continued down the sidewalk. “They must be rich enough if they own all of this. Maybe they bought someone off?”
“I don’t know. And now we’re risking coming here…and I’m putting my education on hold to do the job the police investigators should have done.”
Just the thought of letting this big corporation get away with Matt’s death seared her soul and ruined her concentration. To resolve this was worth putting her psychology master’s program on hold, and so much more.
They climbed the entry stairs. Squaring her shoulders, Kate swung open the door, allowing her friend to go in first.
In the magnificent lobby, cream-colored marble adorned the walls and floors. Water cascaded from a three-tiered fountain. They passed an oil painting of the company’s founding father, Joshua Farrington, dating back to the late 1800s. Kate noted again, as she had on the day of her interview, he had been a good-looking man with thick brown hair and midnight-blue eyes. Good looks must run in the family.
After signing in with the main desk and getting a key to her new office, Kate spotted the elevators across the crowded lobby. A sinking feeling lodged in her stomach. “I hate glass elevators. Last time I was here, I thought I’d faint.”
Darcy clasped Kate’s elbow. “Maybe you should close your eyes while we ride.”
Kate winced. “And how professional would that look? If I want this to work, I have to get over my fear of heights.” She inhaled a deep breath as she and Darcy joined the growing group of people waiting to board.
A tall, gangly man, with light brown hair spun around, his blue eyes shining behind wire-framed glasses. He smiled as he shook his head. “State-of-the-art building, with two million dollars in Italian marble and granite floors, home to eight large corporations, several prestigious law firms and more, and only one out of eight elevators work. Go figure.”
Kate glanced toward the doors of the stairwell. She shuddered at the long climb to the offices of Farrington Construction which occupied the top four floors of the forty-five story structure. Stairs weren’t her thing either. The second step of a ladder was higher than she liked to be.
She frowned at the clock on the wall. “Do you know how much longer before they’re all running?”
“No. Last week it took several hours. Nervous? First day on the job?”
Were her sweaty palms that obvious? She forced a smile. “Yes. I don’t want to be late.”
“Welcome to the building. I’m Greg Dalton, head computer programmer at Farrington Construction. Which company in the building do you work for?”
“I’m with…” She turned to gather Darcy into the introduction, but her friend stared, as if mesmerized, at a man striding through the lobby.
Kate pushed her glasses farther up her nose for a closer glimpse. Trent Farrington. Tall, dark and handsome, he was even better looking in the flesh than he appeared on TV.
He wore a gray suit, which didn’t hide his muscular physique and the tailoring only emphasized the width of his shoulders. He moved across the lobby with casual masculine grace. Kate balled her fists. An orange prison jumpsuit would be more appropriate for him.
He might look like a Gree
k god, or a movie star with his nearly black hair and his muscled body, but she knew that on the inside he was an ugly crook.
However, when he stopped nearby to wait in line, Kate couldn’t deny that on the surface, he was one of the most attractive men she’d ever seen. While he was nearly an exact likeness of his ancestor in the portrait near the entrance, Trent Farrington had darker hair and eyes. The man had a sensuous mouth and eyes that could seduce a woman without even trying. Women probably threw themselves at him.
Anger sizzled inside Kate. She clenched her teeth and angled away from his direction.
“Excuse me for a moment, I see my boss,” Greg said. “I’ll be right back. Save my place?”
“Sure,” Kate murmured, only half listening. She hadn’t expected to see Farrington so soon.
The boss Greg walked over to was Trent Farrington—the devil incarnate himself.
Kate gulped and glanced toward her friend who gawked as if she’d never seen a man before. “Stop it… Please.” Darcy had a weakness for good-looking men and that was one of the major reasons her heart had been broken numerous times. Kate knew because she had been there to mop up Darcy’s tears on several occasions.
“That’s Trent Farrington?” Darcy whispered. “Whoa. You didn’t tell me he was so freakin’ hot.”
Kate shrugged and said in the same low tone, “My stepfather was all looks with no soul, too, so just remember who we’re dealing with. Not only is Farrington crooked, but he also has a reputation for breaking hearts. He’s a player.”
“But now I know why he was written up in that magazine as ‘Bachelor of the Year.’”
In the photo on the cover, Kate remembered he had leaned against a Porsche with a group of women surrounding him. She didn’t confess to Darcy she’d saved the article to remind her of the lavish lifestyle he led with the money he’d stolen from the company, the money that should have gone toward safety of his employees before feathering his nest. Farrington had better enjoy his playboy life now, for it would soon end.
She glanced at him again and gritted her teeth. It was ironic. An evil person shouldn’t be so handsome. He looked like he owned the world in every way. Being rich and handsome probably helped him get away with whatever he wanted––illegal or otherwise.
Livid tears burned Kate’s eyes. He had everything and could have contributed in good ways to the world, but he chose to cheat. Didn’t he care who was hurt in the process?
Her eyes welled up as she whirled to face the crowd in front of her. This man had taken the last person in her family away from her––but she couldn’t break down on her first day at work no matter how badly she felt. And she had to accept that no matter what she did to this man, nothing would bring Matt back.
Darcy tapped her shoulder. “Are you all right?”
Kate nodded and dabbed at her eyes with her fingers. “I just thought of Matt again. I’ll be fine in a moment.”
After another group boarded the only working elevator, Kate shuffled forward in the line with the rest of the crowd that still waited. Just knowing Trent Farrington stood nearby caused the skin on the back of her neck to prickle. She hoped they boarded soon, but knew that was unlikely. There were at least forty people in front of them.
“Trent,” Greg said over Kate’s shoulder, “allow me to introduce you to…” He turned to Kate and Darcy. “By the way, what are your names?” he asked.
Kate’s spine stiffened and panic swept through her. Could she face an introduction to him now? However, she had no choice and composed herself quickly. She took a deep breath and pivoted to face them. She found Farrington right there, with no one and no space between them.
Trent Farrington’s gorgeous body and his black heart now stood too close for comfort––jolting her senses. He flicked his gaze over her, frowned and gave her a brief nod, then turned to Darcy.
Kate raised her chin a notch. She wasn’t surprised his interest diverted so quickly. Her friend dressed for attention in her quirky clothes. Today, Darcy wore a multicolored dress with high-heeled boots. Kate was aware how dowdy she must appear next to her friend because she’d dressed in her conservative, brown suit and black-framed glasses. She wore her blond hair in a tight bun, severe compared to Darcy’s riot of short, red curls.
Darcy dated often. Kate never did, but that suited Kate just fine. She’d found out the hard way she couldn’t trust most men, especially handsome, charming ones. The way she dressed kept those shallow men away. Perfect.
When Darcy beamed an enraptured, toothy grin at Farrington, Kate clenched her teeth. Well, at least Darcy knew Farrington was corrupt so she shouldn’t fall for him. For her, not being of interest to a man like him would make her task of finding evidence all that much easier.
Kate rolled her eyes. She thought with some satisfaction that with his good looks he might have a tough time in prison.
His gaze flicked back to Kate. Before she could register what that look meant, or before they could be introduced, a pretty brunette with shiny, shoulder-length hair strode across the marble floor. “Trent, love,” she cooed when she neared him, “are you hiding from me? When did you return?”
“Yesterday,” he answered.
The woman flung herself at Farrington. “I missed you. I’m so glad you’re home.”
In response, he stepped aside and bumped into Kate. As if seared by Satan, Kate jerked away—but a little too quickly. She lost her balance and flailed backwards. One of his hands skimmed the side of her breast just before his strong arms caught her around the waist. A whiff of his cologne wafted to her nose and disoriented her.
“My apologies,” Trent Farrington said, so close that his breath warmed her ear.
Shock rushed through her, while the touch of his hands caused a flush of awareness that tingled to her toes. She tried to jerk away, but he didn’t release her. Was he apologizing for touching her breast or for almost knocking her down? Why wasn’t he more careful? He’d probably spent his life trampling over everyone in his path.
“Take your hands off me,” she demanded. “You…”
He reared his head back in surprise but didn’t let go.
The lobby grew quiet and people stared at them. Kate winced. So much for being discreet on her first day on the job.
In a deep voice, as smooth as satin, he said in her ear, “Calm down, sweetheart. It wasn’t intentional. Just coming to your rescue.”
Sweetheart? Leaning back in his arms, she glanced up at him. Their gazes locked. For a moment, despite her intention to give him a scathing look, she was transfixed. From close up, she could tell his eyes were as nearly black as his hair, but there were gold flecks that shot through them like sparks.
“Nice of you to help her, Trent.” The pretty brunette’s voice snapped Kate out of her trance. “But she seems fine to me.”
Trent set Kate on her feet, but kept a steadying hand on the small of her back. She barely managed to stand on her wobbly legs.
The woman grasped Farrington’s free arm in a possessive grip, while she swept a dismissive glance over Kate as if Kate couldn’t possibly be a rival.
Trent removed his hand from Kate’s back. “Greg?”
“Right here,” Greg replied cheerfully. “Glad to take her off your hands,” he teased, with a wink at Kate.
“I’m fine now, thank you,” Kate murmured.
Greg stepped closer to her. “I still didn’t get your name.”
Before she could respond, the elevator doors opened. From the front of the line, a gray-haired man, in a sharp blue suit and with an air of authority gestured for Trent and Greg to come over. “Gentlemen,” he said.
Greg smiled and shrugged. “It’ll have to be another time. Business calls.”
Along with Greg and the pretty brunette, Trent brushed past people who had waited twice as long. He explained to the waiting crowd, “I need to find out why the rest of the elevators aren’t working.”
Nobody seemed to mind missing the elevator and being late for w
ork. Their voices and laughter filled the lobby.
Looking out from the elevator car, Kate caught Trent’s gaze again. His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed.
Heat flared on her cheeks. To her chagrin, she found that every inch of her body tingled as if it remembered his touch.
He dipped his head, giving her a brief, curious nod. Finally, the doors closed.
Kate’s stomach plummeted to her toes and her heart pounded. Why had he looked at her in that manner? Had he recognized her from the police investigation? No, that was impossible. Their paths had never crossed. And as stepbrother and stepsister, she and Matt hadn’t looked anything alike, or even had the same last name.
Trent Farrington had not been at the funeral either. She’d been too filled with grief to notice all who had attended from the company, but surely she wouldn’t have missed him.
* * *
By the time the elevator neared the top floors of Farrington Towers, almost everyone had disembarked, except for Trent, Greg and Cecilia. Trent gazed down at the dark-haired woman. Cecilia worked in Purchasing and was the latest employee hired by his grandfather as Trent’s potential bride.
“Why don’t we do lunch?” she asked with her sexiest smile, as if he would fall for her attempts to ensnare him.
Trent raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have the time.”
She brushed her fingers along the lapel of his jacket. “I could always bring you something. How about lunch in your office?”
“But then I wouldn’t get any work done,” he said dryly.
Cecilia stood on her tiptoes. “I don’t mind. Who needs food?” She blew her warm breath into his ear. Because her family and his were longtime friends, she might think she could get away with this public familiarity, but he needed to remind her they were at work.
Trent smiled and clasped her shoulders. She shut her eyes as if she expected him to kiss her. He wasn’t sorry to disappoint her. “Don’t you have some purchase orders to get out?” he asked. When the elevator doors opened on her floor, he turned her toward the door and gave her a gentle push.
She stepped out and glanced over her shoulder with a pout.
Disguised with the Millionaire (Dangerous Millionaires Series Book 2) Page 2