The Billionaire's Christmas Bride

by Lara Hunter

  “No, I’m just a regular assistant to the PA.”

  “Wait—the personal assistant has an assistant?” I couldn’t believe my ears.

  “Three of them, actually. I’ve been here the longest, so I got the unlucky job of taking over until you got here. Oh!” She looked alarmed, waving her hands in a frantic gesture. “Not that this job is terrible or anything! I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. But I’m doing the work for you and me both right now, and it’s killing me.”

  “I understand,” I said gently. “So it’s that much work, huh? Being Mr. De Rocha’s assistant?”

  “Oh, he’s a busy man. He gets a lot of calls, a million emails a day. You’ll pick up pretty quick on which emails are the important ones, which invitations. He gets a lot of those, too. The ones he doesn’t want, you’ll decline for him. But I’m getting ahead of myself.” She smiled, shaking off her anxiety. “Whew. I hit the ground running today and didn’t stop. I’m not supposed to be supporting him still, but the girl who was supposed to do the job never showed up. Can you believe it? And just when I thought I was off the hook.”

  Dani smiled as she led the way to the ladies’ room, then to the kitchen, which was more like a break room with tables and chair. One counter stretching the length of the wall held a spread of breakfast foods.

  “Is there food here every day?” I asked, eyeing up the bread, fruit, cheese and more.

  “Oh, yes. Lucas—I mean, Mr. De Rocha—takes good care of us. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Well, I’m sure you know. I mean, you applied for the position. Somebody must have filled you in on the benefits.”

  I fixed a cup of coffee, wondering how I could pretend I knew what she was talking about.

  “Of course,” I started. “I’m just not used to these fringe benefits being included. Very generous. Then again, Mr. De Rocha seems like such a generous man. I shouldn’t be surprised.”

  We walked back to the office together, side by side. She was a head taller than me, even though I wore heels, and had the sort of willowy body I had always yearned for when I was growing up.

  “Did I come in late? I was told eight-thirty,” I said then.

  “Oh, that’s our normal time. We’ve all been pulling extra hours to get this investor thing locked down. Don’t worry about it.”

  “What time did you come in?” I asked, dreading the answer.

  “Seven-thirty.”

  My heart sank. I’d have to leave at six from now on to get there on time. I might as well sleep there, too.

  On the other hand, that would just be more incentive to get the job done quickly.

  Dani showed me the email system. I paid special attention to that, for sure.

  “So I have access to Mr. De Rocha’s emails?” I asked, marveling at how easy they were making my job.

  “Only the ones we’re allowed to see,” she explained with a smile. “Certain senders are sent to his private email, which we don’t have access to.”

  I made it a point to keep my expression neutral, so she wouldn’t see how bummed I was at that. Of course, it couldn’t have been that easy.

  Dani gave me a rundown of the types of emails that went to each of “my” assistants so they could take care of it, then showed me the ones to flag so Lucas would see them right away.

  Of course, while this was going on, the phone rang almost constantly. I watched closely while Dani answered, making sure to adopt her greeting and mannerisms. She seemed to have the job down pat, and I wanted to make myself useful. People tended to remember the terrible employees as much as they remembered the exceptional ones. Maybe more so.

  There was a commotion at the end of the hall, and the sound of men’s voices. Dani stood up straight, hauling me to my feet as she did. I almost giggled at how formal we were expected to be when the company’s CEO graced us with his presence.

  Watching the three of them walk down the hall was like watching something out of an ad for menswear, cologne or luxury watches. They walked side by side, Lucas in the middle, all of them wearing dark suits, shiny watches, and almost identical smiles. They were kings of the world. If they had suddenly started walking in slow motion, I wouldn’t have been a bit surprised.

  I recognized Diego to Lucas’ left. He was handsome in his own right, just not nearly as dazzling as his brother. When I caught a look at Lucas in person, it was clear his photos did him no justice. He was startlingly handsome and had a sort of suave sophistication that seemed to pour from him like honey from a comb. I chewed my lower lip, suddenly a little breathless.

  I didn’t know the man to his right, however. He, too, was incredibly attractive. The same dark hair as the other two, the same chiseled features as Lucas, the same killer smile. Another brother? He’d only mentioned one in the article.

  They stopped in front of us. I reminded myself to breathe.

  Dani gave them a brilliant smile. “Good morning, gentlemen.” She handed out what looked like an agenda, then placed a gentle hand on my back. “This is Selena McCarthy, your new PA, Mr. De Rocha.”

  He looked me up and down with a practiced eye. I noticed one eyebrow raising ever so slightly, one corner of his mouth inching up before falling back into place. “Miss McCarthy. A pleasure. I hope it’s a pleasure for you, too, though you’ll probably want to kill me by the time your first day is over.”

  No, but I want to take down your company so I can get the hell out of here and get on with my life.

  I flashed him a smile and accepted his handshake, noticing the way his hand engulfed mine. He had a strong, confident grip. Why were my knees weak?

  “I promise not to kill you, if you promise not to kill me,” I said, and he laughed heartily.

  Lucas turned to his brother, letting go of my hand to introduce us. Only I cut him off.

  “Mr. De Rocha, I’m happy to meet you, too.”

  We shook hands. Diego didn’t have the grip his brother did.

  “So you know me?” he asked in a bemused tone.

  “Of course! Diego De Rocha, Vice President of De Rocha Medical. I did my homework.”

  He looked flattered. “It’s nice to meet you. I hope my brother is kinder to you than he’s been in the past.”

  Was there an edge to Diego’s voice? If he meant something by it, I couldn’t tell from the look on Lucas’ face. He only smiled.

  “And this is Ottavio Oliveri. Our head of finance,” Lucas went on. I did my best not to let his smile blind me. Lord, he was good looking.

  “Miss McCarthy,” Ottavio began. “You be sure to let me know if this guy’s treating you badly. I could always use help in my office.”

  “Oh, give me a break,” Lucas laughed. “Stop trying to poach my girls from me.” He turned to me, still chuckling. “He’s been working on Dani here for three months.”

  Ottavio winked at Dani, who blushed. “I’ll get her one day,” he said with a grin.

  After bidding us goodbye, the three men walked into Lucas’ office and shut the door behind them. Only then did I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.

  “So that’s the Big Three,” Dani whispered.

  “They’re a lot to handle all at once,” I whispered back, my cheeks burning in the aftermath of all that heat.

  “They are, but don’t let them get to you. When they’re together, they have to out-male each other, if that makes any sense.”

  “Sure. Buddy-buddy, high testosterone stuff.”

  “You’ve got it.” She checked the time. “Shoot. There’s a meeting in ten minutes. Come on—let’s be sure it’s set up properly.” She thrust a notepad and a stack of agendas into my hands before pulling me behind her.

  The conference room was massive, glass-walled on all sides, and the long table had already been set with bottled water and napkins. Along the credenza was coffee and more water, along with more food like I’d seen in the kitchen.

  “Each seat gets an agenda,” Dani said, and we placed them along the table on both sides. There
would be thirty people at the meeting, including me. She showed me my seat. I’d be to Lucas’ right.

  “What should I do?” I asked, sweating a little. I’d been an assistant in other jobs, but this was a bit much for the first day.

  “You’ll just be sure to call out the items on the agenda as the meeting progresses. You’ll take notes. Lucas might ask you to make special note of something or other, so make sure you do.”

  Moments later, people started entering the room. Dani told me their names and positions, though by the time she finished I could feel my head spinning. There was no way I’d be able to remember them all. Then again, I didn’t have to.

  Lucas came in last, and I sat down once he did. He flashed me a reassuring smile before launching into the meeting, and I did what I could to pay attention and take thorough notes. One primary item was the new investor, while another was the potential of opening a practice in a new city. I kept that in the back of my mind as I scribbled, desperately trying to keep up.

  If my job for the first day was to come off as a slightly flustered new employee, I had that down pat.

  FIVE

  The next day, I could hardly pay attention to learning my job and keeping everybody’s names straight for talk of the “big event” happening that night.

  A big event. My heart sank. It would have been a perfect opportunity to get some really juicy insider info, only nobody had told me about it directly. I heard plenty of gossiping, giggling, and saw more than one woman hanging garment bags in their cubicles. So they were dressing up after work for whatever the big event entailed.

  Since Dani hadn’t said anything about my coming along, I assumed it meant I wasn’t invited. That made sense—I’d only been there for a day. Why would the new girl get an invite to a corporate party? Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing out on a plum opportunity.

  I distracted myself by working even harder, going through emails when nobody was looking, trying to find any hint of double-talk, code words, anything that could be used against Lucas. If only I could get into his private emails, my job would be that much easier. Only a man with something to hide would guard his communications that closely. My gaze lingered over his “private” folders. What treasures were hidden inside?

  Dani approached late in the afternoon, a sunny smile on her face.

  “Glad to be rid of my responsibilities?” I chuckled, removing my headset for a moment.

  “Well, yes, now that you mention it.” She patted her hair self-consciously, and I could tell she’d had it blown out just for the occasion. Her entire look was much more put together than it had been just a day earlier. “Especially with the party tonight, and all the last-minute details I’ve been checking up on.”

  “Yeah, about that,” I said, jumping on the chance to learn more. “What’s happening? I’ve heard a lot of chatter, but nothing concrete.”

  Her face fell. “Oh, my God. I never thought to tell you about it. What an idiot!” She smacked her forehead. “It’s an after-hours cruise on the company yacht.”

  “The company has a yacht?” I asked, my eyes wide. I’d heard of private jets, but a yacht seemed more like a pleasure purchase. Maybe a hint of Lucas’ wild spending? Maybe he liked to live the good life on the company dime?

  “Sure, we—I mean, Lucas and Diego and the executives—entertain clients and investors on it all the time. They’re throwing a company-wide party on it tonight.”

  “For everybody?” I asked. It would have to be a pretty big yacht to fit the entire company on board.

  “Not every single employee, no. The executives, their assistants and some of the managerial staff. A big group of potential and current investors will be there, too.” She shook her head, looking fretful. “I’m sorry, I should have told you about it so you could be prepared.”

  “It’s okay,” I said, holding up my hands with a smile. “Really. My feelings aren’t hurt. I just thought it might be a good way to learn more about the business, is all. Meeting people, getting to know the boss, that sort of thing.”

  “I wonder if I can squeeze you onto the guest list,” she said, chewing her lip.

  “I know you have enough to do. Don’t put yourself out on my account, please.” I didn’t want to make myself look too eager. While it was a party, it was an office party. Not many people would fight and claw to get onto the guest list unless they had an ulterior motive.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” she said with a wink, then hurried away to get back to work while I put my headset on. At least I knew how to answer phones professionally, even if I had to refer to a list of phone instructions every time I tried to transfer a call to voicemail. Their system was hopelessly convoluted.

  Finally, around closing time, I saw my female coworkers slipping away with their garment bags and coming back looking like they were ready for a party. They still looked classy and tasteful, but their dark, sedate suits had been exchanged for cocktail dresses in bright, vibrant colors. I envied them, even as I despaired at the thought of missing the opportunity to dig for dirt. Nothing loosened tongues better than alcohol.

  I stood to get my things together, wondering if there was a way to remind Dani of my presence and jog her memory about the guest list. But she wasn’t at her desk anymore—probably herding people to the chartered buses that would take them to the harbor. I followed the flow of traffic to the elevators, feeling strangely let down that everybody had forgotten me.

  Just then, as the elevator doors opened, I saw my white knight. Ottavio stood there in the lobby, watching people pour out onto the street and into the buses. I hung back, biting my lip, watching them with obvious envy—all in hope of him noticing me. Which he did.

  “Hey there,” he said, sidling up to where I stood. “Why aren’t you going along with everybody else?” His bright smile was nearly blinding.

  “I don’t think I’m invited,” I confessed. “Dani forgot to tell me before. It makes sense, being new and everything.”

  A look of sympathy crossed his face. “Of course, you’re invited! Come on. It’ll be fun.”

  My heart leaped in my chest. So I’d have the chance to dig deeper, after all.

  Still, I couldn’t help but look down at my black suit and laugh. “I don’t think I fit in.”

  “You fit in fine. You’re dressed the same as me.” It was true—he wore a black suit, too, only he looked dashing and handsome.

  “All right, you’ve convinced me,” I grinned, and we walked out to the buses together. From the excited chatter all around me, I expected a pretty rollicking party. While things were always professional at the office, every company tended to loosen up a little after hours. There was a reason company Christmas parties were notorious. I’d have to lay off the booze and keep my senses sharp, ready to pick up on any little thing that might help me.

  All the while, I made it look like I was having a good time. I found a seat on the bus beside Nicola, one of Diego’s assistants. We commiserated over working for such demanding, high-profile men during the short ride to the harbor, but nothing she said gave me any indication that she had second thoughts about either brother.

  We arrived quickly at the yacht, and when my mouth fell open at the sight of its grandeur, the reaction wasn’t planned. I was genuinely blown away by how extravagant the sprawling boat was. And this was a company vehicle?

  “Impressive, right?” Nicola asked with a laugh as we walked up the gangplank. “I could show you around, if you want.”

  So she was familiar with it. I wondered how many corporate parties had taken place on board. “No, thanks. You enjoy yourself. I can explore on my own.” I wanted the chance to take my time and absorb the sounds along with the sights. It was time to start listening in on the conversation.

  By the time we set sail, I still hadn’t seen Lucas or Diego. I had, however, gotten an eyeful of the yacht’s interior. There were three levels above deck and another two below. It was more like a small cruise ship than any yacht I
’d ever seen. It was all done in polished wood with plenty of room for people to mingle, subdued lighting, lots of chairs and sofas piled high with blue and yellow cushions. There were groups of people here and there, relaxing with their drinks and small plates of food from a buffet spread out on the first level. Each of the three upper levels had its own fully-stocked bar, which just about everybody at the party seemed to be taking advantage of.

  I moved in and out of groups, introducing myself when necessary, listening in unobserved when I didn’t have to make my presence known. There wasn’t much to hear in the early stages of the event when there hadn’t been more than a single drink enjoyed. I thought I’d take my chances and wait until things loosened up a little more.

  Yet they never seemed to. I’d half-expected a booze-drenched party, but that didn’t happen. And there I was, hoping to catch Lucas in the middle of a debauched orgy. No such luck. In fact, I hadn’t seen him at all.