by Fable Gray
He went on, outlining the general idea. And yes, here it was. The menial task I’d been waiting for. What Dark probably should have hired me for in the first place.
But who knew what went on inside that man’s head. One minute he was flirting with me and the next he was essentially telling me to sit down, drink my water, and shut up.
“Dark wants me to get you set up with a laptop and tablet,” Tim said, standing again, “so I’ll be back with those shortly. You can start with these.” He set his hand on the stack of letters.
I nodded. “Got it.”
Besides, it would give me some breathing room. Some time to enjoy the view. I smirked. And drink my water.
At first, the busy work was kind of annoying, but after I got into it, I started to see how important it was.
Most of the emails or letters were people and offices doing regular business. Invoices that hadn’t been directed to the correct person or bids for other projects. But some were personal.
I read one from a mother who had received a donation from Dark Enterprises for surgery for her son. They’d also provided her with free prescription medication for his recovery because Dark Enterprises funded the company that supplied it.
Tim had instructed me to save those kinds of emails specifically for Declan, so I added the handwritten letter to his pile.
Damn. It was turning out to be a lot easier to like the man than hate him.
But what he did on the surface wasn’t what I was supposed to be worrying about. It was all his secrets that I was concerned with. Just because he looked halfway to sainthood in real life didn’t mean he wasn’t trying to keep something from me or the world.
And so it went. Hours upon hours of allocating emails and letters to their rightful places. Tim stopped in to give me a laptop as well as a tablet.
Once I was set up, I got to work again. I spent hours just on emails. I had no clue if there was someone else who normally did this or it was part of Tim’s job.
Right now, it was my task.
I worked through lunch and took a break around two when I finished the stack of papers and most of the emails.
I stretched and fixed the pin on my jacket. Not that I had anything to record, but still—you never knew what might happen.
Outside, the sun shone brightly on the mountains. They were so green, so beautiful, beckoning me outside.
“This weekend,” I said, loud enough for Xander to hear. “You’re going hiking with me.”
He was probably making a face right now. Probably thinking about how white his legs were going to look in the shorts I’d insist he wear. He never did, but I always teased him about it.
Then I thought about my dad laying in his hospital bed and prayed he’d be awake soon. That he’d be up and on his feet so he could be the one who went with me to those mountains and hiked to a breathtaking height.
I turned around, tempted to snoop through Declan’s desk. But…cameras. Did he have any in here?
My heart skipped a beat. If he did, was he watching me right now?
Snooping would probably be a bad idea. Coffee, on the other hand, and maybe a snack would get me through the rest of the day.
Maybe when I got back, Declan would be here and we could get back to work on the project.
I walked out to Brittany’s desk and asked about Tim. She pointed to one of the offices across the hall. I walked closer and spotted him through the windows, none of which were frosted like the ones in Declan’s office.
He saw me when I reached the door and waved me in.
His office was a third the size of Declan’s but had a nice view of the city and offered plenty of room to stand and pace.
“Break time?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I was going to grab some coffee, maybe something to eat.”
“Use your badge at the cafeteria downstairs. They’ll bill everything directly to the office.”
“Perks,” I said with a grin.
He nodded. “Seriously. It’s been so busy today, I haven’t even been able to even go downstairs, let alone go out and grab something.”
“What would you like? I’ll get it while I’m down there and come take some more work off your hands when I’m through.”
He angled his head. “You’re already done with the letters and emails?”
“Just about.”
He stretched his arms. “God, pain in my ass. The lady who usually does it is out on maternity leave and since I pretty much know everyone’s jobs, I volunteered to help out.”
“I’m sure it’s appreciated,” I said. “So…do you know when Mr. Dark will be back?”
Tim waved his hand. “No clue. He’s dealing with some security issue.”
My stomach clenched. Oh, fuck. Security? I hoped it wasn’t the cameras. Or the fact that I’d faked my entire existence. I was a fraud—everything from my name to my fake past.
“That’s too bad,” I said.
He shrugged. “Happens. If you can grab me a sandwich—any kind of sandwich—I’ll appreciate it. And something with caffeine.”
“No problem.”
I walked straight to the elevators and got in by myself. “Did you hear that?” I whispered to Xander.
My phone buzzed. Wow, he really was binge-watching my life like a show on Netflix.
This time, it was him calling. I answered with a breathless hello.
“You’re fine,” he assured me. “I’ve been keeping an eye on everything. I’d know if they were checking into you. And I’d know if they’d found the cameras or come across my feed.”
“How? Do you have a special alert set up or something?”
“Something,” he repeated. “I never reveal my secrets.”
I snorted. “Sure.”
“Oh, and I’m not going hiking with you.”
“I’ll find something to bribe you with,” I said as the elevator dinged on the correct floor. “See you tonight.”
The cafeteria was fancier than almost any restaurant I’d been to.
They had real dishes and crystal at the tables, basically serving as a dining room. But there was also a section for placing orders, and I walked to the counter, hoping I was at the right place.
“Do I put in an order here?” I asked the girl standing there. She looked to be about my age.
“Absolutely,” she said.
“I’m new here,” I told her, flashing my badge. “Samantha Thompson.”
“Oh.” She beamed. “You work for Mr. Dark. The new intern.”
Wow, the news sure got around fast.
“I was going to apply for the job, but they said they weren’t going to do it this year,” she continued.
I blinked. “Oh. I’m sorry.” That’s not what Declan had told me.
She laughed and waved it off. “It’s not your fault. I probably wasn’t qualified anyway. Besides, I like working down here. Pays the bills.”
“Good,” I responded, not sure what else to say. Why had Declan hired me if they weren’t planning on filling the position? Or was it just a last-minute thing?
The girl flashed a smile. “You probably have things to do so I’ll get to it. You can dine in, of course,” she said, pointing to the dining room. “Or put in an order here. Also, if you’re busy in the future, you can call down and put in an order and we’ll deliver it right to you.”
“Really?”
She nodded and handed me a card. “Use this number and tell them your name or office and when you want it.”
“I need this at home.”
“Right? And the food is great,” she said. “If the order’s more complicated, it’ll take longer but if you just want something simple it should be ready in ten minutes.”
Impressed, I took a menu from her and found the sandwiches easily enough. Monte Cristo, French Dip, and on and on. I picked two that sounded good so Tim could have his choice and put in my order so they could get started. The girl swiped my badge and gave me an extra cookie with a smile.
&nb
sp; Damn, no wonder people wanted to work here. My dad had always said it was a nice place, but when I’d ask him more, he usually said he was too busy to do anything but work.
Maybe he was covering something up. Maybe he wasn’t allowed to talk about his job.
Or maybe, I was just looking into something that wasn’t there.
Loaded with two bags, I took the elevator up to the top floor.
When Xander texted at about the 23rd floor, I tugged my phone from my pocket and grinned at his message.
Jealous.
“I’ll save you a cookie,” I said.
After I delivered Tim’s lunch and got another assignment, I headed back into Declan’s office, only to find him still missing.
I sighed. Security issues. I tried to believe what Xander said, that all was okay, but it was hard. It must be a serious issue if he had to be gone the whole day.
Either that or he was just tired of me breaking and spilling things and he was trying to avoid me.
I snickered and sat, opening my sandwich. I ate a few bites here and there as I worked, but got so immersed in my work, I forgot about the rest of it. Two hours later, I needed a new task.
But instead of going to find Tim again, I slid over the papers for the project Declan had shown me.
He had notes and plans and bids from contractors. A whole pile of information in a folder, but most of it looked preliminary.
I opened a new document on my computer and typed a few thoughts. Then more. Declan had seemed curious about my ideas for the project, so I wrote them. All of them.
I had pros and cons for setting the resort at each of the locations, so I grabbed a notepad and put two columns for that as well.
Once I got going, I lost track of time. I didn’t resurface again until 5:30. My wrists ached from typing and my neck ached from bending it.
It was quiet in here, quiet enough it made me wonder if Brittany had already left, too. Where was Declan, and why hadn’t he come back?
My phone buzzed and I checked it. Xander again.
I thought you got off at 5:00.
I stood and stretched, making it clear I was getting ready to leave.
He didn’t come back, Xander wrote in another message.
I know, I typed back. I don’t like it.
He didn’t respond. I left my computer and tablet on the table and turned off the lights before leaving the office.
I might not have seen Declan before I left, but I’d probably hear from him tonight with another task. Or, at least, I’d thought so.
It was ten o’clock before I laid down, tired but wired at the same time.
I checked my phone one more time for a text from Declan, but there wasn’t anything there.
Chapter 12
“Can I quit now?” I asked Xander. It was the same question I’d asked him every morning since Tuesday. Since I’d tried to catch Declan in the act.
Xander stood at the island in the kitchen behind a plate of pancakes.
“Quitters never win,” he began.
I boosted myself on a stool and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Isn’t that redundant? I mean, obviously quitters never win because they quit.”
“It’s what you say to people. People who quit important tasks,” he said. “Unlike, for example, me.” He beamed. “I think you might be onto something here with the cooking.”
I eyed the pancakes. “You made those?”
“Damn straight. And not from a box. I used eggs and flour and stuff—which reminds me, we need to go grocery shopping.”
“You know, Patty’s has great pancakes.”
He pulled plates from the cupboard. “Yeah, but Patty isn’t our personal chef and there’s only so much fast food I can eat before I won’t even be able to leave the house anymore and you won’t be able to hike half a mile.”
I rolled my eyes and yawned. “So what you’re saying is pancakes are the healthy choice for breakfast.”
He waved a hand dismissively. “Whatever. They’re homemade. We’ll start there.”
“Please warn me before you get to the gluten-free stage so I know to put more local restaurants on speed dial,” I quipped.
Xander passed me a fork. “Eat.”
I spread butter on the pancakes and drizzled syrup first. “Real china, too,” I mumbled.
“Pancakes and paper plates are a bad combo,” Xander told me, piling pancakes onto his plate as well. “I know from experience.”
I put the first bite in my mouth, then angled my head. “They’re actually…good.”
“Best compliment I’ve had all week.” Xander grimaced. “Which is sad because it’s true.”
I ate more, enjoying the breakfast.
“You could probably get something better at work,” Xander told me from the other side of the counter.
“Sure, but this is made with love.”
He chuckled. “Maybe I should apply for a job at Dark Enterprises so I can benefit from all the perks.”
“I hear their intern program is amazing,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
Xander propped his hip against the counter. “I wonder what real interns do there.”
“Beats me. And that reminds me, did you hear what that girl at the cafeteria said? That they weren’t even going to do the internship this year?”
“Mmm-hmm,” he said around a mouthful of pancakes.
“Isn’t that kind of suspicious? Dark made it seem like I was doing him a favor.”
“Maybe they didn’t plan on doing it but then you helped his friend and he felt like he owed you one. Or he remembered that lady who does all the boring paperwork had a baby and he was like, ‘Oh, fuck, who’s going to work around here? Oh yeah, the chick standing right here who just fixed my friend’s phone.’”
“You do an amazing Declan impression.” I set down my fork with a laugh. “I bet he talks just like that in his head.”
Xander nodded. “Just an octave lower.”
I fought back a shiver at the memory of his voice. It was so low, it was almost a growl. A very primal, sexy growl. I missed it.
That wasn’t the only thing I missed. I hadn’t seen Declan all week. Not even a peek.
Tim came in, gave me more work, and then I’d add more to my notes on the project. It had become a whole pile with information from what he already had and everything I’d come up with since then.
I could practically give an entire proposal on the topic if I needed to.
By this point, I figured he was just avoiding me. He hadn’t even sent me a text. No, Miss Thompson, we have a new project. Or, Miss Thompson, don’t forget to wear your galoshes, it’s going to rain.
“I should get going,” I told Xander, standing. “I might not have any clue what I’m doing there, but I guess I’m not a quitter.” I pointed at him. “At least not this week.”
“That’s the spirit. I have an easy day, so I’ll be watching.”
I backed to my room. “Every day is an easy day for you. Oh, hey, I forgot to ask. Randy told me that—”
“Who’s Randy?”
“My Uber driver. He said—”
“You’re on a first-name basis with your Uber driver?”
I frowned at him. “Why not? He’s a good guy. He works hard and he—why am I justifying myself to you? He mentioned that Declan’s father was working on stem cell research and a whole bunch of stuff like that. Declan took over, but only recently. Do you think you can find anything out about that? Like what specifically he was working on or looking for or…trying to accomplish?”
Xander grinned. “First of all, tell Randy I say hi. Secondly, are you still on the superhero track with Dark? I thought, after this week, we figured he probably just…has really fast reflexes.”
I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to argue about this with Xander, especially when I was beginning to doubt myself too. “He’s hiding something,” was all I said before I turned to get ready.
Randy took me to work like usual and I coaxed more infor
mation from him about his family. He didn’t sound like he minded. He sounded like he thought it was nice to talk to someone, and it was a good distraction for me.
I was dreading another day in the office with The Case of the Vanishing Boss and more piles of paperwork.
Tim was more like a magician than an executive assistant.
“Do you work weekends?” I asked Randy before I got out.
“Most of the time,” Randy told me. “Except Saturday night when I play Dungeons and Dragons with my son. He’s twenty-three but he still lives with us because…” Randy shrugged. “It makes sense. And yeah, I know, Dungeons and Dragons…but Max loves it. It’s how we bond.”
“Sounds fun. I might go hiking tomorrow so I’ll hit you up if I need a ride to the wilderness.”
He grinned. “Looking forward to it. Here, take this.”
I took the card he passed over the seat and gave him a questioning look.
“It’s my cell number,” he said. “So you can reach me if you need a ride. It’ll probably be easier this way.”
I tucked the card into my purse. “Thank you.”
I put on my badge and headed inside. The security guard nodded at me halfway across the lobby and I headed for the elevators.
It seemed quiet this morning, but maybe that was because I was in a little early. I wanted to get a jump on that project.
The elevator bell dinged. I looked up and froze when I saw who was coming out.
My breath caught in my throat. Declan’s gaze locked on mine and his jaw clenched. Holy hell, he looked angry. And devastatingly sexy.
He wore a solid black suit that fit like a second skin, the only hint of color his dark burgundy tie. The whole ensemble spoke of sex and secrets.
I swallowed and stepped out of his way, watching as he strode out with two men at his side.
“Miss Thompson,” he said with a firm nod of acknowledgment.
“Mr. Dark,” I returned, my voice barely above a whisper.
He walked past me, keeping a healthy distance so he was in no danger of touching me, and didn’t even glance back.
Feeling stung, though I had no right to be, I stepped into the elevator.