I interrogated Christopher the instant I saw him. “Did you ask Calloway to give me a job?” I knew he didn’t mention Hank. If he had, my conversation with Calloway would have played out quite differently. The table would have been thrown across the room, and there would be a story about Hank’s murder on the prime-time news.

“What?” Christopher must have just gotten off work because he still had his tie around his neck. It was undone and loose, as were the buttons of his shirt. He had a beer in his hand as he sat on the couch, and his perfectly styled hair had started to come loose from the gel.

“Don’t play stupid with me.” I sat on the couch beside him and pointed my finger into his chest. “Calloway offered me a job out of nowhere over lunch today. That’s pretty random, don’t you think?”

“Random?” he asked. “In case you’ve forgotten, both of you do the exact same thing for a living. It’s not like he’s a dentist and you’re a gymnast. He’s seen your work and knows you’re good at what you do. Did that logic ever cross your mind?”

When my brother belittled me like that, I felt stupid for jumping to conclusions. “Sorry, I just thought it was strange that he offered me this amazing job out of the blue.”

“People resign from positions all the time, and new people are needed to fill them… It’s the circle of life. So, it’s a good gig?”

“Yeah. I’ll be the head of the Homeless and Working Class department.”

“Cool,” he said with a nod. “Sounds boring as hell to me, but good for you.”

“How ironic. Your job sounds boring to me.”

He shrugged. “It is pretty boring.”

I chuckled. “At least you admit it.”

“So, when are you moving out?” he blurted.

“I’m not moving out. You need someone to help with the rent, right?”

“Well…yeah.” He drank his beer. “But I can always find someone else. If you want your space, you should get your own place. No hard feelings, really. Now that you’ll have money, you should treat yourself.”

“I have no idea what the salary is.”

“I’m sure it’s enough to live off of. Calloway seems like a guy who would pay his employees pretty well.”

“Yeah.” I just hoped I wasn’t given special treatment.

“Having your boyfriend as your boss will be nice. You can get away with a lot of stuff.”

I glared at him. “Like I would ever take advantage of that relationship.”

“Why not?” he asked. “If I were screwing my boss, I would.”

“I guess that’s the difference between you and me.”

“So, when do you start?”

“Not sure. I need to have a formal interview at his office tomorrow. He’ll probably tell me then.”

“Awesome. And what about For All? What are you going to do with that?”

Closing down the company wouldn’t be that big of a deal. I only had a few part-time volunteers. It wasn’t like they would be getting a cut in their paychecks. “I guess I’ll cancel my lease and move my stuff out…pretty simple.”

“Hank will have no idea how to track you down. Maybe he’ll give up and forget about you.”

“Yeah…” I hoped so. If not, I might have to kill him. I didn’t put up with harassment. I’d tried contacting the police and that didn’t work, but I would take the matter into my own hands if necessary.

* * *

I entered the large building and took the elevator to the top floor. Once the doors opened, I looked at the wide-open office space. Cubicles housed workers at their stations, typing away or talking on the phone. The perimeter of the floor contained offices, probably for the higher-up executives. It was obvious where Calloway’s office was because the back of the building couldn’t be seen at all, blocked by a black wall with a large desk sitting in front of it. Looking as if it was carved from stone sat an enormous desk with a pretty woman behind it.

I tried not to be jealous. Calloway didn’t seem like the kind of man to sleep with an assistant.

“Hi.” I walked up to her, feeling self-conscious once I was face-to-face with the pretty blonde. With perfectly flawless skin and blue eyes like Calloway, she was beautiful. “I have a meeting with Mr. Owens in fifteen minutes.”

She looked up at me, showing the kind of smile a model wore. It was disingenuous but perfect, displaying her straight teeth and a dimple in each cheek. Her blonde hair was so shiny the fluorescent lights glared off the top of her head. “Of course.” Her fingers hit the keyboard until she found the right information. “Here you are.” She turned back to me once she confirmed the appointment. “Take a seat, and he’ll be with you shortly.”

“Thanks.” I sat down and crossed my ankles, feeling my heart pound when it shouldn’t. I wasn’t sure if I was nervous for the interview or just being alone with him. Last night, he took me from behind and wrapped my hair around his fist, controlling me like he was a cowboy and I was the horse. He came inside me so many times that I couldn’t walk to the bathroom without dripping his seed everywhere.

The memory brought searing heat to my cheeks.

Excitement bubbled inside me, and I was suddenly eager to see him. I loved seeing him in a suit, his shoulders broad and powerful and his waist narrow and tight. His chin was usually sprinkled with a five o’clock shadow, rough to the touch when his face was pressed between my legs. Those eyes were the best, so scorching and intense.

I automatically squeezed my thighs together.

The large black door opened, and Calloway stepped out, looking perfect in his crisp, gray suit. One hand was in his pocket, and his eyes were trained on my face like a target. He didn’t smile with his mouth, but his eyes hinted at silent affection. “Ms. Moretti.” He waited for me at the door, professional and borderline indifferent. But I knew it was all just an act.

I grabbed my purse and walked past him, aware of the scent of his cologne. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, tense from the heat in the air. I could practically hear the snap and pop of an invisible fire.

Calloway shut the door and blanketed us in complete privacy. He walked up to me, giving me no time to admire his office or the view. His face was close to mine, and he stared at my lips like they were his property.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling the nerves get to me. I’d been seeing him for four months, but he still had this effect on me—the ability to make me squirm with need. I wanted to press my hands to his chest and feel that warmth and strength. Before I met him, I was so innocent. But now, all I could think about was moving our bodies together, making love that was so hot and sweaty I couldn’t think afterward. That physical connection brought me to a new realm of existence. Spiritually connected, I felt something real with him. The sex was just an expression of those feelings—of desperation, affection, and so much more.

I knew what would happen if I didn’t take control of the situation. My skirt would be above my waist, and I’d be getting fucked for the entire interview. It wouldn’t be an interview at all. “Tell me more about the position.” I walked around him and sat in the leather chair facing his desk. His desk was black like the bookshelves on the wall. His masculine tastes were obvious, looking similar to his home. The only brightness in his office came from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He approached the front of the desk and leaned against it, crossing his ankles and his arms. The corner of his mouth was raised in a smile, amused by my obvious attempt to keep things professional between us. “You have more strength than I do.” He tapped the surface of the wood. “You’d be on your knees right now if I didn’t respect you so much.”

A thrill ran down my spine, hitting me right between the legs. I pulled out my notebook along with a pen. After my thumb clicked the top, I pressed the tip to the paper. “If we’re gonna work together, everything needs to be platonic between us at the office.” I didn’t want any of my colleagues to assume I only got the job because I was screwing Calloway. I wanted to be judged based on my own merits, not what I did with the boss. “We’ll only be here eight hours a day. The rest of the time is ours.”

“But if I have to watch you walk around the office—” He tilted his head as he examined my crossed legs. “Looking like that all day long, I’m gonna have a few slipups.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t work together.”

His smile dropped. “Vanilla, you need to loosen up.”

“Or maybe I need to keep you in line.” I tightened my legs together in response to the searing heat that burned at the apex of my thighs. When I couldn’t have him inside me, I squeezed my thighs so tightly together that it helped me cope with his absence.

His amused grin was back. “I like the sound of that, actually.”

We’d flirted back and forth long enough, and I was ready to get down to business. “Tell me about the job and what I’m responsible for.”

After a long look, he walked around his desk and fell into the chair. When he sat behind the majestic piece of wood, he looked kingly. As if not just the building belonged to him, but the entire city. With his slightly messy hair, crystal blue eyes, and his charming smile, he was the ruler of the world. “A businesswoman. I like it.” He opened a drawer and pulled out a folder. “Here’s everything you need to know. You start Monday. Does that work for you?”

“Sure.” I opened the folder and read the briefing. There was also an offer letter explaining my salary and benefits. When I looked at the number, I squinted because I wasn’t sure if I was reading it correctly. “The salary…”

“Yes?” Calloway rubbed his fingers along his jawline, calm and suave.

“Is this right?” I held up the paper so he could see it.

“Yes. I know how to read, Ms. Moretti.” He smiled in a condescending way, growing irritated when I doubted his reasoning. Obviously, he didn’t like being told what to do.

“It just seems excessive. It’s very important to me that I don’t get any special treatment.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Everyone gets paid the same here, whether you’re an executive or a secretary. Makes no difference. But as you’re promoted, you’re given bonuses for years of service.” He rested both of his hands on the desk, his fingers interlocked together.

“Really?” Now I was mesmerized by the offer he’d just made, moved beyond words. Calloway ran a company aimed at helping other people. But he also took care of the employees under his wing.

“Yes. With donations as well as investments made by the company, it allows Humanitarians United to offer a competitive salary. It makes a great working environment because people are passionate about their careers, and they also make enough to put food on the table.”

Speechless, I stared at the paper. Even if I didn’t still live with Christopher, I would make enough money to actually make payments toward my loans every month. Right now, I was only putting in a feeble amount and never taking anything off the principal. My bill wasn’t getting any smaller, but I had to keep paying it every single month. With this job, I could finally eliminate my loans, one paycheck at a time. “I don’t even know what to say…” I was used to living check to check—and sometimes not getting a check at all.

The longer Calloway watched me, the more his look softened. He tried not to pity me because I asked him not to, but the expression always slipped out. “You don’t need to say anything. Just show up on Monday.”

This was my dream job. It was something I wanted to do, and I’d never imagined making this kind of money. It was probably nothing to most people, but to me, it was like winning the lottery. “Thank you.” Those two words didn’t adequately express how much it meant to me. Now I could do what I loved without having to worry about Hank stopping by. If he came to my office inside Humanitarians United, Calloway would snap his neck.

“And if you’re ever interested in making extra cash, I have a few side things you can do.” He winked.

I smiled at his teasing nature, knowing he was only half joking. “This is more than enough, so I don’t need anything else. But I’ll gladly do those things for free.” I winked in response.

His eyes lit up with joy, like it was Christmas morning. “Good answer, sweetheart.”

* * *

I scrolled through the apartment listings on my laptop, trying to find a price that wasn’t outrageous. I could afford a nice place on my own, but this was Manhattan, and real estate was insane.

Christopher walked behind the couch and spotted the listings on my screen. “Rome, what the hell?”

“What?” I asked without turning around. I continued to scroll, making mental notes about the listings that seemed like a good fit. The two things I cared most about were location and cost.

“You aren’t moving out.” He hopped over the back of the couch and landed beside me. His hand slammed on the top of my laptop, and he shut the screen. “You’re stuck here, so don’t even bother looking.”

“I thought you were eager to get rid of me.” I opened the screen again.

“Normally, yeah.” He grabbed the screen again and shut it. “But not with Hank out there. He can track you down in an apartment. But if you’re here, he can’t mess with you. The only way you’re leaving is if you move in with Calloway.”

When I opened the screen again, I kept my hand on the edge so he couldn’t close it again. “First of all, you don’t tell me what to do. I’m not sure how you forgot about that. And second of all, I can’t live with you forever. You have your life, and I have mine.”

“Rome, I don’t mind having you here. Honestly.”

“I know. But we’re both adults. We’re too old to have roommates.”

He grabbed the top of the screen.

This time, I growled through my teeth.

He quickly pulled his hand away like I might bite him. “As long as Hank is a problem, you either live with me or Calloway. That guy is dangerous, and we both know it. I’m not bossing you around, but we both know there’s no other option right now. Unless you find a roommate that’s a former member of the KGB or something.”

“I think a member of the KGB would be more dangerous than Hank.”

“Exactly,” he said. “Hank would definitely back off.”

All I needed was Calloway. With one look, Calloway would scare him off in a heartbeat. But I wasn’t ready to take that road—not yet. If I told Calloway what had happened, he would be so upset that he wouldn’t be able to see reason. Hank would end up in a dumpster somewhere on Long Island. “Alright, I won’t move—for now.”

“Good.” He left the couch and headed into the kitchen to grab a beer. “So, are you nervous for tomorrow?”

“Yes.” I would be lying if I said I wasn’t.

“Did you wrap up things with For All?”

“Yeah, it was pretty easy.” Actually, it was pathetic how easy it was to close down my business. I didn’t have very many donors, and the ones I did have didn’t have a lot of capital. My volunteers found other jobs within the snap of a finger. And I happened to be at the end of my yearly lease anyway. Now I had one less thing to pay for.