“Can’t you be neater?” A.J, Sin’s best-friend and Ten’s sister, clucked disapprovingly as she stared at the red suitcase that was filled to the brim with Sin’s clothes. “This is not how a woman packs.”
“That is how I pack,” Sin retorted from her position at the head of the bed where she was busy playing with her phone.
“Look at this mess,” A.J scolded under her breath. She upended the whole suitcase then began to fold and pack the clothes again.
“Get away from my clothes, woman,” Sin said, but she didn’t even move an inch to stop her friend. Why? Because she liked having a neat suitcase too; she just didn’t have the energy to do it herself. And if A.J wanted to pack for her then who was she to complain?
“Are you sure you should be doing that?” Kelly, who was seated beside Sin, watched A.J in concern. “You’re pregnant, you know.”
“Pregnant, not sick.” A.J shot Kelly a grin. “And it’s funny you think that packing is the most strenuous thing I’ve been up to lately.”
This time even Sin sat up. Concerned, she asked, “Please don’t tell me you’ve been jumping up and down buildings again.”
A.J just grinned earning herself a round of concerned gasps. Before they could question her further, she asked Sin, “Do you have to be gone for that long? Six months is a long time.”
On hearing that this was the day Sin was leaving for Portland, the other two women had appeared at Sin’s doorstep early in the morning to say their goodbyes
“Six months is on the higher side,” Sin reassured them. “It could be less time –maybe four months or so. It just depends on how fast I – um-” She quickly corrected herself. “- depends on how fast Claire gets her treatment.”
Since Sin couldn’t tell her now annoyingly law-abiding friends that she was on her way to con someone in Portland, she’d come up with a cover story; Claire, a friend she’d been close to before her incarceration, needed her to mind her store while she underwent treatment for breast cancer.
“And yes, I have to go,” Sin continued, “Claire needs my help. If I don’t go, she might have to close her store.”
“Humph!” Ten snorted from across the room. Though she was pretending to watch the movie playing on the TV, it was obvious she was eavesdropping on the conversation.
Though Sin was afraid the younger woman might out her any time, it hadn’t happened yet, so she ignored the sarcastic harrumph and doggedly went on, “The shop is Claire’s only source of income. She can’t afford to close it, especially with how expensive cancer treatment is.”
“Doesn’t she have any relatives to watch the store for her?” Kelly asked.
“Nope.” Sin shook her head. “She’s all alone.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to hire a qualified manager?” A.J asked.
“Are you trying to imply that I’m not qualified?” Sin gave her friend a narrow-eyed look.
A.J smirked. “Caught that, did you?”
“Bitch!” Sin cussed, but her mouth crooked in a reluctant smile.
“Whore!” A.J countered with a wider smile before asking, “So, why can’t Claire hire someone instead of dragging you all the way to Portland.”
“She can’t afford it,” Sin said. Before her friends could ask more questions, she added, “Besides she needs someone she trusts to watch the shop.”
“And she trusts you?” Kelly eyed Sin skeptically. “With her money? Wow!”
“Yes, she trusts me with her money,” Sin insisted. When her friends gave her amused looks, she protested, “You know, you two are the only ones who don’t think I’ve changed. Everyone else trusts me.”
Though Sin was indeed preparing herself for another illegal adventure, she didn’t like it when people assumed that she was still a crook. Even the courts insisted on evidence before deciding on guilt.
“That’s because everyone else doesn’t know you like we do,” A.J teased, earning herself a round of laughs from everyone but Sin who cut her eyes at her.
“Don’t worry, Sin.” Kelly reached over to pat Sin’s back. “We’re just teasing. We know you’ve gone straight.”
This time Ten’s snort was loud enough to attract everyone’s attention.
“What’s with the humph?” A.J turned to her sister. “Do you know something we don’t know?”
“A.J,” Sin quickly cut in before Ten could out her. “Do you think I could borrow some spending money?”
Frowning, A.J turned back to Sin. “What did you do with all the money you earned as a fake girlfriend?”
“It bought all those clothes.” Sin pointed to the now neatly packed suitcase.
Both her friends gave her exasperated looks. “What will we do with you?”
Sin gave them her best puppy-eyes. “Lend me money?”
“You’re a disaster,” Kelly complained. She reached for her purse and pulled out a card. “Here. A.J and I got you a card.”
“Aw, you wonderful, wonderful women.” Sin snatched the card then lifted on her knees to give Kelly a bear hug. “I knew you loved me.”
However, when she started towards A.J to give her a hug, A.J immediately backed away then informed her, “The card has a two thousand dollars limit.”
“What? Only two thousand?” Sin glared at her friends. “You. Mean. Bitches!”
“You can always return the card,” Kelly dared her.
“Nice try!” Sin clasped the card to her bosom protectively, drawing laughs from the other women in the room.
When the laughter died down, Kelly said, “I just hate the thought of you being all alone up there, or of you missing my wedding.”
Kelly was due to marry her fiancé, Spencer, in seven months. Frankly, Sin was surprised that the two had even gotten this far. Spencer was the prosecutor who’d sent Kelly to jail for a murder she didn’t commit. How they’d been able to get over that was anyone’s guess. Sin wasn’t sure she could be that forgiving. Heck, she still regularly dreamt of stabbing the judge who’d sent her to prison.
“Don’t worry, Kelly. I’ll be there for your wedding,” Sin assured her friend. “And I won’t be alone in Portland. Ten is coming with me.”
“She is?” A.J turned surprised eyes to her sister. “I didn’t know you were leaving with Sin.”
“I am,” Ten said simply with a shrug.
Anyone watching the two sisters’ cold interaction would’ve been surprised. Sin wasn’t. The two sisters had a strange relationship; they weren’t estranged but they weren’t close either. They weren’t enemies, but you couldn’t call them friends either. They were just strange. But it worked for them.
“You’re going to help out with the store too?” Kelly asked Ten.
“Something like that,” Ten retorted without looking away from the TV.
“You?” A.J’s tone held a healthy dose of skepticism. “You’re going to help out at a clothing store?”
“She’s helped out in stores before,” Sin rushed to Ten’s defense. “If you remember, she used to help out at your store.”
“Hmph.” A.J remained unconvinced. A second later, she narrowed her eyes. “Ten, are you sure you’re not running away?”
“What?” Ten turned swiftly to face her.
“Are you sure you’re not running away?” A.J folded her arms over her chest. “I heard you owe Casper and his crew some money.”
“You heard?” Ten’s wide-eyed expression perfectly mimicked Sin’s own surprise. “How did you hear about that?”
A.J ignored her sister’s question and instead said, “If that’s what you’re running away from, then you don’t need to. I already talked to Casper.”
“You talked to Casper?” All three women exclaimed at the same time.
A.J and her father were like water and oil. They did not mix well. Heck, the last time the two had met in person, A.J had held a gun to Casper head all while forcing him to give her his money.
“Yes, I talked to Casper,” A.J said. A second later, she corrected herself, “Well, it was more like I threatened him. But the end result is that you’re off the hook. You don’t have to be worried about him or one of his guys coming after you.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Ten protested.
A.J rolled her eyes. “Just say thank you.”
“Whatever!” Ten sniffed before turning back to her movie.
A.J shook her head before turning back to the conversation with Kelly and Sin.
Hours later, both A.J and Kelly left for their respective homes. Ten stayed behind with Sin.
Trying to affect a nonchalant tone, Sin commented, “You must be happy.”
“Happy about what?” Ten asked.
“Now, you don’t have to do the job with me.” Even though there was a tight knot of anxiety in the pit of her belly, Sin pretended to be engrossed with her phone. “A.J already paid your debt.”
“You expect me to let you go to Portland alone?” Ten guffawed. “Your crazy ass will get arrested within a day if I’m not there to keep an eye on you.”
“Hey, I’m perfectly fine on my own,” Sin insisted even as relief pulsed through her. Though she’d done a lot of jobs in the past alone, she didn’t want to be alone this time. Not when she’d discovered how great it felt to have someone watching your back.
“Whatever, Miss Perfectly Fine!” Ten snorted. “I’m still coming with you though.” A moment later, she reached for her jacket and pulled out a card. “Forgot to tell you that these were out.”
“Wow!” Sin gaped as she reached for her new driver’s license. “This looks so real.”
“As far as the government and Wentworth Ransom is concerned it is real.” Ten waved her own license. “Keyboard is a pro at these things.”
“What identity did he give you?” Sin arched her neck to see Ten’s license.
With a grin, Ten turned then held up her license. “Say hello to Eight Adams.”
“Eight Adams?” Sin laughed, the sound ringing loud in the room. “That’s the best you could do?”
“Hey, I could’ve gone with One but I decided to be humble,” Ten said with a smile. A moment later, that smile dropped and her expression became graver. “Are you sure we can do this? Have you ever played an Executive Assistant?”
“No, I haven’t.” Sin rushed on to reassure her, “But I have been studying how to be one. I know some things now.”
“Pease tell me you don’t mean the things you learnt while watching all those movies starring secretaries.”
“Of course that’s what I mean.” Sin raised her eyebrows. “Is there any other way to learn?”
Ten flopped back into the seat with a heavy sigh. “We’re so screwed.”
Sin laughed. It was true that her entire knowledge of ‘how to be an executive assistant’ came from Google and The Devil Wears Prada, but she was confident that she could pull this off. Even before she’d decided to be a con-artist, she’d always been pretty good at transforming into whoever she wanted to be. Nerd, socialite, shrew, emo-chick… even her mother had jokingly nicknamed her Chameleon. This job was right up her alley.
“Don’t worry, Eight!” Sin scooted closer to her friend on the couch and slung her arm across her shoulder. “I can do this. Within six months, we’ll be smiling all the way from the bank with Worth’s money.”
Almost as if on cue, Sin’s phone rang. The caller-ID loudly blinked Claire’s name.
“Hi, Claire,” Sin answered. “How are you doing?”
“Fine. Fine.” Claire rushed on, “Are you in Portland yet?”
“No, I’m still in New York.”
“What?” The woman’s voice rose to a high-pitched whine. “You promised that you’d be here in time for the interviews.”
“I know what I promised,” Sin countered calmly. “The interviews start in three days, don’t they? I still have time.”
“Yeah, but you shouldn’t wait until the last minute,” Claire whined. “The person I hired to prep you will-”
“Claire, Claire, Claire!” Sin cut her off. “Chill. Relax. You don’t need to worry. I’ll be there by tomorrow, and I’ve already done my own prep work.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“You can’t fail these interviews.” Claire sighed. “Ever since I’ve been back, Worth has upped the harassment. I’m afraid that he might do something soon.”
Instant anger shot through Sin. Her lip lifted in a sneer, she promised, “Don’t worry we’ll cut him off at the knees.”
“I hope so. I hope so. I really need you, Sin.” Claire’s voice took on a pleading note. “You’re my last hope so please don’t let me down.”
“I won’t,” Sin assured her. “I got this.”
“When’s your flight?”
“I’ll let you know as soon as I get to Portland.”
“Please hurry here,” Claire said.
As soon as Sin ended the call, Ten said, “Well, she’s desperate.”
“You’d be too if you were in her position.”
“If I were in her position, I would’ve already cut off Worth’s balls,”
Sin chuckled. “That’s because you’re crazy.”
Ten grinned. “True.”
“Alright Eight.” With a grin, Sin stood up. “Let’s go steal Worth’s family jewels.”
* * *
THREE WEEKS LATER, Sin found herself at the headquarters of W Sport. This wasn’t her first time in the building; she’d already been here twice for the preliminary interviews. Sin had practically skated past those two interviews. Thanks to her own research into the company and the interview panelists, the coaching she’d received from Claire’s guy, and her innate ability to charm people, the process had been as successful as expected.
Nonetheless, now that she was in the homestretch, she couldn’t help feeling nervous as she sat waiting at the reception that led into Wentworth Ransom III’s office. This was the day she’d finally meet the man himself. This was the day the game really began.
According to Claire, Worth was into powerful but sexy women so Sin had gone ahead and unleashed her inner Olivia Pope. Today, she’d straightened her hair so that it fell to her shoulders in soft waves instead of the usual cock-screw curls. Her black lacy dress, though long enough to cover her thighs, subtly clung to her body, showing off her natural curves. To top off the whole ensemble, she’d gone with red-bottom pumps that lifted her ass and light makeup to emphasize her eyes and lips. Damn it, she looked good. One look at her and even a gay man would be tempted to go straight.
She smiled. I’m coming for you, Worth.
Two other people had made it to the last round of interviews. Instead of skimming through her documents like her competitors were doing, Sin subtly watched and assessed them. She started with the woman seated on the couch directly across from her.
Eyebrows too sharp, looks like she’s never smiled a day in her life, suit is too severe and one sleeve is frayed, one nail is chipped. The side of Sin’s lip crooked in a smile. It would be easy to beat this one. The man seated next to Sin was another matter all together. Judging by how he kept worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, he was obviously nervous. However, he was well-groomed and had smiled at everyone as he walked in. If his résumé matched his congeniality, and he’d done as much research as Sin, then he was real competition.
Time to get rid of him. Sin reached for the bottle of water that she’d brought just for this occasion. With a smile, she held it out to the man. “You look like you need this.”
“Thanks.” The young man eagerly grabbed the water.
Sin couldn’t help feeling a little guilty when he downed the water in one gulp. But she consoled herself with the fact that what she was doing was for the good of woman-kind everywhere. In every war there is collateral damage and unfortunately for this guy, he was it. In about ten minutes, the guy would be racing around the building looking for a bathroom courtesy of the mild laxative she’d spiked the water with.
Hey! She needed to be the only outstanding candidate.
“Priscilla Keyes?” Diana, Worth’s very pregnant assistant, called out.
“Yes.” The extra-serious interviewee raised her hand.
“Mr. Ransom, will see you now,” Diana said.
“Okay.” The lady shot to her feet and made her way to Worth’s office. Priscilla stayed in there for quite some time. By the time she came out the laxatives had kicked in and the male interviewee was nowhere to be found.
“Max Winchester?” Diana called out as she looked around the room.
“He had to go to the bathroom.” Sin helpfully pointed in the direction of the restrooms.
“He went to the bathroom?” The assistant’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Right before he’s supposed to go in for his interview?”
Sin was the picture of innocence as she offered, “I think it was urgent.”
“Wow.” With a disapproving shake of her head, Diana reached for her phone. “Sir, Mr. Winchester has left the waiting area. Can I let the next interviewee in?”
The assistant paused to listen to her boss’s response then nodded. “Yes, her name is Sinclair Johnson.” Another short pause then the assistant said, “Okay. Got it.”
When she got off the phone, the assistant turned her attention to Sin. “Go right in. Mr. Ransom is waiting for you.”
“Thank you.” Sin rose to her feet and strode towards Worth’s office. At the door, she paused to straighten her dress, square her shoulders and paste on a smile. Game on. She pushed the door open.
The office she walked into was breath-taking. Anchored with marble floors, furnished with dark wood furniture and crowned with crystal fixtures, the room was as stunning as it was sleek. The north wall was lined entirely by floor to ceiling windows that offered an endless view of Portland. However, what caught Sin’s attention was the man seated behind the large oak desk that dominated the office. Immediately, her footsteps came to a screeching halt, her eyes widened and her smile dropped.
The pictures online hadn’t done Worth justice. The man was hot. Like really hot. Gorgeous even. Raven-hair that was stylishly cut so that the top was a bit longer than the sides, thick brows over deep-set eyes, Roman nose, incredibly kissable lips and a square jaw that was lightly dusted with a five o’clock shadow. His black shirt was open at the collar to reveal his strong neck and its sleeves were folded to reveal his muscular arms.
Sin’s gaze rose back to meet his and her breath immediately caught in her throat. My god… those eyes! So dark, so intense. And the way he was looking at her – his gaze journeyed from the top of her head and slowly down her body. It was almost as if he was x-raying her, undressing her. His gaze left her feeling winded, oddly unsettled and irritated. Usually, she was the one who left people unnerved. She wasn’t used to being the recipient of that feeling and she didn’t like it.
Worth’s gaze slowly came back up her body. When he met her eyes again, his eyebrow rose. “Are you going to stand there staring at me or are you coming in?”
His words were enough to yank her from her stupor.
“Oh, sorry.” Cursing herself for momentarily losing her senses, she crossed the room to stop in front of his desk. Despite her still rattled nerves, she forced a smile and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Sinclair Johnson but everyone calls me Sin.”
His eyebrows rose even higher. “Do you always introduce yourself by your nickname to potential employers?”
“Uh?” Sin was momentarily startled. “Um… no. I-”
“It’s not very professional, is it?” Worth’s dark eyes never left hers. “Sin.”
“I guess not,” Sin winced on the inside. This wasn’t the way she’d planned to start this interview. “Sorry. I’m Sinclair Johnson.”
Worth watched her for a long unsettling moment. His gaze dropped to her still outstretched arm then back to her face. With an annoying smirk, he ignored her hand and instead turned his attention to his computer. “So, Sin, tell me why I should hire you.”
How rude! While she’d been researching him, she’d come across comments from former employees of his and most of them had described him as an asshole and a ruthless taskmaster. Those comments weren’t far off. If this was any other man, Sin would’ve given him a piece of her mind, but Worth wasn’t any other man. He was her mark. Once she had his money, she’d say everything she was holding in. But for now… she swallowed her anger and kept smiling even as she lowered her hand.
“Well-” Sin pulled one of the seats across his desk back so she could sit down. “-I believe that-”
“I didn’t tell you to take a seat,” Worth cut her off without even looking up from his screen.
Wow! If you looked up asshole in the dictionary, this guy’s picture was right beside the word, right?
Still, Sin rose back to her feet. Though her face felt like cracking from her fake smile, she said, “You should hire me because I’m a good fit for this position. As you’ll see from my résumé, I have the academic qualifications and the experience needed. My former employers will tell you that I was a valuable asset in their daily life, having saved them many wasted hours by streamlining their systems and schedules. I have the ability to stay focused in stressful situations and can be counted on when the going gets tough. My high energy and quick learning style will enable me to hit the ground running. I’m confident that I would be a valuable asset to you too.”
It was a great answer. Hell, she would’ve hired herself if she was listening to that monologue. But Worth’s expression remained unimpressed. If anything, it seemed as if everything she’d said had gone in one ear and come out through the other without making any kind of impression on him.
Instead of commenting on what she’d just said, he asked, “Is Sinclair your real name?”
Why would he ask something like that? Her heart jumped in her chest. However, on the outside, she maintained a blasé expression and nodded. “Yes, it is.”
“It sounds like a man’s name,” he said.
And Wentworth sounds like a pretentious asshole’s name but you don’t see me saying it. Sin’s smile widened as she said aloud, “It does, doesn’t it? My parents wanted a boy so when I came they just used the same name.”
Wentworth met her eyes and instant heat shot through her. A moment later he poured water on that heat by sarcastically saying, “They must have been disappointed when they got you.”
That was an insult, right? This dude was getting on her last nerve. Was this really how he treated people? His boorish behavior only made Sin want to take him down more. For that to happen, she needed to pass this interview.
Acting like the insult had completely sailed over her head, she chuckled lightly. “I made up for it by being a very competent daughter.”
Amusement twinkled in Worth’s eyes almost as if he was laughing at her before he said, “In your résumé, it says that you worked as an Executive Assistant at Yeomin Technologies. I’ve never heard of them.”
Of course he hadn’t. Yeomin was one of the paper companies owned by the guy who’d created Sin’s fake identity. But it was such a skillfully created company that it had an online presence, yelp reviews, an address and even paid taxes every year. Keyboard even had a customer-care line for the company so that potential employers who called to check on the fake identities he created could talk to the ‘CEO’.
“They’re a small but reasonably successful company out in Virginia,” Sin said before licking her bottom lip to draw Worth’s attention to her plump lips.
It didn’t work. Worth looked away from her as he asked, “How long did you work there?”
“Four years.”
“And why did you leave, Sin.” Worth’s top lip rose in a sneer. “Were you fired?”
“No,” Sin said. “I felt like it was time to move on and expand my horizons.”
“Ah, I see,” he said, However, underneath his breath, he murmured. “Also disloyal.”
This wasn’t how she’d expected this interview to go. Even the most misogynistic assholes were usually charmed by her appearance at first glance and tried to seduce her. However, Worth was completely unaffected by her. In fact, he seemed to despise her. It was quite clear that this interview was going to the toilet with every word she spoke.
Trying to salvage it, she said, “Actually, I’ve always wanted to work for W Sport.”
“Everyone wants to work for W Sport,” Worth retorted.
“I’m sure they do.” Sin smiled as she pushed her hair behind her shoulder to draw his attention to her neck. It worked, but Worth’s lips crooked in what was obviously a sneer. What the hell was wrong with this guy? He had to be an alien because if he was red-blooded, he’d be burning with lust right now. Any other woman would’ve given up by now. Fortunately, Sin wasn’t any other woman.
She kept smiling as she complimented, “Everyone wants to work here because it’s being led by a very brilliant businessman. You must take after your father.”
Worth’s eyebrows rose. “My father?”
“Yes, Wentworth Senior,” Sin said. “From what I can tell, he’s a very astute businessman like you. I read his book ‘The Mind of A Businessman’ and got many valuable life and business lessons from it.”
“You got valuable business lessons from that book?” Worth guffawed. “It was a crappy book.”
Was it? She hadn’t read it. She’d just skimmed over the few chapters that were available for free on the internet. Still, it was his father’s book. What kind of son describes his father’s book crappy? Worth was proving himself more of a tool by the minute.
She shrugged. “I found it okay.”
“And that shows your lack of judgment.” Worth gave her a disapproving look.
She started, “Actually-”
The ring of Worth’s phone cut into her sentence. Without even an apology, he picked it up. “Wentworth Ransom, here.” He paused a moment. “I see.”
After a few more ‘okays’, ‘yeahs’ and an ‘give me a minute’, he ended the phone-call. But before Sin could even finish what she wanted to say, he rose to his full height. Whoa! The guy was super tall. And super fit. Admiring the way his gray pants clung to his muscular thighs and imagining how it would feel to have him between her thighs left her feeling weirdly hot.
Stop it, Sin. She gave herself a mental slap. You’re not here to ogle him.
It was only when Worth grabbed his jacket and put it on that she realized what was happening. She gasped. “You’re leaving? But my interview-”
“-is over,” he finished for her. He smirked. “Thank you for your time. We’ll get back to you.”
What? The interview was over? Like this? When she hadn’t even had time to impress and seduce him? Aw, hell no! She needed to at least leave him with a lasting impression. Since her résumé was obviously not enough, then it was time to use her other charms.
As soon as Worth started to circle his desk, Sin stood up as if she was preparing to leave too. As he was about to pass her, she moved forward. Then as if she’d just tripped on her own feet, she stumbled forward with a small cry. As expected, Wentworth stretched his arms to catch her. She fell right into his arms.
“Oh!” With a dramatic gasp, she pressed her chest into his and grabbed onto his upper arms as if to steady herself. The moment she felt the shift of those muscles against her breasts, an undeniable yet shocking heat shot through her. Her gaze flew up to meet his. And she found him staring at her.
Sin had faked that fall because she wanted to force contact between them. Body contact and soul-gazing are the easiest ways to get a man interested in you. However, she didn’t expect her pulse to stop in its tracks when her eyes locked with his. She certainly didn’t expect the sudden tightness in her lungs or the urge to step even closer to him.
It was easy to see that Worth was as affected as she was. His eyes had darkened until it almost seemed like a storm was brewing inside him. For a while their gazes remained locked together in a whirlpool of undeniable awareness and desire then his gaze slowly moved downwards to her lips. He halted there, lingered. It almost felt like he was kissing her with his eyes. Then he lowered his head…
This was what Sin wanted; for him to give in to his male instincts and kiss her. But for some strange reason, she wanted to move away. Unfortunately, her body was locked into his; unwilling and unable to move.
Her throat tight and her body tense in his arms, she waited for him to close the distance between them.
For him to kiss her.