Haring

I have a little spring in my step when I walk into the Corrigan & Co. building the next day. I've been here frequently, visiting my sister, so there's a badge on file for me already at the security desk. Matt texted, and said to go straight to his office, after I’m checked in. Ainsley's team must know, because I'm taken to the top floor of the building, once I step into the elevator.

"Hello, Haring. Matt said for you to go right in."

"Thanks," I tell his main assistant, walking through the doors that open when I approach.

"Hey man, have a seat," Matt tells me, typing faster than I would've thought he could on his keyboard. He presses his thumb to a small pad next to it when he's done, then turns to me. "Sorry about that. I'm hiring a new fourth assistant, and I had to approver her package."

I can't help it. I'm in a good mood, and he left himself right open for that. "I didn't know I was having my package inspected today."

"Someone's feeling better today."

"I'm psyched about this job, and I had a great date last night," I admit, slouching down in my chair.

"A good woman can make everything better."

"Truth."

"Back to the job, I was hoping you might be more excited than you looked on Saturday."

That makes me sit up, and look him in the eye. "I am. I want this, Matt. I even came up with some preliminary ideas."

"Hit me with them."

"Without a contract?"

He lets out a full-bodied laugh, and slides a tablet across his desk to me. "You're going to fit right in here."

We go over every part of my contract, and I'm seriously in awe. The money is more than I've ever seen, the benefits are ridiculously good, and I even get my own office. I sign without a second thought, and after he does the same—again with his thumbprint—we get to my plans.

"I love everything you mentioned, and I drew up these initial plans," I say, showing him the drawings I made. They're crude and rudimentary, but you can see what I'm going for.

"The placement of everything is perfect. I wouldn't have thought to put some of these things next to each other, but it works."

"I think so."

"The new C&C building will be opening in two weeks, and then Ainsley and Audrey's teams will destroy what they need to here. After, it will be brought down, and we can break ground on your building. I'm not sure if Ryan Griffin will handle yours, or have Noah do it, but either way, I'll have one of my people set up a meeting at Griffin for you this week."

"Great." I know Noah, because he lives in the apartments, too. We’ve hung out by the pool a few times, so it’d be cool to work with him on this.

"Chloe's busy with the new building, but she can get your office there personalized for you once she's done with the ones she's already designed."

"I'm sure it's fine as it is. I only need a chair and a desk."

"I don't do 'fine', Haring."

He looks offended, and I have to fight the urge to laugh. "Noted."

A young man is waiting for me when the doors open, and he leads me down one floor to my new office. I'm guessing my one at the new building will be identical, but for now, I'll get myself settled in here. It's not on the corner, but it has a large window, and it's bigger than the one I had at the rink. And yes, there's a high-tech chair, and a sleek desk just for me.

A pang goes through me when I remember the place that was once my own, but I close my eyes and breathe through the hurt. I have no one but myself to blame for the loss of almost everything I loved. This is a new start, and I'm going to embrace it. I may not own this new place, but in all other ways, it's mine. Matt said it, and I know him well enough to believe him.

My morning is busy, with people in and out of my office, helping me get settled. One of Ainsley's people brings me a laptop, and phone, going over how to access everything I need. After, someone from the secretarial pool on this floor comes by to take down my supply needs. I don't think I'll need much, so she shows me the small supply room I can take pens, paper, and a stapler from.

She also tries to give me her number, but I turn her down. I don't know the office politics here, but even if I knew it was okay, I couldn't take the number. I don't know what's happening with Natasha, but I'm pretty sure she expects me to be monogamous. She didn't say it, but I'm sure of it all the same. In the past, I would've balked at being tied to just one woman, because my circle of trust is very small, but I'm drawn to her in a way I've never known. If she wants everything from me, I'm prepared to give it to her.

Natasha

"You've made contact."

It's not a question, which tells me what I already know—I'm being watched. "Yes."

"You know what you need to do."

"Yes."

The click of the phone tells me I'm still trusted. I would've received instructions, and threats, if I wasn't, and I breathe a sigh of relief that I’m still relatively safe. I've done nothing to earn a lack of trust, but with these men, there's no telling what could set them off, or make them react. I live in constant fear of doing or saying the wrong thing, but for now, I'm good. At least with them.

Haring is a completely different matter, and as I get ready for our date tonight, I can't help looking forward to how it's all going to play out. There's no going back, and there's no stopping what's going to happen. I can't dwell on that, because I have a job to do, and there's no way in hell I won't get it done, but I still feel a pang of guilt about it. One I force myself to push aside for the moment.

I put on light blue wide-leg slacks, and a burnished gold halter top, but I don't know what we're doing tonight, so I hope I’m dressing okay for our date. I gave control to Haring, and all he'd say was to be comfortable, and bring socks. He's a wild card—in more ways than one—so I'm completely in the dark here. Deciding it's probably going to be more casual than not, I gather my hair into a ponytail. I curl the ends, because I don't want to look severe, and put on my signature red lipstick, because I never leave home without it.

The knock at my apartment door comes right after I've sprayed some perfume on. I relented, and gave him my address, because he's going to end up here eventually; my endgame depends on it, even if the words have never been spoken. I know it, and so do they.

"Hi," I tell him, opening the door with a smile. He's in jeans and a t-shirt, and his own smile dims a little when he looks me over.

"You're a little overdressed, Vixen. Stunning, obviously, but I'm not sure you'll fit in where we're going."

"You said to wear something comfortable, and I'm comfortable in these clothes."

He gives me a sexy, lopsided smile, and nods. "Okay, then. Your chariot awaits."

It's not a chariot he leads me to, but his Mustang. I've seen pictures of it, and I know his sister, Matisse, had it brought here for him from D.C. I'd be very surprised if his rich friends didn't pay it off for him. His safety net, and how they've protected him for all these years, is one of the reasons I tell myself he deserves what's coming; he's had it far too easy, for far too long.

I'm surprised when our destination turns out to be the local roller rink. This is the last place I'd expect Haring to bring me. "I haven't skated in years," I tell him, when he opens my door.

"Don't worry, I'll hold your hand until you remember how it's done."

"Now it all becomes clear," I tell him as I take my rental skates from the young guy at the desk. "You just want to hold my hand."

"Actually, I brought you here because I used to own a rink."

Whoa. Here we go. I didn’t think we’d get here this soon.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We had free skate like this, plus roller derby. I used to manage one of the teams."

"Sounds fun."

"It was, until it wasn't."

"I'm a good listener if you've got a story you'd like to tell."

"Thanks, but some things are better left unsaid."

I hide my disappointment with a smile, and place a hand on his forearm. "Do you miss it?"

"Every day. But, I just signed a contract with Matt Corrigan for what looks to be a dream job, so I'm coping a little better these days."

"Good to hear."

Pushing him right now could backfire on me, but I need info on his new job. He mentioned he was meeting with Matt, but I wasn't aware it had gone far enough for him to sign on to C&C. Matt is notorious for protecting his people, and treating them well. Those are two things I can't allow to happen. I made a rookie mistake in not realizing how serious it was, and now I have to find some way to undo this. I don’t know how, but I’m going to try.

"The ground's still a little shaky beneath my feet, but things are looking pretty good right now."

"You don't miss your old life?"

"I miss it every day, but when things are out of your control, you have to make the best of what you have. Or at least, that's what my sister and friends tell me."

"Where was it, the rink?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"D.C."

"I've always wanted to go there! Would you be willing to be my tour guide when I do?"

I see the pain that flashes across his face, and it causes me a moment of pain as well. I hate that I'm doing this to him, but I know I have to. He’s not a completely good man. I keep telling myself that, because I have to destroy him no matter what I’m feeling right now, and it’s easier to do that if I focus on the bad. The guilt ebbs slightly, but it's still there, reminding me I’m not so good, either.

"Sorry, but no. My life is here now."

"Oh. I didn't mean to pry, or upset you."

"You didn't. But, no more distractions—let's skate."

I take his offered hand, and let him pull me onto the skating oval. I'm a little shaky at first, and that's why I'm letting him hold my hand. It's the only reason. And yeah, I continue lying to myself as we do the couples skate. I even tell myself I'm only making out with him outside my apartment door because it's part of the job I’m here to do. All lies I tell myself again and again.