Matt

“My new assistant will be here today,” Ryan said in the morning meeting. The three brothers met every morning to discuss the day and to catch up on family matters. They had taken full control of the company after their father suffered a heart attack. Richard Kane was the patriarchal man that any family would want, so they were all blessed when he pulled through. His wife forced him to step down and enjoy an early retirement with her and the grandbabies while the boys shared the responsibilities.

“What happened to July?” Spencer asked. July had been working for Ryan since March and the brothers knew that there was some sexual tension brewing between the two and then she was gone.

“She probably didn’t like the weather. Winter here is brutal. Isn’t she from the south?” Matt asked.

“Too bad Mara isn’t afraid of the cold Boston weather,” Spencer joked. None of the guys cared for Matt’s twenty-five-year-old assistant with money in her eyes. Spencer trusted her least of all and told them on several occasions.

“She’s a great assistant. I don’t care if she’s a money grubbing twat. As long as she does her job, I don’t have a problem. I’m not interested.”

“No, you haven’t been interested in anyone since my wife,” Spencer reminded him, suspicion in his eyes.

There was still a bit of concern that Matt wanted Rose, but those feelings weren’t real or anything special. He wanted her like any hot-blood man would, but he never even pursued her. “I suppose that’s right. Not that I was that into Rose anyway. If I was, she wouldn’t have been dating that other guy when you stole her.”

“Hey, she landed at my doorstep. I couldn’t do anything about that.”

“Didn’t you call her man and break it off for her?” Ryan asked, doing his best to keep a straight face.

“No. I sent a text.” Spencer had no qualms about ending the relationship. He wanted her and nothing was going to stop him. “So, what do you know about your new assistant.”

“Not much. She’s from the temp agency we use on occasion. Her name is Candice Nichols. She’s twenty with a bachelor’s in Business Administration.”

“I call bullshit on that. Twenty with a degree? Unless she’s a freaking genius, then I doubt that shit,” Spencer said, shaking his head.

“Same here. Most of those find a job right out of school, not hit up a temp agency,” Matt added. They’d all gotten their degrees even though they were born and bred to run the show at Kane Investments. Their father didn’t want anything to happen if the company should collapse for whatever reason. 

“Do a real background check on her, or better yet, you do it, Matt,” Spencer ordered. He was the oldest and in charge.

“I got this. I’ll have the report ordered before I leave the office tonight.”

“Are you looking forward to your trip next week?”

“The fuck I am. Not looking forward to it at all. It’s not any nicer in London right now. It isn’t like I get to go somewhere warm, but it’s my turn to make the trip. I’m hoping the weather doesn’t delay my trip home.”

“Yes, you should be getting back three days before Christmas, but you don’t have to come into the office, so that’s a plus. Remember to pick up something for Rose and Richie. He wants something from uncle Matt.”

“I already got his presents wrapped and hidden in mom’s closet, but I’m going to find something cool to bring him back. What did Rose want?”

“I already ordered it. I’ll give you the place and number. It should be ready the first day you arrive.”

“Okay. Anything else, boys? I have to go downstairs and meet my new assistant.”

“No. That’s it.”

“I’m good.”

They all got up from the conference table and headed to their respective offices, except Ryan who went downstairs to meet Ms. Nichols.

 

Candice

Candice Nichols stared at herself in the mirror, wondering how she was going to pull this off. Her dress was one size too small and clung to all of her curves. Starving had its advantages, she didn’t weigh much, so it was only her natural curves that she had to squeeze in the poor excuse for a dress. It had been one of the six outfits she purchased at the thrift store with the little bit of money she had. It was pretty plain and worn, but this was all she really had for the time being. Since today was the warmest day of the week, she decided to wear the dress. She had tights that she could wear under until she got there.

She didn’t know how she managed to get this job, but she wanted it more than anything. Working two part-time jobs wasn’t enough to pay the bills. She needed something more. The company must have been desperate to ask for her to temp. She had no experience. Didn’t go to college and didn’t even have a proper wardrobe. This was going to be a mess and then she’d still have to go to her night job at the twenty-four-hour department store. She grabbed her hair into a big bunch and styled it into a bun. She had long, flowing, blonde hair, but she didn’t have a curling iron or straightener. The stupid apartment’s electricity shorted both of them on separate occasions. Of course, the slumlord blamed her for it, like a simple curling iron was going to short out the electricity for a whole apartment.

This job was a sign of something great for her; she just knew it. After the past four years, nothing seemed to be going right. Her entire life hadn’t gone well, twenty years of poverty and no love. From birth, she’d been a burden on the parents who’d rather party than raise a child. Parents who were out doing whatever they wanted or home fighting.

The shit hitting the fan reached an all-time high when her mother killed her father in their final fight. It left her with nothing but a life of shame and ridicule from those around. No boy even looked her way once they found out what her mother did. Not that she truly wanted to date. She didn’t want to have the chance of becoming her mom, so she stayed away from boys when she moved in with her aunt. Now, after saving every penny she could, she ran out the moment her aunt stole Candice’s social security number and destroyed her credit. For the past two years, she’d been repairing the marks, but it was a long and painful process that she didn’t have much time for with two jobs.

Taking a deep breath, she left her apartment and headed off to her first day of work. On the bus, she thought about the family she’d be working for. When the agency gave her the assignment, she went to the library and Googled the family owned company. There were three brothers running the show, Spencer, Ryan, and the youngest and most captivating one, Matthew. He was a woman’s fantasy and for the first time in her young life, Candice wanted to know what it felt like to be under a man, particularly that man. Matthew had dark brown hair and deep green eyes. Even from just a picture she could see he liked to laugh. There was a smirk on his face, like he didn’t know how to be serious.

The trip seemed shorter than she had originally expected, but that was a good thing. That meant that she was early. The building was only a five-story high made of brick and steel. The inside and outside of the building had an old look to it, but not in a bad way. In fact, it had an understated elegance about with it rich, mahogany pillars and reception desk.

“Hello, miss. How can I help you?”

“I’m here to see a Mr. Ryan Kane. I’m his new temp.”

“Oh, Ms. Nichols, let me call his office.” He went to grab the phone when the elevator opened and there was Ryan Kane himself. “Never mind,” he said.

“You must be Ms. Nichols.”

“Yes,” she said nervously.

“Are you ready to get started?”

“Absolutely.” He walked her to the elevator when she tripped and he caught her.

“Whoa, a bit slippery. Next time make sure to bring a change of shoes. I can’t have you breaking your neck to save time. Changing shoes takes thirty seconds.”

“Sorry. I didn’t know what to expect.”

“No problem. I’ve got a sister and there were so many times she’d wear combat boots through the snow then as soon as she hit her office she was walking in runway heels.”

“I will remember that.” Ryan seemed nice to her so she was able to relax for a moment.

“This is the executive floor. The office straight ahead is Spencer’s, to your right is Matt’s office, and this one on the left is mine.” He walked us past a posh looking seating area that was in the center of the floor lobby. “Each of our assistants have a desk outside our offices. This one right here is yours. Go ahead and get settled for a minute, then join me in my office to go over your duties and such.”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s Ryan. We’re all Mr. Kane’s, so we go by our first names,” he said, smiling kindly at her.

“Yes, Ryan.”