TROUBLE 1 Page 7

What? I can’t really track her words. I am tired and sleep-deprived. Nana, bless her, is more than a handful, and unless she was just getting back at me for Amber, I would say her singing shows are the norm. I’d woken at exactly two this morning with her singing at the top of her lungs.

  And I wasn’t lucky enough to get Sinatra. No, I’d gotten Streisand, performed a note too high for aural comfort. So yeah, no sleep.

  “Lucy. What the heck are you talking about?” I ask, shooing her from my chair so that I can flop into it and attempt to start my day.

  The funny part of this is that a week ago I was as spick and span as a Stepford wife. No hang overs from a horrible sex night, no sleepless nights from Nana’s Vegas tour, and no nervous stomach from seeing myself wearing a stolen dress. I’d been perfect.

  No, a week ago I had been in control of every single aspect of my life, and while I may not have been happy, exactly, it sure as hell beat what I’m feeling now.

  I look and feel like crap, and I don’t know what’s going to happen from one moment to the next.

  At least I got to tell Gregory Lucas what a douchebag he is.

  Small consolation, but that is true. It makes me feel a little better, and I can damn well guarantee the man will never come near me again.

  “I’m talking about the fact that Lucas has bought the agency! Lock, stock, and freaking barrel. Yates is staying on as VP, but from now on we’re going to be seeing a lot of him. He’s coming in to get things running smoothly. Apparently he’s some sort of financial genius, and he aims to get the agency back to its maximum potential.”

  I don’t think I’ve heard correctly. I pray I haven’t as nausea and a not-too-small dose of dread hits me.

  “He’s coming in today! I guess I shouldn’t be so excited. I mean, he’s hot and all, but totally off the market.”

  “Huh?”

  “I Googled him. I should have done it days ago. You’ll never guess who he’s engaged to. Selena Jeffries, of the New York Jeffries! I hope we get to meet her. I’m so excited.”

  I’ll bet. I, on the other hand, feel as if my life has entered the twilight zone, and the normal, organised woman I was is currently flitting around in an alternate universe while I’m stuck living a practical joke.

  I am a whore, a total slut, a home-wrecker. I’ve just banged a man who’s practically married.

  Lucy leaves, eventually, thank God, and by lunch I’ve been summoned by Mr Yates. Jordan hasn’t been in yet, and as I think about what could be happening I am not even slightly worried about the dress any more.

  My stomach has been tied in knots since Lucy’s little bomb, and I have a feeling as I exit the elevator that it’s going to get worse.

  “Go right in, Han, they’re waiting for you,” Taz says, giving me a thumbs up.

  They?

  I enter the office and force myself not to freeze when I see him casually sitting on the deep brown sofa, a smile lining his lips.

  “Mr Yates. Mr Lucas.”

  “Good afternoon, Miss Newman. Have a seat, please.”

  This is awkward, and not just because I told Gregory Lucas to go doodle himself. I can almost see the accusation in Yates’ eyes when he looks at me. I am not the only one who saw the gossip pages yesterday.

  “As you already know, the agency is now a part of Lucas Enterprises. We’ve been looking for a partner for a while, and I’m pleased to say that we have now found one. Mr Lucas will be here for the next month as he restructures the company and oversees our relocation to the financial district, where Lucas Enterprises is based.”

  We’re moving? Great, I’m going to have to get engaged to the goddamned subway just to get to work.

  “Jordan is not coming back, Miss Newman, and as a result that leaves you at loose ends.”

  Here it comes, I think, throwing a glare at my nemesis. Why I didn’t think this would get me fired is beyond me, but I should have known he’d throw a tantrum and have my ass kicked to the curb. I’m almost relieved, almost, as I keep my gaze trained away from him and breathe deeply.

  “You will be moving up here for the remainder of our stay, to assist Mr Lucas until such a time as we can place you elsewhere. For now I would like you to assist Taz in the packing and organisation of the upcoming move.”

  My brain has stalled and hooked on the first part of that statement. It’s only when I turn and look directly at Gregory that I know and believe what I’ve just heard.

  “Miss Newman?”

  I snap to attention and turn to Yates. I know what he sees: a woman in shock, horror, mortified. I’m speechless, and I know my face is telling the whole story as I gape at them.

  Work for Gregory Lucas? No. I can’t…

  “Perhaps you should give us a minute, Yates.”

  I wait until we’re alone before turning back to him.

  “I don’t want to work for you. Move me somewhere else or fire me.”

  I can get another job, hopefully. What I can’t do is spend every day for the next weeks with this two-timing asshole without doing something I’ll regret, and I know it.

  “No, Hannah,” he says quietly, walking over to kneel at my chair. “You’ll be with me every day until I’ve had my fill of you.”

  Wait, what? Like I’m a bottomless Coke or something? He’ll drink till he’s full and then throw me away? Hell no.

  “Mr Lucas—”

  “You can’t argue here, Hannah. I hold all the cards. I tried to be nice about this and explain—”

  “What, exactly?” I interrupt, trying to stand. “What did you want to explain? How about why you felt it necessary to treat me like a call girl? Why you slept with me in the first place? Because from where I’m standing—”

  “I behaved poorly—”

  “Ya think? Look, Gregory, just forget about it. Place me with another exec and do your thing with the company; I’ll do mine. This thing…whatever it was, is over.”

  I am trapped in the chair and so conscious of his hand on my thigh. The sad truth of it is that no matter how disgusted I am by his behavior, my body is front and center, replaying the things he can make me feel.

  Control, Hannah.

  “I can’t do that. I want you,” he admits, and I see he likes that thought about as much as I do.

  “You have a fiancée,” I say between gritted teeth. “We should never have slept together in the first place. You’re a cheat, Gregory Lucas, and you’ve made me one by extension. I don’t want this, or you, or anything to do with you,” I hiss, pushing with enough force that I’m able to gain my feet and back towards the door.

  “Hannah—”

  “Shove your job. I’ll get another one.”

  There. I feel better already. Taking control back is a small victory because I know it’s costing me a job I can’t afford to lose, and that by this time next week I’ll probably be working a checkout counter if I’m lucky, but as I say the words I feel the familiar calm I’ve been searching for settle over me.

  “You can’t do that. You have too much invested here to just walk out,” he insists in a low growl.

  I can see he’s upset, that losing the advantage is not common practice and that he’s struggling to come back from my about face.

  “I can. I can do whatever I goddamned want. I win,” I say, smiling icily as I reach for the door.

  “Do you? What do you think your sister will say when I close the doors to Sweet Nothings?”

  The question stops me in my tracks, and I turn slowly, knowing I’ve just lost the battle. Hell, it has been a losing cause since the beginning. Why I’d thought Gregory would play fair I can’t say. What I can’t figure is why he’s doing this at all.

  “What?”

  “I invested in her bakery. She’s doing a piss poor job of managing it, and I stepped in—”

  “Why? Why are you doing this? Friday night told me loud and clear how much you don’t want me. I’m giving you an easy out, considering you’re engaged to another woman. Let me go.”

/>   I taste bile as the words pass my lips and swallow back a stream of curses and recriminations. I am floundering here, trying to understand what the hell is going on, and no matter how hard I try I can’t get a handle on it. Or myself.

  “Hannah.”

  “No! You’re just being a sore loser! Why can’t you just leave me alone?” I yell, not caring if anyone hears.

  He’s standing there, threatening me, blackmailing me to sleep with him again until he finally loses interest, and unless he changes his mind I know I have no choice. I’ll hate myself the entire time, and any liking for him that may still linger will turn into something I promised myself three years ago I would never feel again.

  I don’t want to hate him.

  Everything around me has become chaos, and instead of finding order I feel as if I’m sinking into quicksand.

  “Please, Gregory.”

  He closes his eyes for a second before opening them to pin me with a glare.

  “The condom broke.”

  # End of Part One #

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