Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 91(@300wpm)
Out of sight, out of mind.
I press the button to turn on my computer, waiting for the system to fire up, but before the lock screen loads, I hear my boss’ voice.
“Alex,” Vik says, his deep voice carrying over the quiet morning. “Can you come into my office for a minute?” My friend, Romy, has really tamed the beast of a man. He used to never ask questions, just barked orders. And now that he’s being a nicer version of himself and I’m hiding a massive secret, well, my stomach decides to do a violent flip as the cold flood of dread returns in full force, making my throat go dry. He knows.
He has to know. Dante probably called him the second he woke up and realized his new wife pulled another vanishing act. Vik will probably think I’ve lost my ever-loving mind—and newsflash: I have. I’m legally married to a man I barely know, I’m currently ignoring the incessant buzzing of my phone, and to top it all off, there’s a very real possibility I could end up pregnant.
My mind goes into hyperdrive. Plan B pill. God, why didn’t I think of this earlier? Is it too late, now? How effective is it after Vegas? I need to get to a pharmacy the second I step out of this building for the day.
“Alex?” Vik calls my name.
“Right. Coming,” I squeak out, forcing my trembling legs to work in order to carry me across the floor and to his office. I’m so out of it, I nearly forget my tablet, notes, and a pen.
“Great job on the Las Vegas contract,” Vik praises me as I walk into his office and settle into a chair in front of his desk. I’m preparing my speech: It’s a mistake, Vik. I swear it won’t affect my work. I’m trying to get it annulled.
“What?” I blink, freezing midway.
“The contract with the Nevada group.” My boss is looking at me with genuine approval. “The legal team reviewed the terms you secured this morning. It’s pristine. The board is thrilled, and that’s not an easy feat. I just wanted to go over the final percentage you’ll be receiving.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I sit, utterly stunned. Vik spends the next few minutes talking about how I took on more responsibility and did him a massive favor so he wouldn’t have to leave Romy alone while pregnant. When he slides a piece of paper across the wood desk, six figures jump out at me, and I quickly do the calculations that taxes will take out. Damn, it’s still a sweet deal, one I didn’t expect.
“Didn’t think I’d ever make you speechless, Alex.” He doesn’t know. Dante hasn’t call him, and Vik is giving me a massive amount of money I never expected.
“Well, you did. Maybe Romy should stay pregnant. It might make me a wealthy woman.” I manage to get my words together.
“That’s the goal. I just have to get her on board with that.” My eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.
“And that’s my cue to get started for the day. I love Romy, and you’re my boss, and, well, you get the gist.” Vik slides his tablet across the table. There’s a contract pulled up with my name, the date, the amount, and all of the other corporate jargon.
“Sounds good, and thank you, Alex. Truly.”
“You’re welcome.” I stand up, grabbing my items I didn’t need to begin with. “And thank you as well.” I walk back out to my desk, my knees shaking so badly I barely make it to my chair before collapsing. All of this pregnancy talk has me picking up my phone, hands shaking as I open my browser. My fingers fly across the screen, typing into the search bar for Plan B effectiveness after two days.
I fall down a rabbit hole, leaning over my desk, hair falling forward to cover as much of my face as possible. My eyes scan the medical articles line by line. I’m so absorbed in reading about dosage windows, time limits, and all of the other jargon that I don’t hear anything else.
Including the elevator dinging, the doors sliding open, or the footsteps echoing down the hall. I also don’t notice the sudden heavy silence that falls over the area where my desk is stationed outside of Vik’s office. I only realize something is wrong when a towering shadow blocks the light from above. A broad, calloused hand wearing a heavy ring reaches down and snatches my phone out of my grip.
“Hey!” I gasp a little too loudly, startling backwards, my hands flying up, and the words dying in my throat. Oh fuck. Dante stands in front of my desk, looking far too handsome in a charcoal three-piece suit. His dark hair is styled, his jawline is shadowed with dark stubble, and his amber eyes are burning a hole straight to my soul. He glances down at the screen, and I watch his jaw clench so hard a muscle twitches in his cheek.