“Oh my God, what kind of stalker are you?” I asked, laughing.
She gave me an evil look. “I’m not,” she defended herself indignantly. “I was just doing a little research.”
I laughed and quickly took a drink of water to wash down the bite I had just choked on. “Okay, how about you wait until he gets off work,” I suggested, “and then invite him out for coffee? Or maybe you can accidentally fall down in front of him and get him to invite you to his place for a Band-Aid. Like Olivier Martinez in Unfaithful,” I recalled.
“Or I could do nothing of the kind,” she countered, “and just wait for him to talk to me.”
“He works there, Lisa. Do you really think he’s going to come on to one of the customers? And the man doesn’t have to be the one who makes the first move anymore,” I pointed out. “This isn’t the Middle Ages.”
“Well, look who’s talking. How are things with Luca, anyway?” she said to change the subject. “Found anything out about him yet?”
My mood went south immediately. “Only what I suspected from the beginning.” I sighed. “He’s a player.”
“Says who?” she asked.
“Aileen.”
“And how would she know?” Lisa inquired.
“Well, she’s been working for Luca for a long time. Who would know better?”
“You should stop giving so much weight to what other people think and start forming your own opinions,” Lisa said as she gestured admonishingly in my direction with her fork.
“Ha! You were the one who said that successful businessmen are all alike,” I protested.
“But that was before I knew that he was so nice and liked animals so much,” she replied matter-of-factly, dismissing my accusation. “And the exception proves the rule. Plus,” she added, “you can’t mistrust all men forever. Otherwise, you’ll end up a nun.”
I turned her words over in my mind for a moment before asking, “And what if he really does have shady intentions?”
“Only one way to find out. Sure, you can take the easy way out and just ignore him . . . Or you can take a risk for once in your life and maybe end up finding happiness. Believe me, there’s nothing worse than continually asking yourself, What if?”
I considered her advice, weighing the pros and cons. “Okay, I’ll do it,” I said at last. “But only if you talk to the French guy.”
Her eyes widened briefly; then she swallowed hard and nodded in agreement. We had a deal.
“Is this okay? I didn’t know how I ought to dress for a meeting outside the office,” I asked Luca, opening my coat so that he could see my outfit. We’d just met up in front of the club and were waiting for his guests.
He gave me a predatory smile. “You look perfect, as always” was his charming reply.
“Well, thanks,” I said, and felt a drop of rain land on my cheek.
“Maybe we should wait inside,” Luca suggested as more and more drops fell and it began to drizzle.
We were shown to our reserved table and sat down. It was in the VIP area, which was cordoned off with a velvet rope, like on a red carpet.
Five minutes later, Luca’s guests began to arrive. The first, Phillip, was a large round man with long black hair tied back into a ponytail. Phillip owned a strip club and was far too tan for his age, which gave his skin a leathery look.
Tony, the second guy, owned a cocktail bar in Charlottenburg; unlike Phillip, he seemed harmless and friendly. Three other men joined us, all of whom owned questionable nightclubs. The reason for this strange meeting was that some of Marcs Entertainment’s regular clients wanted to throw a VIP party at one of the clubs. Luca’s job was to generate interest and negotiate the best price, and my . . . Well, the reason for my presence there would become clear soon enough.
“Gentlemen, I’m glad we were able to arrange this so quickly,” Luca said to start the discussion. His clothes were elegant but not overly businesslike. His dark-blue shirt was tucked into his black silk pants, which he wore with a brown belt. He hadn’t combed his hair, so it was sticking out in every direction, just the way I liked it. How did he manage to make his hair look so casual and yet so deliberate? I think it was an art only he understood . . . Well, he and Edward Cullen from Twilight.
While Luca told the men what his clients were looking for, I took notes about their clubs. Phillip, for example, had a three-story space available to rent, but he wanted a lot more money for it than the clients were prepared to spend. Tony’s place, meanwhile, was quite a ways from Mitte, but it had three bars, and he won points on price. So the negotiations ran their course, and my job was to pay close attention and take notes for Luca.
Phillip’s longing glances in my direction didn’t escape me, but I deliberately ignored them. The fact that he looked like a stereotypical pimp wasn’t the problem, but did he have to undress me with his eyes, as though he wanted to hire me as a stripper? I had the bad luck of sitting directly across from him, and it didn’t help that more and more alcohol flowed as the evening went on. It was good for Luca, of course, because nothing lightened the mood faster than a few drinks, but after a while the guy started to really bug the hell out of me.
“How about a glass of wine, sweetheart?” Phillip asked at one point. “You look thirsty.”
Sweetheart? “No, thanks,” I declined politely. “I’m just fine with water.”
“Oh, come on, you have to at least try the champagne.”
“Thanks, but I’m here on business,” I insisted, unintentionally casting a glance at Luca. I’d actually been trying not to look at him—after all, I wasn’t a dog who needed her master’s permission. I was perfectly capable of making my own decisions, and if I didn’t want to drink, I wasn’t going to drink, no matter what my boss said.
But the already-tipsy Phillip apparently wasn’t taking me seriously: he simply leaned across the table, took my glass, and poured me a sip. “Here, I’ll decide for you.” He grinned. “Then your boss can’t complain.”
I responded with a smile, albeit a forced one, but left the glass untouched.
“Luca, tell your assistant to have a drink,” he pleaded, and it was all I could do not to gape at him in shock. Did I look like a lapdog or something?
“Even if he did, I wouldn’t,” I snapped, whereupon Phillip gave me an astonished look. He stared at me first, then at Luca.
I didn’t know how I expected Luca to react, but I certainly didn’t think he’d have my back. “What can I do? My assistant has a mind of her own,” he said in an amused tone, which made the others laugh. Phillip squinted at me for another moment, as though he couldn’t believe I’d raised my voice; then he halfheartedly laughed along with the rest of the table.
“I’m impressed. My secretary always agrees to everything,” a man named Oliver piped up. “I wish I had your assistant.” He winked at me.
Apparently, that was meant as a compliment, so I smiled politely. Truly unbelievable. These guys were talking about me like I wasn’t even there.
“Think you could loan her to me?” Oliver added after swallowing some wine.
I met Luca’s eyes, and without looking away, he replied, “I’m sorry, but Ms. Neumann is mine and mine alone.” I felt heat rising up within me, and suddenly my fingers were itching to pick up the glass after all. How did he make his voice sound so . . . seductive?
I spent the rest of the time listening quietly to their conversation, taking a few notes every now and then. Everyone seemed to have forgotten I was there, except when I excused myself to the ladies’ room and they stood up out of politeness. I took my time in the restroom, especially because they had stopped talking about business a while ago, so I wouldn’t miss anything.
I’d been watching Luca closely. He’d ordered himself a soda, while the others guzzled champagne by the gallon. He was good at steering conversation in the direction he wanted and was a mast
er at cracking jokes at exactly the right moment, so it hadn’t taken him long to win over the entire group. No wonder his dad had entrusted this to him—Luca was better than anyone at wrapping people around his little finger. Was he doing the same to me?
On the train, I recalled, he’d said he was extremely observant, and that was true. Every time I looked at him, he was watching the others with cool precision, as though he were memorizing all their strengths and weaknesses so that he could use them to his advantage later. It was fascinating to watch him at work. It was like following a predatory cat on his nightly prowl.
Eventually—I’d already had to suppress a couple yawns—the meeting was over, and Luca and I said our good-byes to the others.
“How was it?” he asked as we walked toward the train station.
I held my notebook aloft and waved it around. “Very informative. I took five whole pages of notes,” I joked.
Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t easy to trick Luca, which was generally a positive quality, but one that I found extremely inconvenient just then. He stopped in his tracks, so I was forced to do the same. “And what did you really think?” His look was penetrating; nothing I said or did would escape his attention.
“Is that really important? I’m your assistant, and even if I did find it repulsive and wish I could break a bottle over that Phillip guy’s head, this is my job, and I have to deal with it, just like everyone else.”
“I don’t think you’re just like everyone else, Sophia,” he said in a strange tone. “Not at all. And surely you must have noticed by now that I don’t treat you like any old assistant, either.”
Oh no, don’t look at me like that! My heart was pounding and my knees were going weak. Looking at me that way when he was that attractive simply wasn’t fair. Luca was certainly good at throwing people off. At the moment, I was having a hard time concentrating on what he was saying, because I was losing myself in his eyes, which seemed almost magical in the light of the streetlamp. I didn’t have captivating eyes like his, eyes that probably made other women swoon by the dozen. Mine were brown and completely ordinary.
“You mean because I’m allowed to drink alcohol? How generous, Mr. Marcs,” I scoffed, which destroyed the moment. I acted like I hadn’t understood what he was getting at, just like always, and started to walk away. He followed me, visibly dissatisfied—but that was perfectly fine with me. I didn’t want to feel any chemistry between us, and I certainly didn’t want him to think of me as anything more than his assistant. I wasn’t, and I never would be.
Dammit, I thought a moment later. I was doing it again. I was blocking all his attempts to get closer, even though I’d promised Lisa I wouldn’t. Man, I hadn’t thought it would be so hard to open myself up again, but apparently I was pretty rusty in that regard.
“Anyway, you don’t have to accompany me to night meetings anymore if you don’t want to,” he said.
I looked up at him. “But that’s part of my job.”
“No, it isn’t.” He smiled ruefully. “Or do you really believe I need someone to take notes for me while I sit around with a few guys over drinks? Maybe things would be different at a conference with thirty people, but this was pretty casual.”
I laughed indignantly. “So you’re saying that my presence tonight was entirely unnecessary?”
“Only unnecessary from a business perspective. What I’m trying to say is that, as far as I’m concerned, you could have just as well stayed home this evening. My father’s the one who makes the rules around here, but you don’t have to come along in the future if you don’t want to. My father thinks you assistants make so much money that you ought to be doing something in exchange. That’s why he schedules you in unnecessarily for these nighttime meetings. Total crap, if you ask me.”
And he wanted to go against his dad for me? “What would your father say?” I asked.
He laughed. “He’ll never know the difference. Unless you absolutely insist on coming with me, of course—then I’ll have to bring you,” he added with a wink.
I grinned. “Don’t take this personally, but I’d really rather not.”
“I thought so.” He nodded, smirking. “But you have to do one thing for me.”
I sighed. “I knew there was a catch.”
“Just a tiny one. Come out for a drink with me.”
I bit my lip. My first instinct was to turn him down immediately, but I was trying to change.
“It doesn’t have to be alcoholic,” he added, seeing my hesitation.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek for a moment. “Okay,” I said.
He seemed genuinely surprised that I had agreed so quickly, then cheerfully led me to the nearest bar.
“So, Sophia, tell me about yourself.” Luca leaned back in his chair and sipped his soda. It occurred to me that I’d never seen him drink alcohol.
“Not that there’s anything exciting to tell, but what exactly do you want to know?” I asked.
“Do you have siblings?”
“No.”
“Do you like going to the movies?”
“Not often.”
“Any plans for the future?”
“Getting my first paycheck,” I replied dryly. “What?” I said when he laughed.
Smirking, he shook his head. “I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on in your head. Normally I can read people pretty well, and it only takes me a few seconds to figure out who I’m dealing with, but you . . . You’re a mystery to me.”
“Oh yeah?” I said suspiciously. I’d considered myself an open book. “What makes you say that?” I inquired, taking a sip of my cocktail.
“Well, you agree to go running with me, but then you act standoffish. You let me invite you out for a drink, but then you hardly tell me anything about yourself. Most of the time you’re brooding about something, but I have no idea what. So I get the impression that you want to give it a shot, but you’re not sure,” he concluded.
“Give what a shot?” I asked and felt my mouth suddenly go dry. And he claimed he couldn’t read me? He had me all figured out.
“I dunno,” he said, regarding me thoughtfully.
I wanted to respond somehow, wanted to explain why I had such a hard time trusting people . . . But then I looked past him and froze. “Oh God, there’s Mary,” I whispered and scooted over so that his body blocked me from her view.
He stared at me as though he couldn’t believe I was actually hiding. “And what exactly is the problem?”
“That we’re here together, of course,” I said in a reproachful tone.
His expression turned to one of amusement. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me or something?”
“Of course not, but you’re my boss, and I don’t want her spreading any rumors,” I said, making myself even smaller.
“I didn’t think you’re the kind of person who worries about what other people say,” he remarked, and something in his voice made me look up.
“I’m not.” When he merely raised his eyebrows skeptically—my actions weren’t exactly matching my words—I added, “Normally!”
Just at that moment, Mary spotted me and came strolling in our direction. I groaned and waited until she’d reached us. She’d left her girlfriend back at the bar, and judging by the smug look on her face, she had nothing but kind things to say, as usual. When she saw who was with me, though, her smirk faded.
“Mr. Marcs—I mean, Luca. What are you doing here?” She couldn’t have sounded any more crushed if she’d tried. She looked like her entire world was crumbling . . . which was exactly what I’d wanted to avoid. I could see the headlines already: “New Girl Pursues Senior Manager.”
“Sophia and I are just coming from a meeting. How was your day?” he inquired.
Her eyes flicked between him and me, as though she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Um .
. . great . . . so . . . I’ve gotta go now,” she stammered and hurried off again. Man, I’d never seen her so tongue-tied.
I sipped my drink timidly and then looked over at Luca, who was watching me in amusement. “What’s so funny?” I wanted to know.
“Nothing,” he said, still grinning. “You just look like you wish the ground would open up and swallow you.”
“Because the whole company will have heard about this by tomorrow, and all kinds of weird rumors will start spreading about us . . . Of course, as the boss you won’t hear any of them!”
“Go out with me.” It was such an out-of-the-blue request that I choked on my drink. I could feel myself turning red, which had nothing to do with my near asphyxiation, and a smirking Luca leaned across the table to pat my back.
“Are you being serious?” I asked once I could breathe again.
“Deadly serious,” he said, taking a sip from his glass.
“Why?” I blurted out. I’d actually wanted to agree to go out with him, but then the question had popped into my head and escaped my lips.
Contrary to my expectations, he didn’t need long to formulate his answer. “Because I’ve wanted to get to know you better ever since we first met.”
“I kind of doubt that.” I laughed, but even as I said it, a warm, tingling sensation washed over me. Luca Marcs wanted to go out with me. With me! “You were the world’s biggest jerk,” I added, although I hardly sounded offended. I was long since over his behavior on the train, and anyway, I’d been pretty unpleasant myself.
“Only because I was in a bad mood that day.” He smiled apologetically. “My dad had called me back from vacation early, just because I’d sent him some goddamned statistics late, and I was really pissed off about it. And I’ll be honest with you: my last breakup wasn’t that long ago, so I’d had it with women. All my life, I’ve dated either successful or ambitious women, because my father thinks that I need to be with someone who is my equal in that regard. And then you came into my compartment. Another stuck-up businesswoman, I thought, exactly the type I’m so sick of. But then I realized pretty quickly that you were nothing like them. You didn’t even know how to button a jacket correctly. And suddenly I was more entertained than I had been in a long time . . . and I realized that I definitely had to get to know you.”
Next Stop: Love Page 10
