The anger that had been simmering beneath the surface bubbled over, and I let him have it.
“That’s certainly not how I would describe the turn of events. As I recall, I was discarded for your ten o’clock and then you hijacked my cell phone!” He looked confused for a moment, but I didn’t pause in my quiet rant. “What’s the matter? The tall girl with the black hair didn’t fulfill the needs at Turning Stone Advertising? Oh, wait – I forgot. You prefer red heads, right? That must be why you’re here. The black haired bimbo didn’t work out. For that matter, I can’t begin to figure out why you would even interview me! I didn’t think mousy brown hair did it for you. I’m not stupid, Stone. That was no job interview.”
He didn’t say anything and the silence stretched on for what seemed like eons. I just continued to glare at him. He, on the other hand, wore a look of mild disinterest that exacerbated my anger even more.
“Are you finished now, Krystina?” he asked, still ever so reserved and calm. I was taken aback.
Yeah, I’m finished all right.
I closed my laptop and stood up to leave.
“Sit down,” he barked with command. I scowled at him. But then to my surprise, his expression changed. He seemed frustrated almost, and looked as though he was having some sort of internal battle with himself. He ran a hand through his hair, all of his careful control seeming to evaporate. Finally, he took a deep breath and in a resigned voice said, “Please, Krystina. Sit down.”
Could it be? Alexander Stone, the man who defines the meaning of measured confidence, seems unsure of himself.
He reached out and placed a gentle hand on my arm. Curiosity got the best of me and I sat.
“Let’s clear the air and get a few things straight,” he said. “First of all, the ‘black haired bimbo’ that you saw? That was my younger sister, Justine. She was rather upset with me that day because I hadn’t made much time for her lately.” His face softened and he looked thoughtful. A small lopsided grin formed on his perfect lips. “The little snot actually scheduled an appointment to see me.”
His sister. Sure, that’s what they all say.
However, deep down I knew that he was most likely telling the truth. That woman was breathtakingly gorgeous, and her long, flowing ebony hair had matched his color so perfectly. I studied Alexander’s face, trying to see other similarities to the woman, only to find myself stunned once again by his extraordinary beauty. Two people that beautiful had to be related in some way. Maybe I misunderstood the affection that I saw pass between them. Even now, as he spoke of her, the expression on his face was one of tenderness, not one of a liar. Airing on the side of caution, I decided to bite my tongue and just listen.
“Secondly,” he continued. “There is a position available in the marketing division of Stone Enterprise. I would like to discuss the details of that once we get past this roadblock that we seem to be experiencing.”
“Is that what this is, Stone? A roadblock?” I snapped.
He hesitated before answering, as if choosing his words carefully.
“I’ll admit that your interview took an unexpected turn. I’m usually very good at reading women, but… you’re different for some reason.” A sardonic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“Yeah, well nothing surprises me about you, Stone. I’ve got your type all figured out,” I said cynically.
“I wouldn’t be so assuming, Krystina. I’m probably nothing like you would expect. Isn’t there an expression about not judging a book by its cover? You may find that my pages are full of surprises,” he stated, casting me a roguish look.
“I doubt that,” I said with a false air of confidence. There was something about the gleam in his eye that was unsettling, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
“Then we can continue this cat and mouse game that you seem to be so apt at playing,” he said, his lips pursed with annoyance. “However, I would rather we discuss the reasons why I’ve sought you out.”
“Fine. Have it your way, Stone. Talk. I’m all ears,” I said, keeping up with my confident façade. I sat back and folded my arms, giving the appearance of total aloofness in an attempt to hide how shaken up I was by his mere presence.
“Finishing your interview would be an unnecessary formality. I already know that I want you, Krystina.” He paused, allowing me to digest what he had said. His eyes burned into me and I struggled not to read too much into his words. “Despite what you think, I really would like to offer you a job. Very few firms are hiring and your job searches have probably returned minimal results.”
“You’re right. Nobody is hiring,” I admitted bitterly.
“Except me.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. What would this job entail?”
“Originally, the company was established for the sole purpose of providing affordable advertising to the business owners who have lease agreements with me. However, things have changed and I am looking to push Turning Stone Advertising to the next level. As of right now, the company is small and my personal knowledge of advertising is limited. If you came to work for me, I would have you manage the employees at Turning Stone and oversee all new incoming ad campaigns from start to finish.”
I was intrigued and I found myself straightening up a little in my chair. The thought of being in charge of an entire campaign was enticing, and more than just a little intimidating. I leaned forward and put my elbows on the table, itching to find out more.
“How many employees do you have at Turning Stone?”
“Currently, only three. They are mediocre on their best day, but they get the job done. For now.”
“Marketing can be very complex. Why would you start an advertising company if you didn’t know how to run it?”
“I know the basics. Enough so, that I could give direction to the few employees that I have and turn a small profit. The end goal was to help my tenants, not to make a fortune from it. Advertising in New York is very expensive. I want the businesses that pay me rent to be successful. A profitable business continues to provide me with a monthly income. Whereas, empty buildings are costly,” he finished, shrugging his shoulders indifferently.
“That makes sense,” I said thoughtfully. “But it seems like you have it all worked out. Why do you need me?”
“Surprisingly, the small firm has exceeded my expectations and other businesses have inquired about advertising with me. Because of my limited knowledge, I have refused to take on any outside clients. However, I’ve seen the potential money that can be made, and it would be foolish to hold Turning Stone back. That’s why I am looking to recruit you. I want you to build Turning Stone Advertising into a lucrative business venture for me.” He paused and rubbed his finger over his chin contemplatively. “If you can do that successfully, there may be the opportunity for a partnership down the road.”
“Having a partner doesn’t really fit your motif. You don’t strike me as the type of person that likes to answer to people. A partner means that you don’t get to call all the shots,” I told him skeptically.
He simply nodded his agreement and took my pessimism in stride.
“I’ll admit that I’ve never even considered the possibility of a partnership until now. But you have me at a slight disadvantage. Advertising is an unexplored territory for me. I may have the money to back the endeavor, but you have the knowledge that I don’t possess. I want your expertise and, in the meantime, I will pay you a substantial salary while you work on growing the business portfolio. You will be, in a sense, an investment for me.”
All of this seems to good to be true.
“I don’t know,” I said, giving voice to my doubts.
“I don’t know what you’re so unsure about, Krystina. I am offering you the chance of a lifetime. You can build a company almost from the ground up, with no cost to you.”
“Mr. Stone, I’m a recent college graduate with little to no experience in the field, other than a few brief internships in college. While I’m somewhat fla
ttered that you think I can do this, I’m sure that you could find someone with better qualifications.”
“Maybe. But I’ve done my research and I think that you are more than capable to do what needs to be done. You’re smart, determined, and driven. Those are three very admirable qualities in my book. And more importantly, I’m looking for someone that’s fresh.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet you are,” I responded with a snort. “Fresh meat is what you’re most likely after.”
The corners of his mouth tilted up slightly in a knowing smile, but he didn’t take the bait.
“I want fresh ideas – someone that’s willing to go outside the box and do what needs to be done. I often find that experienced individuals are attached to narrow-minded ideas,” he clarified.
“I’m still not buying it. What’s the catch?” I asked suspiciously.
“You’re very perceptive too, Krystina. Another admirable quality,” he said. His blue eyes flickered with mischief. “I may have a few other ideas for you as well.”
“Such as?”
“You’re an intelligent woman. Why don’t you tell me?”
“Honestly, Stone. You’re so damned cryptic all the time. I constantly feel like you’re skirting around what you really want to say. Please, enlighten me,” I said testily. I pursed my lips in annoyance. Any tolerance I might have momentarily had for playing his guessing games had reached its limit.
“You can consider it a proposition of sorts, but it’s not something that I wish to discuss here.” He waved his hand in the air in reference to the coffee shop. “We can talk about it more over dinner tonight.”
Holy crap! Is megabucks asking me out?
Not that it should have mattered. I had promised myself that I would not allow him to get under my skin again, no matter what. Even if this job were a golden opportunity, I was barely hanging on to my wavering conviction as it was. Going out to dinner with him would be my undoing. I was sure of it.
“You still didn’t answer my question. But either way, I have plans tonight,” I responded nonchalantly, lifting my chin in the air.
It wasn’t a lie exactly. I had planned a date with a treadmill.
His eyes flashed again, but this time with a dark glimmer of words unspoken, searing into me and throwing me off balance. My confidence faltered, teetering as if on the edge of a precipice, and suddenly I wasn’t so sure if I would be able to fight this battle of wills much longer.
“Fine. If you insist on me spelling out my intentions, then I will,” he said, and took an impatient breath. Placing his palms on the table, he leaned forward. “I’ve tried to get you out of my head, but my efforts don’t seem to be working. So rather than fight the inevitable, I’ve decided to just go with it. I want you, Krystina. Any way that I can have you. Preferably naked.”
WHAT? He wants me naked!
My eyes felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets. He said it so flippantly, his tone not even acknowledging the bomb that he just dropped. And it was nuclear. The thought of being naked under Alexander caused goose bumps to trickle down my spine. His blatant honesty was ridiculously hot.
Too hot. This can’t be happening.
I had to get control of this situation quickly before I succumbed to the fight.
“Um…I – I’m not sure I heard you correctly,” I stammered, trying to recover from apparent shock.
“You heard me. Be ready at six o’clock. My driver will be by your apartment to pick you up,” he informed me as he stood up.
He has a driver? Of course he has a driver. How silly of me.
Alexander pushed his chair under the table and turned to leave.
“Whoa, wait just a minute here! I said that I have plans.”
“Cancel them.”
“What if I don’t want to cancel? You can’t just order me about, Stone.” I tried to sound firm, but my voice sounded small to my ears.
“Do I strike you as the type of man who is easily put off? This is not a request, Krystina. We can finalize the details of your employment tonight, then move on to discussing more interesting things. Six o’clock,” he reminded. “Oh, and one more thing. Don’t return the phone I gave you. You’ll need it when you come to work for me.”
The phone.
I had completely forgotten about it. I sat there, still wide-eyed, not sure what to make of the turn of events that had just unfolded. His assumption that I was going to accept his job offer was irritating. Ordering me to join him for dinner just plain ticked me off. But the fact that he came right out and said that he wanted me naked…well, that had the devil on my shoulder rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
I was so flustered that I didn’t even register that he had walked away from the table.
Wait – what just happened here?
I turned around in my chair and almost called out to him, to remind him that he didn’t know where I lived, but then I stopped myself. Alexander Stone knew exactly where I lived. I had a new cell phone as proof.
I watched him saunter towards the exit. The man had the sexiest ass that I had ever seen. Just the sight of him had me throwing all reservations to the wayside. I wanted him. Desperately. No matter how hard I tried to fight it, I couldn’t resist him. I knew with an absolute certainty that I would be ready tonight when his driver came to pick me up.
CHAPTER 11
I climbed into the black leather driver’s seat of my Tesla Model S with a satisfied grin on my face. I had finally made some headway with Krystina.
Regardless of whether or not she took the job that I was readily willing to give her, there would be no changing what happened that day in my conference room. And there would be no going back after our conversation in the coffee shop.
She would be difficult for me, of that I was sure. Her quick wit and firecracker temper made me want to put her over my knee.
But I have her attention now.
I was able to see that she had been intrigued by the job proposition, especially after I impulsively sweetened the pot with a potential partnership. And my cock instantly went hard when I saw the flash of desire in her eyes after I told her that I wanted her naked. I knew that I had gotten to her.
However, she had a suspicious nature about her, and she was extremely distrusting. That alone could pose a serious problem. I knew that I would have to be careful and I wasn’t naïve to the risks I was taking with her. Krystina was a wild card. One wrong move, and this could all blow up in my face. She was the antithesis to every rule that I had in the book. But I found her to be irresistible nonetheless, and I would do whatever I had to do to possess her. If that meant a little extra effort on my part in order to tame her, then so be it.
Having cleared my schedule for the remainder of the day, I shifted lanes in the city traffic and headed towards the interstate. Using the touchscreen of the car, I activated the phone system to get Hale on the line. He picked up after the first ring.
“Hale, I’m leaving the city for a few hours. There’s a parcel of land in Westchester that I’m going to look at.”
“Do you want me to meet you there?”
“No, that’s not necessary. Did you get those papers to Charlie?” I asked.
“All set, boss.”
“And he signed them?”
“Of course he did. He would have been stupid not to. You had him. It was either he takes the lump sum once and for all, or you’d hit him with an extortion charge. Stephen was brilliant with the wording of that contract. Your sister can rest easy now.”
“It fucking killed me to give that worm another cent. I just hope you’re right,” I said warily. “Charlie Andrews isn’t the brightest bulb, but we shouldn’t underestimate him.”
“I don’t think he’d risk doing any time in jail,” Hale predicted.
“You don’t know him like I do. The only reason why he wouldn’t want to end up behind bars is because that would mean time away from his dice. Keep an eye on him for a while, will you?”
“Sure
thing. I’m headed to Stephen’s office now to drop off the signed document.”
“Good. After you have that all squared away, I’ll need you to pick up Krystina Cole at her place at six. I have a meeting with her.”
“A meeting,” he repeated. I could hear the humor in his voice and I frowned.
I had seen the knowing look on Hale’s face in the rearview mirror when I told him to research Krystina the other day, and I could only imagine what he was thinking when I had asked him to track her location. I hated that I felt like I had to explain myself – which of course I didn’t. His contracted salary and job description did not include keen observations of my personal life.
“Don’t start with me, Hale. I don’t pay you to speculate. Just be there. I’ll text you the address of where I want you to take her.”
“Aye-aye, Captain.”
Smart-ass.
I ended the call and turned onto the ramp for the I-495. After opening the car’s glass panoramic roof, I hit the accelerator. Gripping the wheel, I embraced the blistering force of the car, and left the city madness behind.
****
On the subway ride home from La Biga, I struggled to wrap my head around Alexander’s job offer. The opportunity was incredible to say the least. Different advertising schemes turned in my mind. The idea of finally putting my degree to use was exciting, and I had found myself wondering about the sort of businesses and products that he would want me to market.
And a possible partnership? This is the chance that I’ve been waiting for. I’d be a fool to turn it down.
But then again, there were some major strings attached to his offer, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about them.
The feminist side of me wanted to scream. He offered me a job, only to follow it up with a not-so-appropriate proposition.
Who does he think he is? This is one stained blue dress short of a sexual harassment suit – if I had half a brain, I’d be Googling Kenneth Starr’s case notes right now!
Heart of Stone Page 10
