by India Kells
“I wouldn’t make any promises if I were you.”
A man entered the office and closed the door before offering his hand. “I’m Detective Liam Harker from the Chicago PD. I’m normally from Major Crimes.”
Zoe did a double take. “Did I kill someone I don’t know about?”
The man smiled, amused. He was tall and strong, but not bulky, more like an Olympic swimmer. His brown hair had strong reddish highlights, the same as she could detect in his five o’clock beard. His eyes seemed blue, but when he came forward, it seemed as if they shone silver. He brought a chair and sat beside the canine. To her surprise, he opened his hand and there was a piece of donut in it. Suspicious at first, the dog sniffed, but quickly chomped down the treat. One minute later, the detective gently brushed his fingers over the dog’s head. The poor pup let him, but it would need a bit more than that to restore his faith in men.
“I’m not here on official business, but as a friend. I just got a call from Gabrielle.”
At the name, Zoe gaped. “You know Gabrielle?”
“I met her last year and worked with her on occasion. She told me what was going on and asked me to help smooth things over if needed.”
Zoe wiggled her nose. “She must be pissed at me.”
The detective shook his head. “I believe it would take much more to upset her. She’s used to dealing with much more complicated situations.”
“And you were dispatched to save me and the dog?”
“You could say that. And to put you back on course with keeping an eye on my brother.”
And it clicked. The tall stature, the gray eyes, the handsome face with the familiar square jaw were tell-tale signs.
“How many are there of you?”
Liam shrugged. “We’re still up in the air on that. Now, I’ll make sure no charges are pressed against you.”
“Thank you. But what about the dog? I’m not letting that man put his hands on him again.”
“You can’t take him to Blackwood’s offices, Zoe.”
Lifting her chin, she would be damned if she’d leave the poor animal on the streets either. Liam Harker may be on her side, but he would have to learn that she had ideas of her own.
After a while and resigned that he wouldn’t be able to change her mind, the cop offered a solution. “If I promise to take care of him, personally, until we find him a home, would that be suitable?”
“A good home.”
Now a smile pulled at his lips. “You want a full background check, or do you trust my instincts on that?”
Adorably annoying man. “You want a slap on the back of your head or a simple and sincere thank you?”
He bit his lip, but Zoe knew he was highly amused. “I’ll take the thank you. From the state of your attacker, you have a mean punch.”
Zoe puffed. “Only my bag touched his face, after he kicked the dog. The rest he did to himself. There were lots of people that witnessed his acrobatic talents.”
He got to his feet. “Duly noted. I’ll take good care of your stray. And try not to get in any more trouble.”
Zoe smiled sweetly. “I’ll try my best, but ‘Trouble’ is my middle name.”
The detective grumbled something under his breath and took the leash. As she patted the dog one last time, she hurried outside. An hour late wasn’t so bad after all. Was it?
Rushing out, she foraged in her bag, trying to find her phone when she bumped into someone.
“Ms. Somersby.” The surprise of hearing Archer Blackwood’s voice made her jump and fall backward. Just as she thought her ass would hit the pavement, strong arms came around her, stopping her tumble. Pressed against Blackwood’s dark suit that covered a hard-muscled chest, Zoe was tempted to let her body relax and her hands wander. And that would have been the worst of ideas. “Can you stand on your own now, Ms. Somersby?”
The disdain in his voice felt like a cold shower and she pushed away from him. “There was no need to come and get me, sir, I was on my way to the office.”
“And a detour to the police station was your way of coming straight to the office?”
Zoe crossed her arms, facing the irritating man. “Everything was under control.”
“I doubt it as you’re coming out of a police station.”
“Stop it! I didn’t do anything wrong.”
It was now his turn to cross his arms, frustrated. Clearly, this control freak was growing more irritated by the second, and after all, she owed him an explanation.
“Thank you for coming here. I know your time is precious. I was on my way to work when I saw a man beating a dog. I couldn’t pass by without intervening. I didn’t think the police would get involved, but it happened. You may think I’m stupid, or even an annoying, sensitive female, and honestly, I don’t care, so keep your thoughts to yourself. With respect, sir.”
Ready for a fight, Zoe couldn’t believe her eyes when Blackwood looked at the police station, nodding. “The right thing to do, Ms. Somersby. I always thought interpreters and translators were meek little mice, silent, never daring to take a stance. You prove to be a surprise.”
His voice had a warmth and an approving tone that threw Zoe off somehow. The last thing she thought was that he would agree with her. It was quick, and short lived as his cold mask returned as he ushered her into a town car, already listing all that she had to do, and how late she was.
Zoe looked at him, half listening, and wondered what kind of man lay under all that ice and power. Maybe, if the stars were aligned, a good man.
Chapter 5
It was decided and set in stone this time. Her third day at work would be the very best, most awesome day. That’s exactly what Zoe mumbled to herself when she left her apartment, bought a morning coffee on her way, got onto the bus, rode the elevator up to Blackwood Corporation, bumped into the Barbie receptionist and spilled her drink all over her cream sheath dress. It would be a better day. Well, fuck that.
The only upside was that her cup was half full and barely warm by the time the receptionist decorated her outfit. And Zoe couldn’t even scream at the girl whose big baby blues filled up with tears as she collapsed on her knees on the reception’s carpet and started sobbing.
What could go worse apart from the scene attracting people from surrounding offices, including her charming boss with Ellen on his heels, as well as Lance and Kai only steps behind. At the look on Blackwood’s face, her early morning mantra went straight down the toilet. His stare barely stopped at the poor sobbing supermodel at his feet and instead zeroed in on her.
“You can’t wear that at work.”
Zoe thought she’d misheard, but one look at Lance whose wince told her that her ears were functioning just fine. Ellen crouched by the poor receptionist and quickly dragged her away. Unable to utter a single word that wouldn’t get her fired on the spot and thus compromise her mission, Zoe bit her lip and went straight into her office. Dropping the now empty paper cup in the trash, she put her bag away when Blackwood appeared in her door.
“We have a meeting.”
“And I need a minute to try to attempt to be presentable again, sir.”
Blackwood looked at her long enough to make her body heat up. When he looked at her again, she could swear the icy gray had thawed just a little.
“Remove it.”
Again, it took all her wit and war-honed self-control not to tell him to fuck off. Instead, sarcasm, kicked in. “Of course, help me out of this dress, by all means. I always wanted to strut half naked in my underwear in an office filled with people in the middle of the day. So glad I thought to put on a garter belt this morning! At least I’ll be in proper business attire.”
This time, Blackwood blinked as he seemed to realize what he’d said and how it had sounded. Calmly, he put his hands in the pockets of his charcoal three-piece suit.
“Let me rephrase that, Ms. Somersby. As we are entering a critical phase of the negotiations, I need you at the office. But I guess this accident makes w
earing that dress uncomfortable, so allow me to send it to the dry cleaners.”
It was the most words he had ever spoken in her presence. And his British accent was starting to hook her.
Zoe sighed, her irritation lessening. “That’s very generous of you, but I’ll tough it out. I just loved that dress and it’s difficult finding nice clothes that fit my figure.”
Blackwood frowned and looked at her body once more. “There’s nothing wrong with your figure.”
Speechless wasn’t her normal reaction, but at his sudden complement, her brain fried for a second. And then she saw a sliver of amusement on his face. It was quite unexpected. Before she could grasp it, he started talking again. “I’ll send someone to buy you another dress, so you won’t have to wear coffee all day, or return home.”
Wincing, she grabbed his forearm without thinking about it. The way his muscle flexed under the fabric made her jerk her hand away as she’d touched a burning pan.
“Thanks for the offer, but shopping for me is complicated, and I’m not kidding. Gimme a minute and I’ll be ready. You want me in the conference room?” As soon as the words escaped her mouth, they were followed by a painful moan. Instead of digging herself even deeper, she just passed by him and kept going.
As she went through reception, she gave a tight smile to the receptionist who returned it with a trembling smile, almost on the verge of dissolving into tears again. Zoe couldn’t imagine someone being so sensitive. She would never have survived in the real world.
As she was closer to the executive bathroom, where Zoe could lock herself inside, it was tempting to shove her head into one of their pristine toilet bowls and flush until she drowned her embarrassment.
One look in the mirror made her drop her head in defeat. At first, she’d hoped that the coffee stain would look somewhat artistic, intended by the designer, but she should have known that, with her luck, chances were slim. Mostly, it looked like exactly what it was. A brownish line from spilled coffee. Elegant.
Quickly, she took several paper towels and did her best to absorb the liquid and wipe her legs and arms of the sticky residue. That was the best she could do. Her hair was still styled in a fancy twist, her glasses perched on her nose. That would have to be enough. Her eyes detailed her body and it reminded her of Blackwood’s words about her figure. Touching her rounded hip, she straightened her shoulders. Was that only an empty compliment, or was it sincere? And since when did she care about what men said? It must have been something in Chicago’s water; Lance being a gentleman, Kai being a flirt, and Archer Blackwood being... still a mystery probably.
It was useless to hide in the bathroom forever, so she lifted her chin and left. Glad that the crying Madonna was not at her desk, Zoe made a quick detour by her office to check her schedule, grab her tablet, a pen, and notebook and went to the conference room for the first meeting of the day.
Just as she rounded the corner, Ellen shot out of her office. “Are you alright, Zoe? Oh dear! Look at that dress. Maybe with the proper treatment…”
Zoe smiled. “The only proper treatment is a garbage can. It’s ruined, Ellen. And it’s okay, it was an accident. How’s the receptionist handling it? I don’t remember her name, sorry.”
“Cynthia. She’ll survive. A fragile creature it seems.” A touch of sarcasm colored her voice, making Zoe appreciate the woman even more. “Are you sure you don’t want to get changed? Or ask someone to go collect a change of clothes from your home?”
Her mind reverted to Kai implying that he had opened her panties drawer and that wasn’t something she wanted to repeat. “I’ll think about it. But I’m late for our meeting.”
“Oh, about that, Mr. Blackwood has rescheduled it. It was with the Finance department and head of security for the meetings next week. By the way, have you seen the new chauffeur who was hired this morning?? Or that bodyguard for that matter.” Ellen fanned herself. “I feel like a cougar all of a sudden.”
Zoe couldn’t help but snort. “Well, if I ever talk to the men, I’ll let them know your interest.”
Ellen slapped her playfully on her arm. “Don’t you dare! And if I were you, I’d be the one making a move. If I remember right, both the new chauffeur and bodyguard had their eyes on you this morning.”
If only she knew. “No better way to attract a man than to spill coffee all over your dress.”
“Not that! I prefer blonds, but that bodyguard. I wonder what he looks like with his long hair out of his ponytail, and out of his suit.”
Zoe shook her head and doubted Ellen would be as excited if she saw Kai in his ugly Hawaiian shirt. “Okay then, I’ll tell him that too if I ever meet him. In the meantime, I’ll return to my translations.”
“Wait! Mr. Blackwood has canceled the general meeting, but he wants to see you in his office.”
Oh goody! She must have grimaced because Ellen offered her a kind smile and a touch on her hand. “He’s not as bad he seems, my dear.”
“That’s because you’re a saint!”
Ellen smirked, her face full of humor. “Maybe. But Mr. Blackwood has been good to me since I started working for him. You’ll see, after a while, he won’t appear as distant.”
Zoe doubted it, and she would need proof of that, although she may have had a glimpse of that at the police station. “I’d better go. Call a rescue party if I’m not back for lunch.”
The older woman laughed and returned to her office. Zoe was half joking, not very enthusiastic at the idea of spending time alone with the CEO. However, if it would allow her to get intel for the team, she was ready to sacrifice her sanity.
Blackwood’s office occupied a generous portion of the northern corner of the floor. The door was ajar, and she simply peered inside. He was there, his back to her, hands in pockets, his gaze lost on the city sprawled at his feet. He had removed his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his white shirt. His vest accented his build and slim waist. There was nothing soft or paunchy on this CEO. He reminded her of Kai in that regard. Lance was bulkier and taller. Kai was the one you didn’t see coming, but to the trained eye, his body revealed a lot. While Kai felt like an irritating little brother, Archer Blackwood stirred darker feelings inside her; annoyance, confusion, heat. All the things that would blur her mind and compromise her mission if she let them take over her mind. Her eyes detailed his wide back, his shoulders and muscled arms stretching the material. The more she examined him, the more curious she was. Her eyes widened at the ink she saw on his arms, near his elbows. Tattoos? It clashed with his image of a fierce and clean-cut CEO. She wondered what they were and to what extent they covered his body. Another thought she had to shake off.
“The door is open, Ms. Somersby, if you haven’t noticed. That means you can enter.”
Busted! And just as she was about to ogle his perfect ass. “I wasn’t sure if you were on the phone or not.” No way this arrogant man would win at this.
He pulled his hands out of his pockets for her to see, signifying he wasn’t holding a phone.
“You could have had one of those earpieces on. You know the technology, don’t you?”
Again, a flash of silver on his handsome, undecipherable face. Not answering, he kept his mercury eyes on her and sat behind his desk, gesturing to one of the chairs.
“Not even forty-eight hours after you’ve first been hired, and you’ve caused more trouble than any of my employees in ten years.”
Zoe had to admit her mouth moved faster than her brain sometimes, and now she realized that it increased in his presence. It was as if she was desperate to destabilize him, to make him crack.
“I already told you what happened with the dog yesterday, and why. And I didn’t intend to bump into someone and spill my coffee all over myself this morning.”
“Let’s focus on what’s to come, shall we?”
Zoe was about to open her mouth, but he continued.
“I want to bring you up to speed with what’s planned for next week. This is no secret
, I’m in the process of selling all my oil rig refinery activities in the upcoming weeks. Well, it will certainly take more than a week to conclude a deal and do the sale itself, but this get-together offers the final candidates the opportunities to have more time with me in the final stages of negotiations. Your role, apart from handling all the written translations, is to be my interpreter. And when necessary, be one of the other members of senior management involved in all this.”
Zoe nodded. Nothing she couldn’t handle. “I’m ready when you are, all I need to know is what type of technology you’re using and do a few tests...”
Blackwood shook his head. “No technology, no outside booth until we are forced to. You’ll remain by my side at all times until given other instructions.”
“There is no need for me to be there with you.”
“More often than not, you’ll be by my side. That was what you were hired for. If I require, we’ll use a booth. You’ll be advised.”
Well, there wasn’t much more to say on the matter.
“Also, as of today, security is increased for all personnel.” He opened a drawer in his desk and retrieved an envelope. “Inside you will find an ID card that you must carry at all times as well as the new access codes to reach this floor. Memorize it. Starting tomorrow, a security liaison, Mr. Jones, will be on the floor. Ellen will give you all the required information. If you must return home late, a chauffeur will drive you.”
“I assure you, it’s not necessary.”
“It’s not a request, but an order, Ms. Somersby. One you will follow to the letter, starting right now.”
Her first reaction was to snap back, but another thought niggled the back of her mind.
“Why the step up in security?”
His closed face and swift annoyance at her question was an answer in itself. “Let’s say that some people want what I have more than others. These are only precautionary measures.”
According to her inner radar, this was a load of cookie crumbles, and she was about to say it when a light flashed, and a strange beep came from Blackwood’s phone.
