“Tell me all about Robert and Mark, and since when are you on a first-name basis?”
“They both seem very young, considering their success. Very professional and the house seemed one step ahead. I liked both of them, and I could see myself working there, you know?”
“Young you say.” I hear an evocative note in her teasing tone, so I don’t elaborate. No need to feed her wild imagination. Aisha will be trying to push me for more details, and I don’t know if I’m comfortable telling her that one of them made me feel things. Hot and demanding things. The things that scorch the sheets into ashes.
“Knock it off, Aisha. I’m not interested in ruining my career.” I did it once when I met Logan. I’m not willing to do it again.
She cackles. “You’re impossible.”
I snigger at her because she’s a daring one.
“Relax, I’m just joking.”
Knowing her, she isn’t.
“It feels amazing, you know.” I close my eyes, feeling a warm summer breeze on my skin, and a smile graces my lips as I watch the sky full of birds playing in the sunlight.
“What exactly?” Aisha prompts me.
“The feeling of being part of something else than being a fucked-up mother or being in the center of draining family politics. I need this adventure, this challenge to help me feel like I’m not completely worthless.” I bite my lip hard to stop the tears.
“You aren’t worthless, Cassandra. Soon, you’re going to figure it out. And when you do, you’ll see how awesome you are.”
My eyes fill up with tears of rare joy and my chest with hope.
“Thank you. I needed to hear this today.”
“Okay, I’ve got to go, my boss is staring holes through my skull right now. I swear he can sense whenever I take a break. Old fart doesn’t give me space to breathe. Bye, he’s coming over!” And the call disconnects.
Let’s see if I made an impression at Fading Ink. I might not get this position either, but at least I know what I want. And I don’t want to work at the bank anymore. It was a job I used to hide from my past issues. It was meant to come to an end. And this is my new beginning.
3
Spark
~Mark~
Annoyance filters through me. Dammit, I’m going to be late. The city streets were so busy, I arrived thirty minutes later than I planned. My phone buzzes with incoming emails and reminders about the meetings as I stroll into Fading Ink.
I have an important video conference with the Middle East Network store owner, who’s skittish to sign up with us. We’ll see if I can change his mind and offer something in return. Negotiations are my best skill, and that’s why Rob usually lets me deal with new clients and partners since he loves to deal with the more creative side of publishing. I’m great working with people, planning, and advancement. Our ten-year business plan already surpassed the estimated projections.
“Good morning, sir,” Gary greets me at the entrance, “you got here later than usual,” he points out, checking his watch.
“Traffic was dense,” I tell him, stepping into the elevator before he can draw me into a conversation.
“I saw people working at your floor.” Gary’s curious eyes twinkle at me waiting for my answer while my mind fills up with a redhead’s image I can’t shake off.
“We have a new employee starting to work today.” I touch my watch to check the time. “Actually, she’ll be here soon. Take care, Gary.” I press the button to the top floor to check on the progress workers got done overnight.
Cassandra made quite an impression a week ago. Neither of us expected this gorgeous woman to be this likable and keen to work here. The decision was easier to make than we both anticipated. A few days later, Robert had called Cassandra, and she had accepted our proposal. After, she signed her contract, and now she’s finally starting to work today.
We decided to utilize a small room tucked in between both our offices, previously used for storage. Cassandra will be our marketing junior assistant until she finds her footing within the company. This is my decision to keep her close and make sure she’s safe and taken care of. I owe Logan this much.
As I enter the floor, Robert dumps some paperwork on the reception desk.
“You slept here again?” I ask, amused.
“Had a late date and decided not to travel home but rather catch a few hours of sleep. Her office is ready. I think we should have done it ages ago.” He yawns, rubbing his face and raking his hair in place with his fingers.
“Well, we’re doing it now.” I bump into a few people taking out packaging leftovers and cleaning the new space. “I must admit it turned out better than I expected. What do you think?”
He nods at me with that thoughtful expression that seems way too troubled.
“What is it?”
“You sure it’s a clever idea?”
I motion for him to come into my office, and he strides after me.
“You both basically lit up the office during the interview. What if you get too close? We don’t need that kind of trouble, Mark. We worked too hard to ruin it.”
I power up my computer and get ready for the call.
“There’ll be none. I don’t plan to sleep with her.” As I speak, my body reacts, thinking about her in my arms and her luscious lips raw from my kisses parted for more. Her naked body writhing with need, begging for release. Shit!
My friend’s forehead crinkles as he draws his eyebrows together in disbelief.
“Cassandra is a gorgeous woman. Add her intelligence to the mix, and you have a disaster about to happen.” Rob rubs his face and slumps into a seat on the leather sofa. “We don’t need this.”
My stomach drops, imagining him or any other man flirting with her, making her smile. I don’t know what I’ll do if he tries to charm her. It wouldn’t be the first time he romantically got involved with an employee.
“Keep your paws off her. She’s coming here to work, not to date.” I sink as much authority into the words as I can to make the point.
Rob chortles, throwing his head to the ceiling, and then he snaps his serious gaze to me.
“You have no fucking idea how possessive you sound, my friend. I don’t think you know what you’re doing. Be careful, you’re already throwing a claim on her, and she can’t be yours. You aren’t her keeper, and the Cades won’t take this well. You owe your life to them. Don’t forget that.”
His words dig into my chest like the debt of life I don’t want to owe. A wave of anger and pain claws through me. But I curb it, knowing that whatever the future holds for me will be hell to deal with, but it might be worth it.
Instead of worrying about the unknown, I concentrate on the arranged video conference. After the chat, Rob leaves me, and I throw myself at work, needing to forget Rob's warning, family debts, and my revenge.
“Mr. Lawson, Mrs. Cade’s here.” The receptionist’s voice booms through the intercom and my heart gallops, excited to see her again.
“Let her in.” I stand up, straightening my suit jacket as she walks through the door in a burgundy figure-hugging dress and nude heels. Her pale gaze locks on me, those luscious lips stretching into a warm smile.
“Good morning, Mark.” Her eyes sparkle with excitement as I envelop her hand into mine. Electric charges zap me at the contact, and she flinches as if she felt it too.
“Ready to start?” I ask, barely recognizing my voice coated with so much desire. Cassandra beams at me, and my heart skips a beat. “Let me show you to your office, and then I’ll tell you more about your job.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I motion her to the door and place my palm on the small of her back to guide her. A sweet scent of peaches drifts to my nose from her wavy hair that’s clipped in a unique hairstyle. Dammit, she smells and looks like a dessert, and her pulse hammers at her neck, reacting to me like she’s begging for my lips. I shut my eyes, shaking off my inappropriate thoughts.
“Wow, this is perfect.” Cassan
dra steps away from me to look around, and I instantly feel empty.
The tall shelving and the view from her desk make this tight space quite remarkable. I lean my shoulder next to the entrance, watching her reaction fill up with happiness as she acquaints herself with her small workspace.
I grab a folder from the desk, offer it to her, and take a seat as she takes it from me.
“What is this?” Her melodious voice drifts through the empty room as she flips through the pages.
“Passwords to your computer and access to intranet, also other instructions, like how to navigate through the company network, contact information, and email settings for you. I also prepared a list of your tasks and assignments you should be working on.”
“This is great. I can start familiarizing with all the info straight away. Does my position involve the secretary work your receptionist already does?”
“Sometimes it might, if we get too busy. I expect you to get involved and help her. But mostly you’ll work with our marketing strategies and research. You’ll act as a liaison between departments. It’s a great spot to be in, Cassandra. You’ll learn quite a lot here,” I assure her as she scans the folder.
Her cheeks start to glow. Hearing her name roll off my tongue makes my blood heat up and my cock harden. I wonder how her skin would look ignited from the pain and pleasure combined, or how my name would sound on her lips as I pleasure her. Unable to take this growing fascination with her anymore, I rise from the chair and stride to the door to put more space between us. This obsession with her might turn into a dangerous game, and we both aren’t ready for the consequences that might follow.
“I have to make a few calls, but later I’ll have to visit other departments downstairs. Would you like me to show you around?” Unable to help myself, I offer, watching her mouth slightly part as she looks at me a little bit unsure.
“Let me know when you’re ready.”
I nod and shut the door behind me.
Dammit, perhaps Rob was right. This was a terrible idea. But she’s here now, and I want to know her better. She’s more fascinating than I thought she’d be. The way she moves, as if she’s calculating her every step. Or the way she speaks, as if she’s weighing every word. It makes my blood burn with intense desire to strip her professional façade and find out why she’s the way she is. If I hadn't delved into her past, I would have believed in the label media stamped all over her. But Cassandra was this way even before she became Mrs. Cade. This is just a disguise, and I need to understand why she still needs it.
~Cassandra~
Something about Mark makes it hard to even breathe around him or keep my armor intact. As if he can see straight through the layers of makeup and my defenses. And I hate being exposed or the center of attention. Especially when my private life is everyone’s to pick on.
Since I became Mrs. Cade, my polished appearance became a necessary measure to control the public narrative. I would gladly live a simple life that doesn’t require this much composure or self-awareness. But I made my bed, and I have to sleep in it. If I wanted a less complicated life, I should have never married Logan Cade in the first place.
But I did.
Our marriage vows aren’t the only thing keeping me in this public circus. But also immense guilt, duty, and gratitude. Except, this excuse is no longer strong enough to keep me playing the part. Heartache turned Logan’s parents and me into rivals, poisoning everything that was once beautiful. It’s time to move on and let go.
When Mark leaves, I exhale a relieved breath and start sorting through the little manual he prepared for me. I swear, this man can melt a woman’s clothes off her body with that smoldering gaze of his. But I can’t be, and won’t be, one of them.
The network phone rings. “Cassandra at your service,” I answer jokingly.
“Are you settling in well?” Robert’s warm voice filters through the speakers as I log onto my email. I can hear him yawning.
“Yes, the office is perfect, thank you. And I saw your request for research. I’m going to start working on it.”
“Great, just wanted to tell you that coffee and bagels sound awesome right now.”
“Why do you sound so tired, Mr. Greer?” I walk to the printer to make sure it’s connected to start printing a few schedules for this week and organizing my workspace. When opening the list of projects the marketing department works on, my chest thumps, excited as I scroll through it.
“Lack of sleep might be a cause,” Robert tells me. “Anyone showed you around?”
“Not yet, but Mark said he will later.” I pause, smiling. “Would you like to show me the café, Robert?”
“If the lady desires to see it, of course.” His tone sounds chirpier than seconds ago. I guess I made the right decision. “Come to my office. We’ll go together.”
Once I walk into Robert’s office, my mouth hits the ground.
“What happened in here?”
“Apocalypse of paperwork exploded.” He grunts his retort as I sneeze from the dust hanging in clouds. But then he just grabs my shoulders, surprising me. “I can’t wait any longer. I need caffeine.”
Mischief shines in his dark brown eyes as he steers me out of his office.
“Denise, meet Cassandra. I don’t think you got introduced last time.”
“Hi. I’m the one they keep imprisoned between their offices.”
Denise chortles subtly, flipping her auburn hair over her shoulder. She extends her delicate hand to me.
“Nice to meet you. These two keep me busy here too.” Her gaze shifts between us two. “Where are you both heading?” Her curious gaze skims over Robert with far too much interest for an employee. I can’t blame her; Robert is a really handsome man with a charming personality.
“To the break room. Cassandra needs to know the best hangout spots in this place.”
We chat a bit and then Robert gives her instructions, and we leave.
“Denise seems nice.” I probe him to see how he feels about his bombshell assistant.
“She’s a great employee, very meticulous. You’ll meet many of those here,” he tells me proudly, leading me to the most favorite hangout spot.
A divine smell of freshly brewed caffeine seeps into my nose as we walk into a very cozy lounging area for staff. Industrial shelves, coffee station, and tables paired with luscious leather armchairs are almost empty except for a few people lingering around.
“Hey, everyone, we have fresh meat! This is Cassandra. She’s working on the top floor with us. Be nice to her.” He shoots straight to the coffee machine like an addict, leaving me to the wolves.
Not letting myself overthink it, I force my legs to move.
A woman, not taller than me, with bright pink-colored hair cut into an edgy hairstyle I’ve never dared to sport, beams at me as I get closer. She steps forward, extending her hand before I even reach her.
“Hi, I’m Louise.” Her high-pitched voice sounds out of breath, but her energy is like a blast of warmth, making me feel welcomed. “I work with these nerdy guys in the sales department, well, except Jo.”
Surprise filters through me as I see her unusual getup and tattoos adjourning her sleeveless arms.
“Hi, I’m Cassandra. It’s nice to meet you.” I keep my reaction neutral even if I’m intrigued.
In Aleksander’s Investment Bank that my in-laws own, I was never around such personalities. We all wore the same cut clothes, spoke and acted the same. And here at Fading Ink, I’m finally around people who are allowed to be themselves. It’s a liberating experience not to try to look smarter than most of the men in the room or command respect as any woman should be treated with.
A nerdy guy with glasses and in a checkered brown suit blinks at me and then shyly waves. “That’s me, Jo. I work as a junior accountant, a floor below yours.”
“Hi, Jo.” I smile at him. “So, I’ll be coming to crunch some numbers to you, isn’t it?”
His cheeks start to glow, and he pushes hi
s glasses up his nose in a nervous manner. Not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, I look away.
But he surprises me. “Yeah, just ask for me, not Bo.”
“Bo?”
His eyes light up as he unloads all the gossip about his boss.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to meet people who aren’t playing mind games or have ulterior motives. I love the idea of coming for coffee breaks to hear all the gossip. It makes me feel like I might fit in.
When I return to my office, I start on my tasks and get lost sorting through the emails until someone raps on my door. “Come on in.”
Mark’s fine-looking frame appears in the doorway, and I halt, forgetting what I was even thinking. “Ready to look around?”
“Of course.” I rise from my chair a little bit flustered. “Robert and I had a coffee break earlier today, so we can skip the café. How was the conference?” I grab my notebook and iPad provided by the company, in case I need to make notes or schedule something.
“It went well. I’ll have a new author with their attorney coming to sign up with us later today. If you want, you can attend to see how it’s done.” His throaty voice washes over me like sensual strokes, but I shake it off, determined to stay focused on my work.
Mark leads me through every department, and I make notes, knowing I won’t remember all of it. Especially when my mind’s spinning from sensory overload being in his vicinity alone.
As soon as we enter any section of the building, people’s eyes light up, and they straighten in their seats as if the vivacity Mark possesses boosted the atmosphere from slumber to excitement in just a few seconds. It’s an impressive trait to have, and Mark has it in spades.
“Morning, Mark!”
“Morning, boss!”
Some of them stand up to holler their greetings, while others curiously follow us as we pass their tables.
Tangled IN LIES (Book#3, IN YOU) Page 3
