Page 73 of A Deal in Darkness
“Lunch?”
Emily tucks her sharply cut short hair behind her ear. “I’ll take you out. You need to know the good places around here, to entertain clients, and we can talk about this book.”
I swallow and the ominous sense of dread rises from the pit of my stomach. Time alone with Emily is bad enough, but leaving the safety of the office might be dangerous. I don’t know what she wants, but I know Enzo was worried enough to ask Byron to investigate.
And I’m not sure if this breaks Enzo’s rules.
It’s not that I want to obey him.
I just don’t want to get into trouble.
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to go, and I’m still figuring it out when Emily starts tapping her foot impatiently. She’s irritable and pissing your boss off is never a good idea, especially not when you started two days ago and haven’t contributed anything.
“Perfect,” I beam through an entirely false smile. “I’ll meet you down in reception. I need the bathroom.”
Emily taps her hand on the doorframe, lets her grin widen, and then leaves. Her heels clink as she marches across the associate’s office and I notice them pull themselves upright, smartening their appearance as she walks past them. They’re afraid of her, or at least cautious enough to snap to attention in her presence.
I grab my phone and message Enzo. He’s probably going to be pissed, but he’ll be fucking furious if I don’t contact him. The phone rings in seconds and my stomach sinks as I answer it.
“She insisted, Enzo. I didn’t have a choice. I’ve got to go for lunch with her and I’ve got no idea where she’s taking me.”
There’s a beat of silence and then another.
“It’s okay, baby.”
He sounds calm. Composed. Maybe even happy. There’s a lightness in his voice that I rarely hear, and he hasn’t raised his voice. Not in the slightest.
“Thank you for telling me, baby girl. I'll be there. Always. You don't need to worry.”
“But she'll...”
“Trust me, Adi. I know what I'm doing. Relax and I'll see you soon.”
Enzo hangs up and I grab my bag, racing to reception. Emily's waiting, doing something on her phone, and she clicks it shut.
“French or Italian?” she asks.
“Both,” I reply, blushing as she laughs. “I like both.”
We leave the office and walk along the streets, as Emily points out the bars and a few she considers worthy of showing clients. She's giving me a guided tour and the information is welcome, but a little overwhelming.
The waterfront is busy, and the converted warehouses now house many businesses. People are enjoying themselves on their lunch breaks, laughing in small groups as they take time out of their offices. Some are having working lunches and others are simply relaxing, glad to be away from work for a while.
“Tell me about the book you like so much.”
“It's fantasy romance. The world building's good and there's lots of adventure. Each chapter leaves you wanting more and I think it's good. Maybe great.”
Emily nods as she guides me into a modern Italian restaurant. Fancy lights hang from the ceiling and the bar is entirely mirrored, reflecting the light from above and outside. It's bright, exciting, and exactly the place you take someone to impress them.
I follow her to a table and that dark, depressing sensation in my gut returns. It's making me nauseous and I don't want to eat, even when it's one of the amazing dishes that the waiters bring to other tables. My discomfort grows as she orders a bottle of wine, and this is going to be a very long lunch.
A lunch that Enzo told me to enjoy and promised would be okay.
He isn't here, and my anxiety is increasing.
Emily's staring at me and that sharp, unnerving gaze of hers has me on edge. She wants something and now I'm alone with her. She won't be leaving without it. Her fingers drum the table and I notice her pointed, manicured nails.
Someone brushes against my back as they walk past, and another shiver slides down my spine. This is full of fire, flooded with heat, and my body recognizes that it's felt this touch before.
