Page 74 of A Deal in Darkness
“Adriana?”
I turn my head as Enzo calls my name.
“What are you doing...” he smiles, turning back around. “I thought you were working...” His deep brown eyes snap to Emily and he tilts his head. “I see I'm interrupting. Forgive me.”
Emily smiles back at him, fluttering her eyelids a little as she drops her shoulders and sticks her chest out. My boss is flirting with whatever the hell Enzo is to me, and the pulse of jealousy that rips through me is like a lightning bolt.
It's pure, unbridled envy and it confirms everything I'd feared was true. I'm attached to Enzo and it isn't because of our deal. I've fallen for the asshole and it's a fucking disaster.
“I'm having lunch with a friend,” Enzo adds, resting his hand on my shoulder. “You might know her, Emily. She's written a book or two.”
Emily's eyebrows rise, and Enzo tightens his grip on my shoulder. His message is crystal clear: stay still and don't interrupt. Obey or face the consequences.
“I don't suppose she's looking for an agent?” Emily jokes.
“She might be. I understand she's having problems with her new manuscript. But I don't want to ruin your lunch by talking shop.”
Those perfectly manicured hands wave in the air like it's nothing. Enzo pulls his phone out as he walks to the front door, presumably checking the new lunch arrangement suits his friend. Or employee. Or whoever it is who owes him a favor.
He claps his hands as he returns, taking a seat at our table.
“Anna's running a little late. She's delighted to join us and said to order for her.”
Emily clicks her fingers to attract the waiter's attention and it annoys me. We order and she makes small talk with Enzo, talking about her recent holiday on the Italian Riviera. Emily has expensive taste and she edges closer to Enzo, still flirting with him.
In my fucking presence.
He laughs at one of her unfunny jokes and slides his hand onto my thigh. That uncomfortable, unpleasant feeling starts to rise again, and Enzo arches an eyebrow, picking up on it.
“We should go, baby. It's about time I took you away for a weekend.” He leans in and plants a chaste kiss on my cheek. “Ah, Anna's here.”
He stands and another tall, elegant woman walks over. Her hair is a flame of auburn and her striking features catch the attention of every man in the restaurant.
If this is a taste of the competition for Enzo's attention, then I'm way out of my league. I sigh as Emily stands and her hand gestures for me to follow her direction. I rise as my stomach sinks, overcome by the awful aura Emily's emitting.
“Anna, meet Adriana, my very significant other.”
The woman nods and shakes my hand.
“And this is...”
“She doesn't need introducing. Emily and I move in the same circles. She rejected my first book.”
“It was the mistake of my career,” Emily laughs. “I'm glad things are going well for you, Anna. You’re writing bestseller after bestseller.”
We sit and smile, and I reach for my wine. It doesn't improve my mood and Enzo watches me carefully, wondering what's wrong.
“Tell my agent that,” Anna groans. “I'm at my wit’s end with the woman. She doesn't want to sell my latest, although it's my best work.”
Emily's focus changes, and she's circling Anna like a hunter rounding up its prey. She's cunning too, putting Anna at ease with a conversation that has nothing to do with acquiring her book. She's lulling her into a false sense of security before she goes in for the kill—and I notice that the foreboding, nagging feeling disappears.
“I can't wait to read your new book,” she says eventually. “I bet publishers are lining up to buy it.”
Anna shakes her head. “My agent thinks it's a dud. She says it's a bad idea to switch genres.”
“Maybe you should consider a different agent,” Emily muses.
“Emily, that game won't work. I'm in the market for a new agent and you're interested. But you don't do this genre, so unless you've got someone new at your firm, I'm going to look elsewhere.”
