Page 27 of Mafia Obsession

He doesn’t blanch at my question, just glides his hands back into his trouser pockets. “Among others.”

“What do you need me to do for you?” I’m not sure where I fit into this level of project planning.

“Between now and New Year’s Eve, I’ll be dividing my time between here and the Aurelian,” he says. “I need someone in this office.” His gaze settles on me with unsettling intensity. “You will be me when I’m not here.”

“You need an assistant,” I say, glancing at the lonely desk in the outside waiting area.

“I need a public face. A gatekeeper. I have an entire team that takes care of my administrative needs. This…” He smiles warmly at me. “Is personal.”

“So, apersonalassistant.”

This feels all too much. Too sudden. Too good to be true. I take a step back. “I don’t know if I’m the right person, Mr. Zervas.”

“Call me Ares,” he says. “And you are the exact person I want.”

The power lust in his eyes is something I should fear. Instead, it rearranges the blood in my veins. I’ve not felt this before.Ever.

“Why?” I fold my arms.

“I sense I can trust you. Your presence at Winterhall means you are familiar with the Bratva. You know about the Italians. And as you can guess from my last name…”

“I see,” I whisper.

“And this will be your salary.” He reaches into his suitjacket and produces a document bearing the Zervas & Company logo.

I glance down and see it’s a formal offer letter that lists the position as Executive Personal Assistant. In a sole line at the bottom is the salary.

It’s no wonder Ares doesn’t say the number out loud, and I’m not sure I can without trembling. His offer is exorbitant. Nearly ten times what Juniper paid me.

I grip the back of an upholstered chair without realizing I’ve moved. This salary alone will get me to my goal of helping Sandrine in weeks.

But David will see all this money inhisaccount. He’ll fucking steal it.

I didn’t care about Nathan’s chump-change salary because my job with Juniper had value beyond a weekly paycheck I never saw. It provided a place I could steal money from that David couldn’t touch. But with this job, I’ll just be filling David’s pockets with even more cash.

The helplessness I feel expands. Anger hits me so hard that tears start to well in my eyes.

I’ll never get Sandrine out of that place.

“This is an extraordinary offer, however, my salary must be deposited into my husband’s account. I won’t have access to it,” I say carefully, forcing my voice into calm neutrality. “It’s an agreement we have. And what you’re offering…”

I stop, impressed I came up with a non-apologetic but realistic explanation. I hope he’ll understand why I have to turn him down.

I open my mouth to continue, but Ares speaks first.

“Forgive me for being blunt. Your husband takes your money in the name of some spousal high ground and gives you a spending allowance?”

Embarrassed, I nod as Ares hovers over me, close enough that I feel the heat of him as well as the scent of his spicy but smooth cologne.

“You’ve not signed my employment contract. You do not work for me in this moment, Lourdes.”

I look up at Ares and assume he’s in his early forties. Heruns this luxury company and has underworld dealings. He’s met men like David before. Which reduces my husband to just an average scumbag. For a moment, I’m blessed with the relief that Ares’s disgust isn’t personal.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Correct.”

Ares takes the paper back from me and looks it over. “This is a lot of money to go into an account you don’t control.”

I deflate. Will he lower it? I’m ready to say never mind.