Page 16 of Enter if you Dare: Part Two

This house once belonged to my grandmother, and she gave it to my mom before she met my dad. It is to be passed down to the first-born girl in every generation, and if sold, a new house needs to be purchased. It’s a family tradition of sorts, which I plan to honor.

The drive to the island is bittersweet, a new beginning. Even if it’s not the island itself that is my final destination, it’s a beginning. I thought I had to go back to the house to get a job and support Leni. Though I still plan to do those things, why can’t I do them from the island surrounded by my men? The logical side of my brain screams that I haven’t known these men long enough, and maybe that is true, but my heart says fuck it. I know they need me right now, and there isn’t anywhere else I would rather be.

By the time I get to the island, I am buzzing with excitement to see them.

Khodi stops me at the gate. “Do they know you’re coming?”

I nod. “I didn’t give them a time, but I told them today.”

“Noa is going to lose his mind,” he says with a grin.

I laugh as I try to imagine how surprised he’s going to be. When Khodi opens the gates, I pull in and find a spot to park. I have no idea how to get to the shed in a vehicle, so will have to walk, then get one of them to come back with me to move it. I’m barely out of the car when Nixie appears.

“Valli, perfect. Walk with me for a second.”

Nixie doesn’t wait to see if I follow her; she simply turns and strolls down the main path, so I jog a few steps to catch up. She is in normal clothes today. No ringmaster coat.

“How’s the job hunt?” she asks.

I chuckle. “Word really travels fast here.”

“Sweetheart, nothing happens on this island that I don’t know about.” She glances at me sideways. “I heard you were supposed to have an interview today. Coffee shop over in East Estate.”

I stop walking. “How do you know that?”

“Because I make it my business to know things.” She stops and turns to face me. “Cancel it.”

“Excuse me?” I push back, even though I already have.

“Cancel it and come work for me. I need an assistant. Mine quit last week.”

I blink at her. “What happened to them?”

Nixie sighs. “She cried in the gift shop for twenty minutes, then left her radio on the counter and took off. She was dramatic and had no spine.” Nixie waves a hand in the air. “The one before her lasted six weeks, and before that nine days. Apparently, I’m difficult.”

“Are you?” I ask.

“Extremely,” she says, owning it. “I’m demanding, I’m particular, I do not repeat myself, and I have a set way I like my coffee. But I pay well, I don’t play games, and I will never make you feel small while I’m working you into the ground. Can the same be said about the boss who told you not to come back until your face was presentable?”

Her words hit like a slap in the face. “No,” I admit.

“Didn’t think so.” She stalks forward again, and I fall in beside her. “The job is admin, profiling, scheduling, invitations, chasing up signatures, and making sure the chasers actually read the paperwork I give them. You already know how this place runs, you’ve signed an NDA, and half of the island likes you already. Which is already more than most of my other assistants.”

“And they were . . .”

“Scared shitless of your scarecrow, which works in your favor.” She stops outside her office door, a small building off the main path that I hadn’t noticed until now. “It can be temporary if you want. Try it for a month, and if you hate me, you can quit. I’ll write you a glowing reference full of lies about my own character.”

I should ask about the hours and the pay, because that is what a responsible adult would do.

“Why me?” I ask instead.

Nixie smiles. “Because I watched you make Cave apologize. In all the years I have known him, no one has ever made that man do anything. If you can handle him, sweetheart, you can handle me.” She pulls her office door open. “So?”

“Yes, I’m in.”

“Good, you’ll start Monday, eight sharp, and my coffee order has four components. You’ll want to write it down when I tell you because I won’t repeat myself.”

“You mentioned that,” I reply with a smirk.