Page 14 of Pure Recklessness

‘But—’ I jumped in.

‘Please! What’s happening in this cubicle isn’t pretty. It’s for your own good. Now go and dazzle Daddy Devlin with your amazing writing!’

‘Okay.’ I sighed, then returned to my desk.

There were now just seventeen minutes until the deadline.

After chomping down some of the M&S Percy Pig sweets I’d started keeping in my handbag for sugar fix emergencies, I took a few moments to think of a story angle, then typed as fast as I could.

What felt like five minutes later, the phone beside my computer rang.

‘Hello?’ I answered.

‘Is this Eleanor?’ the lady on the other line asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Eleanor, this is Valerie, Mr Devlin’s Executive Assistant. Mr Devlin requests your presence in his office immediately, please. Attach your article to the email I’ve just sent you. I’ve activated your security pass to give you temporary access to the twenty-first floor. See you shortly.’

Before I had a chance to reply, she hung up.

Crap.

The article wasn’t properly finished. And what I had written wasn’t good.

Oh well. Mr Devlin (frankly, Mr Devil was a more appropriate description) was going to fire me anyway, so there was no point in fretting.

I’d tried my best. There was nothing more I could do.

After attaching the document to the email and hitting send, I took the lift to Belligerent Bossman’s office.

A woman with porcelain skin and elegant silver hair greeted me with a smile.

‘Lovely to meet you, Eleanor. Please come through.’

She was so polite. Shame those manners hadn’t rubbed off on her boss.

‘You too,’ I said.

She knocked on the door.

‘Yes,’ Mr Devlin snapped. ‘Enter.’

‘Good luck, dear,’ Valerie whispered, flashing me a weak smile.

My heart thundered against my ribcage and nerves churned in my stomach as I stepped into his office.

Bloody hell.

His corner office was huge.

It had floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the Thames and famous London monuments including Tower Bridge and the City skyline.

There was a large walnut desk with not one but two display screens with an Apple logo on the back, plus a shiny laptop, wireless keyboard, mouse and mobile phone all neatly arranged. Even the fountain pen that was resting on top of a chunky manuscript had been perfectly placed in the centre of the page.

Multiple bookshelves lined the walls along with a large abstract painting.

The area with a luxurious charcoal leather sofa and marble coffee table looked like it belonged in the lounge of a five-star hotel rather than an office.