Page 27 of When She Unravels
“Thanks,” I say after I finish the water. “Take a look around. Let me know if I missed anything.”
He passes a cursory glance around the room. “It looks fine.”
“Fine’s not good enough for you, De Rossi. It needs to be excellent.”
I think I see a flicker of respect in his eyes. I give him a tired smile. “I’m a quick learner. And as I tried to tell you, I work hard.”
He tilts his head slightly to the side, and after a moment, he extends his hand. “Let me help you up.”
His hand is warm and steady. I rise to my full height, putting my eyes on the same level as his collarbones. When he appears in no rush to let me go, I tip my head back and meet his gaze.
He’s wearing a thoughtful expression. “I talked to Inez. She told me you’re one of the best employees she’s ever trained.”
My body feels light with relief. Inez put in a good word for me? I’m going to give her a long hug next time I see her. “She’s good at directions.”
He inhales and then lets out a resigned breath. I can tell he’s not thrilled with having to utter his next sentence. “I’ll admit, I may have been wrong about you.”
I swallow, trying to tempter my premature excitement. “Does that mean…”
His smile is a mere flicker. He drops my hand, walks behind his desk, and closes his laptop. “It means this won’t be the last time you clean this office.”
A grin overtakes my face. “Yes, boss.”
“On Monday, bring your documents. Ras will arrange your contract.”
Documents?
Crap.
CHAPTER9
VALENTINA
When I get backto the hostel, Astrid and Vilde are in our room, and I tell them I got the job.
“Welcome to the team,” Astrid exclaims. “We should celebrate tonight.”
“Don’t you need to work?” I ask. De Rossi didn’t give me more than a moment to enjoy my achievement before flinging another problem in my face, so I’m not in the most celebratory mood.
I don’t have any papers to show him on Monday, and I have no idea how I’m going to weasel out of that. I still have my real passport—tucked under my mattress—but it’s useless to me now.
“We’re both scheduled on Saturday this week,” Vilde says. “And we were already planning on taking advantage of our day off. One of the other dancers told us about an incredible seafood restaurant that’s right on the water.”
“I don’t know. I’m pretty exhausted after the week I’ve had,” I say.
“We’re in Ibiza. The entire point is to go out and have fun and meet people. Maybe I could get laid tonight,” Astrid says wistfully. “It’s been too long. I broke up with Matthew two—no, three—months ago, and after him there was that one guy, but he was really awful in bed. He was poking around down there like I was a TV remote or something.”
Vilde and I grimace at the vivid image.
“What about you?” Astrid asks. “You have a boyfriend back in Canada that you’ve been quiet about?”
Lazaro’s face appears in my mind. “No boyfriend.” Just a possibly dead psycho ex-husband who’s only slept with me once. I’ve spent so much time hating Lazaro for what he forced me to do to his victims, that I’ve barely considered the other ways he’s harmed me. I’m not a virgin, but I’m not far off from it. My marriage was a hideous farce in more ways than one.
My one sexual interaction with Lazaro lasted all of three minutes. He took off my dress, put his fingers inside of me, and after a few seconds replaced them with his dick. I held on to him for dear life, forcing my tears back, praying the pain between my legs would go away quickly. It didn’t. It didn’t stop until he finished and pulled out.
You know what would really go against everything my family taught me? Casual sex.
Oh God, they would lose their minds if they knew their daughter not only ran away, but also became a whore. In the clan, being called a whore was the worst thing a woman could be labeled. Whores are disloyal. They can’t be trusted. They certainly shouldn’t be loved. Only fools fell for them, men that didn’t know any better.
