Chapter 2
The next hour was like sitting on a merry-go-round of information without being able to stop. Zoe was shown her new office, with windows, just beside Ms. Harrington. No, Ellen. That was how she’d asked to be called as they would work closely together from now on. And Zoe suspected that being so close to the big boss was quite a lonely place and Ellen was happy to have another mountain climber by her side.
State-of-the-art equipment was already installed on her desk, with a brand-new company cell phone. An entire side of the wall was filled with reference books, some rare, others still in their protective packaging. Zoe dropped her bag under the desk and eyed the files neatly stacked beside her computer screen. Ellen told her that she would be back in a second to show her how the computer system worked and give her the necessary username and password.
Crossing her arms, she looked at the Chicago skyline, admiring the angry swirling clouds and the mist snaking above the horizon over Lake Michigan. She never thought being hired would go so fast. Not that she was undermining her own talents, but it was quick nonetheless. Did all the hiring get done the same way? With a simple nod from Archer Blackwood?
From what she had experienced in her first hour in the company, getting close to the frosty man would be her ultimate challenge. At least she would be in the inner sanctum. A very slim advantage.
“Already slacking on the job, Ms. Somersby?”
Zoe whirled around at the deep voice, one hand on her heart. “Mr. Blackwood. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
The man stood on the threshold of her office, not looking very pleased. “I don’t pay you to admire the landscape.”
If he wanted to play the hard-assed boss, she was game to give it back too. “I’m waiting for Ellen to give me my access codes for your system. If you know them, please tell me. I’m kind of stuck for the time being, unless you need something interpreted. In that case, I’m at your disposal.”
The tick was almost imperceptible, but his jaw clenched a fraction of a second. “As a matter of fact, I could use you right now.”
And like that, he was gone. What was she supposed to do, run after him? Well, not in these shoes, she wouldn’t. Zoe went to the hallway and caught him turning the corner before he disappeared from view. Zoe’s hands turned into fists. Not yet an hour into the position, and she was starting to fantasize about strangling him. Damn the suit or the sexy accent, he needed basic manners, stat.
Zoe followed the corridor and passed a few people, to whom she offered a smile. Unfortunately, as she hadn’t been introduced, and was chasing after her new boss, she kept going.
Reaching the end of a corridor, there was an open door. Taking a chance, she peeked inside. It was a large conference room, taking the entire corner of the building. The windows had some sort of gray tint in them, probably to block the sunlight. And her boss was there, fiddling with a computer screen encased in the table. A projector flashed from behind her and a blurry image came into view over one of the windows. Blackwood pressed a button and the glass turned opaque, like a wall, and the image cleared.
Blackwood turned to her. “I need to know what is said on this tape. It’s during a negotiation that took place two days ago.”
Zoe arched an eyebrow, refraining from reminding him of the ethical implications of what he was asking. Her mission wasn’t to contradict him, but to stay alert for any possible threats or a threat from Finch. And ultimately not killing Blackwood herself from sheer irritation.
On the screen, she saw Blackwood and three other men. They were speaking in English, some sort of lawyer’s lingo. After a minute or so, Ellen came into view and whispered something in Blackwood’s ear, who excused himself and left.
The three other men, all in designer suits remained silent for a moment. One took a sip of water, another scribbled something on a piece of paper and pushed it to the man on his left who read it and laughed. Then there was a quick exchange in a tribal dialect between the three men who laughed before Blackwood returned. The initial meeting was resumed.
Blackwood stopped the video and his icy stare was on her. The man was so arrogant, and severely lacked manners. “I suppose you want to know what they said?”
“I didn’t hire you for anything else.”
Clenching her teeth for a second, Zoe did as he asked. “They made fun of you, called you names and that’s it.”
Blackwood crossed his arms and he seemed to expand before her, annoyance pulsing from him. “I didn’t request a summary, Ms. Somersby, but an exact translation.”
It took all her might not to roll her eyes. “I was trying to be polite, but if you want it rough, it’s your call. The first one said that you looked like a rich chicken. And the other one said that he was more than ready to pluck you out of your money and your arrogance before roasting your ass for supper.”
The translation amused her, but the deadly glint in Blackwood’s eyes told her he was far from having a sense of humor. He typed once more on the keyboard and another video came up. On the screen she recognized two of the men from before, but it was in a different conference room. A man stood by the door, probably a bodyguard. They spoke very low and the recording wasn’t very clear.
Frowning, Zoe came closer to the console, near Blackwood, and for the first time, she smelled his cologne, or was it? The scent was subtle, masculine, but very faint. It reminded her of damp moss and leather, maybe his body wash. And the undertone was most probably the very smell of his warm skin, enough to get make other females weak at the knees. But not Zoe Somersby. Locking her knees, she used her most professional voice. “Where are the speakers? I can’t hear the voices.”
Instead of answering, he reached under a panel for a headset and handed it to her. The wire wasn’t long enough and forced her to brush his arm. Any normal female, including herself, would have taken the opportunity to lean in and probably test how hard his body felt underneath that suit. But again, she wasn’t one of those brainless bimbos, never had been for that matter, and more importantly, she was on a mission to save this man’s life, not get into his pants.
“Can you please move, sir?” Zoe cheered internally at her clear and steady voice. But it was even harder to keep her professional layer when he turned his head and stared at her with his gray eyes. That man was lust, wrapped up in sin and powdered sugar, and she acknowledged immediately why he required a paper to keep the females at bay. Zoe wasn’t indifferent to this kind of alpha male, far from it, but she knew too well that his species was inevitably attracted to Barbie dolls, such as the doe-eyed receptionist. All boobs, no brains and a figure like a sports car. Not undermining her own figure and curves, Zoe was clairvoyant enough to know that their types didn’t mix, dousing any possible temptation she might have.
After a moment, Blackwood stepped aside, and she checked the console. It looked like something used at the State Department. Adjusting the sound, she looked back at the screen and started the sequence again. It took three times for Zoe to finally get all the words. It was the same Middle-Eastern dialect as before, but with a strong underlying accent. Something was off. She was about to roll it a fourth time when Blackwood caught her wrist.
“What are you doing?”
The contact was so electric, Zoe jerked out of his arms. Unfazed, he towered over her, a reproachful frown on his face. “If you don’t know what was said, no need to...”
“Stop that!” She removed her headset and put it on the conference table. “I don’t need your patronizing tone.”
