LOGINPOPPYA thick layer of blush lingered on my face for long minutes after Grey and I had finally left the terrace. I needed to use the ladies' room, and seriously considered taking a spare pair of lingerie the next time I went anywhere with Grey. I was standing in front of the mirror, surveying my glossy eyes and swollen lips. There had to be something wrong with me. What we'd done on that terrace had been wild. People had been strolling in that garden. All they'd had to do was look up…A wave of embarrassment flooded me even now as I recalled it. But the thrill it had given me made me seriously question my sanity. Then again, nothing I'd done with Grey was safe, sane, or casual. He constantly pushed me out of my comfort zone, giving me a taste of something feral, primal, and dangerous. And I absolutely loved it.Blowing out a breath, I sprinkled cold water over my reddened cheeks and walked to the door. When I stepped out of the ladies' room, I saw Grey waiting for me in the corridor.
GREY“And this is Penelope Solari.” I gestured at the stunning woman by my side.“It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ballard.” Poppy confidently extended her hand.The bastard dressed in a flashy, blue suit gave her a teeth-showing smile as he took her hand, leaning down to kiss it. “The pleasure is all mine,” he purred, seriously testing my patience. “And please, call me Scott.”He tried to pull her toward him, but I quickly grabbed him by the shoulder, forcing him a step back. “Careful, Ballard.” My smile might have been icier than the cubes in his drink. “She is taken.”“Possessive as always, I see,” he crooned, running his hand through his blond hair. Then he turned to Poppy, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Hate to disappoint you, darling, but he gets bored quickly. He never shows up twice with the same woman, so enjoy while you can.” His eyes dropped to her cleavage exposed in her lace and silk bustier. “But you can call me then. I'll gladly dry your tears.”Lethal calm spread throug
Yesterday, I had officially started my training with Lanzo; Grey had insisted on it. I hadn't wanted to be anywhere near his second, but then I'd figured that maybe I would find a way to punch him. Of course, that hadn't happened. Instead, he had knocked me down and handed my ass to me more times than I could have counted.Even now, more than twenty-four hours later, as I lay in the bathtub, I was still sore and had more than a few bruises. Still, I had to admit that it felt good. Learning how to kick someone's ass felt good. Not to mention that Lanzo unexpectedly complimented my abilities. He'd said that I had solid basics and that with little practice, I would kick ass.I grinned, recalling that moment, but then my mind instantly drifted to my task, to the role I would have to play at the gala. Grey had told me not to worry about anything… which, of course, made me worry even more. A part of me bitterly reminded that I would endanger myself so that he could find his Princess. The re
Grey hadn't returned to the mansion before midnight, and around one o'clock, I'd given up on waiting and went to bed. I wished I could have said I'd fallen asleep as soon as I placed my head on the pillow, but my frantically pounding heart had a different idea about how to spend this night.Lanzo's words replayed in my mind over and over again, each time sending another wave of anxiety. I tried to tell myself that he was wrong and that what Grey and I had wasn't just an illusion of a relationship. But the truth was that it was obvious that this Princess would always have the first place in Grey's life. And after everything Lanzo had told me, I was more certain about it than ever.My ribcage tightened, turning every breath into a shallow gasp. I tried to rub off the sudden ache in the central part of my chest, but nothing I did seemed to soothe it. Finally, I rose from the bed and poured myself a glass of water. “You need to stop yourself from falling,” I whispered to myself. “Grey kno
POPPYI'd spent most of the day creating my new ID, my past, and my life. None of it was real, but this creation would soon become a part of the new me, Penelope Solari. I smiled each time I said it aloud.Grey had offered me a new start, literally. Abigail had even brought a photographer to take the pictures I'd needed for my ID and passport. A few hours later, Penelope Solari had her own birth certificate and a Social Security number. Grey must have been planning it all for a while now, and I couldn't wait to thank him for it.I had hoped he'd shown up for dinner, but then Lanzo had called, telling us that Grey needed to go to an important meeting and that it might take a while before he returned.I couldn't help but feel disappointed, but I understood. He had more than just a huge company to manage. Not to mention that all the recent events kept him additionally occupied.“I'll eat with you… if you'd like me to join you, of course,” Lanzo offered.A nervous smile painted my lips. “
The scenes from our morning replayed in my mind throughout the day, forming the most inappropriate distraction from my work. I had to shift my thoughts to the darkest, most cruel memories to prevent myself from going through the series of meetings sporting a hard-on.Abigail had prepared all the documents Poppy needed to fill out to make her yet another fake last name, a more or less legal one. The sooner the formalities were handled, the better. The last thing I needed was for someone to start asking questions about my delightful roommate.Of course, I wished that matters concerning Poppy were the most important issue I had to deal with. That wasn't the case. The manager hired to replace Mathews couldn't even get a single project done without a few expensive corrections. I wasn't sure if I was more pissed at the fucker or at the HR director who had decided that hiring him had been a good idea. The ever-present incompetence was giving me a serious headache.The dickhead's mistakes had







