Chapter 11

Lily

As we enter the conference room, I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. It doesn’t work. My heart is racing, and I can feel sweat starting to gather in uncomfortable places. I haven’t smoked in forever, and even though I don’t consider myself an addict, it did help me calm down.

But I need to learn how to function without it. I’m determined about that and take another deep breath. This is just a meeting, I remind myself. It’s not the end of the world.

Wesley, oblivious to my panic attack, takes a seat at the head of the long table. I sit down next to him, feeling like a mouse in a room full of lions. The other men in the room are all tall and muscular, their suits tailored to fit their frames perfectly. They stare at me with cold eyes, and I shrink into my seat, wishing I could disappear.

“This is Lily Lopez,” Wesley announces as he gestures at me, and the men nod in acknowledgment. “She is my new secretary, and I expect her to be taking notes for us during the entire