Chapter 4

ROBYN

 I was too good to deal with Bruna, and I didn’t want to ruin my night. So I came up with one uncomplicated answer. “Typos.”

“He hates you, girl.” I bet, but Bruna hated me even more.

“Not a surprise there, Bruna.”

“He’s a perfectionist. He works hard, too, so he expects someone to work as hard as him. I wish I were in your place. I would do my best to impress him. You’re in the best position, and you ruined your job for typos? You can do better than that.” Somehow, I agreed with her.

“I know.” I moved my hips to the music. I loved music. Lately, I have enjoyed listening to pop.

“Do you know how many people want your job?”

Funny. He said the same thing to me today. Were they sleeping together? I didn’t know anything about my boss’ personal life, especially his dating life or his sexual escapades, because I’d rather not know it. I bet there was a long line of women who wanted to bang Spade Kolby.

I felt a little pang in my chest. I didn’t even realize I had a crush on my boss until I thought of Bruna and Spade sleeping together. 

I snorted. “Don’t worry, I got one more typo before he fires me. I’ll make sure to recommend you as my replacement.” The anger and sarcasm in my voice were evident, and she just shrugged it off.

Bruna was just being herself, and she enjoyed annoying everyone because she could. If I knew she would be here tonight, maybe I would have just declined Piper’s invitation. But I was also doing this for Mom. I was not going to let her down for an overconfident bitch. 

A few minutes later, Piper came with Martini, Margarita, and three shots of tequila. 

Ignoring Bruna’s glare, I quickly took a sip of my cocktail and let it burn down my throat. I instantly felt a lot better. As I sipped my Martini and Piper with her Margarita, Bruna disappeared into the background. 

“Damn, she’s beautiful.” I watched her dance with a tall white guy on the dance floor. It was hard to miss when she was all sexy in her red dress. 

“You’re a bitch. I find you beautiful than her.”

“You’re kidding. She has a lot of followers, mostly men.”

“Try posting your ass or your tits online. You will triple your followers in a week. She just fixed her nose, eyes, and lips while you’re all natural.” 

I turned to Piper, sipping my drink. “You’re kidding. I love her pouty lips.” 

“Nah. They’re like stung by a bee.”

I laughed. “How do you know all of these?”

“She deleted her old photos, but I still found them, and you can’t hide something like that from the internet. She’s not that pretty. If what I heard is true. She was involved with a forty-year-old rich guy who gave her the money for enhancement.” 

“But her butt is real,” I said in dismay. 

“Yeah. That one is real. I bet that rich guy got a good squeeze out of it.” Her remark made me laugh. “Let’s go dance.”

I emptied my glass and smiled. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. And she wants my job, too.” 

Piper and I laughed as we made our way to the crowd. When the music changed to a pop hit song, everyone danced in unison. My heart started pumping hard. Adrenaline and the alcohol mixed in my system were making me all warm up. 

A strange, unfamiliar excitement ignited in my chest as Piper’s words earlier flashed in my head. What if what she said was true? In a wave, heat rushed up my neck. I shook off the thought in my head.

I hate to break it to you, Robyn Maxwell Sharpe. He’s callous, cold, and heartless. There’s no way someone like Spade Kolby will look at you differently than his employee. 

I started to sweat behind my neck and forgot my insecurities. Mom was right. I should go out more often and have a little fun. Or even more. A voice in my head said, Maybe get laid tonight.

“I need to use the restroom.” 

“Already?” Piper crunched her nose. “I’ll order another drink.” 

I stood in line along with the long line of girls. I hadn’t made it halfway, a man in a black shirt approached. “You’re Piper’s friend, right? There’s a restroom for employees. You can use it. Come with me.” 

“Oh, God. Thank you.” Grateful, I followed him. Don’t tell me Piper had a hookup with this guy? He was in his late twenties, maybe an European based on his accent, but couldn’t point out what it was, as if he was trying hard to lose it. “How do you know Pip?” 

“She came here a couple of times. I’m Aaron, by the way.” He led the way to the hallway and opened a door. “Just turn right before the exit. The key is hung at the corner door.” 

“Thanks, Aaron.” I followed his instructions.

I hadn’t grabbed the key, a big hand with a cloth covered my mouth, and a large arm looped around my chest, squeezing me tight before I could even react. Then something cold and sharp stabbed me in the neck. My mind floated, and my vision went black.

***

I snapped my eyes open as if I had just woken up from a terrible hangover. My vision was still blurry. I first became aware of the headache, like a drumbeat inside my skull. My neck was sore, too, and things seemed vague.

What happened? The first thing that registered was the white floor-to-ceiling curtain that didn’t look familiar, definitely not my bedroom. Was I in Piper’s bedroom? Definitely not. I’d been there a couple of times. 

Trying hard to crack my eyes wide open, I looked around and realized I was in bed in a room with a fine setup similar to a luxury hotel room. 

Oh, God. I froze in terror, utterly paralyzed as everything became clear— someone was behind me, the cloth, the sore neck. My heart pumped so hard in my chest. 

I jolted to sit, ignoring the intense pain in my head. 

Terror filled my chest with icy needles piercing my skin as I tried to get out of bed, but failed in doing so. My wrists were cuffed and chained to the bed.

My chest heaved. Oh, no.

“Help—” My lungs ceased to function. My voice was cut off when I saw a woman and two tall men looming behind her, and I didn’t notice they were there. 

I wasn’t alone. 

“Do you know what this is?” the intimidating woman asked, her cold hazel eyes narrowing. She was in her fifties and impeccably dressed in a fine white suit, showing me a small remote in her hand. Her short dark hairstyle was worth a thousand bucks. “A remote control. Do you know what’s around your neck?”

My hands went to my neck. A collar. My breath came in sobbing gasps. 

“A very sophisticated collar bomb. One word you say that I don’t like or make an inappropriate move, I will press this button, and your head will blow off.” She arched her perfect eyebrows. From an icy demeanor, this woman just turned into an evil incarnate.

My body jerked. My throat clenched. “What do you want from me?”