Chapter 5

Diane's POV

Sometimes, fate and life have a way of throwing you back to something you thought could remain in the past.

Life is cruel most times, believe me.

Years ago, I hated him... Conrad... and of course I still do. All I ever wanted was to wake up one morning with a bowl of cookies between my knees, chugging down a glass of champagne while I laughed at his downfall.

Yes, the downfall of that son of a b*tch.

Pathetic.

But what I didn't have in mind was this... First, spending a night in his arms, giving in shamelessly, and second, standing in front of a mirror, dressed up and ready to resume work as his secretary.

No, screw that.

I'm ready to resume work as his personal plaything. The woman who'll warm his bed for three months. That's a whole lot, but when life bites you harder, you don't have a choice.

I'm taking this job not because I want to. What do I want? To spit in his face and call him all sorts of names, curse him till he can't stand it. But the circumstances surrounding me? I can't say no, even when I want to.

My brother... He needs me more than anything. Shit happened, and he got tangled in a mess.

You could say it was a trap, because I know my brother. He has no hook-up with drug dealers or whatever it is. But there he is, locked up and needing bail, and I'm the only one he has.

Even if I decline Conrad's offer, that means I'd have to work ten different jobs a day for five months before I can raise the funds for his bail, and I might even die while at it.

I bite my bottom lip hard, too hard, until it almost bleeds, then I sigh. I must have drifted so far that I forgot I have a job to attend to.

I grab my purse from the table where I tossed it earlier, then bolt out of the room.

••••

Stopping in front of the skyscraper, my hand grips my purse tighter as nostalgia slams hard.

This is it, Diane.

I'm back at the same place that made me lose my dignity and everything. The same place I was accused and tossed away like a piece of crap without the benefit of telling my own side of it.

I smile. Short. A painful smile. Then I proceed in.

The smoky scent, blended with olive, hits my nose, and I sniffle.

Nothing has changed, just as it has always been.

That smoky, olive scent. Conrad loves it more than anything.

I don't have all the time in the world, so instead of staring around and checking which is which, I head straight to Conrad's office.

I already know the way, so it's pretty easy to locate.

I knock at the door, and a sharp voice blurts from inside. "Come in." More like he knows I'm the one knocking.

I roll my eyes, then push the door open and walk in.

Conrad is seated behind his desk, glancing at the piles of files on it. The strong scent of his cologne slams into my nostrils, and the urge to sniff in and fill my lungs crawls in, but I press it down, holding my shoulders high as if I've still got my dignity.

His gaze sweeps up to mine, and my lips part.

Fuck. It's bitter to admit, but... Mr Conrad is a catch. Sad that he's a jerk.

His chin pulls up, then his lips curve into a smirk. A mean, wicked smirk.

He glances at the time, then back to me.

"You're late," he spits.

My eyes shoot wide in surprise. "What?!"

He drops the pen, interlocks his fingers, and places them on the desk, his jaw resting on them.

"Yes, you heard me, Miss Hall." He says the words slower this time, as if he's letting each one sink in.

I scoff, my gaze shooting up to the wall clock.

It's just 7:30am.

Wait, did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or does he deliberately want to stress my life even on the first day of resumption?

"I'm not late, I came..."

"You don't get to talk until you get a signal from me." He cuts me off, his voice tinged with authority.

I gasp in shock. There's no way this is happening. Am I being treated like a puppet?

I hiss, my anger slowly rising. "You might have forgotten that I came here for a purpose, not to bicker with you about how early I am to work. The bottom line is I get things done for you and we're good." I fake a smile, but he sits there unfazed, his gaze piercing deep into my soul.

I shift back uncomfortably, still cursing him under my breath.

He reclines against his chair. "A 10% discount to tell you who the boss is."

The words sound so distant, even though he says them just inches away from me. My jaw locks, and my fists clench tight.

"You don't have any right to." I slam the words out. My voice isn't loud, but he knows pretty well that he's struck a nerve.

He gives an arrogant smirk. "Oh, I do."

"That wasn't part of the deal." My voice slowly rises, laced with obvious rage.

He doesn't say a word.

"I wasn't supposed to be your secretary!! Right, everyone thinks I'm your secretary, but you and I know that is bullshit." My chest heaves as the words roll hotly off my tongue.

His face lights up with excitement. "Not my secretary?" He lifts a brow, a smile painting the corner of his lips.

My head spins as the urge to pounce on him consumes me.

God... that freak, that bast...

He's taunting me.

"Then tell me, who are you?" he muses.

A pause.

My knuckles turn whiter as my fists clench even tighter, my hateful glare clashing with his arrogant smile.

"My personal, little plaything?"

My bones crack, and my brain goes completely blank. My entire face turns red with rage, and I let adrenaline take over.

I rush forward, almost pounce on him, almost, but his next words crash through my entire being.

"Come here and sit on my lap, Miss Hall. I won't ask twice."