Page 71 of Say You're My Wife

“This is she,” I say.

“My name is Daisy, and I’m calling from Terris Design Human Resources, which your husband called a few minutes ago.” She pauses, probably waiting for me to acknowledge or recognize what Corrado’s up to while working on his phone, most likely in the back of the car or the limo, but since I have no idea, I say, “Oh yes, thank you for calling.”

“I have great news for you. We are most excited to handle all your start-up needs, and Mr. Evans already called confirming your location on his floor.”

Wha… “Thank you. Thank you so much.” Looks like I’ll message Corrado after all.

“I’m wondering if you’ll be coming in today.”

“Yes, of course. When do you need me?”

A lengthy pause, then: “Whenever you arrive, ma’am.”

“Is there a good time for you?”

Another pause. “Anytime is good for me since you own shares in the company and a corner office.”

I stare at the screen and then answer, “Right. Right. I’m new at all this. Corrado is better versed in…start-ups than I am. This is my first business, you know, and it was his wedding present, a surprise of sorts.”

“Awwww, I want a billionaire husband.” A gasp and then a soft, “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“He has an older brother,” I tell her.

Daisy chuckles. “You’re nice, thank you. But yes, you can come in as you please. Senior designers are like partners in a law firm, if you know what I mean.”

Not really. Senior designer. Holy crap. “Yes, mmhm. I know what you mean. I’ll be in shortly.” We hang up, and I look out the window at the billionaire view again, hoping it will penetrate my brain and rewire it for what’s happening in my life right now.

Corrado bought shares in Evans’s design company and a location for my start-up business. I don’t quite understand what that means other than that now he owns a part of what Evans does and all of what I do.

Still, the corner office? That’s wonderful.

I keep my phone with me in case the people from the facility call.

(Hint: They don’t.)

30

DINNER

CORRADO

Juggling six deals during the course of a single day takes practice and stamina. One of those six is between the Russian syndicate and a government crime prevention unit, the two organizations operating at opposite ends of society.

The unit busted the syndicate’s twelve tons of trafficked “powder.” Because people at the top of both organizations are members of our Order, the bust was kept quiet, and the syndicate was offered a deal. They can choose which drug lord to turn in for the crime.

In exchange for turning in one of their own, the syndicate wants the name of the agent who worked undercover in the organization, because they damn well know that no crime prevention unit in the world could gather intelligence about the storage location holding that much product all on their own.

It was a stupid bust, if you ask me. Twelve tons, while it sounds like a lot, is nothing compared to the amount they could’ve seized had they kept quiet and bided their time working in cooperation with their undercover agent.

Now, they’ll pull the agent from the job and promise him anonymity and protection, but he’s as good as dead because once he penetrated the inner circles of the syndicate, he’s forever with the syndicate. Till death do they part.

Sure, various government agencies will offer him protection, but he’ll never walk the streets safely again. Witness protection can’t protect a snitch, because he knows too much and he’s willing to talk. Everyone knows that. Which is why Evans wants him first, which is why he gave up a piece of his design company.

The agents who aren’t afraid of the dark side? They make the best Rattles for the Order, and most of my morning is spent securing this one, making sure he survives and Evans can take him.

Now, in the afternoon, I’m in a meeting between an arms dealer and a corrupt foreign aid entity operating in parts of the world that God turned away from. My phone rings. Since there’s only one phone number I’m allowing to access me during meetings, I already know who’s calling.

The trouble is, the rules about electronics are clear; mainly, we can’t bring them into the room. We certainly can’t answer phones.

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