AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I don’t say anything. There’s nothing for me to say. His words are harsh, but they’re nothing I’m not used to, and trying to argue with him has never done me any good. Besides, I leave the arguing between him and Nikhil.
“Who does she report to?” Damian’s question is sharp and demanding.
“Stewart,” I answer promptly, knowing that every detail matters now. “She’s under his supervision.”
Damian’s jaw clenches, and a calculating gleam flickers in his eyes as he processes the information about Annalise. He leans back in his chair. “Transfer her to your department, Cassius,” he finally commands, his voice low and firm. “And I expect you to actually keep track of her this time around, or do I need to bring Nikhil in just to keep tabs on a little girl?”
I bite my tongue to keep from saying anything. “I can do it.”
“Glad to hear you can do something simple. Get out of here.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I turn around, eager to get out of the office, until his voice stops me again. “And bring her up here when you’re done. I want to speak with her personally.”
Poor girl.
I nod. Annalise’s presence in our company is a ticking time bomb, and it seems that Damian intends to defuse it himself. She doesn’t know just how deeply involved she is with us—it goes back further than just that one night.
“I’ll go and fetch her.”
6
ANNALISE
Should I just leave while nobody’s looking?
Getting called to the boss’s office isn’t exactly the most desirable thing to happen on my first day of work…especially not when it turns out that I slept with my new bosses a few years ago.
And that I have kids by them that they don’t even know about.
And it’s not like I can forget that they’re stone-cold killing machines, members of a bratva—which I didn’t even think was a real thing until I met them.
There’s no way this could be about that, could it? It couldn’t be, because Cassius didn’t even seem to recognize me. Maybe I’m just overthinking, and all of the new employees are meeting the boss one by one…starting with me.
Or maybe I am being singled out, and I need to turn around and walk out while I still have the chance. This is a dangerous line I’m treading, and if I’m not careful, I could end up in some serious trouble.
Or in a body bag.
I feel like I can hear my heart beating, but I steel myself, unwilling to let fear dictate my actions. I need this job for my daughters, no matter the risks. It pays too well for me to just let go of it that easily.
When I applied to the job, I didn’t have a clue that these men would be here. It was only when I was called for an interview that I did some digging and found out who the owners are. I should have stopped then, but…
“Excuse me,” I say, striding up to the front desk with as much confidence as I can muster. The receptionist—Tatum, according to her nameplate—looks up with a polite smile that quickly morphs into surprise when she sees me.
“Hey,” she greets. “Aren’t you one of the new recruits?”
I nod. “Yes, I am.”
“You shouldn’t be here then. The only office up from here is Mr. Volkov’s. If you need help finding somewhere else, I’m happy to?—”
I cut her off. “I was told to ask for Mr. Volkov’s office.”
“Mr. Volkov?” Tatum echoes, her eyebrows shooting up. “As in Damian Volkov?”
“Yes,” I reply, trying to keep my voice steady, but her reaction and the look on her face doesn’t exactly make me feel better or like any of this is normal.
“Are you sure?” Her eyes widen further, and she bites her lip, clearly shocked by my request. “I mean, he’s not exactly…friendly.”
“I was starting to gather that,” I say, swallowing hard. “But he wants to speak with me personally.”
