Page 32 of Deceived Wrath

I focus on the practical stuff, the things that Icancontrol, like getting an enormous coffee because I'm seriously sleep-deprived and the high of being in the presence of a hot man is starting to wear off.

I keep my head down as I walk in the direction of the nearestStarbucks, blocking out the sounds of horns blaring and people yelling as I mentally work through my checklist of things I need to do that I made at two a.m. last night when I couldn't sleep,again.

The most important item is deciding what to wear for my first day.

It needs to be something professional and flattering. Maybe something that shows off my figure, but not so revealing that I look like I belong in a porno.

That may be a fine line, but if in doubt, I'm sure Zoe will have something I can wear.

Then again, would it be so bad to show a little leg if it meant getting Cormac on my side?

It's common knowledge that men think with their dicks, so why not use that to my advantage? After all, if the interview is any indication, I have no doubt Cormac will be watching me like a hawk. Every interaction we share will be a test, and I have to make sure to pass without raising suspicion.

Lorcan may be counting on me, but more than that, I can't afford to mess up for myself, for Carly, and for the path I want to carve out from the wreckage of the past few years.

I shake my head.

Icannotthink about Cormac like that. Or rather, Ishouldn'tthink about him like that.

But I can't help it.

There's just something about him that draws me in.

He's intimidating and infuriating at the same time.

As I dodge my way through the crowded sidewalk, I keep replaying the interview over in my head. The way he scrutinized me from across the desk, the sharpness in his tone—it sent a thrill coursing through me that I can't seem to shake off.

I tighten my grip on my bag and go through the list again, if only to stop myself from thinking of Cormac. I have a role to play. Get the information for Lorcan and get out. That's it. I cannot get caught up in workplace fantasies, no matter how hot it is justto think of Cormac bending me over his desk and showing me who's boss.

I sigh. I really need to get laid.

By the time I find a table in Starbucks, my face is about frozen from the cold. Thankfully, the morning rush of commuters has thinned out, leaving a low hum of background chatter made up of college students and stay-at-home wives.

I order the biggest coffee they offer and wrap my hands around it in an attempt to bring back some feeling into them.

After I regain the feeling in my fingers, I pull my laptop out of my bag and open up a new browser, quickly typingSullivan Investmentsinto the search bar.

If I'm going to do this right, I need to understand the company from the inside out.

The headlines are easy enough to find, with countless articles praising the Sullivan legacy like they're saints instead of businessmen with blood on their hands.

Interestingly enough, the few pictures that I manage to find of the brothers don't include Cormac at all, which makes me wonder why he's suddenly the face of the company.

There is definitely a story. But for now, I spend the next hour scrolling through pages of financial jargon and puff pieces that never seem to go into much detail about the company or Cormac, which doesn't bode well for me.

It's clear the Sullivans don't give much away, and yet Lorcan somehow believes that a few bats of my eyelashes will have Cormac spilling the family secrets. If that's even what Lorcanwants me for. Maybe he just wanted to hire me as a human GPS tracker with access to Cormac's calendar.

Either way, I can't afford to ask too many questions. I'll simply do my part, and when it's over, I'll be free.

I manage to make it through a few more articles before my email pings with my official offer of employment from Cormac himself, as well as my contract. For some unknown reason, my stomach starts fluttering with nervous excitement as I click open the attachment.

"Holy crap!" I gasp at the salary.

A few heads turn in my direction, but I'm in such shock that I don't have the capacity to feel embarrassed.

This can't be right.

I scroll through twice just to make sure I'm reading it correctly, but there it is, in black and white.