Page 23 of Manhattan Bossholes

“Which is separate!” I reminded him.

“Yes, yes, of course. You need to get it on the books first.” He gave me a pointed look.

“Watch me,” I shot back at him. “So when will you pay up with the intro to Mercedes?”

His wicked mouth twisted as he considered his answer. “After the wedding.”

The thought of entering into yet another weird arrangement with him gave me a tension headache, but the result was going to be worth it in the end.

At least that’s what I had to tell myself as he reached his hand out.

“Deal?” Vincent arched an eyebrow at me.

I stared at his massive mitt for a few seconds, then slid my hand against his. He held me in an iron grip for a beat too long, and when he finally let go, I felt lightheaded and woozy.

I’d made yet another deal with the devil.

7

PIPER

“Week two done, baby! Happy Friday!” Darcy hooted as I walked into our apartment at the end of the world’s most ridiculous day. “A toast to you for getting us that much closer to Strapped domination.”

She held out an overfull champagne glass as I dropped my bag and kicked off my heels.

“You don’t even know,” I said as I grabbed the flute and downed it. “Delicious. Pour me another and keep ’em coming.”

“Oof, guessing you had a shitty day?” she asked as she refilled my glass.

“Just wait until you hear everything.” I widened my eyes at her and turned to go to my room to change. “Next-level bullshit.”

“Get your soft pants on and return to the couch. I want a full report.”

Darcy already had her hair pulled up and was in comfy pants since she worked from home on Fridays. I was touched she’d opted to spend the night home with me.

I stripped off my work clothing like I was shedding my armor after battle, then took a quick shower to rinse off the day. I joined Darcy on the couch in our tiny family room wearing fuzzy socks and sweats. I loved our little apartment even though we didn’t agree about the aesthetic. Darcy was all about bright and eccentric, and I preferred a more cottage-core, cozy vibe. Our bedrooms were complete opposites, but we managed to compromise in our shared spaces. My plants were everywhere, and Darcy kept the color contained to neon throw pillows.

“Do I smell cookies?” I asked. The smell of food made me realize I’d been so busy I’d forgotten to eat lunch.

“You sure do. And there’s pizza on the way. We’re partying tonight, my friend.”

I leaned over and gave her a quick hug. “You’re the absolute best. Do you know that?”

“Of course I do. Now please spill everything!”

“You first,” I said as I grabbed a pre-dinner cookie from the coffee table in front of me. “What’s new in your world?”

Darcy rolled her eyes at me. “Do you really want to hear about spreadsheets and status meetings? Let’s focus on the glamorous world of fine fragrances. Any samples for me?”

“Yeah, I grabbed a handful of stuff; it’s in my bag. I think that might be the only perk of working there. As much free Summit product as I can carry.”

She sputtered at me. “Uh, what about the salary? That’s everything! Now all we need is to connect with Mercedes, and we’re golden.”

I should’ve felt excited about what had happened with Vincent a few hours prior, but I felt strangely conflicted about what we’d agreed to. Yeah, I’d agreed to do the fake relationship thing with the Sullivans, but that was strictly for business. It was like being in a play—no big deal. But putting on an act for Vincent’s father…that was on a whole different level. It seemed almost intimate, and I wasn’t sure how the idea of being intimate with Vincent made me feel.

“What?” Darcy demanded. “You look upset—what’s going on in your head?”

“I have some news,” I replied. “It’s really great news, but it’s also sort of shitty.”