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I want to ask how she knows all this information, but I can't seem to form a coherent thought. I stare blankly at her face as several horror scenes of me getting fired flash in my head.
“We should go now,” Gina says, already heading for the door. “It's almost time for the meeting; you don't want to be let go for being late!”
I hurry after her, my heart thudding violently against my chest rib.
I can't lose my job. Not now. Not until I can get out of Chicago and far, far away from my ex-boyfriend.
I'll do anything to stay on at Eclipse, even if it means going down on my knees to beg while gripping onto the legs of the owner. It's the only way I can survive…
It's the only way my family can survive…
Gina pushes open the door to the meeting room, barely giving me a moment to catch my breath before grabbing me by the hand and pulling me inside with her.
The room is already filled with familiar faces of people that I've worked with in the past three years, from servers to strippers and even cleaners. However, there's a figure that stands out: a tall man in a dark, fitted suit. His back is to the room, yet he radiates a power that keeps everyone sitting straight in their chairs.
I quickly take my seat on the last empty chair beside Gina. At that moment, he turns around to face the room, and I forget to breathe.
Familiar blue eyes bore directly into mine, holding me prisoner to their icy depths… Daring me to look away.
Once again, the universe has decided to turn its back on me.Why did the blue-eyed devil from last night turn out to be my boss?
Chapter Three
Damon
I wonder if it's evil to be enjoying her discomfort so much… She amuses me. Nothing has amused me in a while. Maybe it's why I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since our memorable encounter in the VIP lobby.
Right now, the meeting has ended and everyone else has exited the room, but she's hovering by the door, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. Seeing her in the light of the day hits differently; she's gorgeous. Right now, she doesn't have on the tight, almost obnoxious uniform that Billy made the waitresses wear – I make a mental note right there and then to change the servers' outfit – but instead, she's wearing baggy jean dungarees with a short-sleeved white shirt, paired with well-worn sneakers. Her long brown hair is tied up in a messy ponytail that accentuates the elegant curve of her neck. Her face is bare of makeup save for the shimmering, transparent gloss on her lips. She looks worlds different from last night…Softer.Prettier.
Oh, but something feels familiar alright – that fire, brimming just beneath the surface. Even though she looks all demure and contrite at the moment, I can still sense that unapologetic defiance that instantly drew me to her last night.
I love the challenge of taming her.
I clear my throat loudly, fisting my hands against the urge to put her over my knees and do forbidden things to her backside.
“Shouldn't you leave with the others, Miss…?” I intentionally let my voice trail off, slightly arching a brow in question.
She swallows hard and steps forward.
“Dana,” she supplies, stopping just a few feet from me. “Dana Smith.”
“How may I help you, Miss Smith?” I ask, keeping my tone deliberately impassive.
She swallows visibly, hesitantly taking another step forward. “I- I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about last night.”
“Really?” I drawl, slowly folding my arms over my chest. “I wonder if you're sorry because I turn out to be your boss, or if you're truly apologetic.”
“I- I can't lose my job because of… that,” she retorts with a defeated shrug.
“Like I mentioned in the meeting, the layoffs will be on just grounds, and anyone who is let go will be duly compensated. If you're fired, then it must be because you very well deserved it.”
Something crosses her eyes in that instant, a flittering emotion that’s gone before I can make sense of it.Fear? Desperation?
She clears her throat, shuffling nervously on her feet. “I- I admit I shouldn't have lost my cool like that last night, but you were being so rude, and I was cranky after being on my feet for so long.”
“I see,” I say coolly, revealing nothing of the amusement that I feel at her babbling. “Last night I was incorrigible and conceited,and today, I'm rude. I see you have a way with words, Miss Smith.”
She instantly turns crimson, her gorgeous green eyes growing wide. “I- I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean…”
