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h quick, purposeful strides, his narrowed, hawk-like gaze h assess people in place It felt as if the very air trembled Mia was afraid she did Alessandro Costa was incredibly inti

She knew everyone’s job was up for grabs, and most likely down the drain as well In his last takeover, it had been rumoured that Costa had kept three employees out of forty As personal assistant to the CEO, Mia knew her position would almost certainly be cut Costa undoubtedly had his own executive assistant already in place, and as he didn’t see as a separate entity, her job had ht, with the takeover

Still, she was deter for Dillard Investments since she was nineteen, fresh froht-eyed and deter of herself and, most importantly, to finally be independent

All her childhood she’d been under the controlling thu to do as he said and dance to his tune, however discordant its notes Herturns, and Mia had vowed to gain her freedom as soon as she could—and nevera char man…or any man at all

So nohile Mia knew she could find another job, she resisted the prospect of being fired fro ti the way

She hting She had to, as points of both pride and principle

Alessandro Costa had stopped in the centre of the room, his feet spread wide, his hands on his hips He looked like the king of an e out of a fairy tale, except in a three-piece suit

‘Who is Mia Jahtly accented, the words crisp and precise as they echoed through the open space

Mia felt every eye on the floor turn instinctively towards her Like a child in school being called on by a teacher, she raised her hand, hoping her voice would co

‘I aht have overshot it, she realised; she sounded strident Aggressive, even, to hide her nervousness

Alessandro Costa’s eyes narrowed even further in appraisal, and his lips flattened into a hard line

‘Come with me,’ he said, and walked into Henry Dillard’s office, the only private space on the floor, an elegant room ood panelled walls and leather club chairs, tasteful oil paintings and heavy curtains It felt like a gentleant townhouse, which it very well ht once have been Dillard’s offices were in a forutted for desk space