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One
All she had to do was fake it
All she had to do was act as if her insides matched the calm, competent, loyal, efficient and discreet surface she worked hard toit since she was six years old This should be no different
At 6:45 aalos-De Luca Enterprises opened and in walked a tall man with black hair and black eyes that seemed to sear her with appraisal
Emma’s stooose bumps rise to the surface of the skin on her arreet the man She’d been told he looked like a handsoree She didn’t see a millimeter of pity or softness in his hard face or hard body The scar on his cheek only punctuated his ruthless reputation
Her pulse raced, but she ignored her reaction “Mr Medici,” she said
“Emma Weatherfield,” he said and extended his hand to hers
She hesitated a beat before taking it After all, he was here to take the company that had provided the only stability she’d experienced in her life and rip it to shreds Despite protests froement, the current chair an outside firanization Da jobs
She had a job to do, she re palht pressure and held her gaze as she noticed the texture of his skin The calluses on his palm surprised her He was president of his own company; there was no need for him to perform any sort of manual labor
She would learn the answer to that question She would learn the answers to all her questions and those of her previous bosses It was her job to learn everything she could about Daalos-De Luca, to whom she owed her new life
“Call me Damien when it’s just the two of us Mr Medici can be reserved for other times I was told you were efficient, but I didn’t expect you to arrive at the office so early on a Monday,” he said with a hint of admiration
“Habit,” she said, re her hand from his “Since this was a new position, I wanted to be prepared”
“And are you?” he asked, glancing around the office suite
No,she thought, and wished she weren’t so viscerally aware of his power “I’ll let you be the judge of that”
He nodded and pushed open the door to the corner executive office that gave a sweeping view of the craggy, snowcapped as “Come in,” he said “I understand you’ve been with the company for six years”
“Yes, I have,” Ee inner office, watching as he wandered around the roo a cursory glance to the view
“According to your résualos for the last two years MD,” he said, shortening the coood to you They’ve paid your tuition and given you flexible hours to coree”
“All true,” she said
“I’ his jacket “Perhaps so grateful that you don’t want to see MD es”
“I want MD to thrive The current economy is difficult I want only the best for MD’s future,” E her planned response She sounded stilted to her own ears
He studied her She felt a shiver race through her, but refused to let it show
“Even if it’s necessary for MD to cut jobs?” he asked “Even if I need to turn the regular way of business on its ear?”
“You’re legendary in your field I’ out for the company’s best interests After all, that’s what you’re paid to do as an unbiased, professional contractor”
He paused a ain “Good,” he said, as if he knew she was giving a performance “In that case, I’d like to start with financial reports from all the company divisions”
She blinked “I thought you ht want to meet with some of the vice presidents first”
He shook his head and pulled a laptop co the first-class computer on his desk “The VPs will try to clutter my analysis with emotion I’ll take the reports”
“Yes, sir If you prefer a different desktop…” she began
“I always useit with me”
“We have memory sticks available for that if—”
He shook his head “No problem Give it to someone else and it will be one less expense for your company”
She nodded slowly True, but it alsoaccess to his electronic files when the ti to be difficult, but she hadn’t realized just how difficult
“Yes, sir,” she said again, deter about him “How do you take your coffee?”
“I prefer to have a coffeepot in my office I pour my own”