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"No I refuse to take that sort of handout I will earn this promotion," he says vehemently "I want to do this I would never hold you back, you know"

"That’s not fair," I er and sadness fills me, but he doesn’t appear sad at all No, he looks excited Like this is exactly what he wants What he needs

Does this mean I’m not what he wants? What he needs?

"It’s the truth," he says simply "And you know it"

He never toldfor the position And this sort of thing goes on for weeks Sometimes months My father didn’t tellyet never gave h, I hate that Zachary has kept this secret from me

Makes me wonder if he’s kept any other secrets

Don’t fool yourself He’s kept plenty of secrets from you Why do you put up with hiZachary Lawrence doesn’t deserve ain So has Rose

I’h draws nitionmy stomach sour God, of course he’s here A million restaurants in all of Manhattan and he’d have to show up in this one The ant Ryder McKay, fellow corporate employee of Fleur Cosmetics

Ryder’s with … of course, Pilar Vasquez, his forht call her Their relationship is strange, to say the least

Strange because Pilar doesn’t talk about it and Ryder definitely doesn’t talk about it either No one’s sure exactly what happens between them, but everyone would love to know

Not that I want to know Or really care His arrogance, the look on his handso as if he’s the king of all he sees, drives ht will eventually go to Zachary someday He is without a doubt the future CEO of Fleur

Or me I could be the CEO Grandma has said that more than once If I had half of her confidence, I could conquer the world

All I know is that Ryder McKay is definitely not on par with Zachary and all of his experience He’s worked at Fleur a bit longer than Zachary, a little over two years He caot him a position since she worked with hiood graces of practically every executive orks at Fleur His charerous, and I can reluctantly admit he’s a valued employee

Which makes hiuts Soust curling through my blood, I try nore that the life I’d planned is falling apart in front of s, and he takes the call without asking if I mind Like I don’t matter, and I hate that I hate even more that he turns away so he can

More secrets It’s probably a woman That I sit here and tolerate his behavior makes me want to smack him

Or smack myself

I’m at a loss I don’t knohat to do, how to act, and I can’t help orgeous in a charcoal-gray suit and a crisp white shirt, though he’s sans tie and a few buttons are undone at the neck, revealing the sexy coluht disarray, as if he’s run his fingers through it countless tiives him a rakish air One that says he doesn’t care what people think of him while he sits in a restaurant that caters to some of the richest people in all of Manhattan

That is the exact sort of attitude Ryder McKay always see Not that I have to deal with hie developo, a position I now can’t help but wonder why Zachary didn’t apply for, though it would have been more of a lateral move, not necessarily a step up It would have kept hih

Unless Zachary had no desire to stay in New York …

I stare harder, wishing I could listen in on Ryder’s conversation with Pilar, but I can’t hear a thing His face is shrouded in shadows, the candle flickering in the deep red votive that sits in the ht He’s very attractive, I can reluctantly adlorious, downright filthy-sounding laugh that sends a spark of heat zipping overand shockingly dirty, not because I have any sort of interest in him He’s too quiet, too mysterious, too … dark and full of secrets That wicked s his lush lips as he reaches across the table and takes Pilar’s hand, bringing it to his hs, her voice raspy as she seely admonishes him He aze going to ht Snared in his intense gaze and for a long, charge-filled bundle of seconds, I return his stare Recognition flares in his eyes and I quickly look away,is di of me, I’m sure I’m barely a blip on his radar, and that’s just the way I like it I don’t want his attention