“How aboutboss?”
His hot chuckle hits the back of my neck, and goosebumps rush to my arms. “Not a fucking chance.”
Rome may think he has the upper hand when it comes to me–and probably all of us at Vanstone—but little does he know, I’m the one that’ll be whispering in his ear, calling allthe shots when the time comes, which makes putting up with his sharp tongue and irritating smirk worth it.
I brush away the warmth on my skin and wrap my fingers around the conference room door handle. “We’ll see,” I say.
I carry so much satisfaction from the interaction that I can’t help but smile.
Gia, already sitting at the long table with her phone in one hand and a pen in the other, looks at me suspiciously. “Why do you look so happy?”
I place my purse on the table and take a seat beside her. “I’m always happy to see you.”
Gia and I are close in age. We met last year after we hired her for social media relations and have gone out a few times together. She’s all business during the hours from 9-5, but when the sun goes down, she’s your typical girl in her early twenties.
Rome walks in next, his eyebrows still furrowed. He lowers himself in the chair farthest away from me, the slight creases surrounding his squint filled with silent questions.
“God damn.” Gia turns toward me with reddened cheeks.
“What?”
Her eyes grow wide. She inches her head in Rome’s direction. “That’s what.”
I roll my eyes.
“Can you honestly tell me that you don’t think he’s one of the hottest men you’ve ever seen?”
Of course he is.
Until he opens his mouth.
Or until I remember who he is and where he came from.
What was my father thinking, hiring Lucas Pierce’s son? How does he expect us to trust a man like him, who was raised to follow in his father’s footsteps?
One thing is for certain: Rome Pierce may be utterly gorgeous, but I will never,evertrust him, and before the season is over, I’ll uncover every last one of his ulterior motives.
Chapter Eight
ROME
I hate meetings.
It takes every ounce of energy I have not to let my head fall back for a quick nap. I used up the majority of my energy already, spending an hour in the gym, training, and then not losing my temper when it came to Ellis purposefully giving me a hard time.
I’m not sure what I expected.
Of course no one trusts me at Vanstone—no one other than Vince, but he’s not here. Instead, it’s the Halston clan, and they aren’t exactly shy with their loathing.
They have nothing on my father, though, so if anything, their scathing glares are entertaining. Particularly Tessa. She may hate me even more than Beck.
Why does that give me pure satisfaction?
I stare at her from across the conference table. She’s pulled her long, chestnut hair up into a bun held together with a pen, showing off her slender neck and heart-shaped face. Her eyebrows pull together as she stares at something on the other woman’s phone–Tia? Clea? I forgot her name.
I glance at my watch.
My skin itches to get out of this stuffy room and into the simulator.
