I’d been foolish to think I could find someone hardworking and honest to help run my business in this godforsaken town.The more I thought about my predicament, the more pissed off I got.
“Damn it,” I snarled, slamming my fist against the desk.Papers scattered, and I cursed under my breath for the millionth time.I needed a new assistant—someone I could trust.Someone who wasn’t a denizen of Hell.Someone who had no ties to Arrhythmia—even if I had to break the rules to do it.
“Where the fuck am I supposed to find someone like that around here?”
With a huff, I opened up my laptop and decided to take matters into my own hands.I created a new employment ad and began typing, my fingers flying over the keys.An idea sprang into my head.
“I really shouldn’t do this.”My idea, and let me admit, is a bad one because it’s against the rules of Arrhythmia, and it may likely backfire and burn my ass.But what the fuck was I supposed to do?Hire another thief?To Hell with that.Sometimes it’s better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.
“Fuck it.”I needed someone I could trust.Someone outside of this hellhole.
Wanted: Executive Assistant.Must be honest and reliable, and able to handle a fast-paced work environment.Relocation expected.Great pay and benefits.
I hesitated for just a moment before clicking “post.”It was against the rules to hire from the human world, but I was done playing by the rules.After everything I’d been through, I needed someone who wouldn’t stab me in the back.
As I leaned back in my chair, the weight on my chest lightened just a bit.Sure, it was a gamble, but for the first time in weeks, I felt a flicker of hope.Maybe this time, I’d find someone who wouldn’t betray me—someone I could actually trust.
I watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the town.I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was inviting more trouble into my life.Arrhythmia had a way of testing even the strongest of wills.
3
Islammed the door behind me, my heart pounding with frustration.James had cost me my job at the diner, and I was furious.I kicked off my shoes, barely able to contain the anger boiling inside me.How could he have had the audacity to waltz in and disrupt my life like that?
“Mother freaking fucker!”I shouted.I wanted to wrap my fingers around his neck and squeeze as hard as I could.Either that or a few good, swift kicks to his balls.
“Meow.”
I looked down at Muffin and sighed.“You never liked him, did you?”
“Meow.”
“I know.I should have listened to you to begin with.If I had, I wouldn’t be in this situation now.”
The first time James had ever visited my apartment, Muffin went ballistic.She hissed from the moment he walked through the door until the second he left.She even managed to get a few good swipes in with her claws.
I tossed my purse onto the couch and plopped down at my cluttered kitchen table, resting my head in my hands.My mind raced, replaying the events of the day like a broken freaking record.One moment, I was serving coffee and clearing tables, and the next, I was fired because James was a lowlife asshat.I felt like I was drowning in a sea of chaos, and I couldn’t see a way out of any of it.I lived in a small town.Jobs were scarce.
With a huff, I pulled my laptop from the mess of papers that covered the table.I needed to find something—anything—to distract myself from the mess I found myself in.I drew in a deep breath and began to surf through the wanted ads, wishing for a glimmer of hope.Anything that would get me out of this situation I found myself in.
Scrolling through the listings, my eyes glazed over the usual assortment of dead-end jobs.Waitressing, retail, telemarketing—none of it sounded appealing.I was sick of the same old routine, the same miserable cycle of waking up, going to a job I didn’t want, and coming home to an empty apartment.Well, empty except for Muffin.I longed for something different, something that would pull me out of this suffocating small-town life.Something that made my heart race with excitement for life that I hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Just as I was about to close my laptop in defeat, one listing caught my attention.“Wanted: Executive Assistant.”My heart sped up as I clicked it and read the description.The position was for someone to support a busy executive in Arrhythmia, Texas.The pay was four times what I made now, and best of all, it was a chance to escape this town—maybe even start fresh somewhere else.
I paused, biting my lip as I considered the implications.Sure, I wasn’t exactly qualified—my experience consisted of waitressing and dealing with entitled customers—but I was desperate.Besides, how hard could it be to type a few letters and answer a phone?
I needed to get away from James and the crappy life I had been living.This seemed like my chance.I just had to sell my non-existent skills.
“Ugh!”I thought and began pulling complete bullshit out of my ass.Google was my friend when it came to my fudged skills.
The ad listed several positive qualities the employer was seeking: organization, communication skills, and the ability to handle a fast-paced work environment.I could do that!I had spent years juggling multiple tables in the diner and managing grumpy customers.I could spin that into something impressive, right?
I hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of my past decisions and the fact that I was willing to lie my ass off to get the hell out of Dodge.The urge to escape overpowered my better judgment.I took a deep breath, my fingers hovering over the keyboard as I began to craft my new identity.
“Okay, Muffin,” I said, glancing at my fluffy black cat curled up on the couch.“What do you think?Should I go for it?”
Muffin blinked lazily at me, her green eyes reflecting the overhead light.“Meow.”
“Not helpful,” I replied, rolling my eyes.“But I need your support here.I can’t stay in this town any longer.I need to get away from James, from all of this.”
