“With all due respect, Mr. Rozanov, I am only your assistant, nothing more. Regulating your daily moods is not in my job description. Sir.”
Ransome stops in front of me, his head slowly, almost mechanically turning to zero his gaze on me. I stare forward.
“I think you need to remember your place, Miss Parker.”
“I’ve read the contract many times, Mr. Rozanov. I know what I shouldn’t be doing…” I look him in the eyes. “And I know what weshouldbe doing…”
Ransome steps forward and brings his mouth down to my ear. “Do not make the mistake of assuming you aren’t replaceable, Miss Parker. I would hate for you to suffer needlessly.”
As if I’m not suffering already.
I want to say the words but I bite my tongue. In fact, I bite it so hard, my mouth tastes like copper.
After he makes his way out of the room, I follow, going to my own office and closing the door.
Where does he get off? I mean, sure, he’s CEO and some kind of Russian drug lord, but still. Where the fuck does he get off treating his employees, treatingme,like that? I should have known last night was a joke.
As the day goes by, I do my best to avoid him. For the most part, he avoids me too. I predict his every move and need, staying a step ahead of him the entire time. That way, he can’t ask me to do anything that will make me feel belittled, and also, it gets under his skin when I have a head start on him.
By the time his meeting rolls around, I’ve already tweaked his schedule three times, made an appointment at the barber for him, and scheduled for his car to be detailed. When his lunch arrives—takeout from a Greek place down the street, per his request—I set it out for him on his desk.
While I’m there, Annette walks in.
“Is Mr. Rozanov here? There’s a fax from Las Cruses. A tire shop, I think? I’m not sure if it’s important.”
It is, in fact, important. It’s not from a tire shop. It’s code, and it has to do with the El Paso deal. I’m a little shocked they would fax something and not phone it, but maybe digital is riskier than paper. After all, paper can be burned.
“He’s in a meeting,” I tell her.
“Oh. I will just hold onto it then,” she says.
“That’s okay.” I rush over and swipe the papers. “He’s been waiting for this fax. I’ll just take it to him.”
“Are you sure?” she asks as I head down the hall. “I don’t think Mr. Rozanov likes being disturbed during his meetings.”
Nope. He does not.
I smile to myself and approach the doors. I stop outside, the muffled sound of voices on the other side. Then I knock twice and open the door.
Ransome, who was in the middle of something heated, stops, and the room turns towards me.
“Miss Parker…” his voice is a warning. One I should not ignore.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might want these papers.”
“It could have waited, Miss Parker.” He says the words like I don’t understand English.
“Maybe. But I didn’t want to risk it.”
I set them down in front of him and make my way back out. But just before the door closes, he slips through, grabbing me by the arm and yanking me off to the side.
“What in the actual fuck do you think you’re doing?” he grits out.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Is my behavior out of place?” I snap back.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but it’s about to get you into trouble,” he warns.
“So fire me.”
