“My brother’s sleeping. He isn’t well,” I whisper. Warren doesn’t respond. He just keeps staring, his jaw tight, eyes like flint. “Why are you here?” I press.
“I need a secretary,” he snaps. “Get your shoes and follow me.”
He pulls the door open again, waiting. When I don’t move, he exhales, irritated. “Leoni, did you hear me?”
“Yes, I heard. But I’m not coming. You can’t just order people around and expect them to do whatever you say. I quit. You’re not my boss anymore.”
“I’ll drag you out of here if I have to,” he warns, his voice dangerously low. “You signed a contract. If you break it without written notice, you’re in breach.”
I fold my arms. “No one actually takes those things seriously.”
His eyes widen in disbelief. “You think you can just ignore a contract?”
“Maybe?” I shrug, suddenly less sure of myself.
“No, Leoni,” he says, stepping closer. “It’s a legal document. I can take you to court. Now, get your shoes.”
My confidence wavers.Can he really do that?I chew my lip, then slip on my heels and grab my handbag.
His mouth twitches with satisfaction. “Good girl.”
I ignore the shiver his words send straight to my… I shake my head to clear the fog. “I’ll give you written notice by the end of the day,” I mutter. “It’s a month, right?”
We step into the corridor. Warren presses the elevator call button, giving me an amused look.
“You really didn’t read the contract, did you?”
I shake my head.
He laughs. “Christ, who the hell signs a contract without reading it?”
“They all look the same. I just needed the job.”
“Clearly. If youhadread it, you’d know you owe me eight weeks’ notice.”
“Eight?” I screech. “That’s ridiculous.”
He smirks. “You signed to say you agreed.”
The doors slide open, and we step inside. Silence falls, thick and charged. I can feel the energy crackling between us, unspoken, unwanted, undeniable.
“So,” he says finally. “Your brother.”
“Isaac,” I correct, meeting his eyes.
His gaze sharpens. “He’s upset someone?”
“Apparently. He’s a closed book. I don’t know the details.”
“Does he live with you?”
I shake my head. “He just needs somewhere to stay for a bit. Mum worries, she doesn’t need the stress. He’ll go home once he’s better.”
“And the people he upset? He didn’t say who they were?”
“No.”
The doors open. The security guard glances up and nods at Warren, who barely acknowledges him.
