I blink at him, certain I've misheard. "Me? I'm just here because I signed a contract. I don't think hearts have anything to do with it."
His eyes light up. "Doesn't it?" The elevator doors slide open, but Konstantin doesn't move. "You are living with the man, Katriana. Hearts are always involved when midnight rolls around and there’s nowhere to hide when the truth comes to find you."
I don’t know if that is the wisest thing I’ve ever heard or the creepiest. Instead of commenting I raise my coffee cup to my lips and take a hard swallow.
With that, Kon steps out, leaving me to follow in his wake while his words echo through my mind.
Living with the man. I turn those words around in my head a few times. As if they mean something. As if sharing a penthouse with Drake Moses is somehow more significant than the business arrangement outlined in black and white on the contract I signed.
Konstantin leads me through a maze of hallways I vaguely remember from yesterday's tour, stopping finally at an office that sits adjacent to Drake's own door. The space is smaller than his but still impressive, all clean lines and modern furniture with a view of the city that makes my heart ache with its beauty.
"This is you." He gestures to the desk, to the computer already humming quietly, to the leather chair that looks like the Cadillac of office chairs. Creamy leather is a new favorite of mine.
I put my coffee mug on the corner and trace a finger over the arm of the chair. Buttery soft.
"Sienna will be along shortly to help you get settled. Any questions, you have my number."
I don't have his number. I don't even have a phone. But before I can point out either of these fairly significant details, Konstantin presses a card into my palm and nods toward the top drawer of my desk. I slide it open to find a cell phone nestled inside, glossy and new and waiting for me like it's been there all along. By the time I look up to thank him, Kon is already disappearing down the hallway, leaving me feeling simultaneously protected and utterly confused.
I'm still staring at the card when Sienna appears in the doorway two seconds later, a bright smile on her face and a coffee cup in each hand.
"First real day in the office." She crosses to my desk and sets one of the cups before me, the familiar logo of an expensive chain printed on the side. "I thought you might need reinforcements. And I figured I'd show you the ropes before Drake comes back and buries you in work."
The warmth that blooms in my chest at her kindness catches me off guard. I like Sienna immediately, more than I usually let myself like anyone. There's a genuineness to her that feels rare in this world of expensive suits and dangerous secrets, and I find myself relaxing in her presence in a way I haven't relaxed around another person in years.
"Thank you." I wrap my hands around the cup she's given me, breathing in the rich aroma of high-quality espresso. "I appreciate you taking the time."
"Please." She waves away my gratitude with a manicured hand. "This place can be overwhelming at first. God knows I would have drowned without help when I started working for Rafael. Consider me your lifeline."
We spend the morning working through the systems and protocols that govern life at Redthorne Holdings. Sienna explains the hierarchy of the organization, who reports to whom, which meetings are mandatory and which can be safely ignored. She walks me through the scheduling software, the communication channels, the unwritten rules that separate the insiders from the outsiders.
Her perfume drifts toward me as she leans over my shoulder to demonstrate a particularly complicated filing system, something floral and expensive that makes me think of garden parties and champagne. She smells like the kind of woman who has never worried about paying rent or choosing between groceries and electricity.
But there's no condescension in her manner, no hint that she sees me as anything less than an equal. She treats me like a colleague, like a friend, and I find myself opening up to her in ways that would normally take months of careful trust-building.
By the time the clock approaches noon, my head is swimming with information but my heart feels lighter than it has in days.
"Lunch break." Sienna straightens from where she's been perched on the edge of my desk and stretches her arms above her head. "I usually eat at my desk, but you should take some time. Clear your head. First days are always exhausting."
I nod gratefully and reach for my phone as she slips out of the office, already knowing who I need to call.
Gemma answers on the second ring.
"Kat!" My sister's voice bursts through the speaker, bubbling with the enthusiasm that has always been her defining characteristic. "Oh my God, I've been dying to talk to you. Tell me everything about this new job. And the new living situation! Mom said you moved into some fancy building downtown? What is happening?"
Her voice washes over me like a warm bath, soothing tensions I didn't know I was carrying. I lean back in my chair and let myself smile.
"It's a lot to explain." I keep my voice light, careful not to reveal too much. "But it's good, Gem. It's really good. The job is demanding, but the people are nice. And the apartment is... well, it's nicer than anything I've ever lived in."
I hedge the truth because Gemma doesn’t know about Victor, the wish, or the contract.
"I knew it! I knew you would get hired by a nice publishing house one day." Gemma's excitement is contagious and I can't bear to break her heart by telling her the truth. I can never tell her I work for criminals who do shady things day in and day out.
"I told Mom you'd land on your feet,” Gemma continues. “You always do. When can you visit? I miss your face. Mom misses your face. Even the neighbor's cat misses your face. Err…maybe. Mr. Jingles actually probably still hates you from when you left him outside all night."
I laugh, the sound surprising me with its genuine warmth. "We both know that it was an accident. He was busy chasing the neighbor's kitty anyway. He showed up looking pretty happy with himself. And soon. I promise. Things are settling here, but as soon as I can get away, I'll come see you both."
"You better. You promised to follow us and it’s been five years."
