Page 44 of Boardroom Sins

As I turn toward the source, I see that there’s a seating area in the back corner I hadn’t noticed last time I was in here. A long leather couch tucked against the wall.

And on that couch is a woman.

A very beautiful woman.

A verynaked,beautiful woman.

She’s stretched out in a seductive pose. Long, blonde hair cascades over the arm of the couch like a honey-colored waterfall. Her skin, every exposed inch of it, is porcelain and flawless. She looks like she belongs in a Renaissance painting. Or aPlayboycenterfold.

“Oh.” She sounds irritated when she sees who I am. “You’re not Lukas.”

“N-no,” I stammer out, confirming the blindingly obvious. “I’m not.”

“Annoying.” Her accent is thick. Russian, I assume. Seems to be a pattern around here. “I’ve been waiting all fucking day. Where is he?”

When I don’t answer, too stunned for words, she sits up, making zero effort to hide her nudity. “Well? Is he coming or not?”

“I—” I try to swallow, but my mouth is suddenly parched and inoperable. “I don’t know. He’s not here.”

She rolls her eyes. “I can see that, silly girl. But whenwillhe be here?”

I’m still holding the Post-it note. It crumples in my fist. “I don’t know,” I repeat.

She squints at me for a moment. Her eyes are green, sharp, and dismissive. Then she smirks. “Well, if he’s not going to fuck me, are you?”

I could not possibly begin to formulate an answer to that.

She laughs. It’s not a nice sound. “Forget it. You’re no fun. You can go now.” She waves her hand like she’s shooing away a fly. “Tell him Natasha is waiting. And I’m very, very expensive.”

I feel sick. I feel high. I feel disgusted. I feel flushed. I feel so many things at once that if I have to stay in this mint-and-sea-salt-scented room for one second longer, I’m going to start to scream and I might never stop.

Making full use of every ounce of willpower I possess, I turn and walk out.

I don’t run. Not at first. I close the door behind me. I walk past my desk. Past the snake plants, past the elevator bank, to the stairwell.

ThenI run as fast as I can.