Page 22 of In Love and Revenge

My stomach flies into my throat as the offending bottle rolls across the floor of the shower, the sound echoing off the tiled walls.

I look up and my eyes collide with a pair of rich brown ones, like molten bronze, in the mirror above the toilet. I rip them away fast, my heart pounding and cheeks blazing with embarrassment.

‘I’m sorry, I . . .’

I can’t help it; I glance down at his dick again before my brain registers something.

Molten bronze eyes highlighted with amber flecks.

Thick, wavy brown hair.

Oh God, no.

I move my attention back to the mirror. But he’s not looking in it any more. He’s spun ninety degrees and is facing me full frontal.

My breath flies out of my lungs in a gasp. ‘You have got to be kidding me!’

His expression turns thunderous, and he shoves his dick back inside his trousers hastily.

‘Rafael fucking Fairfax,’ I hiss.

He clears his throat. ‘Francis, actually.’

‘What?’

‘My middle name,’ he snaps, tugging his zipper up roughly.

I stare at him, and he stares back, his eyes darkening.

‘What are you doing here, Aurora?’ he growls.

‘Rafe, darling, what’s taking you so long?’

Her whiny voice cuts the air between us like a knife. I clamber off the shower seat and step out into the room.

‘Alice?’ she scoffs, screwing her nose up as she walks into the room and spots me. ‘What are you still doing here?’

She’s taken her clothes off and is standing in black lace lingerie, complete with stockings and suspender belt. I flick my eyes towards Rafael, but his attention is glued to my face, like she isn’t even here.

‘Alice?’ He scowls. ‘She’s not—’

‘Not supposed to be here, you’re right,’ I say quickly, widening my eyes at him with a ‘please shut the hell up’ look.

He closes his mouth, and I let out a shaky breath.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I say to Tanya, who’s standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at me. ‘The list you left took longer than—’

‘So you being incompetent and unable to get all of your work done on time is my fault?’ Her brows shoot up her forehead.

Yes. If you weren’t such a goddamn unreasonable witch. That list would have taken two people an entire day to complete, and you expected me to do it in a few hours.

‘No, of course not, but—’

‘You know what.’ She holds her palm up, silencing me. ‘I don’t care about your excuses. You’re fired.’ She looks at Rafael and rolls her eyes. ‘So hard to find good help nowadays.’

I stay rooted to the spot as she walks to him and runs her index finger down his tie, giving him a flirty smile.

I clear my throat.