Page 39 of The Rebel Billionaire

But then again, I don’t, I remind myself.

Will I ever be able to fill Callie’s shoes?

“Is there something you want, Brooke?” Alessandro says, looking up.

“Er, no. Is there anything else you need?”

He quirks an eyebrow, and I feel my cheeks heat.

Annoyed at myself for letting him get to me, I want to stamp my foot.

He looks at his watch. “Can you ask Callie to order my usual lunch? I’m going to be caught up with this document now that it has arrived.”

“Of course,” I say, wondering how Callie handles his intensity and always manages to stay one step ahead of him.

Will I ever be able to anticipate what this man needs? Or am I going to be forever chasing my tail?

At least Callie is coming back, or I hope she does. Not that it matters, I’m only here until everything is sorted out at home and my life can resume as normal.

I realise I haven’t moved and that I’m staring.

“I’ll get right on it,” I say, only to receive a harrumph from across the room.

I let myself out in record time and groan as I make my way back to the desk. Callie looks up.

“He wants his usual lunch,” I say.

“Which is?”

“Chicken breast on rye bread with salad, no onion and no mayo,” I reel off, earning myself a grin.

“If you call down to the cafeteria, they’ll know what he orders. It’s usually either the chicken special or the steak, sometimes just a snack. They all know what to include or exclude if you tell them it’s for Alex.”

I bite my lip.

I need to be competent and channel Callie. It’s my only protection.

“I’m on it,” I say with more confidence than I feel. Work smarter, not merely harder, in this case. I’m the master of my own destiny. I’m competent, resourceful and intelligent. Alessandro Bianchi is not going to get the better of me. I need to remember who I’m hiding beneath this exterior. I’m a Frazer. I’ve never failed before. I’m not about to start now.

CHAPTER 12

ALEX

Her perfume lingers in the air long after she leaves my room. The light, fresh floral scent invades my senses.

Why the fuck did I agree to this?

It’s all Callie’s fault.

Wanting to please the woman who’s ensured my life has run smoothly for the past five years has overridden my instinct for self-preservation. That, and the guilt that she’s still here when she should be at home with her feet up.

Now there’s Brooke.

Young, vivacious Brooke, who seems to approach everything in life with a cheerful determination, or at least she does when I’m not around. The moment I open the door, a mask falls into place, and I can almost sense her hackles rise.

Warm and fuzzy isn’t my thing. I have no spare time to hold the newbie’s hand. My time is spent juggling day-to-day operations, assessing what needs to be done and planning how to maintain our position as one of the world’s leading fashion houses, not playing nice. I know I’m being sharp and confrontational, but she’s not Callie and is therefore a major distraction, forcing me to waste time checking whether she’s screwed up.

I was caught in a moment of weakness, and now I’m stuck with the consequences. I run a hand down my face and let out a deep sigh, rechecking my calendar.