Page 14 of His Assistant

He gives me a wolfish grin and blocks my path, just enough that it might look accidental. “Walk with me for a minute.”

It’s not a question or request. I’ve worked with Dominic long enough that I know when I’m being commanded.

I look across the room to find Dominic. He’s speaking animatedly to someone, his attention completely focused away from me. Part of me wants to excuse myself to check on my boss, but I need to make sure this evening goes off with no visible hitch.

“Of course,” I say, overriding any part of my brain that has sense. There’s a ballroom full of people. There’s no reason to be concerned.

He leads me out of the ballroom and into a side hallway that connects to a private dining room. I keep one step behind him, the way I always walk with Dominic. My alarm bells are ringing, but I’m not ready to go nuclear just yet. The hallway is quiet, though not deserted. Service doors line it, with plenty of staff behind them who’d step in if they heard someone scream. Probably.

“I’m curious,” he says, turning on me. “How long have you worked for Dominic?”

“A little over a month,” I tell him honestly.

“Is that all?” He chuckles. “He already trusts you a lot for such a short time.”

I just shrug. “I do my job well and don’t complain.”

He stops near a narrow alcove by the private coatroom. It’s not hidden, exactly, but it’s far enough from the ballroom entrance that the music sounds muffled.

His eyes crawl over me in a way that makes my skin go tight.

“Dominic likes to keep pretty things around him. And I imagine you two have a lot of late nights together.”

My stomach turns.

“Our relationship is strictly professional,” I say as calmly as I can. “He’s my boss and I take care of his schedule. That’s as exciting as our late nights get. Now, I should probably get back to the ballroom.”

I try to step around him, but his hand catches my arm. Not hard, yet the look on his face says it wouldn’t take much for him to hurt me. I drop my gaze to his fingers, then lift it back to his face.

“Let go of me,” I say firmly.

That wolfish grin is back on his face, making him look predatory.

“Careful, Ms. Bellini. You should know by now that your job often requires enthusiastic compliance.”

I pull my arm out of his grasp as hard as I can, suppressing the urge to stomp on his foot.

“Actually,” I nearly spit, “that’s not in my job description.”

His brows lift, and his hands move to my waist.

“Mr. Armand,” I say in as intimidating of a tone as I can manage, “you need to let me get back to the ballroom.”

“You’re in over your head,” he says, leaning down to whisper into my ear. “You know that, don’t you?”

He backs me up against a wall, until there’s no possible way for me to wriggle out of his grasp. The motion knocks the air out of me.

“Dominic should know better than to bring pretty things around me,” he growls into my ear.

Underneath the immense fear comes an anger so powerful, it bursts out of me.

“And you should know how to keep your hands to yourself,” I say, pushing him off of me with both hands.

He stumbles back, and for a second I think I must be stronger than I knew. Then he’s thrown unnaturally to the side, and I see Dominic standing over him, unbridled fury on his face.

“Like the lady said,” he snarls, “you need to keep your hands to yourself.”

Kevin twists to look at him and puts his hands up in surrender.