Annihilate Me (Vol. 1) (The Annihilate Me Series) (9 page)

“How
about Manhattan?”

“It’s
a completely different perspective.
 
A ruthless one.
 
I don’t feel
anything here.
 
If I could retire to
the country or to the coast, I would.
 
But apparently my destiny is to carry out my father’s legacy, which was
decreed to me in his will without my knowledge of it.”
 
He raised his eyebrows at me.
 
“So, there’s some ‘no-bullshit’
information about me.
 
I think we’re
even now.”

As
much as he had bared, I could sense it was only the tip of whatever drove him
to share it with me.
 
His voice was
almost clipped when he spoke.
 
He
didn’t seem happy to me, which intrigued me.
 
This man appeared to have it all—he
was a billionaire with his own building on Fifth Avenue, for God’s
sake—but there was an unmistakable sense of sadness about him that I’d
probably never understand.
 
His
‘no-bullshit’ response was telling, but only to a point.
 
There was a mystery within him, an
undercurrent of something darker that I’d likely never put my finger on.
 
I sensed that he would go far to protect
his privacy, which he should.
 
What
he gave me only was for show, though I appreciated his effort to make me feel
at ease.

“I
need to come clean with you, Jennifer.”

That
piqued my interest.
 
Had he been
lying to me?
 
If so, about
what?
 
“How so?”

“I
asked you here because I needed to make certain that you were the one.”

“For
the executive assistant’s job, you mean?”
 
I reached behind my head, and did what Blackwell had told me to do.
 
I pulled out the long black pin and
shook out my hair without once leaving his gaze.
 
I felt the weight of my hair tumble down
my back, but my attention remained on him.
 
Steady and unwavering.

He
watched me, finished his martini in one long swallow, and glanced away.
 
He seemed uneasy and distracted.
 
“I’m asked to attend a lot of social
events,” he said.
 
“Several each
week, most of which end up with me doing some kind of business for Wenn.
 
There’s a party tonight in fact.
 
I don’t like going to them because I end
up going alone.
 
Women try to attach
themselves to me, and I know what they want.
 
They aren’t interested in me.
 
What they want is the money and the
notoriety that comes from being with me.
 
I know that sounds arrogant, but it’s nevertheless the truth, and I hate
it.
 
At any one of these events,
there is not one woman there who is interested in me as a person.
 
What they see is a bank account and a
lifestyle.
 
I’m not seeking an
executive assistant, Jennifer.
 
What
I’m seeking is a beautiful woman like you who would attend these events with me
and, as ridiculous as it sounds, pretend to be someone I’m seeing.”

I
felt my stomach sink, along with my heart.
 
“You’re asking me to be your escort?”

“If
you’re using the word escort in the traditional sense, then absolutely
not.
 
This isn’t about sex, and I’d
never insult you like that.
 
All I’m
seeking is a well-paid companion who will keep the wolves at bay so I can meet
the people I need to meet, and move my business forward by striking the deals I
need to strike at these sorts of events.
 
I’m asking you to pose as my girlfriend.
 
But it would only be an act.
 
Yes, we’ll occasionally need to hold
hands for show.
 
I might give you a
peck on the cheek.
 
There needs to
be some sort of physical indication that we’re a couple, but I’ll only do what
you agree is comfortable for you.
 
If it’s just occasionally holding hands, or me whispering in your ear,
or us sharing an intimate laugh, or perhaps having a dance, then that’s
it.
 
I’ll never cross whatever
boundaries you establish.
 
Only you
and I will know about this, but people need to believe that we are happy
together and that there is chemistry between us.
 
I already think that exists.
 
At the end of the event, I’ll take you
home, we’ll say our goodnights, and Ann or Ms. Blackwell will be in touch with
you about the next event.
 
Look,” he
said.
 
“I know this sounds insane,
but I don’t feel as if I have another option.
 
I’m not interested in dating anyone
right now or for the foreseeable future.
 
I want to focus on my work, and I want to be left alone to do it.
 
I don’t want women distracting me.
 
I don’t want to be romantically
involved.
 
It just ruins
things.
 
Does that make sense?”

“How
does it ruin things?”

He
didn’t answer my question.
 
“I just
need to know if this makes sense to you.”

“I
suppose it does in a crazy sort of way.”
 
And it did.
 
I could see why
women would throw themselves at him.
 
He was one of the best-looking men I’d ever seen.
 
Surely, I wasn’t alone in that
opinion.
 
I could see women
approaching him and trying to get to him, and how that could be an unwanted interruption.
 

“I
hope I haven’t offended you,” he said.

I
reached behind my head and lifted my hair off my neck, which felt warm.
 
I pulled it over my right shoulder, and
it curled around my breast.
 
“You’ve
surprised me.
 
I wasn’t expecting
this.”

“I
think you’re beautiful, Jennifer.
 
And you seem to be a kind person, which matters to me.
 
I like that you’re from Maine.
 
I respond to that.
 
If you’d consider taking the job, I’d be
grateful.”

“Exactly
how is this going to read on a resume?”

“That
you were my executive assistant.
 
Or
whatever title you’d like to choose.
 
It doesn’t matter to me.
 
If
you find this isn’t for you, I can find work for you here at the same
salary.
 
No hard feelings.
 
I’m sure there is an executive-level
position that Ms. Blackwell could find or make up for you here.
 
But I’d need you to give this a chance
first.”

“How
long of a chance?”

“Three
months.”

“How
many events per week?”

“It
can be up to five.
 
For the better
part of each week, we’ll essentially be inseparable during the evenings.”

Blackwell
entered my head:
 
Keep
a cool head and an open mind.
 
Think
‘big picture.’
 
Think ‘future.’
 
Don’t be a fool and think too much about
this.

“This
is strictly platonic?” I asked.
 

“Strictly.”

“I’d
prefer not to be kissed.”
 
Because I’m afraid that if you do
kiss me, I’d want more.

“Whatever
you’re comfortable with.”

“Holding
hands is fine.
 
A dance actually
would be nice.
 
It’s been a while
since I’ve had a dance.”

“Same
here.”

“So,
we can have a dance.
 
And I
understand the situation.
 
We need
to look intimate.
 
You can whisper
something in my ear if you want.
 
We
can hold hands, and you can place your hand on my back.
 
But that’s where it needs to end.”
 

“Anything
else?”

“That
should be simple enough.
 
I’ll warn
you that I’m not much of an actor.”

“Neither
am I.
 
I guess we’ll each have to
find our way.
 
But we do have
chemistry together, Jennifer.
 
I saw
it on your face when you turned to leave the building the other day.
 
You probably saw it on mine.”

“I
was too busy picking up resumes,” I lied.

“If
you take the job, you won’t need them any longer.”

Don’t be a fool and think too much
about this.

I
looked at him, and decided to see how serious he was.
 
“All right,” I said.
 
“I’ll take the job.
 
But the salary needs to be adjusted to
three hundred thousand dollars.”

He
didn’t flinch.
 
“That’s fine.”

You’ve got to be kidding me?
 
I kept my features neutral.
 
“Perfect.
 
When do I start?”

“Tonight,”
he said.
 
“There’s an event at The
Four Seasons.
 
Eight p.m.”

“Tonight?”
I said.
 
“But I don’t have anything
to wear.”

“You
will soon.
 
Ms. Blackwell is going
to take care of that for you now.
 
Get what you want.
 
She has a
good fashion sense and knows how you should dress for tonight’s occasion.
 
Tomorrow morning, you two will shop for
rest of the week.
 
All clothes and
anything else you buy are yours to keep, but I need to make sure that you never
wear the same thing twice.”

“You’re
saying that to a woman as if that’s a bad thing?”

“You
have a point.”

“I
can keep the clothes?”

“And
the jewelry.”

“There’s
jewelry involved?”

He
smiled at me, and as much as I knew I shouldn’t react to that smile, I
nevertheless felt it cut through me like a blade.
 
He was devastatingly handsome when he
smiled.
 
But as much as I was
attracted to him, I knew I had to think of him more like a brother.
 
I could not fall for him.
 
This was a business transaction.
 
Period.
 
That’s how he viewed it, so that’s how I
needed to view it.

“There’s
lots of jewelry involved,” he said.
 
“My girlfriend would only have the best of everything, right?”

“I
guess so.”

“Ms.
Blackwell will take care of that, as well.”

“Am
I using my own name?”

“You
are.
 
And your own story.
 
You’re from Maine—feel free to
talk about that.
 
You recently
graduated with your master’s in business—talk about that, too.
 
Ms. Blackwell has all the details about
how we met and got to know one another.
 
Make sure you read them carefully and memorize them.”
 
He winked at me.
 
“We need to have our schtick down,
Jennifer.
 
We need to make the
wolves believe so I can get my work done.”

CHAPT
ER THIRTEEN

“Well,
look at you,” Ms. Blackwell said.
 
“Your hair is down.
 
I’m
assuming you took the job?
 
Of
course you did.
 
Good for you.”

I
was standing outside her office, having just come from my meeting with
Alex.
 
I was in a bit of a daze, but
I tried not to let it show.
 
Blackwell, sharp as ever, nevertheless saw it.

“You’ll
be fine,” she said.
 
“And you have
to admit, it’s a sweet job.
 
I think
you’ll be pleased.
 
I’ve known Alex
since he was a boy.
 
He’s a good man
and he has a big heart, which he fiercely protects.
 
Thus this new position for you.
 
After all he’s been through, he does not
want to be involved with anyone now.
 
It’s too distracting.
 
But
he’s a gentleman and he’ll do right by you, Jennifer.”
 
She raised an eyebrow at me.
 
“I assume I can call you Jennifer.”

“Of
course.”

“For
me, it always will be Ms. Blackwell.”

I
couldn’t help a smile.
 
Which
is likely why you’re getting a divorce.
 
“That’s fine.”