Page 17 of Guarded King

Without allowing myself to dwell on him any longer, I hurry down the corridor to Sophie’s desk outside Tate’s office.

She looks up and grins as I approach. “You’ve been released?”

I laugh. “It seems that way.”

“Great, I’m starving.” She pops up and leads me to the elevator while I fill her in on my morning.

As we descend to the fortieth floor, she listens, brow wrinkled, and shakes her head. “Roman’s always been the most serious of the three brothers. Which makes sense, since he’s the eldest and the CEO. But he’s never come across as unreasonable. Obviously Lena wouldn’t have hired you if she didn’t think you were experienced enough.”

“I suppose I’m grateful he’s giving me a chance. But it’s frustrating to think I might miss out on this job and I’m not even sure why. It can’t just be because of my age, can it?”

Before she can respond, the elevator doors open, and we step into the most luxurious cafeteria I’ve ever seen. What looks like a marble-tiled floor gleams under our feet, and various food stations are set up around the perimeter, offering everything from Italian to Greek to Japanese, along with good old burgers and fries. Large windows let in plenty of natural light, and the cheerful chatter of employees puts me at ease.

As we pass a list of prices, I’m surprised at how reasonable the costs are.

“The meals are subsidized,” Sophie informs me.

Yet another reason I need to keep this job. Despite my boss’s chilly demeanor, the great salary and cost-saving perks like subsidized meals will only make taking care of Dad easier.

We choose sushi, and once we have our plates and our bottles of water, we find a seat at a two-person table near one of the big windows.

I admire the slightly different but equally captivating view of Manhattan for a moment before taking a large bite of the deliciously fresh California roll.

“Okay,” Sophie says, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Tell me your story.”

I swallow my mouthful of food and pick up my own napkin. “My story isn’t very interesting.”

She cocks her head. “Don’t be silly. Everyone’s story is interesting. You just can’t see it because you’ve lived it, and it seems normal to you.”

Her words make me smile. “I suppose so. Well… for the last few years, I worked for a small real estate development company, but it was bought out recently, then restructured. My boss didn’t bother fighting for my position because he was going to have access to an admin pool. And I’m pretty sure because I rejected his advances a few months before the restructure was announced. Though I can’t prove that, of course.”

Sophie scrunches up her nose. “Asshole.”

I nod, taking another bite of sushi. “He was,” I say when I can speak again. “I’m not the least bit sad about not working for him anymore. Luckily, a friend gave me the contact details for a recruitment agency. That’s how I ended up here.”

“Are you single? In a relationship? Any kids?” She munches on her food, eyes bright with interest. Maybe she doesn’t meet new employees that often, working on the executive floor.

“Single, no kids…” I debate whether to say anything about Dad. But Sophie seems lovely, and someone I see myself being friends with if I stay, so I continue. “I actually live with my dad. He’s got a chronic disease, and he needs assistance.”

Her eyes glimmer with sympathy. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Is your mom around, or…?”

I take a sip of my water, brushing away a prickle of residual hurt. “Mom left when I was fourteen. I guess being an artist’s wife and a teenager’s mom wasn’t what she wanted. Since then, it’s just been Dad and me.”

She reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. The gesture is a surprise, but it’s reassuring. I squeeze back while giving her a smile. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago now.”

“Still, that’s sad.” Thankfully, she moves on from the topic. “So, your dad is an artist?”

“Yeah. He paints these amazing pictures of New York City. He used to rent a little shopfront and sell them there. Online too. But now he has trouble holding a paintbrush, so…” Unexpectedly, my throat tightens enough for my voice to catch.

“So now you’re looking after him.”

“Yes. And a well-paying job like this will help cover his medical bills.”

“I get it.” Her hazel eyes narrow thoughtfully. “We’ll just have to make sure Roman sees sense by the end of the day. If there’sany work I can help with, pass it on. We’ll dazzle him with how productive you are.”

“Thanks.” I give her a grateful smile. “But if I’m going to prove myself, I need to show him I’m capable on my own. Otherwise, he might be right in thinking I can’t handle the job.”

She nods a little reluctantly. “Fair enough.”