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A soft knock sounds on the door that I ignore.

“Safety is a worthy goal.” I lightly tap the desk. “But…”

“Not you too,” his voice gains back its sharp edge. “My brothers would have me shrink our holdings, make ourselves smaller. But to me, that would only be a weakness.”

“I see your point.” I clear my throat. “But Dimitri Ivanov is a coiled snake and deserves a careful hand. Move too quickly, or too aggressively, and he will bite.”

“He can bite, just as long as after, we make him grovel.”

Dimitri Ivanov doesn’t grovel. He does occasionally bargain, however. I have no doubt Mason will win this fight. But how long it lasts, how many hits Dimitri lands, and who else is ruined is all up for debate.

“If begging is your end game, you’re going to have to be patient.”

“Hmph,” he rumbles, but doesn’t argue, clearly ready to put the conversation to rest. “Now seems like a good time to ask, how is Honeyeh? Has she come in for an interview?”

Honeyeh. My balls tighten just thinking about the little waitress who is about to become a maid. “Interviewing right now.”

“Good. Take care of her, Triston. She’s precious to Charlotte, which means…”

“Understood.” I hang up the phone running a hand down my jaw. It’s an easy task in theory. Hiring Honeyeh. But in other ways, it’s going to make my life difficult.

Another knock sounds at the door. Lifting my head, I call, “Come in.”

Only one of two people would interrupt me in the middle of the day by knocking. My administrative assistant or my staff manager. Both are welcome to do so any time, day or night.

But I can only assume that Mrs. Raith is at the door and the interview is over.

I look at my watch as she steps into the room. Honeyeh was early, I noted the time the gate unlocked but even considering that, it was a short interview.

“Mrs. Raith.”

“Mr. Smith.” She bobs her chin, the American version of the curtsy.

I wait, leaning back in my chair.

“Interview went very well. She’s sweet, well-mannered, and should have the right work ethic for a position on our staff.”

I frown. I know I’ve hired Honeyeh as an employee, but I’m not interested in watching her scrub floors.

Not only is she connected to Mason but there is something so delicate about her. Giving her my card was a momentary lapse in judgment, a reaction that had to be quickly covered.

Mason and I are on delicate ground and messing with his wife’s friend isn’t going to strengthen my position.

Which perhaps means I shouldn’t have hired her to work in my house, but it was the only position for which she was even remotely qualified. “Where are you thinking of placing her?”

“Kitchen.”

I frown. “Doing what?”

“Dishes. She has experience there.”

The creases on my brow deepen. “Any other possibilities?”

Mrs. Raith’s mouth twitches. “Laundry. Housekeeping would also be acceptable if you’d prefer.”

“Something light duty.” I can’t pay her to just hang about the house all day.

But I watched her, with her delicate frame, trying to move tables with a man twice her size and it was completely ridiculous.