Page 97 of Positively Pricked

At something in his look, I felt myself tense. Maybe I'd been reading his reaction all wrong. Maybe Iwasabout to get fired. Bracing myself for the worst, I asked, "Why's that?"

"Because, when things settle down, I'm gonna ask you for a favor."

If I weren't so confused, I might've laughed. I couldn’t imagine Zane "asking" me for anything. Normally, he just barked out commands, like some kind of dictator.

I felt my gaze narrow. "What kind of favor?"

"I'm not asking younow."

What didthatmean? He wasn't going to tell me? What was this? Some new form of torture? "But—"

"You owe me," he said.

"For what?" I asked. "Not firing me?"

"No," he said, "For not beating that fucker's ass."

I drew back.Woah.I hadn't seenthatcoming. I felt my brow wrinkle in new confusion. At the moment, I hardly knew which Zane I was dealing with – the billionaire businessman or the so-called reprobate, as Bob had called him on that very first night.

I just had to ask, "But wait, why would it bemeowing you a favor?"

He gave a tight shrug. "Why not?"

"Well, if anything, wouldn’t it be Fergus?" When Zane said nothing, I added, "You know. The, uh, 'fucker'?"

Zane moved a fraction closer, and his gaze locked on mine. In a quiet voice, he said, "No."

"No?" My lips felt suddenly dry, and I felt my tongue dart out, as if to wet them. I was feeling things, stupid things.

At the moment, Zane Bennington didn't feel like my boss – or even like the jerk who'd been making my life miserable for months. But what hedidfeel like, I wasn't quite sure.

Around us, the office felt big and quiet, like it was only the two of us in the whole building, or cripes, even the whole world.

I gazed up at him, wondering what on Earth was going on – and not just with me. With him, too. Because he wasn't acting like his normal prickish self.

After a long, drawn-out moment, it was Zane who broke the silence. "Remember, you owe me."

At that moment, stupid or not, I swear I would've given him anything he asked for – starting with my panties and ending with who-knows-what.

I gave a nervous laugh. "Oh, please. Maybe Iwantedyou to beat his ass."

"Yeah?" he said, looking suddenly intrigued. "Good to know."

Weird.He looked like he actually meant it.

I said, "Youdoknow I was kidding, right?"

It wasn't even a lie. Although a part of me would've loved to see the good professor pummeled for all the trouble he'd caused, I wasn't the violent type, and I wasn't the kind of person to encourage violence either.

Zane said, "We'll see."

"We'll see what?" I asked.

"What the fucker does next." And then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "And by the way, we're going to New York."

I felt my eyes widen in surprise. "We are? For what?"

"Interviews." he said, not looking too happy about it.