Page 17 of Devilish Prince

I tuck my dick away and zip up, rounding the end of my desk and watching her flounder with her slacks around her knees. "Drink?" I ask him, and she mutters a peep. I glare at her and he raises his eyebrows.

"Not right now. I have other things to do today, but Ms. Sofia here... What a lovely sight." He checks her out as I pour a glass of whiskey for myself. There is nothing but sheer hatred in her glare and all I can think is that I should have stripped her naked too.

"Suit yourself," I tell him, filling my cup. I turn to watch him inspecting her.

"Seems like you've got a great agreement going on here, Lorenzo. Prime example of the female body." Dad clicks his tongue in approval and Sofia huffs, yanking her pants up. "Ms. Carter, I assume you're holding up your end of this agreement well?"

Her chin drops as she buttons her slacks and snatches her coat off the floor by the desk where I dropped it. "I just came to tell Lorenzo that I can't be involved with him anymore. It's bad for my reputation and his illegal activities are going to catch up with him. Which means they'll catch up with me." She jams her arms into the coat and scowls at him. No one scowls at my father, but maybe she hasn't learned her lesson yet.

He merely chuckles, as if she is a mouse in his maze. "I'm sure you will change your mind about that." He slides his hands into his pockets and watches her zip up.

"I hardly think that."

"You will when you see the promotion I've scored for you. Head of surgery sure sounds nice, or maybe head of trauma? How about a million dollars for your foundation?" Dad walks up to Sofia and curls a stray black hair around her ear. I know she's not fond of the type of work I do, but if she knows what's good for her, she won't try to back out of our arrangement now. Not with my father getting involved. It'd be a shame.

"What are you talking about? I'm years from a promotion of that sort."

"Ah, but I have connections." He winks at her and cups her cheek. "And that brother of yours could really benefit from the research Bellevue can do with a million-dollar donation. What's his name again? Calvin?"

Sofia's eyebrows rise and she stiffens. "Leave my brother out of this."

"Ah, but I'm trying to help..." He pats her cheek and walks past her, moving toward me. "I guess I will have that drink, son. And, Ms. Carter...think about it. You can't really get a better offer anywhere else."

Sofia glares at me and then storms out, heels clacking on the floor. In this game, Dad is always the winner. I've learned everything I know from him. And Sofia will come around. I'll just give her a bit of time.

11

SOFIA

Isit with the little stir stick from the coffee machine in hand swirling the cream and sugar into the blackness of the brew and stewing over my predicament. Jen warned me not to be involved with these people, and I know in my gut it’s not the right thing to do either, but if Norm hadn’t been there last week in that locker room, things would be very different now. I went to Lorenzo’s house to thank him but my attempt to politely distance myself from that life backfired.

“I’m telling you, Sofi, if you weren’t involved with the bastard, that man wouldn’t have come into the shower to begin with.” Jen insists that Lorenzo is planning these random events that keep happening to me, but I can’t see why he’d do that. She’s just worried about me; that’s all. Though, I am quite confused as to why I was the target in that shower room, when there were dozens of women around. According to the other ladies, the man came straight to my shower stall and yanked me out, not even looking at the others.

“I don’t think so, Jen. Some of these things happened before his little arrangement with me. The attempted carjacking turnedmugging is one of them.” I shake my head and lay the stir stick on the sterile white table and look up at her deadpan expression. She’s not convinced nor amused. Her vitriol for Mr. Gatti knows no end, and I can see why. But the offer his father made me is almost too good to be true. Almost too good to pass up. I just don’t see how he’ll pull it off.

“You have to admit it’s suspicious.” She slurps soda straight out of the can and purses her lips as she sets it down in front of herself.

“I don’t have to admit anything,” I tell her, but I agree with her—a little. My insides are all sorts of messed up right now. Between the financial strain I live under trying to care for Calvin with all of his medical expenses and zero income on his behalf, coupled with the simple stresses of my career, and add to that the fact that I live in one of the largest cities in the country where crime happens daily, I feel like a little extra protection never hurt anyone. Taking advantage of the influence Lorenzo has is an act of self-care, in my opinion. Besides the fact that sex with him is amazing, even when he withholds orgasm like he did last time.

“Dr. Carter, may I have a word with you?” I hear the male voice and turn to see my boss’s boss in the door of the doctor’s breakroom. He has a serious expression on his face, and for a second I feel like perhaps I’m being called in for a reprimand, but I haven’t done anything wrong. I glance at Jen and shrug, then pick up my coffee and stand.

“Of course, Sir.” Dr. Holder is the department head and a very stern man, which may be the only reason for his serious expression and short tone. So there’s no reason to get bent out of shape or anxious. I follow him out the door and down the hall to the conference room. Dr. Mike Baker, my direct supervisor, is seated around the long wooden table, along with a few otherfaces I’m not familiar with, and a few I know well—Director of Medicine Thomas Kline is here too. I feel my chest constrict and there goes my attempt at not getting anxious.

“What’s going on?” I ask, standing awkwardly near the door as Dr. Holder walks over and takes one of the last two seats around the table. The only one left is at the head of the table where I’m certain I don’t belong. Dr. Kline stands and nods at me.

“Dr. Carter, please, come have a seat.” He gestures at the head of the table, where he should be seated, and I blanch.

“Uh… okay?” I hesitantly shuffle that direction, aware that there are many eyes following me. Suddenly, the blue scrubs and white lab coat I wear don’t feel adequate. I’m surrounded by suits and skirts and I want to melt into the chair as I sit down. Even the lighting overhead seems to dwarf me, the massive chandelier dangling over the table’s center speaks of power and prestige. I’m not sure I’ve even been in this room before. My interview was conducted in Dr. Holder’s office with Dr. Baker present.

“Dr. Carter, we won’t waste your time. We know you’re a busy woman and you have lives to save.” Dr. Kline claps his hands together and clasps his fingers, letting them dangle in front of his body as he speaks. “The board has come to a unanimous decision. We would like to offer you the position of director of surgery, better known as the surgical chair.” He holds his hand up as my jaw drops and continues. “Now I know this may come as a surprise, but there is no one better to fill this position.”

My eyes scan the faces of the folks around me in shock. A few of them have smiles that reach their eyes, but a few of them are scowling—like Dr. Holder. It’s his position I’ll be taking if I accept this promotion, which makes me wonder where he’lleven go. There is nothing higher for him here except to take Dr. Kline’s place, and I don’t see that happening.

“But I…” I attempt a protest but with a click of the tongue Dr. Kline cuts me off.

His wagging finger reminds me of my grandmother when I tried to sneak a few candies before Sunday dinner. I can’t even look him in the eye. This is Lorenzo’s father’s doing. I can feel it. Someone my age with my experience has no business chairing an entire department, though I can learn quickly. And I’m not sure if I even want to accept this. I love surgery and saving lives. Trauma is my thing, not administration. I don’t even know if I’ll fit this position.

“Now, don’t respond right away unless your answer is yes. We all know you may need time to adjust to the idea of earning that much more with so few hours.” Dr. Kline chuckles and half the room joins him. The other half squirms uncomfortably and I swear I see fear in a few eyes. Antonio Gatti has gotten to them all somehow. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. I’m supposed to earn experience and wisdom from climbing this ladder, not be thrust to the top by power and money.

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