Page 13 of Selfish Suit

My fingers curl into my palms.

I’m itching to ask questions, but I hold back.

“You’re my executive marketing advisor now—well, technically,” he says. “I’ve emailed you the new job description, and you start tomorrow.”

I blink in disbelief.

That position is several levels above my current supervisors.

“Are there any questions?” He finally opens the floodgates.

“Yes.” I nod, but my brain short-circuits.

“I’m listening, Miss Locke…”

“The pay,” I say. “Can you tell me the salary?”

“It’s in the email I sent you,” he says. “Whenever you look over the contract, you’ll see that the percentage rise is very impressive.”

I shake my head; I’ve been led into fake promise-lands by my supervisors far too many times.

“With all due respect, Mr. Sutton,” I say, “multiplying my current salary by any percentage would still be zero…”

“That’s why you’re going toread the contract.”

“Or, you could just tell me now and save me the time.”

“I’m sorry?” He leans forward. “Which one of us is the boss?”

“If I quit your company today, neither of us…”

“I see.” He looks torn between smiling and railing on me. “When you go home and read the contract, you’ll see that you’ll be making a little over a quarter million dollars a year, and that amount doesn’t include bonuses or milestone increases.”

I blink.

I am utterly speechless.

“You can leave my office now, Miss Locke,” he says, smirking. “Unless there’s something else you’d like to say—other than ‘thank you,’ that is…”

“Thank you.” I barely manage as I stand to my feet. “I appreciate this promotion.”

“You’re very welcome.” He extends his hand, and I shake it. Every nerve in my body goes wild, and his fingers linger against mine far longer than necessary. Suddenly, I’m envisioning how his hands would feel elsewhere on my body, if they would have this same effect, and from the look in his eyes, I can sense that he’s thinking the same thing.

“Miss Locke?” he says, his hand still shaking mine.

“Yes?”

Silence.

After several more minutes, he finally lets go of my hand, leaving me bereft.

“Get the hell out of my office. Now.”

THE CEO

DOMINIC

Braxton

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