Page 29 of A Good Girl's Guide to Dominance
“What?” I fire back, nearly yelling. “I've never said that I wanted your job.”
“You don't have to,” she blurts, pointing a finger at me. “You've been ambitious through your entire tenure here, climbing the ranks at the speed of light, and your next logical move is to replace me. I’m not dumb, Nia. I see it.”
“Clearly youaredumb!” I snip, standing up quickly, my ability to remain calm and professional evaporating in the heatedmoment. “I'm happy where I am, and there isn't a person in this building who could say that I've uttered a single word about wanting to replace you as VP. I can't believe you've drawn these dots in your mind and then connected them all on your own. You're paranoid, but that has nothing to do with me.”
“I see the way he looks at you!” she says, nearly screaming it and drawing all attention to my office.
Is she doing this on purpose? There is no reason to be saying this so loudly. It’s like she wants everyone to think I’m sleeping with Rome to get ahead. What a bitch.
“How about you keep your goddamn voice down?” I growl, stepping around my desk so that we’re face to face. “You made this crazy shit up and now you're trying to get the entire office to think it, too. I’m telling you here and now that I do not want your fucking job, now take your messy ass out of my office right now.”
“What’s going on?”
Sierra and I both snap our heads over to the door, and find Rome standing there with a bitter scowl on his face. His eyes bounce between the two of us, his brow furrowed, and his gaze as intense as the sun. When neither of us answers, he focuses on Sierra.
“You're the second in command here,” he says to her in a calm, controlling, and intimidating voice. “This is how you behave? Screaming unfounded accusations at a subordinate with the door wide open? The entire building can hear you. You have the nerve to disrespect not only Nia, but me as well. I know we all just met each other, but I expected so much better from you, Sierra.”
She releases a long, shaky breath before saying in a newly weak tone, “I’m sorry, Rome. I let my temper get the best of me. It won't happen again.”
“I hope not,” Rome replies. I swear the look in his eyes has us both pinned to the floor, and he's not even speaking to me.“You'll find that I am a very patient man, but I have no tolerance for childishness. I value maturity, and what I witnessed here was anything but. I just started here, Sierra, and it’d be a shame if I fired you after ensuring Larry that no one would lose their job. Are you going to make me go back on my word?”
Sierra’s eyes quickly fill with tears that don't fall. “No.”
“Good. Now get out.”
Sierra lowers her head like a scolded dog and doesn't even look at me again as she walks out, turning her body to the side to scoot past Rome. I stand by my desk in amazement, gawking at Rome as his eyes slowly shift from Sierra to me. He takes a step forward and makes my heart rev like an engine.
“I’m sorry about that,” he says after an exasperated exhale. “I’ll speak to Sierra more about her professionalism later. She should know better.”
I sigh. “Yes, she should.”
Rome smirks. “I’m glad we agree. Believe it or not, I didn't come here to throw Sierra out of your office. I actually came to ask you a question.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Are you free for dinner anytime soon?”
The revving of my engine-heart picks so much I think it'll explode. “What? Dinner? After everything that just happened?”
“Relax,” Rome commands, gesturing with his hands. “This is abusinessdinner, Nia. You and I need to discuss how we will approach the pitch with Nix Malone. As you already know, he is a very complex character. Now that it’s official that you're pitching, I want to make sure we cross every T and dot every I, and I want this account for Sandcastle far more than I care about Sierra's strange paranoia or the potential rumor mill. If we don't win this account, the company could close its doors. We need this. So, this is a professional dinner to discuss the pitch and the client. Make no mistake about that. Okay?”
Fuck. How am I supposed to say no to this opportunity? The owner of the company is asking me to a business dinner, but Sierra just came in here and made sure that anything involving Rome and I will be heavily scrutinized. Thanks to her, they will all think I’m sleeping with him to get ahead. Is there literally anything in the world worse than a jealous, hating-ass bitch like Sierra? She has put me in a lose-lose situation that I have no choice but to partake in. If I turn down the dinner, Rome will be pissed and I will jeopardize the pitch. He is a busy man during our work hours, and he doesn't have time to stop completely and talk about one account, so it makes sense to take time away from the office to strategize. If I accept the dinner, it will look like I’m confirming Sierra’s accusations. Either way, I’m screwed.
I let out a long sigh. Fuck it. If I'm going to be screwed, I'd rather be screwed and have job security while bringing in the biggest account in my company’s history.
Fuck what they think. Fuck Sierra.
“Okay,” I say to Rome. “Let’s go to dinner.”
Seventeen
Ican't believe any of it. Even though we’re here, seated in a restaurant that is ironically named Giovanni’s, and Rome is across the table lifting a glass of water to his plump lips, I still can't believe that he and I are actually here together. I wonder what Sierra would say if she saw us now. Rome’s black button-up would surely have her tense—the way his sleeves are pushed up to his elbows, showing off thick, striated forearms that keep grabbing my attention like cleavage. The way he looks at me over the edge of his glass would definitely make a vein pop out of her neck, and my dark green dress would probably send her to the morgue. The slit alone caused a stir between a few couples as Rome and I were escorted to our seats and men’s heads kept turning in my direction. The women they were seated with shot glares across the table that were as cold as the ice in their drinks. There would be no stopping the rumor mill at Sandcastle if anyone from there saw us now, and although we’re here to discuss business, it looks like something more.
It feels like something more.
Could it be something more?
“This is a nice place,” I say to Rome, looking around the small, cozy establishment with its dim lighting and authentic Italian feel. A large fireplace burns in the center of a display wall across the room, casting a shadow of romance over the dining area as a plethora of delicious aromas fill the air.
