Page 24 of Ruthless Mr. Ricco
Ms.Lynn leans her butt against the counter with a scowl on her face as she checks her nails, obviously waiting for me.
I step out of the stall—which is more like a separate room with a slatted door and floor-to-ceiling walls all around—and head toward the nearest sink.
“May I help you, Ms.Lynn?”I ask as I set my briefcase on the counter and turn on the water.
She moves away as though afraid of catching cooties.
“Yeah, you can stay away from Matteo Ricco,” she says.
I lift a brow and send her a bland glance in the mirror as I stick my hands under the spray.
She huffs and stomps her foot, which is an impressive feat in her heels.
“I haven’t slaved away at this company for a year and a half just for some ugly poor bitch like you to steal my man away from me,” she hisses.
I squirt soap onto my palm and suds my hands as I check her out in the mirror.
She’s gorgeous.Her body is killer.If I swung that way, I’d take a whack at it if her brain wasn’t the size of a walnut.
She steps toward me with a mean glare.
“He’s already mine, so back off,” she hisses.
Men like Matteo Ricco don’t value smarts, so maybe she’s telling the truth.Even though I came onto him first—albeit in a drunken haze—maybe he treats all his female employees this way.
My heart rejects the idea, but I cling to it and morph my fiery rage to icy disgust.
I bend and rinse my hands.
“I thought you had a boyfriend already,” I say.
She jerks as though I slapped her before stomping into my space.I hold my ground despite her perfume clogging my sinuses.
“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll keep your fucking mouth shut.Got it, bitch?”
I clear my throat to hide my mirth and turn off the water.When I shake my hands and fling water droplets everywhere, she jumps back with a squeal.
I reach over and almost yell as pain shoots up from my bruised arm, but I ignore it and pull a few paper towels from the dispenser before turning toward her.
“Ms.Lynn, if Mr.Ricco is your man, then please get him under control.I don’t think I can hold him off for a year and a half while you try and weasel your way into his bed again.”
I ignore her outraged gasp, toss the paper towels in the bin, grab my briefcase, and exit the restroom.
With a calm I don’t feel, I return to the glass alcove and sit at my designated workspace.
Less than two minutes later, Matteo Ricco emerges from his office and drops the stack of papers onto my table.The top page shows his signature beside mine on the addendum for my Saturday night schedule requirements.
He calls for Ms.Lynn.She flounces over with an expectant expression.
“Show Ms.Simons the filing system; she will take over for the executive floor.Feel free to delegate other tasks to her as well, so long as they don’t interfere with the work Mr.Brunswick gives her,” her instructs.
Matteo was always a sore loser.He basically just gave his secretary dominion over my time, ensuring I pay the price for winning.
I grit my teeth but take the papers and rise from my seat.
Matteo stalks back into his office and closes the door behind him.
I bite back a sigh and turn to follow Ms.Lynn down the hall.The concerned look on Mr.Brunswick’s face makes me feel a little better.
