Page 11 of The Billionaire's Assistant

“Okay, sir. The usual time tonight?”

“No. It will probably be later. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

“Yes, sir.”

I slipped from the car and darted in front of a taxi, receiving a squawk from the driver as I reached the sidewalk.

I rushed along, trying to get around a group of tourists who were blocking the way. “People are trying to get to work here.” I grumbled as I pushed my way past.

A kid in roller skates darted in and out around people, and I slipped between him and a yet another slow walker, making him hop the curb and nearly fall into the street. At Montgomery Enterprises, everyone made way for me. I expected the same thing on the street, but I ended up with this bullshit. That was why I rarely walked. If things weren’t so dire now, I would be comfortably waiting in the car for traffic to clear. I liked the world to run on my directives, and the sooner I figured out what had gone wrong last quarter, the sooner I could get back to having exactly that.

When I reached my office, Ben wasn’t at his desk. Since Vivi had taken up my time during the drive, I’d rushed through to get here as fast as I could so we could talk through the meeting, and he would know what to focus on in his meeting notes.

He should have been in well before now. He always came in early and had coffee waiting for me and a report of my schedule for the day. I double checked my phone. I didn’t have any messages from him.

This day was quickly going to shit. I called Ben as I tossed my briefcase on my desk, but he didn’t answer. “Where the hell are you?” I asked his voicemail before hanging up in disgust.

For a moment, fear mixed with my annoyance. What if something had happened to him? I pushed that thought from my mind. He was fine. He’d probably overslept or something. I could bitch at him about it later, but I couldn’t wait for him any longer. I was already late for the meeting. I grabbed a file folder from my briefcase and left my office.

I took a deep breath and pushed open the boardroom door. “Good morning, everyone.”

None of them had the nerve to point out that I was late, but I could tell several of them wanted too.

Assholes.

I impatiently listened as Frank, my long-winded CFO, began his report detailing precisely how our profit margins had been affected.

7

BEN

Of all the days for my alarm to malfunction, I would have chosen today to be at the bottom of the list. My phone rang as I was rushing to get dressed. I answered it without paying attention, assuming it was Miles—I’d begun to think of him by his given name, but I didn’t have the nerve to call him that yet. He often called me on his way to the office whenever the day started with something big. I didn’t want to tell him I was running late, but it would be even worse to ignore him.

That was one thing he did not tolerate. And he didn’t have to. Everyone who met him fawned over him, wanting something from him: money, status, his gorgeous-as-fuck body.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Miles. It was my brother, Jesse.

“So you finally decided it was in your best interest to take a call from me,” he said in response to my hello.

“I’m busy. I have to be at work soon.”

I was about to end the call when he snapped. “You’ll regret it if you hang up.”

I regretted answering the call. He’d been pestering me daily since Miles had hired me. “What do you want?” I asked as I nearly tripped over my cat who was sleeping in the hall.

“You know what I want.”

“I don’t have any information for you. I’ve only been working there for a few weeks. This takes time.” I didn’t know how he thought I was ever going to get access to information so sensitive it stayed in a safe in Mr. Montgomery’s office, which as far as I knew only he could open.

“We don’t have that kind of time. We’ve got bills coming due now.”

He had bills coming due. Probably payments to loan sharks who scared the shit out of him, no matter how tough he pretended to be. I knew they were working with someone on the inside at Montgomery Enterprises, and I doubted whoever that was intended to pay up before getting the info he wanted. “I am working as fast as I can.”

“That’s a fucking lie. Get me something good, or I’ll come beat it out of you.”

I shivered. Jesse might not be a match for mafia muscle, but I’d been on the wrong end of his fists enough to know how badly he could hurt me.

“You have one week.”

---