Page 53 of The Billionaire's Assistant

I nodded, knowing there was no point in trying to explain what had actually happened at the gala.

“We want results, or it will be worse next time.” He laughed as he walked out, banging the door shut behind him.

Felix ran over and curled up next to me as I lay on the floor, assessing my injuries. I was going to be bruised and stiff, but I’d manage. I longed to call Miles and have him come care for me, but that was the last thing I could do. Unless I healed miraculously, he’d notice I wasn’t moving well and I’d have to come up with a story for him. At least he was flying to the LA office the next day, so I wouldn’t see him tomorrow. That also meant I would mostly be at my desk doing paperwork. I could handle the day if I didn’t have to move around much.

Once I’d figured out the practical arrangements, the invisible wall that held back my emotions crumbled. Tears poured down my cheeks, and I held my sides as I sobbed, each jerk of my body sending pain spiraling through me.

I was going to have to give my family something. I could take what I knew and alter it to make up something that looked plausible. I wondered how long it would take for their contact to figure it out I’d passed along fake information. Probably not long, but what else could I do? I wasn’t going to actually betray Miles, especially not after the weekend we’d had. But even before that, from the first morning I’d worked for him when he insisted I accept the suits he’d had made, I’d known that there was no way I was going to turn over information about his company.

Somehow I made it through the next day. I was sore as hell and covered in bruises. I seriously considered not going to Mrs. Weeks’s knitting circle that night, but I was afraid I’d get more questions if I didn’t go than if I did. I would simply tell her the same story I’d used at work—I got dizzy from my headache and fell down the stairs. There wasn’t any reason for her not to believe me. My story sounded completely plausible—if you didn’t know about my circumstances or that I’d never had a headache at all.

25

MILES

Iwanted to ignore my alarm the next morning. My flight from LA had gotten in later after a hell of a busy day, but my desire to see Ben had me dragging myself out of bed. I’d missed him like crazy the day before, more than I even wanted to admit. How the hell was I incapable of going a day without seeing him?

My phone rang as I was looking out at the city and stretching. I glanced at the screen and saw Eudora’s name. What on earth was she doing calling me this early? “Hello?”

“Miles, I’m so glad I caught you.” What time did she think I went to the office?

“I wanted to call last night, but I knew you would get in late.”

“What’s going on? Do you need help with something?”

“It’s Ben.”

I tensed. “What about him?”

“Last night at knitting circle he was obviously in pain. I asked if he was okay, and he said he’d fallen down the stairs at his apartment when he was dizzy from a headache.”

I immediately wondered if that was what really happened. I should have been there for him. Why the fuck hadn’t Carter had someone watching who could help him? “Is he okay?”

“He swears he is. I just wanted to make sure someone was taking care of him.”

I knew she also wanted me to solidify my relationship with him. She didn’t know how close we’d gotten and I was sure Ben wouldn’t have told her a thing. “How badly is he hurt?”

“He was reluctant to say much, but from what I can tell, he has bruised ribs and a sore arm. Didn’t he mention anything to you?”

“No. I messaged with him several times, but he didn’t mention anything about a fall.”

She sighed. “He probably didn’t want to bother you.”

“I’m going to make it very clear that he is to bother me in future.”

“I bet you will.” I could hear how happy she was. “Have you made your feelings for him clear?”

“Eudora.”

“He should know. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can tell something is bothering him. I think he’s afraid, and I know he’s not afraid of you.”

The thought of him being afraid, of him being hurt, made me want to tear someone apart. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll figure out what’s happening, and I’ll take care of him.”

“And you’ll admit to the attraction between you two?”

“I already have.”

“Good.”

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