Page 61 of Hate to Love You

“Oh no! He loved you! In fact, I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” she whispers enthusiastically. “But Mr. Antonov insisted they cancel all other interviews, and I’ve never phoned someone back the same day to offer them the position!”

Her excitement is palatable, and almost infectious. She continues talking to me, but my brain mutes her.

If I take this position, it opens doors for me, allowing me to hunt down more monsters.

Yet after having met the man, I have all the more reason not to take this position, as my body’s response to him is nearly debilitating. I genuinely fear that he would become my biggest distraction- something I cannot afford to have.

However, thanks to Lucy, I now know there’s no one else competing for this role, and that Mr. Antonov himself insisted they make me an offer. Today.

That’s what I’d like to call bargaining power.

“So? Would you like to accept his offer, Miss Wayne?” she asks.

“Well, that depends,” I ask, standing a little straighter while glancing back at Central Park. “You technically haven’t made me one yet.”

“Oh, oops! My bad!” She laughs excitedly.

“What’s the salary?”

“Starting salary for this position is fifty thousand,” she replies without hesitation. “With benefits of course!”

“Seventy-five,” I state. “I want seventy-five thousand.”

“Erm, Miss Wayne,” she laughs nervously. “Our salaries at Nikotech start at fifty thousand, and are above industry standard.”

“Well, I’m not standard,” I say, smirking, enjoying how uncomfortable I’ve suddenly made her.

“Of course, Miss Wayne,” she says politely, her nails clacking furiously on a keyboard. “It’s just with your lack of secretary experience…”

Her voice trails off, along with her bubbly enthusiasm.

“Well, seventy-five thousand is the lowest I’ll accept.” I say, my tone measured and firm.

“I…I…I’ll take that to Mr. Antonov,” she gulps, her voice trembling. “And see what I can do.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Chapter Eleven

Roman

“Is everyone ready?” I ask, hitting the blinker on the Cadillac.

“Yep,” Pasha says beside me in the passenger seat.

“Are they really?” I say, giving him a side-eye look. “Because you said that last time and they were late.”

“Then why bother asking me again?” he asks jokingly, scrolling through his phone.

“Because, Pasha,” I growl, stopping myself from ripping his beloved device out of his hands. “Remember that big speech you gave me a month ago, about how you wanted to start focusing on the family business? Well, this is part of it.”

“What, wrangling our chaotic family?” he scoffs.

“Yes! I want to be able to trust you with big stuff, but I have to be able to trust you with the small stuff first. And this is just part of—”

“Relax, Ro,” Pasha chuckles. “I’m just fucking with you. I promise, the whole gang is there. And Ana is there, and she says everyone is seated, waiting for us. The kitchen just brought out some appetizers to hold everyone over.”

“Good,” I nod. “That’s better.”

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