Into You

SIXTEEN

MAXINE BROOKS

"Find a pretty dress," I mumbled. "Take this card."

Tapping the black card against my palm, I mimicked Hunter's tone as I left his office.

"Need some help? The boss said you'll be needing a fancy dress and shoes for the charity event." Mia put the files down on her desk, opened a drawer and got her purse out. "Uncle Ron can drive us."

Uncle Ron was my designated driver and guardian angel. He was dubbed Uncle because he was the oldest and most respected member of the team. I'd seen him pull pranks on the team and he had the loudest laugh.

Mia turned her gaze at me expectantly when I didn't answer. I fiddled with the buttons on my blouse, reluctant to bring her along. I wasn't sure she'd follow along with my plan if it meant working against her boss. On the other hand...

"I plan to visit a few small shops. Let me show you." I pulled out my phone and showed her a photo.

"I see. Okay, I'll drive us," she said excitedly, taking her keys out of her purse. "We'll have to make a quick escape."

The last time I tried to sneak out of the building Uncle Ron blasted my name out loud using the intercom.

Code yellow. Maxine Brooks. Five foot two female with brown hair wearing a white t-shirt and black pants. Young lady please report to our boss immediately or we'll all get fired. Thank you.

I was mortified.

But that didn't stop me from dragging Mia along. We took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. I was sneaking out again, but it was daylight with a lot of people. Who was stupid enough to take action?

Three hours later, I wasn't sure if I had made the right decision. Hunter's disgruntled face popped into my head. I imagined smoke coming out of his nose.

Mia and I had so much fun that we completely forgot the time. After shopping we drove to a cafe. It is likely that I gained five pounds from eating strawberry cakes and drinking bobas.

Hunter gave me his card, but my salary working at the front desk was enough to afford a dress and a few cakes. I relied on him to keep me safe but I didn't need to take advantage of his generosity too.

As I pushed his boundaries, I wondered why the idea of making him mad was so appealing to me. Has my rough childhood affected me this much? Testing his self-control and patience to prove he wasn't a violent person. I'd seen enough of those growing up to be cautious of new people in my life.

Despite the fact that he got cranky on occasion, I never felt I was in danger. Was he aware that the brave front I put up was only a facade?

My opinion of him had slowly changed.

He was simply a good man when he wasn't bossing me around. It was sad that there wasn't a woman around to benefit from having him as a boyfriend. We might have shared a few kisses between us but I was out of his league. He was always working in his office. How could he enjoy life in his man cave?

The way he handled his people was also commendable. He was firm but fair with his employees, rewarding those who performed well and punishing those who made excuses and failed to do their jobs. Which reminded me that my head was about to be on chopping block soon.

"Have you really decided to do this?" Mia asked worriedly after parking her car.

No. It wasn't a well-thought-out plan. It was a spur of the moment decision, just like leaving my old town. I bit my lip and shook my head at Mia. "It was a dumb idea. Why did you let me?" I groaned out loud.