Chapter 5 - The Promotion
"Working for you?" Clara scoffed, sinking back into the booth. "Doing what? Babysitting your briefcase?"
Julian ignored the insult as the waitress dropped off their coffee. "My corporate board is compromised. Someone on the inside is funneling information to the Romanos—a rival syndicate that has been trying to bleed my properties dry for years. I need an executive assistant. Someone who isn't afraid to look at a room full of powerful men and tell them they are liars."
"You want me to be your corporate spy."
"I want you to be my armor," Julian said, his dark eyes locking onto hers with burning intensity. "I trust no one in that building. But I trust the woman who risked her career for a twenty-year-old busboy."
"No," Clara said flatly. "I am not getting involved in your mafia boardroom drama. I'm a hotel manager."
Julian took a slow sip of his black coffee. "I am offering you a salary of half a million dollars a year. Complete medical coverage for your sister. And a seat at the highest table in the city."
Clara stared at him. Half a million dollars. It was life-changing money. It would secure her sister’s care forever. But getting into bed—professionally speaking—with a man whose name was whispered alongside organized crime was a death wish.
Before Clara could formulate another rejection, the bell above the diner door jingled.
Four men walked in. They weren't wearing suits, but thick leather jackets. They didn't look at menus. They looked directly at Julian.
May you like
In a fraction of a second, Julian’s entire demeanor shifted from a businessman to an apex predator. He didn't blink. He simply reached beneath his tailored jacket, resting his hand on the cold steel of a concealed weapon.
"Clara," Julian whispered, his voice dangerously smooth. "Get under the table. Now."
