Whatever He Asks (Writer for the Billionaire) (6 page)

I
felt
a
bit
ashamed
of
myself
for
the
thought.

“
Follow
me
and
you
can
begin.
”

“
Right
now?
”
I
guess
I'd
thought
I'd
get
a
little
break.

“
Yes,
from
now
till
we're
done.
”

“
All
right.
I
have
a
phone
call
to
make,
though.
”
I
stood
up,
unsteady
on
my
feet
as
I
grabbed
my
purse
and
a
few
other
belongings.

“
Make
it
on
the
way
up
to
my
office.
”
Magnus
whirled,
and
I
hurried
out
the
door
behind
him,
the
voices
growing
louder.

I
reached
the
elevator
right
behind
him
just
as
the
call
went
through
to
the
bar.

“
Hi,
Rick.
I'm
quitting.
”

“
What?
”
He
sounded
gobsmacked.

“
Yeah,
I'm
sorry.
I'll
explain
more
later.
I
got
something
I
can't
pass
up.
”

“
All
right,
sweetie.
We'll
miss
you.
I'll
get
your
last
check
together
and
mail
it
to
you.
Drop
your
keys
off
this
week
when
you
can.
”

The
elevator
stopped
in
front
of
us,
and
we
got
on.

“
I
will.
Thanks
for
everything.
”

“
Don't
sweat
it.
Good
luck,
Mel.
”

“
Thanks.
”
Tears
gathered
in
my
eyes
as
Magnus
closed
the
elevator
door.

“
I'm
glad
you've
accepted
the
job,
Linda,
”
he
said,
calling
me
by
the
nickname
he'd
given
me
last
night.

“
Thanks
for
offering
it.
I'm
eager
to
get
to
work.
”
The
words
were
mechanical,
but
what
did
one
say
to
a
man
like
this
and
a
job
like
the
one
I
now
had...whatever
it
was?

“
Good.
When
I
saw
some
of
the
work
you'd
done
for
the
company,
I
knew
I
wanted
you
to
come
be
my
direct
employee.
”

I
realized
how
close
he
was
standing
to
me.
It
wasn't
unpleasant.

“
Oh.
”

“
Don't
you
want
to
know
why?
”

I
gaped
at
him.
“
Sure.
Yes.
”

“
I
think
your
brochures
are
brilliant,
and
when
I
learned
you'd
come
up
with
the
concepts,
I
had
to
have
you.
”
His
cool
gaze
bored
into
me
as
the
elevator
whizzed
up.

It
seemed
like
all
the
air
had
left
the
small
space
for
a
moment.

“
Thanks.
I
don't
know
what
to
say.
”

“
Just
what
you
did.
Always
take
a
compliment,
Linda.
”
He
brushed
a
hair
behind
my
ear,
and
I
held
my
breath
as
his
warm
hand
touched
my
skin.

I
smiled.
“
I
will.
”

The
elevator
dinged
all
too
soon.
I'd
wanted
to
feel
his
hands
on
me
again.

He
didn't
mean
to
do
that.
It
was
harmless...he
probably
just
noticed
a
stray
hair
and
couldn't
help
himself.
Most
CEOs
are
neat
freaks
or
at
least
control
freaks.

I
followed
him
off
the
elevator
and
gasped.
I
couldn't
help
myself.
His
office
was
amazing.
I'd
heard
rumors
about
it,
nestled
at
the
top
of
the
building
in
what
looked
like
a
glassed
-
in
dome
from
the
Pittsburgh
city
streets.
All
I'd
heard
was
true...and
more.

“
This
is...
”
I
trailed
off,
unable
to
find
the
word.

“
Amazing,
extravagant,
opulent.
”
He
smirked
and
led
me
beyond
an
initial,
plush
waiting
area.

“
Yes,
something
like
that.
”
I
gasped
for
air
as
I
followed
his
quick
stride.

“
Sir,
would
you
like
me
to
hold
your
calls?
”
An
attractive,
middle
-
aged
secretary
asked
from
the
outer
area.

“
Yes,
that
would
be
good.
Thanks,
Pam.
”

The
woman
smiled,
and
I
could
tell
she
truly
liked
Magnus
Gray.

Well,
that's
always
a
good
sign,
if
an
employer's
well
loved.

“
About
the
office
area,
”
he
broke
off
to
open
his
door.

My
heart
was
knocking
around
like
mad
as
I
took
in
the
panoramic
view,
gleaming
surfaces
and
space.

“
Wow.
”

“
It's
not
what
I'd
have
wanted.
”
He
strode
to
the
window,
looking
out.
“
It's
all
a
bit
robber
baron,
don't
you
think?
And
Pittsburgh's
had
enough
of
that.
”

“
Perhaps,
but
your
father
must
have
wanted
it.
”

Magnus
frowned.
“
He
did.
He
liked
power.
Everything
else
was
a
distant
dot
on
the
horizon
to
him.
”

I
clasped
my
hands
in
the
middle
of
the
room,
overwhelmed.