Blindfolded Innocence by Alessandra Torre Read Free Book Online Page A

to you."   Even to my ears, that sounded juvenile.

     
    His egotistic smirk was back.

     
    "Ahhh… yes.   Broward wants to keep you all to himself."

     
    I didn't like that response, but kept my mouth shut and let me eyes communicate my silent retort.  

     
    "Come on.   Let's go to Centaur."

     
    "No.   I have work to do."

     
    "Come on - I'll have you back in a flash.   No one will even know you are gone."

     
    "I -

     
    "Julia!" Sheila stood in the doorway and glared at De Luca.   He had the good grace to look sheepish, which also looked ridiculously sexy.   Good lord.   Someone needs to take this man out back and shoot him.

     
    I fled to the safety of her side, taking my buttery fingers with me and leaving my plate and knife behind.  

     
    "I need Julia," Sheila said.   "Are you all through with whatever it was you were needing her for?" Her expression painted her opinion clearer than any billboard sign could.  

     
    De Luca nodded a goodbye to me and strode out of the kitchen, winking at me, and patting Sheila on the shoulder as he passed.   I could suddenly breathe a lot easier.   Sheila turned and affixed me with a steely stare, all evidence of grandmotherly goodness gone.   "Is this going to be a problem?" she demanded.

     
    "I don't know what you're talking about."

     
    "Good."

     

 

     

     
    CHAPTER 11

     

     
    11:45am.

     
    I didn't know what I had been doing the last two and a half hours, but it hadn't been anything productive.   I twirled a pencil around my hand and debating asking someone for an Advil.   My phone rang, a shrill sound that poked at my headache with a sharp stick.

     
    "Julia Campbell."

     
    "It's Beverly."   Beverly was Broward's #2 Secretary - a redheaded, plump woman who thought that stripes and polka dots matched and had an extreme habit of over-sharing everything.   I mean everything.   The second day I met her she "confided" in me that she caught genital herpes from a gas station restroom toilet.   Need I say anything more?   She would.

     
    "Hi Beverly."

     
    "We need you to run over to Office Max.   Rick in IT just called, and apparently they are having some kind of technical crisis that can only be solved by a…. TI44 Firewire Cable Port.   Whatever that is.   We would go, but De Luca's office is having us run a gabillion copies for some last minute filing and the-"

     
    "No problem Beverly.   I'll do it now." And stop by CVS and grab every hangover remedy they got.

     
    "Are you sure?   I hate to ask you but if we don't get-"

     
    "Yes.   I am sure.   I'll do it now."

     
    "Great!   Thanks Julia.   Just run it to IT when you get back.   It's on the second floor, next to the-"

     
    "I know where it is."

     
    "O-KAY!   Thanks Julia."

     
    "Your welcome."

     
    I hung up the phone and rose, glad for a chance to get out of the office.   I slid my heels on, grabbed my purse, and practically skipped to the elevator, purposely avoiding even looking in the direction of the East Wing doors.   Take that Brad De Luca!

     
    I took the elevator directly to the parking garage floor and exited, looking to the right for my car.   One of the firm’s black town cars was idling near my Camry, and the driver's tinted window rolled down as I approached.   A 20s-something white kid in a chauffeur's uniform was seated in the driver’s seat, and spoke to me as I passed.

     
    "Ms. Campbell."

     
    "Yes?"   I stopped in surprise, staring at him.

     
    "I've been instructed to drive you to the store."

     
    "What?"

     
    "I'll drive you to the store."

     
    "No, I'm fine.   Thank you."

     
    He ignored me and got out, walked around to the back seat door, and opened it.   I glared at him.

     
    "I can drive myself.   I'm a big girl."

     
    "Get in the car."   The order came, not from the pimple-faced driver, but from inside the car.   It only took a second for me to figure out that voice, and I shoved aside Pushy Driver and leaned over,