The Alphabet Game the Complete Alpha Series a to X, Y, Z by Andie M. Long Read Free Book Online Page A

hands wide on the edge of the desk. ‘I admire the work you do for my stepfather. I’m a good PA. I have the correct qualifications. I don’t want a career but I do want to earn my own money and have an interesting job.’
    ‘Well my son says you are proving to be an excellent PA. Then again he thought that of the last one, and the one before that.’
    I wince at the inference he makes.
    He yawns. ‘Well, thank you for the tea. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.’ He rises and shakes my hand. He keeps it in his grip and holds on firmly.
    ‘If I ever find you anywhere near my office files, you’ll regret it. Understand Stella?’
    I nod and this time its clear what my answer is for.
    He leaves and I get up, put the ‘Do not Disturb’ sign on my door and sit back down shaking, my breathing ragged. I cannot let his threats get to me like this. I have to find out exactly what is going on with my stepfather and if I can’t do it the obvious way, by sneaking around at work, then I’ll use Gabe to get the information for me. What was that about his previous PA’s too? Has he played games with them all? Is that why they left? Am I just a fool, thinking I was someone special or different? I snort at myself. I acted like a whore last night and he left me like one. I’m surprised he didn’t leave money on the bed.
    I sit with my head clutched in my hands, wondering what to do. Fuck this, I can’t stay here right now. I pick up the phone. ‘Ronnie, can you meet for lunch?’ Then I burst into noisy sobs down the phone.
     
    ‘Come on girl,’ Ronnie throws her arms around me, almost knocking me across the bank of seating in the bistro where we arranged to meet. ‘This can’t be too much of a surprise. You knew you’d bump into the Head Honcho sooner or later.’
    ‘I know,’ I sniff, ‘Its just that when I ran it through in my mind, I didn’t expect he would be so, so -’
    ‘Intimidating?’
    I nod.
    ‘Oh honey,’ he eats other Lawyers for breakfast, day in, day out. You’re a little mouse at the side of those. Maybe you should rethink this whole revenge thing.’
    My teeth clench, ‘No.’
    ‘But what’s the big deal really? So your Stepfather sent you to Boarding School. Most of us went there. You’ve turned out great.’
    ‘He took my mother away from me. I can’t forgive him for that. When my father died, my mum and I were inseparable. I knew that even though I’d lost my dad, I had my mum. Once he appeared it was like I became an orphan overnight. She turned into a Stepford wife, goodness knows where my real mother went.’
    ‘Have you tried talking to her.’
    ‘She shrugs me off.’
    ‘Well I have both my parents as you know, which is rare these days and possibly only because they turn a blind eye to each others infidelities, but was I raised by them? No. Like all my friends I was raised by a series of nannies. At some point Stella you’ve got to let it go. You’re an adult now. That cosy relationship with your mum is never coming back.’
    My hands clench beneath the table,‘Well thanks for the sympathy, it was well worth you coming.’ I start to get up.
    ‘Where do you think you’re off to? We’re stopping for lunch. You’ve dragged me across the city, so don’t get all huffy just because I’ve reminded you that you’re not the only girl in the world with shit parents.’
    I stand sulking, my top lip pouting over the other, before I realise I really am acting like a big baby.
    I flop back down. ‘I’m sorry. He really threw me today. I guess he made me question what I’m doing and then you’ve done the same; it’s just kind of imbalanced me. Maybe I should just pack the job in and fritter the fuckers allowance.’
    ‘Ahem, are we forgetting Mr Gab-real-ly hot? You cannot pack in that job until you finish the alphabet. I’m living vicariously through you right now, until that bloody Col realises I’m more squishy and tasty than a marshmallow on top of a