with our corporate policies and your job description.
You’ll find them in your email inbox.”
She heard his footsteps and then a moment later, the low yet comforting sound of his voice on the phone. She couldn’t make out what he was saying and didn’t really bother to try and eavesdrop.
It was strange, working in the office with him after what had happened between them last night.
But what really happened last night from Easton’s point of view? Not much.
You’re a virgin with little experience, so you think it was such a big deal, but to him it was probably less than memorable.
Still, she didn’t think it was everyday that an employee showed up at his secret sex dungeon and got naked for him on command. Or maybe it was—who knew anything in this strange new world?
Letting go of thinking that was getting her nowhere, she was soon reading (and memorizing) the corporate policies. It didn’t take her long to finish those, and Easton was still on the phone in his office when she was done. Fidgety and anxious to do something, she went and found the cabinet where there was a canister of high-quality coffee grounds.
A few seconds later, she’d started brewing a pot of strong coffee. Maybe Easton would want some—either way, she was going to have a cup herself.
Sitting back down at her desk and sipping her freshly brewed mug, Kennedy allowed herself to smile. She looked at the contract that Easton had left for her to sign when she’d first come into work that day.
It stated that she was an at-will employee, which meant that the company could terminate her at any time, and for any reason. It also stated her salary, which she’d had no idea of when she’d decided to do anything and everything to get the job.
Her salary was listed at a stunning eighty-five thousand dollars a year.
The number swam through her head, lighting up the darkness as if fireworks had gone off in her brain. EIGHTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
That was nearly triple what she was set to make as a junior, part-time professor at MIT. And the contract even stated that she was entitled to corporate bonuses at her employer’s discretion. She had no idea what the bonus structure was, but if it were even another few thousand dollars, as far as Kennedy was concerned, she would be rich.
She’d signed the contract almost instantaneously. Now she would just wait to give it to Easton.
Had he given her such a generous salary because of the extracurricular activities he seemed to expect from her? Did it even matter?
Kennedy sipped her coffee and leaned back in her chair. She smiled again. Of course it mattered. She didn’t want to be some office whore. But then again, there was a big part of her that was so happy to feel alive and awake and turned on—she didn’t care if it was wrong.
What about Nicole?
The thought struck her hard and the smile faded from her face. Yes, it was true.
The whole point of coming to the city and trying to work here had been Red and Nicole—especially her …finding them, having a way to meet them without having to explain the truth about anything.
Yet it was also imperative that she not appear to be some kind of freeloader—
some disgusting groupie trying to live in a fantasy world revolving around two perfect, wealthy individuals.
I don’t need anything from them .
Oh, but you do , she replied to herself. In fact, you want everything from them .
“What are you doing?”
The voice came from behind, startling her out of her reverie. It was Easton, at the door of his office, staring at her with a puzzled, annoyed expression.
She got up and handed him the contract. “It’s signed.”
He took it, but hardly glanced at it. “Good.” Then he looked at her again. “Did you even read the policies or were you just staring into space all morning?”
“Ask me anything you want about them,” she said, for the first time feeling a stinging resentment at the tone he was using to speak to her. “It’s