chapter One
Three years later
“You’re too thin.”
Arianna Harlow trembled as the man prowled around her, continuously circling her chair. She felt like a caged animal just waiting for him to strike. Why was she still sitting there? Why didn’t she say the job wasn’t for her, that it had all been a big mistake and she’d best be on her way?
She knew why. Reality flooded her mind – how she couldn’t afford to walk away, that was, if he offered her the job. She was barely staying afloat with her bills overflowing. Her mother was about to be removed from the rehabilitation home she was in, shipped to a lesser facility, and Ari didn’t even have a dollar left in her bank account.
She was truly afraid that if her mother was sent to the state care facility, she’d quickly wither away to nothing. Ari couldn’t let that happen – she wouldn’t.
Arianna had already dropped out of school her last semester, her life forever changed because of one brief moment in time, because of one horrendous mistake.
If only…
Those two words had haunted her thoughts for the past six months. She had several different endings to those words, but the dominant words were if only…
If only she hadn’t called her mom in panic that night.
If only she hadn’t gone to the party in the first place.
If only her mother had left a few minutes later.
“Are you listening to me?” Raffaello Palazzo’s voice rumbled through the air causing Ari to jump in her seat. She had to think for a moment about what he’d last said to her. Oh yeah, she was too thin.
“Yes, Mr. Palazzo. I just don’t know how to respond to that.”
“Hmm.” His voice came out as a hum, drifting across her nerve endings. Rafe was incredibly intimidating as he paced his office, towering over her at a few inches above six feet. Add to that, his jet black hair and stunning eyes and she felt like a rumpled factory worker, totally out of her element in his exquisite office.
As he made another pass around the room and neared her, Ari thought back over the last week of how strange the entire process had been. Never before had she jumped through such hoops during a job interview. She’d found the entire situation quite odd.
She’d applied for over a hundred jobs in the past month. Only three employers had called her back. One had been for a bank, the manager calling her a few days later, saying they’d given the position to another applicant. The second was for an insurance company, and they’d told her she didn’t have enough experience.
The third job… well, she didn’t really know how to describe what she’d been through. The ad had only said;
Looking for full-time applicant for Palazzo Incorporated. Must be willing to work seven days a week, long hours. Must not have any other commitments in your life, no family, second jobs, or school. Female applicants only. Salary 100k a year plus expenses. Hand delivered applications only.
Ari thought getting the job would be a long shot, but she had nothing to lose by applying. She’d immediately spruced up her resume, which to that point only included working two years in her local pizza parlor, then working almost four years as a part-time secretary at Stanford for the History Department.
With only one semester away from graduation, her life had changed forever because of the first foolish mistake she’d ever made. Why had she been so careless with only a few short months to go? Now that night would haunt her, be something she'd have to live with for the rest of her life.
With a leather notebook in hand, resume and application inside, she entered the large building and approached the security guard in the lobby who directed her to the secretary on the twenty-fifth floor. In she walked with what she hoped was confidence exuding from her every pore, and she handed over her polished resume.
“Thank you, Ms. Harlow. If you’ll have a seat, Mr. Kinsor will call you in shortly.”
Ari had sat down amongst a sea of other women, all of them looking far more qualified for whatever office position the job was for. One by one the women had stepped into a room, the door shutting behind them. After about ten minutes they’d walk back out, their expressions confident as they eyed the remaining applicants. This business world was a shark fest and Ari didn’t know if she was up for the swim.
“Ms. Harlow?”
“Right here,” she called as she stood and ambled toward the small man wearing glasses and a gentle smile on his face.
“This way, please.”
She followed him into the room where a blue screen was set against the wall. There was a table with a paper and pen sitting atop it and nothing more.
“Please have a seat. I’m going to take your picture.”
Ari didn’t understand the need for a picture just yet. Possibly it was for an ID card or employee badge, but usually that was done after you were hired. Maybe they were running it through security to make sure she wasn’t a criminal. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to protest.
She took her seat and waited for the flash, knowing her smile wasn’t genuine, but her anticipation was so high it was impossible to offer anything bigger than a slight grimace.
“Please fill out this paper and make sure all contact information is correct. If you’ve passed to the second part of our screening process, we’ll call you in three to five days,” Mr. Kinsor said with the same gentle smile.
He didn’t ask her if she had any questions. He didn’t elaborate on the job. Normally, she would’ve just filled out the paperwork and kept silent, but her rising curiosity pushed her with an unknown bravery to ask about what the job position was actually for.
“Mr. Kinsor, the ad in the paper was vague. What exactly does this job entail?”
“If you make it to the next level, you’ll be given more information, Ms. Harlow. I’m sorry but Mr. Palazzo is a very private man and this position is… confidential,” he answered with a slight pause.
“I understand,” Ari said with a brittle smile, though she didn’t understand at all.
She scanned the solitary paper on the table and her confusion only worsened.
What are your hobbies?
Are you in a serious relationship? If not, when was the last one you were in?
Are you available to travel?
What kind of questions were these? She answered as best she could, finally reading a question that actually made sense:
What are your career goals?
The sentence caused her to genuinely smile. Before her mother’s car accident, before her life had changed so dramatically, she’d been an honor roll student at Stanford, working toward her Bachelor’s degree in History. She’d planned on getting her Master’s, then a Doctorate so she could be a University professor.
Someday…
In her heart of hearts she still held out hope of resuming her life one day – accomplishing the goals she’d set for herself. Instant guilt filled her at the thought. Her mother would like to have her life back, too, but she never would. It was only fair that Ari made sacrifices. Ari had to atone for her sins.
Her mother had sacrificed her entire life so that Ari could have what she needed. She’d paid for a small private school for Ari, and then scrimped to save for her to go to the best college. Ari had earned scholarships, but her mother paid for her dorm, her food, even her beloved car.
Ari had never realized how much her mother had sacrificed of herself until the day her mom had been checked into the hospital, circumstances demanding Ari grow up quickly without having her mother to lean on. She was now responsible for her mom’s care – and Ari was failing at her new role in life.
Since the day of her mother’s car accident, their lives had been filled with utter trepidation.
Thankfully, the Palazzo Corporation had called her back and the second interview had been more odd than the first. She’d been put through a fitness regimen. They’d had her run on a treadmill for half an hour, timed her traipsing through an obstacle course, and then tested her endurance.
She’d run track all through high school, and continued her running at college, so the physical aspect wasn’t a problem, but with each step she took in the odd interview process, she felt rising concern about what she was applying for.
All they'd offered at the second interview was that it was a private position for the CEO of the corporation. Maybe she was expected to dodge bullets in other countries he was invading? She’d heard rumors that his businesses weren’t always welcome overseas – that some of the governments thought he was overstepping his bounds.
From the research she had done, the people normally welcomed him as he paid high wages, and offered excellent benefit packages. A lot of the time it seemed it was other businesses in the area he was building that wanted to keep him out as he monopolized whatever area he was pursuing. At least she knew if she got the job that she’d have security. People didn’t tend to quit when they worked for the Palazzo Corporation.
The pay for the position was high enough to give her mother the very best medical care and still leave enough left over for her to save up – possibly getting her back to school within a couple years. At this point, she’d almost do whatever it took to be hired.
“Ms. Harlow, if you aren’t going to take this interview seriously, you may exit the way you came in,” Mr. Palazzo said in an irritated tone, snapping her back to the present.
“I’m sorry. I truly am. I do take this interview very seriously,” she quickly answered, hoping she hadn’t missed a question.
“I won’t repeat myself again – do you understand?” Before she could answer, he continued. “I asked if you’re available all hours. I don’t mean Monday through Friday. This job requires your availability to me seven days a week, night or day. There will be times I won’t need you for extended periods, and other times I’ll need you with me for several days straight. There may be travel involved. The bottom line is that you must have zero other commitments. If that doesn’t work for you, this interview is over.”
Ari felt a lump in the back of her throat as she struggled to keep in the tears threatening to spring to her eyes. She finally gazed in his unusually colored eyes, getting her first solid look at them.
She’d heard about his type of eyes before, something called Heterochromia iridum, where two colors were present. His had a deep purple center around the pupil, which faded into a gorgeous midnight blue. They were mesmerizing – intriguing – capturing her gaze, even though they were narrowing intensely at her right then.
“I have no other commitments. I’m available,” she told him, inwardly crossing her fingers. She was committed to her mother, but with this money she wouldn’t have to worry about her mom’s care. She’d go see her when she had those down times he was speaking of. If she didn’t get in to see her mom for a month she’d be devastated but her mom would be in good hands, and most importantly, she wouldn’t notice since she was in a coma.
“What about your mother?” he asked, as if reading her mind, his gaze boring into hers. She was stunned by the question, leaving her silent for a couple of seconds too long.
“How do you know about my mom?”
“I know everything I need to know about you, Arianna,” he replied with a slight lifting of the corner of his mouth.
His expression was far too knowing and she immediately felt the urge to flee. Something wasn’t right, something that was telling her to get out while she still could. She was in over her head, she could feel it. All signs pointed to her jumping from the chair and rushing out his door. Loyalty to her mother kept her seated where she was.
“Yes. Of course,” she responded instead. “My mother is being well taken care of. She’s not even aware of who I am at this point. It won’t hurt her in the least if she doesn’t see me for long stretches of time.”
He circled her again, causing her foot to twitch. When she was nervous, she did one of two things – tapped her foot, much to the annoyance of everyone around her, or bit on her thumbnail. She felt the urge to raise her hand, making contact with thumbnail and teeth, but mentally insisted she keep her hands folded in her lap.
“I can see that as a hindrance, but as she’s the only family member you have, I’ll let it slide for now.”
Was this guy for real? He’d let it slide? Ari was taking in air through her nose in long deep pulls to keep her temper at bay. She needed the job, she kept reminding herself as she clenched her fingers tightly in her lap and locked her jaw to keep from spilling out the words she wanted to throw at him.
“Is something upsetting you, Ms. Harlow,” he asked, his voice smooth as molasses as he came back around and looked into her eyes again. She felt like he was analyzing her, breaking her down into parts, trying to decide if she was a waste of his time or not. She was sure that’s how he conducted all his business. It was most likely why he was where he was at in life, which was the top of the ladder, and why she was where she was at, the bottom.
That pure confidence, the ability to command control and conquer the universe oozed off of some people. Mr. Palazzo had that in spades. She’d give her soul for just a piece of his winning attitude and unyielding faith in himself.
“Everything’s fine, Mr. Palazzo,” she replied, proud of how smooth her voice sounded, especially since her nerves were fried.
“You intrigue me, Ms. Harlow. I don’t hesitate once I make a decision, and I’ve decided to hire you… temporarily. I can see your temper as causing a problem, but then again, meek has never been my style. Obedient… yes, but not meek.”
Ari gaped at him as she tried to decipher what he was talking about. What did meek and obedient have to do with anything?
“You’re aware you signed a privacy notice before ever stepping foot into my office, correct? Whatever is said by me is strictly confidential… and highly enforced. A former employee tried to go to the media once. Let’s just say, she’s now in prison… and the rumors were quickly squashed. I very much play hardball, Ms. Harlow, and it would behoove you to not become my enemy,” he said conversationally.
Ari swallowed hard as her eyes continued to follow him intently. He spoke of a woman going to prison as if he was absently mentioning what he had eaten for lunch the previous day. Did she really want to work for this man?
Honestly, what choice did she have?
“I’m aware of what I signed, Mr. Palazzo.” Ari sat up straighter in her chair, the reality of obtaining the job starting to set in. She wasn’t afraid of being locked up in prison because she knew how to keep things private. It wasn’t like she had any girlfriends to gossip with, anyway. She’d always been too focused on school to make new friends.
Her one attempt at socializing… the thought made her shudder. It was the reason she was stuck in an interview for a job she was afraid to know the title for, instead of sitting in class listening to her professor.
Rafe Palazzo’s gaze seared her to the spot as if he were assessing the situation. He’d said that he didn’t go back once he made a decision, but the uncertainty in his eyes bellied his words. She could see that he was indecisive of whether he wanted to actually hire her.
She said a quick prayer that she hadn’t blown this opportunity. Of course, her mother’s words of advice as she’d dropped Ari off at the Stanford dorms for the first time flashed through her mind. Her mom had said, if the situation looks too good to be true then it probably is and you should run like hell in the other direction. Ari thought maybe she should start running.
“Very well, then, Ms. Harlow. The job position is for a mistress… my mistress, to be exact.”