Page 16 of Boardroom Sins

I flush even hotter than before. Iknowmy body hates me, because the mere mention of the word “boyfriend”coming out of Lukas Lazarev’smakes my thighs press together and my nipples tighten beneath my bralette. “That’s not appropriate.”

He says nothing.

After a frustrating minute-long staring contest, I snap out, “No, I don’t.” I’ll say anything to hurry along this excruciating conversation.

Lukas continues to seem unbothered. “Have you ever?”

“That’s really not?—”

“Ms. Everett,” he interrupts. “I don’t ask questions I don’t need answers to.”

I swallow hard. For some reason, I answer his ridiculous question. “Not really. Nothing serious.”

That’s a lie,croons an ugly little demon in my head. “Nothing at all” is the real answer. Go on, tell him. Tell him how you watched from the sidelines while life for the normal kids went ahead and left you behind. Tell him how badly it burned you up inside to see all of them date and laugh and live and love and fuck and kiss and hold hands and cuddle and comfort each other. Tell him how you never got any of that, and tell him how, the one time you tried, it all went wrong, and your big reward was a pair of matching coffins and a brother fraying at the seams.

Tell him the truth, Rae.

Tell him.

Lukas watches me. I can’t tell what he’s looking for, but whatever it is, he seems to find it.

“That’s all for today.”

I stare at him. “That’s it?”

“For now.” He gestures toward the door. “Your desk is outside. All the documents you will need have been pre-loaded onto your computer.”

“But you haven’t told me anything! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!”

“You’re a smart girl. You’ll figure it out.” H couldn’t be less concerned.

“Mr. Lazarev?—”

“Lukas.” He’s already turning back to his laptop. “You’ll call me Lukas, Ms. Everett.”

I stand on shaky legs. My head is spinning. I have more questions now than I did when I walked in.

But he’s turned to face the window, and the message is beyond clear: