The Billionaire's Bitch

Fourteen

I have never hustled down the street faster in my life.

Too late had I arrived only to realize that I hadn't written down his order and now I was having trouble remembering it.

"Uhm, a large espresso...with light foam, oh, make that a double shot espresso with nutmeg and a-"

"Ham and cheese frittata and an almond treacle drizzled croissant?" The girl behind the counter, Mindy, supplied sagely.

I stared at her. "You're a wizard!"

She laughed. "And you're Mr. Kingsley's new PA! I can't tell you how many different harried-looking people I've seen come bursting in here trying to remember that same order over the years."

"Oh." I weakly slid the credit card across the counter. I waited for her to tell me I wouldn't last the week, but she didn't, she probably wanted a tip.

"I'll take an extra-large macchiato and another one of those croissants for myself, too, actually. To go, please. Thank you." I murmured.

"Wow, the black credit card!" Mindy breathed reverently. "He must really like you. Good luck...?"

"Eve." I said with a slightly green-in-the-face expression. "Thanks."

I guess?

###

Back at the penthouse, damp and windblown, I continued my hustling pace as I ventured down the hallway that led to Adrian's private lair.

Through the double doors I went, down a long gray corridor to find a terminating hallway at the end.

Two doors to the left. God, this place was a labyrinth, I thought as I looked up and down the corridor to see more branch-offs and more doors.

So many rooms.

The place was scary quiet, like a church. The thick silver carpet muffled my footfalls and the thick walls muffled the traffic sounds from the city below us.

It was like there was no one else in the world.

I shook myself and knocked politely at the door directly in front of me.

"Come in!" I heard him snap from the other side and I rolled my eyes before entering.

"Sorry that took so long!" I apologized before he could berate me.

He sat at a big, shiny black desk with his back to the insane view he had; that struck me as odd. He was reading some documents and he closed the folder at once upon my entrance.

His dark blue eyes tracked my movements as I dripped across his carpet to carefully set down his coffee and the little brown bag of pastries.

I set my own down on the edge of his desk closer to me and I groaned as I plunked down into the chair that stood adjacent his desk.

He eyed me as he sipped his coffee. "You didn't think to take an umbrella? You're soaked."

Not so much as a 'thank you'.

"I couldn't juggle it with all the food." I shrugged, sliding his credit card across the desk to him. I munched happily on the croissant. "Damn, this is good, I can see why you get this."

He studied me without a trace of what he was thinking on his face. "Yes, indeed."

"So, Boss." I said when I'd devoured the pastry. I dusted my hands on my slacks. "What's on the docket for today?"

"You're my PA, why don't you tell me?" He said with a small twisting of his lips.

I froze mid-sip and he actually full-on smiled when he saw my stricken expression. "I'm just joking, Ms. Mathers." He said, sliding his tablet out of a drawer to consult it. "Sebastian handles my scheduling, it's entirely above your job description at present."

"Oh."

God, he was mean!

"I have a meeting in just a few hours I need to prepare for. Sebastian will brief me in the car since we're running late now, so if you're quite ready...?"

I stood up with my coffee and his phone still clutched in my hand, my bag dangling over one arm. "As ready as I'll ever be!"

*~*~*~*~*~*

Now, be honest, did YOU remember Adrian's order?!

Thanks for reading, my dearest Minions!

HRH