#1 Sunday Times and #1 international bestselling author Sylvia Day, the multi-award winning author of provocative fiction, delivers the debut story in this brand new series.
The realization that Jax still affected me so strongly was a tough pill to swallow.
Heâd only been part of my life for five short weeks two years ago. But now he was back. Walking into a deal Iâd worked hard to close. And God, he was magnificent. His eyes were a brown so dark they were nearly black. Thickly lashed, they were relentless in their intensity. Had I really thought they were soft and warm? There was nothing soft about Jackson Rutledge. He was a hard and jaded man, cut from a ruthless cloth.
In that moment I understood how badly I wanted to unravel the mystery of Jax. Bad enough that I didnât mind how much it was going to cost me...
Sexy, contemporary romance stories for todayâs fun, fearless women.
Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Mills & Boon
www.millsandboon.co.uk/Cosmo
Acknowledgments
My gratitude to Kimberly Whalen, Ann Leslie Tuttle, and Dianne Moggyâthe fun, fearless women taking this journey with me.
And to my dear readers, who inspire me every day. Thank you!
Dear Reader,
Iâm so excited to be sharing Jackson and Giannaâs story with you, and to do so as the launch title of Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Mills & Boon! While Jax and Gia are discovering the possibilities of second chances, weâre exploring new opportunities with this collaboration between Mills & Boon, Cosmopolitan and me. Like every Cosmo girl out there, Iâm always thrilled to blaze new trails.
Iâve been a Cosmo girl and romance reader for nearly as long as I can remember. Through every stage of my life, from high school through to marriage and parenthood, I have had the latest issue of Cosmopolitan and a romance novel (or a few) on my coffee and bedside tables. Youâre never beyond being fun, fearless and fabulous, and we all deserve to find our one-in-a-million guy.
I hope you enjoy Giannaâs story as she takes the New York business worldâand Jackson!âby storm. I look forward to talking with you about it after youâve turned the last page. You can find me here: www.sylviaday.com/community.
Stay fierce!
Sylvia
Chapter 1
IT WAS A breezy fall morning when I entered the mirrored glass skyscraper in midtown Manhattan, leaving the cacophony of blaring horns and pedestrian chatter behind to step into cool quiet. My heels clicked across the dark marble of the massive lobby with a tempo that echoed my racing heart. With damp palms, I slid my ID across the security desk. My nervousness only increased after I accepted my visitors badge and headed to the elevator.
Have you ever wanted something so bad, you couldnât imagine not having it?
There were two things in my life Iâd felt that way about: the man Iâd stupidly fallen in love with and the administrative assistant position I was about to interview for.
The man had turned out to be really bad for me; the job could change my life in an amazing way. I couldnât even think about walking away from the interview without nailing it. I just had this feeling, deep inside me, that working as Lei Yeungâs assistant was what I needed to spread my wings and fly.
Still, despite my inner pep talk, my breath caught when I stepped out onto the tenth floor and saw the smoked-glass entrance to Savor, Inc. The companyâs name was emblazoned in a metallic feminine font across the double doors, challenging me to dream big and relish every moment.
Waiting to enter, I studied the number of well-dressed young women sitting around the reception area. Unlike me, they werenât wearing last seasonâs styles secondhand. I doubted any of them had held three jobs to help pay for college, either. I was at a disadvantage in nearly every way, but Iâd known that and I wasnât intimidated...much.
I was buzzed through the security doors and took in the café-au-lait walls covered with photos of celebrity chefs and trendy restaurants. There was a faint aroma of sugar cookies in the air, a comforting scent from my childhood. Even that didnât relax me.
Taking a deep breath, I checked in with the receptionist, a pretty African-American girl with an easy smile, then I stepped away to find a bare place against the wall to stand. Was my scheduled appointment timeâfor which I was nearly half an hour earlyâa joke? I soon realized that everyone was set for a brisk five-minute audience, and they were marched in and out precisely on time.
My skin flushed with a light mist of nervous perspiration.
When my name was called, I pushed away from the wall so quickly that I wobbled on my heels, my clumsiness mirroring my shaky confidence. I followed a young, attractive guy down the hall to a corner office with an open, unmanned reception area and another set of double doors that led into Lei Yeungâs seat of power.