Electric Impulse: A Bond UnBreakable

Chapter 38 | There's Been a Breach Part II

"You get it. There's something so visceral about this painting. It pulls something out of you, you know?" The young woman looks at me for an answer. She's pretty. We're close in age, she's no more than three years younger than me.

A wave of nausea brushes over me, I look back at the Basquiat painting, without a word.

"You know Mr. Prescott paid fifty million for this painting?"

My eyes buck. "Fifty million dollars?" I ask.

"Yeah. Crazy right? I found it just as it was going to auction and notified him. He put a bid on it before the auction ever took place. This baby never made it to auction, thanks to me."

A little arrogant, are we?

"That's why we were celebrating in there. It just arrived today. Mr. Prescott wanted to treat me. Can you believe it?"

Treat you, huh?

"Oh! Wow. Good for you."

Phoenix never even mentioned this to me. Fifty million dollars?

I look down.

The red velvet pumps.

"I'm sorry, what's your name again?" I ask.

She holds out her hand. "Oh, I'm Brooke. I'm Mr. Prescott's new intern. It's nice to meet you."

I shake her hand. "I'm Aria."

"I know." She shakes her head. "I mean. --Don't know where that came from." She laughs. "I meant to ask, um, so what do you do?

Her teeth are perfect.

Pretentious little bitch.

"Uh. I," I draw a blank for a second. "I, uh, work in the marketing department."

She nods. "That's a long way from here." She laughs. "And why are you up here?"

She's gorgeous.

She gives me nausea.

I smile. "Business of course!"

"Right. Well, I'm going to get back to work." She smiles and turns to walk away.

"Right."

Tiny waist and long legs.

My waist is only going to get bigger. . .

I turn to look at the Basquiat. "Fifty million dollars. Wow." After cooling off and calming down, I head back to Phoenix's office.

Phoenix stops typing and looks from behind his computer screen. "Hey Babe, took you long enough. You get lost out there?"

"No." I shake my head. "I'm just. . . gonna go." I point behind me. "Got work, you know?"

He laughs. "So, you come all the way up here for me to give you head and leave?"

"No, I'm just out of it. You know. I feel off."

"Well, do you wanna sit down. You look kind of bad, Babe. What happened?"

"Nothing. I just. It's probably morning sickness, you know?"

He gets up and leads me to one of his black leather couches. "Hey, just lie on the couch for a few. Leave when you feel ready, OK?"

"Wait, are you going somewhere?" I ask.

"I have a meeting." His phone rings. "Hold on." He puts the call on speaker. "Hello?"

"Hi. Yes, Mr. Prescott. We need to leave in five. I've gathered your documents and your briefing folder."

"Alright. Thanks, Brooke. See you in five."

Brooke!? Argh!

Phoenix looks at me. "Sorry, babe. I've got meetings back-to-back for the rest of the day." He gets up, gathers his wallet and phone and heads out. "Just close the door when you leave. I set it to lock." He kisses my forehead and leaves.

I rest for a moment on the couch.

I don't like her.

Something about her is not right.

Does he take her to every meeting?

Let's find out.

I get up and go to Phoenix's computer, lucky for me it's still unlocked. His work calendar is filled with entries with his and Brooke's name.

The girl attends every single meeting he goes to.

She's pretty much privy to everything he discusses. Everything he's a part of. Everything he's doing.

My stomach turns.

She knows things about him that you don't.

Fifty-million-dollar painting. Case and point.

"I feel like I'm gonna throw up." I swallow, hard.

What did she say in the restroom?

'He's starting to trust me. We're good.'

"What does she have planned? And who was she talking to?"

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Who do you think this girl was talking to?