To Trap a Billionaire

Two.

The phone rang for the tenth time. And like the good little temp, I answered it.

"Tech-com Global, Lyra King speaking, how may I help you today?" I asked. It was my first day, and I was two hours in. I can't even remember how many times I've introduced myself over the phone. If this was how normal people worked for the minimum, I was glad I didn't have to do it until this point. But I had to keep the goal in mind. Kristen schooled me on the current stock standings, and the competing companies and what Arlo could do better to gain points. It was supposed to give me an upper hand over Gwendolyn in the brain department. I could've looked it up myself, but Kristen helped since he didn't give me enough time to prepare in the first place.

The sliding doors to the vast lobby area slid open and in walked my mark and his girlfriend. I already had the stack of notes and numbers on my desk with my revisions penciled in to set the bait. Arlo walked straight to the desk. I pinched my cheeks quickly and played it off as a hair fixing move before I stood. Kristen had me in a blue bandaged bodycon dress with a cream blazer and black 3-inch heels. He claimed that if the heels were too high it would make me look like a slut. My hair was straightened and pulled into a low, loose but neat, bun with fringe as rectangular framed glasses sat on the bridge of my nose. Arlo stared at me perplexed but intrigued. My look had accomplished exactly what it was supposed to: it caught his attention.

"M-Mr. Mason," I greeted him. The internet did not do his looks justice. He looked way better in person; very masculine, full of power, and drop dead gorgeous.

"Where's Maxine?" Arlo asked, his deep voice dripping with authority and a slight English accent. I kept his eye not as a challenge but out of respect.

"She's sick for the time being so the temp agency sent me," I lied easily. He held my eye for a moment before Gwendolyn looped her arm with his and smiled cordially at me.

"Arlo's messages please," she asked in a curt but sweet tone. The internet gave her more credit than in reality. She was thicker than her pictures. Her face was caked with makeup and her brown roots were showing. Her eyes were kind of dull as well.

I fumbled with the papers on purpose before setting the papers on the counter where either of them could reach it. "Thanks, and Arlo has meetings all day today so you can forward any new calls to his secretary, Patricia," Gwendolyn said before pulling him towards the elevator with papers in hand. I let out a breath and sat back down.

Gwendolyn was intense. This might be harder than Kristen thought.

I stayed and answered phone calls all day. It was dreadfully boring. Of course, my eyes were always peeled for clues and indicators into Arlo's life and business. Gwendolyn left around lunch but Arlo stayed. I stayed too. My plan was to leave after him. Get a little more face time with him without Gwendolyn; see if he caught notice of my notes. Kristen gave me a copy of his schedule today so the notes should have paralleled with the companies and shareholders he had meeting with today.

The ding of the elevator caught my attention just as the phone rang again. I picked it up and glanced just in time to see Arlo coming my way.

"Tech-com Global, Lyra King speaking, how may I direct your call?" I asked before listening and forwarding the call to Arlo's secretary, Patricia, who actually preferred to be called Patty.

"Lyra Emersyn King, born in Phoenix, Arizona, homeschooled, no college, parents deceased, and you recently moved to New York about a year ago to live with your brother, Kristen Parker King. How did you end up here?" Arlo asked as he leaned against the counter to look at me. I stood and thought of the most embarrassing moment of my life to get myself to blush.

"I-I was looking for a job to pass the time. Answering phones and taking messages seemed easy enough," I said, faking a shyness I didn't actually possess. He put the papers from this morning on the counter. I glanced at them to see my notes penciled into the sides.

"How does someone who has never had any formal schooling, know so much about the stock market and my shareholders?" He asked. I shrugged and looked down at the desk.

"I pay attention and I always come prepared," I shrugged it off. "I'm sorry... about your paperwork. I started reading it over and absentmindedly wrote things in while answering the phone," I apologized, even though it was exactly what I meant to do. His poker face only broke for a fraction of a second to show shock.

"You did this on accident?" He asked. I nodded in hesitation.

"I'm sorry, but Maxine should be back in the next few days," I said, playing on a hunch. Kristen's plan was to drop subtle hints for the next month to eventually get to a more permanent position. But I thought I could make it happen a lot faster.

"What do you think of the fundraising stunt coming up next week?" He asked curiously. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I did my homework. His mother set up a fundraising event for him to reassure shareholders and the public that Tech-com was being kept in good hands and Arlo was every bit as charitable as his father.

"Permission to speak freely?" I asked first. A small smirk graced his beautiful face for a fraction of a second.

"Please do," he replied before his poker face replaced any emotion.

"I think that in theory, it's a good plan, but you have to take into account that none of your competitors will be there. Everyone there will be an ally. It could send the message that you're not willing to mingle with new companies or ideas. And Mark Shpil, the CEO of Drezco, is slowly losing his grip on his company, which is sad only because he just started breaking ground on a new security lock for technology that the public would be very interested in, but he doesn't know how to handle it. Invite him and some others that are viewed as your competition, and you might just be able to persuade Mark to sell his company to you. That would give you another location, more power, and a lead in this new technology," I answered.

My brother and I were of a hacking professionals, but he was better than me. He snuck into Drezco's system and gave me all this information in case I could use it.

"Of course, never mix work with pleasure, set a different time for a meeting after getting cozy with him at the party," I added as an afterthought. He just stared at me and blinked.

"You're not working here anymore," he said after a moment. I knew I was only seconds away from being hired in a better position, but I played it dumb.

"I-I'm so sorry Mr. Mason, I never meant to overstep my boundaries," I apologized quickly. A tiny smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. He enjoyed watching me squirm.

"I want you working upstairs with me... as my assistant," he finished. I stopped and looked at him in true shock. That position didn't even exist in this building. The closest position to Arlo was Patty as his secretary, and she was just like an upstairs temp.

"You would be paid a high hourly rate, and salary, as well as a bonus for every shareholder or rise in stocks that I acquire. You will have your own office and you'll be required to attend all meetings and events associated with the company. Do you accept?" He asked. I could've haggled him for more, but it was already far more than I expected. It was a pretty sweet gig, but it was only step one.

Step two, get close to Arlo.