Tempting The Boss Read Free Page A

slightly cushioned the fall. As she gasped for air, she tried to see what was happening. But her eyes were so blurry, it was no use. The sounds of the struggle came to her first. Then she made out the two black figures.
    One mercilessly pounded the other one with punches, but Grace didn’t recognize either. She pushed herself up and finally saw the man on the receiving end of most of the punches wore a face mask, only his eyes and mouth visible.
    Alarm bells went off in her mind. She needed to do something. Help her strange savior, call for help. Something . But before she managed to make herself useful in any way, the attacker pushed himself up and ran.
    The one helping her took a step after him, but abruptly halted and turned back to Victoria. Recognition snaked through her. “Dean,” she croaked out. Embarrassment shot through her. Somehow the thought of him seeing her like this seemed so much worse than a random hotel worker.
    “Are you okay?” He quickly looked to the attacker’s form as he disappeared down the hall. But instead of chasing the man down, Dean pulled his phone from his pocket and punched something in.
    That was all Victoria needed to spark the life back in her. She forced her shaky legs to strengthen and shot up as she snatched the phone from Dean’s hands. “What are you doing?” she snapped.
    He looked at her as if she were insane. “I’m calling the cops. That guy was trying to kill you.”
    Victoria backed away, struggling to stand in the heels that normally didn’t bother her at all. “I can’t be swarmed by police! I have a speech to give any minute now!”” Even she knew how ridiculous it all sounded, but she held her head high, refusing to let this night get ruined. Strong. She needed to be strong.
    If the press got wind of the attack…
    “You’re in shock.” Dean tried to grab his phone, but Victoria took another step back. But her luck was determined to stay in hiding for the night, and her heel landed at just the wrong angle. She started to tumble right back onto the cold tile, but Dean’s strong hands wrapped around her arms and pulled her up and against him.
    Victoria took a stuttering, deep breath. Heat rushed to her face. She opened her mouth, but promptly shut it again. Good grief. She’d almost been murdered, but somehow this embarrassed her?
    “We need to call the police and alert the hotel before he gets away.” Dean leaned forward and twisted his phone out of her hand.
    “I need to go give a speech,” she insisted, pushing herself back and finally standing without wobbling.
    “Giving a speech is not more important than your life,” he bit out, staring her down as though she needed to be institutionalized.
    “It is to me.” She pushed her way past him. As soon as her back was to him, she took the opportunity to feel her neck, where the small rope had bit into the skin, but didn’t have time to dwell. She heard Dean’s footsteps close behind her.
    “How can you say that?” he asked.
    Her hands fisted at her sides. The handyman could prove to be a big problem if she didn’t nip his curiosity in the bud. She steeled herself and turned to face him. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
    He clenched his jaw. “Of course I do.”
    “Then let me handle this. I have people and the resources to take care of messes just like this one. I don’t need your help anymore, but I do appreciate the offer.”
    His eyes dropped down to her neck and back to her face. “You’re going to do your big speech then?”
    “Yep.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
    He nodded. “If you say so. But you might want to figure out how you’re going to explain the massive bruise on your neck.”
     
    ~~~~~
     
    “Damn it,” muttered Victoria. Her hands bolted to her hair and pulled at the pins and ties holding it in its firm updo.
    Dean let out a small laugh at her frantic motions, and she glared at him as she got the last few pins out. “Don’t look so smug. I have lots of