50 Shades of Pink Read online

  This was a discussion I wasn’t comfortable having with my future boss. But I didn’t have much of a choice. “The dress has a built in—”

  “A woman should use her physical attributes to her advantage. Flashing a bit of tit helps.” She lowered the sheer silk shawl she wore to her waist, showing off an impressive amount of cleavage in her short cut bronze sheath dress. I couldn’t help but zone in on the area, emphasized by the large diamond encrusted pendant in between her breasts. I wore my understated gold cross I had received from my grandmother one Christmas.

  “You’re surprised I would recommend using your body to get what you want.” She set her palm down near my knee, swiping her thumb over the hem of my skirt.

  “Isn’t it better using my mind and intelligence when I try convincing Miss Nox to do the interview?”

  Colette’s hand stilled, her fingers far too near the junction of my thighs. It might have been an unconscious move on her part, but I felt as though she has done it on purpose, as if she was trying to prove something but the meaning was lost on me.

  “Victoria admires intellect, but she also likes pretty things.” The car stopped. Colette squeezed my leg. “A beautiful woman is one of them.”

  It was obvious she wanted me to flirt with Nox, a skill I poorly lacked. Now my anxiety came roaring back with a vengeance. I was doomed.

  She must have noticed the sweat coating my upper lip. She pulled out a tissue from her clutch and dropped it on my lap. “Dap your face before we leave the car. You need to look your best. I’m counting on you.”

  I blotted my mouth. “I know you are. I’ll do my best.”

  “I need results.” Her mouth barely moved as she talked, and her stare turned icy. “Don’t make me regret my decision.”

  Crumpling the tissue in my hand, I nodded. “I’ll try.” I bit down hard on the inside of my bottom lip and took a deep breath. “I won’t disappoint you.”

  “Good. I’m glad we had this little pep talk.” She rolled back her shoulders, and with a wide smile, exited the car.

  I trailed her up the steps to the building. Men in tuxedos and women in all types of fancy dresses, probably costing more than my weekly paycheck, loitered nearby. Lights flashed all around as people I recognized from television and movies posed in front of cameras or talked to reporters with microphones aimed at their faces. I didn’t stop to gawk, joining Colette who didn’t have a problem walking in her stilettos, unlike me who still had trouble navigating in my new sandals.

  I covered a groan, envisioning myself stumbling into Colette and both of us falling to the floor.

  She flashed our invitations to the person checking the door and then we were allowed entrance. I viewed high marble ceilings and stained glass windows in awe. The interior architecture was dazzling. Everyone else around me seemed disinterested about the beautiful interior. I could spend hours in here, roaming the halls and checking out the art on display.

  Colette paused. I bumped into her. I braced for her tirade about my clumsiness, but instead she faced me with a pleasant smile.

  “Victoria is near the entrance to the auction room with Royce Carlisle, who co-chairs the charity. After he finishes with Victoria, I’ll introduce you to him.”

  “Why don’t we go see him now while he’s talking to her? That will give me the perfect opportunity to introduce myself.” I stared over Colette’s shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of Nox.

  She drew me over to the opposite end of the room where people stood in line for drinks at the bar. “Not a good idea. We have to do this carefully.”

  “But I don’t understand why.”

  She linked her arm with mine, digging her fingers in the inside of my elbow. There was just enough of a sting that I winced, but I didn’t pull away. “I have much more experience in these matters. I know how she thinks. She’ll dismiss you even before you say your name.”

  I didn’t like this strange maneuvering, but I was so far out of my element. But then again, the unorthodox way Colette did things worked in her favor.

  “Okay, tell me what I should do,” I said, resigned to obeying her.

  Her irritation disappeared. “Good, Victoria left and Royce is now alone. Let’s go see him.” With a satisfied smile, she guided me across the room to the older man.

  “Hello there, my dear. You look gorgeous as always,” Mr. Carlisle kissed Colette on the cheek. His toothy grin made the wrinkles on his face more pronounced.

  “The auction is always the highlight of my year,” she said, staring up at him with a fondness that made me think she really liked the old man.

  “Did your brother come with you this time? I invited him but he didn’t RSVP,” he asked, halting a waiter carrying a tray of drinks.

  “Benjamin has other important matters to attend to. I brought my protégée instead.” Colette took two flutes from the server and gave me one. “This is Lindsay Pinke. She works at Virago.”

  “What a darling last name.” Mr. Carlisle clinked his glass to mine. “Like the color?”

  “Yes. The ‘e’ is silent,” I offered and sipped what appeared to be champagne.

  “You must be an intern. You can’t be old enough to drink.” He leaned in closer. “I won’t have you carded.” He winked.

  A comment like that should have annoyed me, but he didn’t act condescending or snooty. He was a playful type of guy, which put me at ease.

  “I guess the women in my family have great genes. I’m going to be twenty-five next week.”

  “If only I was thirty years younger.” He winked again and then curved his arm around Colette’s waist. “I remember when Colette was your age. That was the first time I asked her to marry me. But she refused.”

  She laughed and finished her champagne. “That was how many marriages ago, Royce? Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not going to be wife number four.”

  He let out a loud laugh and whispered something in her ear. Her cheeks reddened and she pushed him away. “The only way for that to happen is if you make an appointment with my brother.”

  It was on the tip of my tongue to ask about her brother, who was even more evasive and private than Colette, but then someone knocked into me. I twisted around, facing the staircase. Looking up, I caught sight of a woman staring down at the action below. Our eyes locked and everything slowed around me.

  Victoria Nox reminded me of a queen staring down at her subjects. She wore a floor length navy evening dress with a long slit up the right side of her leg. Her hair was piled high on top of her head. Her ears were bare, but she wore a pearl necklace and a matching pearl bracelet on her right wrist. A slight curl to her upper lip matched her severe expression.

  I wanted to look away but I couldn’t. Her austere poise came naturally, as if engrained into her. But the depths I sought in her eyes showed a wearisome burden.

  I regained my composure and stood tall, the long waves of my hair, brushing the slope of my back, almost like a caress as I displayed myself to her view. She curled her hand around her throat and licked her lips, the chandelier overhead giving them a shine.

  I had never had such a visceral reaction to another person before. I backed away, blinking, finally breaking the hold she had over me.

  She stared past me and a sour frown marred her face.

  I jerked when Colette pressed her face to mine, her breath warm under my ear. “This is the chance you’ve been waiting for. Go for it.” She nudged me toward the stairs and then walked away with Mr. Carlisle down the hall.

  I peered back up at the spot where I first had spotted Victoria. She was gone.

  Chapter Three

  I didn’t search for Victoria right away. I was still shaken by my reaction to the woman in the provocative dress that had me woozy just by thinking about it. I needed a moment to myself, before I gained the courage to talk to the alluring woman.

  I grabbed another drink and went inside the auction room. A small stage had been set up near the front, and rows of chairs filled the middle
. Baskets and cards on tables lined the walls. People inspected the baskets overflowing with expensive items, decorated with bows or bright ribbons. Most jotted down a number with many zeroes on the paper in front of the baskets indicating how much they were willing to pay in order to claim the pricey items. Some baskets displayed beautiful jewelry or high-end makeup and perfume. Some showcased pictures of expensive cars. One basket even had a yacht up for grabs.

  The basket I liked the most was a month-long stay at a villa in Italy. It had always been my dream to go to Europe. But my lack of savings stopped my dream from coming true.

  I checked the last bid and whistled. “The only way I can afford this trip is if I sell my soul or give up my first born,” I mumbled and gulped down the rest of my drink.

  “What’s the going rate for your soul and future first born?” a woman with a slightly sardonic tone asked right behind me.

  “Way too much.” I shifted to the side to allow the woman to check out the basket.

  “Some here are willing to give up their souls for no money at all,” the woman replied with more of a bite in her voice.

  I took a deep breath and faced Victoria Nox.

  “Um, hi,” I said, and waved.

  The way she scanned my face, with what I could only describe as loathing, made my stomach flip, but not in a good way. She was one unhappy woman.

  “You don’t belong here.”

  I pitched back, not accustomed to such anger. She acted like I had offended her in some way.

  “I belong here as much as you do. I was invited.”

  “You came with Colette.” She gave me some space, and I swore she shuddered.

  “Yes, she’s my boss.” This was what I’d been waiting for, even though the tension coming off this woman made me want to hightail it from the room. “I’m Lindsay Pinke, her new personal assistant, but it hasn’t been made official—”

  “They keep getting younger,” she said, as if I wasn’t standing right in front of her.

  This wasn’t the kind of interaction I’d expected. Was Victoria having a bad day or was she always this rude? Maybe I had offended her with my selling my soul or my first-born comment. What if she donated the prize? That must be it!

  “If you donated the trip to Italy, I didn’t mean to be rude. I was joking. I’m sorry if my comment upset you,” I said, hoping my apology would mollify her anger.

  “I’m not upset because of that.” Her face was void of any emotion, including her animosity toward me, but her stare turned more penetrating, as if she were trying to look deep inside me for answers.

  “Rough day then? You should have a drink. The champagne is delicious.” I shook my half-empty glass.

  Her lips twitched and a smile almost appeared. “Are you really this clueless?”

  Now that stung. I had a feeling speaking with her would be uncomfortable, but I wasn’t expecting such unpleasantness. I must have really rubbed her the wrong way. If she was going to continue insulting me, I wasn’t going to take it, no matter how much I wanted the assistant job.

  “Why do you think I’m clueless? You don’t know anything about me.”

  Her eyes lit up but there wasn’t any warmth in them. “Colette always has a new girl do her dirty work for her. How old are you, baby?”

  I set the glass down before I threw the rest of my drink in her face. ‘Baby’ wasn’t used as a term of endearment here. But I wouldn’t lose my temper or walk away defeated by this condescending woman who acted as if the entire world should bow down to her.

  “I’m only seven years younger than you, so calling me an infant is ridiculous, don’t you think, Miss Nox?” I folded my arms behind my back but I lost the grip on my purse and it fell to the floor. Everything inside tumbled out.

  Shoot. I bent down to retrieve my things, wishing the ground would swallow me up. At least I didn’t carry anything embarrassing like tampons, but a small scrap paper I had jotted some notes on landed on top of Victoria’s feet. She snatched the paper and scanned it with a critical eye.

  I rose to my feet, waiting for her to mock me over what I had written. Instead, humor flashed across her face.

  “You wrote down various ways to introduce yourself to me?” she asked, perplexed.

  Shrugging, I held out my hand for the paper. “You’re my first high profile interview. I wanted to be prepared.”

  She didn’t give back the paper. She folded it into a neat square and slipped it inside her small bag. She then revealed a glossy square. “Take it.”

  I took the card. It was a business card with her title and phone number and address to her office.

  “Why did you give me your card?” I asked, utterly confused.

  “I’m curious why Colette chose you this time.”

  “This time?” I shook my head, not understanding at all.

  Victoria stepped forward. I shifted back against the wall, feeling slightly claustrophobic as she invaded my space, almost towering over me. If I lowered my face, my nose would touch the top of her breasts. From my current view, she used those to her advantage.

  “She throws her writers at me all the time. They think they’ll catch their big break if they interview me for her stupid magazine.”

  Her bitter sounding snicker gave me goose bumps, but not in a good way. Still, I remained frozen, watching her chest rise with each breath she took.

  “You’re not like the others. You’re too unsophisticated and untouched by the real world. So, I’m going to throw you a bone. Meet me at my office on Monday morning at nine. If you’re more than a minute late, our talk will be over even before it can begin.”

  “When you mean ‘talk,’ you mean an official interview, right?” I asked, breathless and a little overheated.

  “We’ll see how it goes.”

  She stepped back, allowing me to catch my breath. I wasn’t one for confrontation, and this one tested my limits and then some. But I’d made headway with this haughty woman, who stared at me with a combination of puzzlement and animosity.

  She lowered her gaze to my feet. A small, but mocking smile appeared. “Next time choose a softer color for your nails. The color doesn’t suit you, Miss Pinky. It’s too garish for your skin tone.”

  “It’s Pink with a silent ‘e’,” I said, flexing my toes.

  She didn’t respond. She twisted on her heel without a goodbye and left the room.

  Before I collapsed from the tension in my lower back and knees, I used the wall for support, overcome with dizziness. I hurried through the crowd of people to find the bathroom before I had an accident. Then I’d clap myself on the back for my victory.

  A victory that left me completely flustered.

  Chapter Four

  Soon after my ‘talk’ with Victoria, I found Colette. We didn’t stay for the rest of the auction, which was fine by me. I didn’t see Victoria for the rest of the night. It was like she had disappeared into thin air.

  As soon as Colette and I got in the car, she grilled me, wanting to know if I had met Victoria face-to-face. When I told her Victoria had agreed to meet with me on Monday, she couldn’t contain her excitement.

  “Fabulous! You’ve done something most of my writers have never done. There must be something about you Victoria likes.” She beamed in satisfaction.

  I snorted. “She wasn’t exactly thrilled by the idea. Our conversation was…awkward.” Volatile would have been a better word to use, but I didn’t want to explain why. It was bad enough I was still agitated by my interaction with Victoria. I had a bad feeling nothing would come out of our meeting on Monday, and I might end up in tears.

  “Victoria doesn’t always do well in social interactions. She’s been cautious of people, even as a child,” Colette offered.

  “How well did you know her when she was growing up?” I asked, welcoming the tidbit of information.

  “I met her a month or so after she had moved in with her aunt and uncle. She had such a sadness around her even then.”

  “I
guess her sadness changed to anger. She very confrontational with me.” I offered, hoping Colette would give me some advice on how to handle Nox.

  “She keeps people at a distance.” Colette sat her hand on my knee. “If you impress her, she’ll welcome you in her life and you’ll be able to reap the rewards of that relationship.”

  What an odd way to phrase things. It sounded like she wanted me to be friends with Nox. I had a better chance of getting struck by lightning.

  “You’ll use this recorder.” She sat a cardboard box in my lap with a, “Possession of Duarte Publications” label on the front. “I want you to record your entire conversation with Victoria.”

  “She’ll allow that?” I asked.

  “Every writer or reporter who works for Virago, or any other Duarte publication, uses some sort of recording device so they don’t misquote their subject. I can listen to the tape and help you write your article so it’s publishable.”

  “If I ask you something, will you promise not to get upset?” Questioning Colette would probably give me a reprimand but it was a chance I was willing to take.

  Amusement flashed across her face. “It must be a serious question if you’re warning me before you ask it.”

  I took a deep breath to steady myself. “Based on what you told me, you and Victoria were friends at one point. But something happened to ruin your friendship, including the one with her family?”

  “What are you implying?” All warmth disappeared from her voice.

  I crossed a line, my curiosity getting the better of me. Colette had invited me into her inner circle on both a personal and professional level, and I was going to ruin it. But I couldn’t ignore that Colette and Nox had some sort of past together, which Colette continued to be ambiguous about.

  “I’m not.…” I inhaled, trying to find the right words so not to raise her temper. “You have to admit it’s odd you want me, a newbie, to interview Miss Nox when you can reach out to her yourself for the interview.”

  The car stopped in front of my building. Colette tapped on the partition and she held up a palm, directing her driver to stay in his seat. Turning back to me, she appeared more relaxed but restrained. “I’ll allow you some exemptions with your questions since the situation with Victoria is a special case.” She perched her arm on the set behind me, her fingers dangling near my shoulder. “I was like an older sister to Victoria. When she went to England for her last year of college and decided to stay there after she graduated, we drifted apart. She came back a very different woman a few years later. She cut ties with many friends. I reached out to her more than a few times to reestablish our relationship but she refused.”