Marjorie gave Adam a final warning glance, then smiled again. “Have a good day, both of you.” Then she turned and raced toward the door.

Trish almost laughed. Sure, have a good day. It was really starting out well. She tracked Marjorie’s escape out the door, leaving Trish on her own to face the man who had haunted her dreams for the last year. A man who’d turned those dreams to nightmares.

A man who didn’t even know who she was.

“Welcome,” Adam said gruffly.

“Thank you,” Trish said graciously, ignoring the insincerity in both their voices. They’d just started off on the wrong foot. Determined to right the situation and conduct herself professionally, she cleared her throat and said, “I appreciate that you’d rather not depend on a floater, Mr. Duke, but let me assure you that I know my way around an office.”

His eyes narrowed. “We refer to them as special assignment assistants, Ms. James.”

It took her a moment to realize he was joking. “Of course we do. My mistake.”

He smiled reluctantly. “That’s better.”

Her entire system zoomed up to red alert. It was that devastating smile that did it. Warning! her nerve endings screamed. In that moment, she could see how his former assistant might’ve been seduced into working for him until she snapped in two.

Determined to follow through with her plan, she squared her shoulders. Despite his gorgeous face, Adam Duke was a shark. He personified the killer species, and Trish ought to know, since he’d cold-bloodedly destroyed everything she’d ever loved. Now it was payback time. That’s why she was here.

Looking at him now, she had to admit he was the best-looking shark she’d ever seen. His eyes sparkled with both awareness and cynicism, but Trish could imagine them turning to blue ice if he ever discovered her true reason for being here.