I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock going off at 5:30 in the morning and groaned loudly as I reached over to turn it off. I slid myself to the edge of the bed and beamed. Today was going to be my first official day at Ashwood Hotels.

It had been a couple of weeks since I was offered the job at Ashwood Hotels. Shortly after I left the interview, Maria had sent over some paperwork to complete. The paperwork seemed was pretty simple and included a background check and drug test. There were some other forms in there that seemed odd, like a non-disclosure agreement and a non-compete clause, but Maria assured me they were standard in the industry.

Climbing out of bed, I made way to the shower. While it excited me to have the opportunity, I couldn't help but feel as if I might fail. It was no secret that I lacked the experience, but I felt that my life experience more than made up for it. Over the last eighteen years of my life, I had dealt with more than my fair share of "hard to please" men. Or as I liked to call them - assholes. Besides, unless my new boss was the groping type, he was already a step up from my last one.

After thirty minutes of hot water cascading over my body, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy white towel around me. I opened my closet and surveyed the racks of clothing carelessly tossed in. From my weekend clearance shopping, I spied a pair of slacks in a deep charcoal hue and a simple black shirt made from a silky fabric draped across one hanger. I gingerly pulled them off and slowly dressed myself.

I made my way into the bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My neck had finally fully healed, leaving no physical marks of what happened. A small part of me was relieved they were finally gone. But at the same time, it made me feel even more exposed. Without the bruises as a visible reminder, it left me with the memories of what had happened. And those were harder to erase.

I took a deep breath and shook off the thoughts, focusing on the present moment. It was time to finish getting ready and head to my first day at Ashwood Hotels.

I grabbed my foundation and carefully blended it over my face. I lined my eyes with a thin stroke of black eyeliner and added a few coats of mascara. I paused, breathed in, and then tapped a layer of lip gloss onto my lips. My hands were shaking as I grabbed my phone and checked the time. I had to go.

My heart raced as I rushed through my apartment, grabbing my purse and keys on the way out the door. I shouted for a taxi, threw open the door when it came, and slumped into the backseat. As we flew through the city, buildings whizzing past, a tight knot formed in my stomach. We screeched to a stop at Ashwood Hotels, and I stumbled out with a gasp, trying to collect myself.

With one foot in front of the other, I made my way towards the glass doors of the building. The morning sun shone in my eyes as I paused to take a deep breath before entering. As I walked into the lobby, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. It was just as beautiful as I remembered from my interview.

"Can I help you?" To my right, a feminine voice spoke, sounding rather unpleasant. I turned my head to see a stunning woman standing at the desk. Her pin-straight red hair framed her bright green eyes and sharp cheekbones that could cut glass. She wore a chic black dress with a white blazer and diamond earrings, exuding an aura of confidence and elegance. Her presence made me immediately feel self-conscious.

"Um, yes. I am here to see Mr. Ashwood." I whispered as I put some hair behind my ears.

The woman groaned and shook her head. "Do you have an appointment? Mr. Ashwood sees no one without an appointment."

What the heck was her problem?

"I'm his new personal assistant, Violetta Pierce. Today is my first day."

The woman came out behind the desk and looked me over from head to toe. She must have found something lacking because she rolled her eyes. Before I could ask her what her problem was, she motioned for me to follow her and walked away.

"This," she said as she pressed the up button to the left of the elevator door, "is Mr. Ashwood's private elevator. Only he, his guests, and his personal staff may use it. Since you are now his assistant, this includes you."

My heart pounded as I stepped into the elevator and felt the air shift as the metal doors closed. She adjusted her dress, and with a movement so swift that it almost seemed as though she had rehearsed it, she pushed the button labeled "50" with her perfectly manicured nails. The elevator hummed, and my stomach seemed to drop as it counted down each floor.

As the doors opened, my breath caught in my throat at the sight of the magnificent office that lay before us. It was an opulent space, with black, gold, and white decor. The walls were made of glass, so you could see straight into each cubicle and office. People were running around like mice, hurriedly preparing for the day ahead.

The woman who was escorting me gave me a disdainful look before spinning on her heel and striding across the room. I noticed other people giving me furtive glances as I followed her.

A few brief moments later, we stopped in front of a set of double wooden doors with the words "Mathias Ashwood" embossed in black at the top.

"Come in." A gruff voice said a few seconds after the girl knocked on his door. She pushed the door opened and held it open as she motioned for me to enter the office.

"Mister Ashwood, Miss Pierce is here to see you, sir." She said with an award-winning smile adorned on her face.

"Thank you, Kara. You can leave now." He said, gesturing for her to go. Kara looked me up and down before flashing me a forced grin as she closed the door behind her.

"Ms. Pierce, please take a seat." Mathias gestured to the empty seat across from his desk, not once looking up from the papers he was reading.

I silently walked over to the empty leather chair and sat down, placing my hands in my lap and messed with them nervously.

After a few moments of silents, he finally put away the papers, and I gasped. Sitting there in all his glory was the man who had captivated me at the club just a few weeks ago. I tried to keep my composure and not let my nerves get the best of me. I couldn't believe that I was going to be working for him.

For a moment, we both just stared at each other. I could feel my face turning red as I realized that he probably remembered me from the club. I could sense a mixture of emotions coming off of him as well, but I couldn't quite place them.

"Ms. Pierce, I'm glad you could make it. I hope you're ready to get started." Mathias said, breaking the awkward silence.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Maybe he didn't recognize me with all my clothes on.

Mathias leaned back in his chair and studied me for a moment. "I'll be honest with you, Ms. Pierce. I have my doubts about hiring someone with no prior experience as a personal assistant, but Maria has spoken highly of you. She seems to think that, despite your lack of experience, you will be an excellent assistant."

I nodded again, my nerves kicking into overdrive.

"As I am sure you already know, you will work directly under me, and I expect nothing but the best from my staff. You will manage my schedule, sort my emails based on priority, and a host of other details."

He stood up from his desk and came out from behind it. He looked at me from head to toe, his gaze titling every so often. I squirmed underneath his gaze.

"Is there something wrong?" I questioned.

"You did read over the employee handbook that Maria sent to you, right?"

Okay, that was an odd question. "Um yes I did." Why was he even asking that? Did I have something on my face?

"So when it said to dress professionally, you decided that this," he motioned to shirt and slacks I was wearing, "was it?"

My heart sank as I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. I didn't understand how what I was wearing wasn't good enough. He looked at me with an intense gaze and wished the ground would swallow me up.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ashwood. I thought this was professional enough." I stammered, feeling a deep flush creeping up my neck.

He sighed and leaned against the desk, his arms crossed over his chest. "Well, it might be fine if you were working as some sales rep at the mall. But we old ourselves to a higher standard here, and that includes the way we present ourselves. We are offering luxury to our clients and we want to present ourselves with that."

I could feel his disappointment seeping through every word he spoke, and I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, feeling helpless.

Mathias went around his desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a sleek black card.

"Here," he said, "Take this and buy you some clothes for the office."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Did he really think I was going to take his money like this?

"Um, no offense, Mr. Ashwood, but I don't need your money." I pushed it back to him. "I have a little saved up. I am sure I can find something more presentable for you."

"Violetta, just take it. There is no way you have enough saved up to be able to afford the kind of clothes I need you to have."

My mouth dropped open. While he was probably right, he didn't have to be such an asshole about it.

I snatched the card from his hand. "Fine, as long as you take whatever I spend out of my first check. I don't want to owe you any favors."

"Fine. I'll have my driver take you to a local shop that will be suitable."

Mathias escorted me out of his office and to his private elevator. When we arrived at the garage, a sleek black BMW was waiting for us, its silver rims glinting in the faint light. An older man with salt and pepper hair, brown eyes, and a toned physique exited the driver's seat and gave a polite smile.

"Nikolai, this is Miss Pierce," Mathias said, guiding me towards the aging chauffer. "Miss Pierce needs some acceptable work attire. Take her to Natalia's, I am sure she can find what she needs there."

"Of course, Mr. Ashwood." Nikolai opened the door, and I slid in.

Nikolai opened the door, and I slid in. Mathias gave me one last glance before turning away and quickly retreating up the steps. I couldn't help but admire the way his trousers hugged his ass as he slowly disappeared from view. He might be a jerk, but at least he was a hot jerk.

Nikolai closed the door, rounded to the driver's side, and soon we were winding our way out of the garage.

The leather seat felt cool against the back of my thighs, and I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, feeling the fabric between my fingers as I stared out the tinted window. The silence between us was broken only by a soft melody that wafted through the car's speakers. The notes seemed to match the rhythm of my nervous heartbeat.

After what felt like an eternity, Nikolai pulled the car into the small parking lot in front of a quaint brick store. The glass door was adorned with the word "Spark," written in elegant cursive. Nikolai was already out of the car, rushing around to my side of the car before I had even unbuckled my seatbelt.

"Thank you, Nikolai. Though I am very capable of opening my own doors," I said with a chuckle as he helped me out of the car.

"Nonsense, Miss Pierce. Mr. Ashwood would have my head if I let you do that," he said with a smirk as I stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk. He opened the door for me, and I entered the small shop.

As soon as I stepped in, the air was thick with the fragrances of vanilla and citrus; two polar opposite smells which somehow worked together to create a cozy atmosphere in this luxurious boutique. I glanced around, eyes widening at some of the expensive items on display; a plain white blouse caught my eye and my jaw dropped when I saw it was nearly $300.

I grabbed at Nikolai's arm in disbelief as he moved towards the counter near the back of the shop. "Are you sure this is the place he told you to take me?" Before he could answer, a woman dressed in a sleek outfit with fire red hair and bright green eyes came out from behind the counter with arms wide open.

"Welcome to Spark!" she exclaimed, enveloping Nikolai in a hug before turning her attention to me. Her beauty left me speechless, and my cheeks flushed bright red. She was almost a foot taller than us both in her tight black dress and heels. "Oh, Nikolai. It is nice to see you! Oh, who may this beauty be?" she asked, her voice holding a playfulness that made me blush even more.

"This is Miss Pierce. Your bother has instructed me to bring her here to get her some attire appropriate for the office." My jaw dropped open. Did he just say brother?

My eyes widened in surprise as he uttered the words "Miss Pierce". Did he just say brother?

The moment Natalia's gaze met mine, her lips tugged up into a knowing smile. "Oh, so you're Violetta? My brother called me and told me to be expecting you." She reached out and grasped my hand, her grip strong and confident as she gave me a gentle spin.

"Well, you got a killer body, girl. It should be no problem finding you something to wear." Natalia laughed as a blush crept over my face once again. It wasn't like I never received compliments, hell working at a strip club, I heard them a thousand times a night, but this was my boss's sister. It felt weird, embarrassing almost, to hear her say that.

"I will be outside in my car whenever you're ready, Miss." I nodded, not sure what else to say or do. After Nikolai left the store, Natalia seized my hand and yanked me to the back of the store, where there were a couple of chairs and dressing rooms.

"Sit here Violetta. I will go grab some items I think will look fantastic on you!"

I plopped into the chair, resting my forehead in my hands. I couldn't believe I was still in New York, running away from my past and worrying about everything I did or said. But here I was; in New York; fleeing from my past; shopping with my boss's sister.

I just had to make it six months. If I could save most of my paychecks for six months, I could go anywhere and be anyone I wanted.

The sound of footsteps broke my thoughts. Natalia appeared, arms laden with clothes, making me cringe at the thought of how seriously this was going to dampen my six-month plan.

"Here," Kassandra said with a smirk as she tossed a vibrant red dress my way, the fabric fluttering in the air before landing in my arms. "Get in there and try this on. I guarantee you'll love it."

I nodded, feeling a bit intimidated by the sassy woman's confident attitude, and made my way into the dressing room. The space was small and stuffy, trapping me within its four walls and preventing any escape. I hung the dress on the hook to the right of the full-length mirror, feeling my heart pounding as I removed my clothes and tried it on.

As I slipped on the dress with shaky hands, I admired its simple beauty. It accentuated the curves of my body, giving me a newfound feeling of power and confidence. The soft heart-shaped neckline framed my collarbones perfectly, and the hemline stopped just above mid-thigh, showcasing my toned legs.

"Come on, let me see already," Natalia called out from outside the dressing room door as I smoothed down the dress.

"Wow. I knew that dress would look killer on you," she said appreciatively as I exited the dressing room. "Why the hell were you covering yourself up with that other shit?" She questioned in a lighthearted manner.

"I rarely spend money on anything besides food and rent. When I buy clothes, I gravitate towards the sale rack. Shopping for nice, luxurious clothes has never been an option. I kept my gaze fixed on the tiles at my feet, avoiding her eyes. I knew she was probably feeling sorry for me.

"Well, I will make damn sure you have some bomb ass fucking clothes girl at my brother's expense. Now get out of that gorgeous dress and try the rest of these clothes on."

Five hours and a pizza later, Natalia felt satisfied with the selection of clothing we had picked out not only for my work life but for everyday wear as well. She had compiled 36 outfits, with shoes and accessories to match each one, and was currently ringing up the last couple of items.

"Oh, lord. My brother is so going to kill me." She laughed as she pointed to the total price on the screen.

I gasped when I saw how much it was. "$25,000?!" I screamed, my stomach dropping to my feet. "Oh gosh, Natalia! I can't pay him this much back. Oh no. We got to put some of this stuff back."

I scurried around the bags, attempting to find my three favorite outfits. There was no way I would take this much money from him and still save up enough to escape this place. Suddenly, I felt wetness on my arm and realized that I was crying.

Natalia came out from behind the register and pulled me away from the bags. "Hey hey, hey. Calm down. You don't have to pay anything back. Just relax."

I continued to sob as I shook my head. "No, you don't get it. I promised him I would give him back every penny, Natalia. Every penny." This is too much money; I'll never be able to pay him back and... forget it. I am sorry for wasting so much of your time. Can you please just help me pick out a few?"

"Violetta, listen to me!" Natalia exclaimed, taking hold of my shoulders and making me face her. "You don't owe him a thing, alright? He can make his money back in no time. So don't worry about it. Got it?"

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to stop my body from trembling and my tears from falling. Natalia pulled me in for a hug until I stopped crying.

"You good now?" She asked, a suspicious brow raised.

All I could do was nod; my thoughts were too muddled to form words.

"Alright then, let's get these bags to the car and Nikolai will take you home."