Shake Her World (Restrained Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

friendly smile and starts steering Ariana out of the office. They reach the elevator in silence, although it takes great effort for Ariana not to start chewing out her infuriating friend in front of her colleagues. Yet it’s Martine who speaks up once the elevator doors close behind them.
    “Get some ice for her hand and a first aid kit too. She must have punched that sleaze ball in the teeth because the skin on her knuckles was broken and not just bruised,” she says proudly. “Oh,” she adds just as the elevator reaches the first floor, “and just for your information, she’s totally not straight.”
    The jerk has the gall to blow a kiss at her then saunter off as if her work was done. Ariana shakes her head questioning her life choices as she pushes the button to the 34th floor. She tries to stay calm when she gets back to the office, finding the clear glass walls both separating her and Sophie’s rooms a blessing and a curse. She quickly pulls the bottom drawer open to take the first aid kit out, but she can’t find any ice and doesn’t want to go to the kitchenette because it would be too suspicious.
    Sophie is sitting behind her desk like always when Ariana walks in, but instead of staring at her computer screen, she’s looking out the panorama wall that gives a perfect view to Manhattan’s skyscrapers. Ariana can only see her profile but the disappointment and resigned anger twisting her mouth are pretty obvious even without seeing her face fully. Ariana clears her throat quietly, drawing Sophie’s attention to herself, and lifts the first aid kit.
    “Aren’t you going to ask why I called you?” Sophie asks, trying for reserved but sounding tired.
    “To chew me out for Martine’s antics?” Ariana asks in return, offering a small smile when Sophie’s lips twitch.
    “Tempting, but no.” She looks down at her messed up left hand for a second, and Ariana wishes she had the power of reading people’s minds instead of dreaming of the future. “I broke up with Neil,” she blurts out as if saying it outright will make it hurt less. “Obviously, it’s none of your business, but I think the press will eat the story up and I need you to be prepared.”
    “Alright.” Ariana nods, not commenting further. “Anything you want me to tell the bloodthirsty reporters?”
    “That you don’t know anything.”
    “Or I could make up a couple of fun stories worthy of the punch you obviously doled out,” Ariana suggests, waving her free hand at Sophie’s knuckles. “Those needs to be cleaned and wrapped by the way. Who knows what deadly germs are in Mr. Thompson’s mouth.”
    “How do you know I punched him in the mouth?” Sophie asks, taken aback. Her eyes narrow suspiciously, staring at Ariana like she’s trying to uncover all of her secrets. Ariana licks her lips and hopes that Sophie doesn’t have any special talents.
    “Martine is a martial artist. She recognized the scrapes on your knuckles,” she answers honestly. “She also told me to clean the wound out so it won’t get infected.”
    “Fine.”
    Ariana puts the kit on the desk and takes out the supplies she needs before she gently pulls Sophie’s hand forward, brushing her fingers with her thumb. Sophie raises an eyebrow, but Ariana busies herself with cleaning out the wound and refuses to feel embarrassed. Sophie doesn’t hiss when Ariana washes her knuckles with antibiotic ointment though her fingers twitch from the slight sting.
    “Do you want to know what happened?” Sophie is the one who breaks the comfortable silence that fell between them.
    Ariana looks up for a second, gauging her boss’ expression, but it seems like most of the anger has left her and was replaced by exhaustion. “Are you free tonight?” she asks instead of answering, causing Sophie to frown in confusion.
    “Why?”
    “Because I think you need to forget that two cent fuckboy at least for one night and I just know the place.”
    “Are you asking me out?”