Cassandra wanted Darius Thorn's attention, not his approval. She didn't just want to be a name on his payroll, she wanted to be a presence in his world. Unignorable.
So while the assistant had gone to retrieve the final accessories, she had taken matters into her own hands. She sifted through the boutique racks until she found what she was looking for, something bold, daring, almost scandalous. Something no woman should wear to a high-stakes business meeting. Something that would make Darius Thorn look.
The assistant had been appalled, of course. Tried to protest. Told her that Mr. Thorn had already selected the pieces, that it would reflect badly on her.
But Cassandra had just smiled, undeterred. "Then I'll take the blame," she had said.
Now, as she stood beneath the shop's soft ligh
