The Villa

me."
    "No. I had a momentary lust surge. Entirely different. But there's something about a man in a well-cut three-piece suit that does it for me. What does it for you?"
    "Naked women. I'm a simple man."
    She laughed and, pleased to be on the open road, punched the gas. "No, you're not. I thought you were, but you're not. You did well in the office today. You held your own."
    "Words and pictures." He shrugged. "What's the big deal?"
    "Oh now, don't spoil it. Ty, I didn't say anything before we went in because I didn't want your impressions to be colored with my opinions, or my experience, but I think I should give you a basic personality rundown of the people you'll work most closely with on my end."
    "The guy goes along. He's got a good brain for what he does and likes the work. Probably single so he doesn't have someone pushing him in the ambition department. And he likes working around attractive women."
    "Close enough." Impressed, she glanced over at him. "And a good thumbnail for someone who claims not to like people."
    "Not liking them much doesn't mean I can't read them. Perky P.J. now…" He trailed off as she glanced his way and laughed. "What?" he said.
    "Perky P.J. That's perfect."
    "Yeah, well, she's got a lot of energy. You intimidate her, but she tries not to let it show. She wants to be you when she grows up but she's young enough to change her mind about that."
    "She's easy to work with. She'll take whatever you toss at her and make it shine. She's good at finding fresh angles, and she's learned not to be afraid to squash an idea one of us lobs that doesn't hit the mark with her. If you run into snags that I'm not around to untangle, you should go to her."
    "Because the redhead already hates my guts," Ty finished. "And doesn't think much of yours, either. She doesn't want to be you when she grows up. She wants to be you now, and she wouldn't mind if you had a sudden, bloody accident that took you out so she could step into your shoes and run the show."
    "You did get a lot out of your first day in school. Kris is good, really good with concepts, with campaigns and, when it's something she believes in, with details. She's not a good manager because she rubs people wrong and tends to be high-handed with other members of the staff. And you're right, at the moment she hates you just because you exist in what she considers her space. It's not personal."
    "Yeah, it is. It's always personal. It doesn't worry me, but if I were you, I'd watch my back. She'd like to leave her heel marks all over your ass."
    "She's tried, and she's failed." Idly, Sophia tapped her fingernails on the steering wheel. "I'm a great deal tougher than people think I am."
    "I got that already."
    Ty settled back as best he could. They'd see how tough she was after a few weeks in the field.
    It was going to be a long, chilly winter.

CHAPTER SIX
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    Pilar was nearly asleep, finally, when the phone rang at two A.M. She shot up in bed, snatching at the phone as her heart slammed into her throat.
    An accident? Death? Tragedy?
    "Hello. Yes?"
    "You ignorant bitch. Do you think you can scare me off?"
    "What?" Her hand trembled as she raked it through her hair.
    "I'm not going to tolerate you or your pitiful attempts at harassment."
    "Who is this?" She groped for the light, then blinked in the sudden flash.
    "You know damn well who it is. You got a fucking nerve calling me, spouting off your filth. Shut up, Tony. I'll say what I have to say."
    "Rene?" Recognizing her husband's placating voice in the background, Pilar struggled to clear her head, to think over the wild drumming of her heart. "What is this? What's the matter?"
    "Just cut the goddamn innocent act. It might work with
    Tony, but it doesn't with me. I know what you are. You're the whore, sweetheart, not me. You're the fucking liar, the fucking hypocrite. If you ever call here again—"
    "I didn't call." Fighting for calm, Pilar dragged the covers up to her chin. "I don't know what you're talking about."
    "Either you or your bitch of a daughter, and it's all the same to me. Get this straight. You're out of the picture, and you have been for years. You're a frigid, dried-up excuse for a woman. Fifty-year-old virgin. Tony and I have already seen the lawyers, and we're making legal what everyone's known for years. There isn't a man out there who wants you. Unless it's for your mother's money."
    "Rene, Rene. Stop. Stop now. Pilar?"
    Pilar heard Tony's voice through the