I Protected My Drunk Boss From a Dangerous Night — Then She Looked at Me and Said, “I Remember Everything”
Chapter 1
Ethan Cole had learned a long time ago that working for a powerful woman came with rules nobody wrote down.
Rule one: never embarrass your boss in front of important people.
Rule two: never discuss office politics outside the office.
Rule three: never, under any circumstances, become emotionally involved.
The third rule was the one Ethan had been trying hardest to follow.
He worked as executive operations manager for Victoria Sterling, the thirty-eight-year-old CEO of Sterling International, a company with offices in fourteen countries and enough money to make headlines whenever she bought another building.
Victoria was brilliant.
Difficult.
Private.
Uncompromising.
She expected perfection and usually got it.
Ethan had worked for her for three years.
He knew when she was angry by the way she closed her laptop.
He knew when she was worried by the way she tapped her index finger against a folder.
He knew when she had skipped lunch because she became unusually quiet around three in the afternoon.
He also knew she trusted very few people.
He was one of them.
That was why Friday night was unusual.
Sterling International had just closed a major acquisition.
The board organized a celebration at an exclusive downtown hotel.
Victoria hated company parties.
But she attended anyway.
Ethan stayed because he was responsible for making sure everything ran smoothly.
By 10:30 p.m., executives were drinking expensive champagne.
By 11:15, most had relaxed.
By midnight, several were clearly drunk.
Victoria was one of them.
Ethan noticed before anyone else.
She had stopped eating.
Her movements were slightly slower.
She laughed at jokes she normally would have ignored.
He approached.
“You should slow down.”
She looked at him.
“I’m celebrating.”
“You can celebrate without trying to destroy your liver.”
She laughed.
“You always sound like my father.”
“I’ve never met your father.”
“Exactly.”
She took another drink.
Ethan gently moved the glass away.
She stared.
“Did you just steal my champagne?”
“Yes.”
“You’re brave.”
“I’m employed.”
She smiled.
Then her expression softened.
“You always take care of everything.”
“That’s my job.”
She looked at him for a second too long.
“Is it?”
Before he could answer, one of the company’s investors approached.
David Mercer.
Forty-five.
Charming.
Well dressed.
Dangerously persuasive.
“Victoria,” he said.
She turned.
“David.”
“I’d like to discuss the next phase of the acquisition.”
“Tomorrow.”
“It’ll only take five minutes.”
“I’m done for tonight.”
David smiled.
“You’re not usually this tired.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Mr. Mercer, tomorrow is fine.”
David glanced at him.
“I wasn’t speaking to you.”
Victoria looked annoyed.
“Ethan is speaking for me.”
David’s smile tightened.
“Of course.”
He walked away.
Ethan watched him.
Something felt wrong.
A few minutes later, Victoria said she wanted fresh air.
They left the ballroom.
She leaned against the elevator wall.
“Ethan?”
“Yes?”
“Do I look drunk?”
He looked at her.
“Yes.”
She laughed.
“Honest.”
“Always.”
She stared at the elevator numbers.
Then whispered:
“I hate these nights.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone wants something.”
Ethan nodded.
“I know.”
She looked at him.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
She smiled faintly.
“You don’t want anything.”
“Not from you.”
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped inside.
Victoria leaned against the back wall.
“I think that’s why I trust you.”
Ethan didn’t respond.
They reached the lobby.
Security staff opened the doors.
The hotel valet brought her car.
Ethan took the keys.
“I’m driving.”
She protested.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“This is my car.”
“Exactly.”
She laughed.
“You’re bossy.”
“Occupational hazard.”
They got into the car.
Ethan drove.
Victoria was quiet.
Then she asked:
“Where are you taking me?”
“Home.”
“My house?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re drunk.”
She laughed softly.
“You’re very serious.”
“Someone has to be.”
Ten minutes later, Ethan noticed a black SUV following them.
He checked the mirror.
It stayed behind him.
Three turns later, it was still there.
He didn’t say anything.
He drove toward a police station instead of Victoria’s home.
The SUV continued following.
Ethan’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.
Victoria noticed.
“What?”
“We’re taking a detour.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like the car behind us.”
She looked into the mirror.
Her expression changed.
“I don’t know that car.”
“Neither do I.”
The SUV moved closer.
Ethan accelerated.
Victoria reached for the door.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Stay in the car.”
The SUV tried to move beside them.
Ethan changed lanes.
The other driver followed.
A second vehicle appeared behind the first.
Ethan realized this wasn’t random.
Someone had followed them from the hotel.
And Victoria was too intoxicated to protect herself.
He had one job.
Get her home safely.
But the night was about to become much more dangerous than either of them expected.
