Chapter 4

Enzo's POV

"Hey, what's up?" Mia asked, barging through my office door, a take out coffee in each hand "I brought you some wake up juice,"

Mia placed the coffee down onto my desk, barely missing my laptop "What are you doing?" She tried to peer over to my screen, but I quickly pulled the laptop lid down to hinder her view.

"I'm working," I said sternly, "Which is what you should have been doing half an hour ago,"

Mia shrugged "I was getting coffee," She spoke so nonchalantly "And you are welcome!"

I peered at the cheap polystyrene of the take out coffee cup and screwed up my face "Out of all the places in Paris, and you find the cheap American shit,"

"I like it," Mia said as she hovered on the spot, taking loud sips of her coffee and I wondered if she was trying to annoy me this morning "So I'm here, now what?"

I had allowed Mia to settle into her apartment a few days before starting her internship at Luxe Couture, but so far she hasn't made a great impression.

"I think first off we need to go through some work etiquette" I said, pushing the laptop lid closed fully as I focused my attention onto Mia. As I did, I studied her outfit. She was wearing a very small, skin tight orange latex dress, with a pink furry cropped coat over the top. Mia appeared to have stepped out of the clubbing scene from 1990 "I don't know how you do it in America Mia," I paused as I released an exhale "But in France we like to knock before we enter a superiors office,"

"Great," Mia said with a sigh "Noted," Was all she could respond with "Anything else, oh superior one?" I could tell by her tone she clearly found me arrogant.

"Yes," I said, studying her clothes once more. "We don't dress like we are hitting a rave," I blinked, removing my gaze from her in fear I would be blinded "I'm sure that extravagant outfit works somewhere, but Luxe Couture isn't the place. Tomorrow I would advise you wear something a little more appropriate for the workplace"

"Wait..." Mia said with a pause, confusion on her face "This is a Fashion house, right?" She asked "And you're asking me not to express myself with my clothing, but instead wear something boring and flat like you are?"

Mia referred to my fine, tailored Italian designer suit and now it was clear to me she had no taste at all.

"Yes," Was all I could respond with, I was exasperated with this woman already and it was only her first day of being my intern.

"Sure," Mia said as I noticed she was hiding a laugh from me. I tried not to let her wind me up too much, and I opened my laptop once more to continue with my work.

"I have a deadline Mia," I said as I typed away on the article I was working on "If you could just entertain yourself for a little while until I get this article submitted..."

"Fantastiic," Mia said with sarcasm in her tone, taking another loud sip of her coffee "And do what? Research dull fashion for men who need more fun in their lives?"

I ignored Mia now, she could use her initiative and find something to keep herself occupied. It was a task to test her skills of common sense and an ability to work for herself. The stench of cheap coffee filled my nostrils, and I pushed the cup away from me.

The atmosphere fell quiet, and I could hear the sound of the traffic below. The noise of the outside world in Paris was a comfort to me, and it helped me relax and produce work to my best ability.

But the nice calming atmosphere was ruined when Mia began to play awful music on her phone. The quick beats, synth instruments and wailing female vocals made me wince and my eardrums began to throb.

"What on earth is this awful racket?" I asked, feeling my eyes twitch "Please turn it off Mia, I am trying to concentrate!"

Mia let out an exasperated sigh and turned the music off. I watched as she leant out of the window, looking at the outside world. Studying her briefly, I realised she was showing no interest in working here, and failed to even make an attempt on finding something to keep herself occupied while she waited.

"Is it always this quiet here?" Mia asked "Enzo, you need some fun in your office. Like a pinball machine or something,"

"Pinball machine..." I groaned "Mia, please go through those files and assure they are in correct order," I gestured toward the tall filing cabinet by her side "I am nearly finished, just please be quiet,"

I knew I had only recently sorted through those files, and corrected them myself neatly. So they didn't really need to be tidied. I just needed to keep Mia occupied while I concentrated.

Mia released a long drawn out sigh as she pulled open the top draw. She began to mutter under her breath "This isn't what I moved to Paris for," she said unhappily "I wanted a career in fashion, not a secretary,"

Mia began to pull the paperwork out, getting them caught in the compartments and tugging them so loudly I felt it shudder up my spine "Alright Mia, can you just..."

My words were disturbed by the sound of knocking on my door "Would you look at that," I said with sarcasm in my voice "Someone who knows work etiquette," I paused with a smirk "Come in!" I instructed.

"Hello Monsieur Renault," Bernadette, the secretary who managed the visitor desk at the entrance to Luxe Couture "These arrived for Mia,"

I noticed the large bouquet of flowers in her hands, which she passed over to Mia "They are very beautiful," Bernadette remarked "You are a very lucky woman,"

I smiled and nodded at Bernadette "Merci, Bernie," And I watched her leave my office as she returned the gesture of a smile and nodded my way.

"Who are they from?" I asked with intrigue, assuming they could possibly be from James. A good luck gesture for Mia's first day as my intern.

I watched Mia's face fall pale, and the life seemed to disappear from her eyes momentarily "Are you alright Mia?" I asked, concern in my voice as I watched her read the card attached to the beautiful flowers.

"No I'm not alright," Mia said, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke, not taking her eyes off the card "These flowers are from Matt, my ex boyfriend," She paused "He's found out I moved to Paris, he knows where I live,"

I felt my stomach turn as Mia said these words. I had known about her ex boyfriend, James had warned me previously. Part of the reason James wanted Mia to be with someone he knew was to keep her safe from this creep who had been stalking her, which is why I had made sure my security was with her whenever she left her home.

Standing to my feet, I made my way over to Mia and pulled the card and flowers from her hand. Glancing at the card, I read the words she had described, and immediately tossed them both into the trash can "Forget about this, Matt wants you to be scared," I said with a pause as I lowered my tone to calm Mia down "There is only one solution to this," I stated, wondering if I would regret my words "You're moving in with me,"