“Oh, I miss this place,” Regina says with a sigh.

Tahoe raises his eyebrows at her.

“I didn’t say I liked it more than your place.” She nudges him with her toe, and he grins at her.

While they make goo-goo eyes at each other, I go and open the window. Gina sold me on the place when she told me the air smells of chocolate because there’s a chocolate factory nearby.

I take a good whiff, and the air not only smells like chocolate, it tastes like it too.

I scan my neighboring buildings and cannot believe I’m really here. I pinch myself a little, and it stings. It must be real!

The buildings nearby are beautiful, the streets clean. We make a trip downstairs to bring up all of my luggage.

In the closet, Regina has set her stuff on one side, but even with only half the space available, I can’t fill this closet on my own, it’s so big.

I hang my clothes and actually—unlike my Texas friends—I really like closets that aren’t crammed. Someone once told me when you cleaned out your closet it left room for new things to come into your life. Mine always has just enough space to welcome something. What that something is, I don’t know. But something.

So Gina helps me unpack, and my brother brings Chinese takeout for us to have a late lunch together, and when they leave to go get ready for some posh dinner they must attend, I look around the space and cannot believe this is my first place on my own.

It feels a little odd not to hear my parents downstairs. But I hear the city sounds outside, of life and bustling activity, and it pleases me.

In the living room, I add just one pillow I brought from home that has a colorful little crown and this embroidered right on top of it:

QUEEN OF EFFING EVERYTHING

My grandmother gave it to me. If there was ever any queen in Texas, she is it.

At eighty-two, she’s still the coolest gran I know. My nana is my own Betty White with perfect white hair and more expletives in her dictionary than a sailor will ever know.

The only purchase Gina never got around to making was a set of stools for the kitchen island. Since I want to learn to live on my own salary and plan to avoid superfluous spending, I’ll just pull the desk chair with a little cushion over when I need it.

I make my bed and organize the framed photographs of Tahoe, Mom, Dad, and me on my nightstand. Then I huff and puff until I get my suitcases up on the top shelf of the closet so they don’t take up any floor space.

That night, I sleep for the first time in my life in a whole apartment just for me.

I’m not that sure I like it.

Yet.

On Sunday, I finish organizing the closet in my new apartment and then add office stuff to my brand-new briefcase—a gift from my proud parents.

A girl of twenty-two left Texas, and tomorrow morning she will be a full-grown independent woman. I’m ready. I’ve got a lot to prove, especially to myself. And I’m here to learn how to play with the big guys in the big leagues.

I stuff the black leather briefcase with things like Post-its, pens and pencils, the works. I also go shopping to make sure I have the perfect attire. Apparently the CEO has a dress code. My shopping is for uniforms, pieces in black, white, or gray, required for all Carma Inc. employees.

I come home to bags of popcorn accompanied by a note.

You can’t call yourself a Chicago resident until you’ve tried this.

Your favorite bro.

I text him: You’re my only bro, meathead.

T.R.: Only reason I’d be your favorite.

Me: Say hi to Gina. Turning in early. BIG DAY TOMORROW!

T.R.: Babe, it’s going to be a big day every day for 3 months. Carmichael is cool as a cucumber in everything except business. You’ve been warned.

Me: Challenge accepted.

T.R.: If you wimp out, you can intern with me.

Me: My favorite bro? So he’ll give me time to file my nails and watch reality TV while at work? No thanks, I’d rather earn my place.

T.R.: K. Let me know when you miss being a princess and I’ll see what I can do.

Me: Promise.

T.R.: Speak of the devil, got a dinner with your boss tonight.

Me: Please don’t talk about me, I told you no special treatment because I’m your sister

T.R.: And I heard you the first time.

Me: Okay promise me!

T.R.: Sis, believe it or not we do have other things to talk about than you.

Me: Really? Then stop bugging me. I’m fine! I’m more than fine. Don’t smother me, that’s what Mom is for.

T.R.: I’d say we’re done now.

Call me or Regina if you need anything.

Me: If I don’t lose your numbers.

T.R.: HA.

I remember Gina has a key and she must’ve left the popcorn there for me. I have the Garrett Mix popcorn for dinner and groan the whole time, even when I lick the remainder off my fingertips, then I wander into my bedroom, surprised to see a small basket of condoms on the bed.

Liv, don’t tell Tahoe I left this, I just want to be sure you’ll be smart about anything.

Love, Gina

I laugh and look at all the condom flavors in here, all of them in an extra-large size. I don’t even wonder why Gina decided that is the most usual size because I’m pretty sure it’s not, but okay. I hide the basket behind one of my picture frames on the lower shelf of the nightstand and then call my parents to finally tell them I’m settled in.

“All okay over there, Olivia? Did your brother help you settle in?”

“Mom. Any more and he and Gina will be moving in with me.” I groan, but I laugh, too, so grateful to have a family that loves and supports me. I know nobody wants better for me than my family. I love my family, and I want them to be proud of me.

I wake up before the alarm clock, that’s how nervous I am.

It’s not only because I’ll be facing my first official job, but because of where. I know the experience at Carma will give me an edge for when I go back to Radisson Investments and, later, create my own firm. Learning from the toughest raiding firm in the country will teach me the dirty games companies play—so I can learn how to stop them and protect the companies I hope to serve. But although I’m determined to learn as much as I can, I know that I need to make sure I walk away from Carma three months from now without losing my soul.

I don’t want the experience to make me ruthless, like the rumors say about everyone who works at Carma.

I dress the part, though. Sharp corporate uniform: pencil skirt matched with a form-fitting cropped jacket. My hair back in a ponytail, low at my nape. It’s elegant and it’s sleek and I like how my hair feels close to my neck; it warms me. I’m very sensitive there. Any air at my nape tickles me. Next are pumps and pearl earrings. I want to accessorize, like using scarfs and bandanas on my ponytails and buns, but this isn’t college. This is life now.

It’s a hot, windy day in Chicago as I step out of the cab and look up at the building of Carma, Inc.

If the company’s reputation isn’t enough to intimidate you, the building should be.

Soaring high at over fifty-something floors, it not only seems to swallow me up as I stand on the sidewalk before its imposing glass doors, it also spreads out, side to side, to encompass the entire block.

Wow.

I can’t believe this is where I will be working.

Today I’m to be briefed, along with a dozen other interns, on my duties.

I inhale, clutching my briefcase a little tighter to my chest.

Okay, then.

I lower my briefcase, and walk inside to my first official job.

Butterflies flap in my stomach as I ride the elevator to my floor. I see myself dressed in the required uniform. Goodness. I look scared. Get a grip, Livvy! I’m not sure if I will meet him today. Or ever. I don’t want my brother’s favor to extend to any special treatment and I made that clear, which means Tahoe probably made it clear to Callan Carmichael. I’m a working girl now.

Still I hope to do such a good job that he’ll eventually hear about me. Oh yes, he’ll be quite happy he brought me on!

All right, first day.

Thankfully, I will only have a first day here once.

Only a day in, and I’ve already heard about the newest takeover. It’s talked about in the cafeteria and in every phone call my boss receives for the day. I’ve been assigned to the research department, working for Mr. Henry Lincoln. He is a kindly, historian-looking middle-aged man with a shiny bald head and a gruff voice, but warm eyes that always seem to stare off into space as if he’s thinking of something else.