by T. L Smith
We enter a ballroom, and the minute we do, I know we are rubbing elbows with the elite. I spot a public figure straight away. He offers a small head nod to Atlas who gives one back in return.
“Mr. Hyde, so good to see you in attendance tonight.”
I almost let the shock of his last name show on my face. Almost.
Hyde? Really? Gosh, that suits him more than he will ever know.
Atlas glances at me as if he knows my reaction and pins me with a stare before he looks back at the man who’s talking to him. I pay no attention. Politics has never interested me, just like gambling never did.
“Yes, good…” is all he says in return.
I guess it’s not just me he doesn’t give much conversation to.
“And who is this fine lady?” His hand is offered, and I go to place mine in it, but Mr. Hyde, aka Atlas, pulls me back.
“This… is no one of interest to you.”
“Oh, no sharing?” he jokes, but I look at Atlas, and somehow, I don’t think it’s a joke.
Atlas starts walking and pulls me along with him to the next group of people. He says his hellos to about a million people—okay, slight exaggeration—until we finally greet two more people before we get to sit. When we do finally take a seat, my feet are thankful, as these heels are killing me.
“You don’t talk or seem to like most of these people. So why are you here?” I ask as we sit mostly in silence.
A waiter walks past, and I eye the glasses of champagne, but I know better than to drink while he’s around. When I get back home after this shitshow I will get drunk. I need it. And I’m not even much of a drinker normally.
“Did I ask for conversation?” he snaps.
A hand is placed on his shoulder, and he turns his hard eyes to the source of it. A woman, more than likely around my age, smiles down at him but quickly removes her hand.
“Mr. Hyde was hoping to have a word, sir.” She looks down at me, then back to him. “Privately.”
Atlas stands, straightens his suit jacket, and walks away. He doesn’t need to tell me not to move because I do not see that happening at all. My feet are aching, and we had been walking and standing in the same spot for about two hours. This has become very boring, and I don’t even know why I am here.
The chair next to me scrapes as I pick up a piece of finger food from the middle of the table. Turning, I see the man from earlier when we first walked in, take the seat. His hungry eyes eat up my dress, and all of a sudden, the dress I was in love with makes me feel naked and exposed in a way I didn’t think I would feel.
“Didn’t think he would leave you alone.” He smiles, placing a glass of champagne in front of me. I don’t touch it nor thank him for it. “Seems he has an interest in you. Atlas always shares his women. So, what I want to know…” he leans closer so his breath hits the side of my neck, “… what’s so special about you?”
I know this man. He’s a politician and married with kids. Yet, here he is asking me why Atlas can’t share me.
And that thought makes me sick.
“What’s your name?” he asks, to which I ignore him. It’s not him I came with, and it’s not him I am scared of. No. The man I came with, and am equally scared of, is also a man I am attracted to. And that little indiscretion is an issue within itself.
“It’s not wise to ignore someone when they speak to you.”
I scoff and turn around to see if Atlas is coming back. A hard hand lands on my leg, and I still. Turning around, I notice the dirty politician has a gleam in his eyes as he stares at me.
“You’re just a whore. Whores speak as they are told. So when I speak to you, you answer. Right, whore?”
I lean in close, my hand moving to his leg, then I sneak it up, catch hold of his dick, and squeeze. “Get your filthy fucking hands off me before I squash your cock so hard, I will break it. And don’t ever speak to a woman like that again, you pig.” I squeeze his cock even harder for good measure as his hand breaks free from my leg. The minute I free his cock, he stands, towering over me.
“Is there a problem here?” I never thought I would be soothed by that voice, but I am.
Dirty politician asshole looks to Atlas, then back at me. “Keep your whores in line.” He purses his lips in anger before he turns and walks away.
Letting go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding, I finally relax.
“Get up, we’re leaving.” I turn at that voice, that extremely angry voice, and with it, stormy eyes are directed at me.
Shit! Shit!
Standing, he doesn’t offer me his hand, and I watch as he wipes at his lips.
Is that red lipstick stained on them?
Fuck! What do I care?
As soon as we push out the door, we walk down the street to where I see his car waiting. The minute we reach it, he opens the door and instructs me to get in, which I do, and he follows. Atlas is quiet for the entire drive home.
Once we finally reach my house, which is outside of the city, I am more than thankful to get out and away from him, except he follows me to my door. I unlock it and turn to him, but before I can say a word, I’m being pushed inside, his hand going to my waist as he shoves me to the nearest wall, my back hitting it hard.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” His stormy amber eyes search mine.
Chapter Eleven
Atlas
I have been gentle when there has been no need for it. I have been patient, and I don’t even fucking know why. It’s not like she deserves it, and if she was any other woman, I would not be gentle nor patient. She would do as I ask with no questions.
But not her, not Theadora.
My hands grip her tiny waist as I hold her to the wall, her blue eyes, which shine so fucking bright, bore into me.
Have you ever looked at the sky and thought, what a fucking beautiful blue?
Well, that’s her eyes.
Not an ocean blue, like I first thought.
“Wh… what,” she stutters, her back against the wall, my hands unable to move from her hips.
“Who do you think you are?” I ask again, my hips moving forward close enough to touch her.
“I don’t understand.”
My head shakes. “That man you just threatened is a customer, and a good one. You were seen with me. So, he knows you are one of mine.” Her eyes go wide at my words. “Maybe I should make it up to him and give you to him as a gift.” Now my body touches hers, and despite her being shocked and angry, her cheeks flush.
Her hands lift and push against my chest, and I take a step back. “That shit wasn’t a part of our deal. I am not a whore.”
My free hand reaches up and strokes her face while she sucks in a deep breath.
“But you would be a perfect whore.”
Her eyes go wide at my words, and I see a little break there, the way the brightness that was shining seems lost now.
“How much longer am I expected to do this?”
I turn to look at her. “Until the debt is paid.”
“I’ll get a loan and pay back what’s left. How much?”
“You accepted the agreement. You will continue to work it off as I see fit. Until then, don’t question me.”
Her eyes thin and her lips scrunch. “You are a real asshole. You know that, right?”
She isn’t telling me anything new. I don’t plan on being her friend, but she’s pushing every damn available button I have. Never have I let a woman speak to me, or disrespect those I am in business with, the way she does.
“Nothing to say? That means you know it.” Her head drops as she tries to give me her best ‘fuck you’ face. “Give. Me. My. Sister. You are making me your bitch, the least you can do is give me Lucy back.”
I smirk, that’s not happening.
“So, that gets a reaction from you.” She clenches her hands. I think she is about to walk off and shut the door when she turns back around to face me. “Stop sending me dresses, it’s inappropriate.” Theadora turns her nose up at me a
s I take a step back.
“If I knew you wouldn’t come to an event dressed like a slob like every other time I have seen you out of this house, I would stop. But I have an appearance to keep up, and you don’t meet those standards without appropriate attire.”.
Her mouth drops open, she slams the door shut in my face, and I smile before I turn to leave.
“And how is the lady in pink going?” Benji asks. He sits down at my desk, kicks his feet up as if he owns the fucking place.
“Fine.”
“Please, tell me more. Have you fucked her yet, or even tried?”
I look up at him and eye his feet, he removes them with a chuckle.
“I’ll take that as a no. I feel she may be an exception to your possibilities. I mean, you get pussy just by looking at chicks, but this one… she is different, that’s for sure.”
“I don’t give a fuck how different she is, as long as she serves her purpose.”
“And what purpose is that? Because from what I can see, you are getting her to do sweet fuck all. You don’t need spies, let’s be real, Atlas. Only someone very stupid would betray you.”
I eye him. “Why are you here?”
He stands, walks to the window that overlooks the inside of the casino, and stays where he is.
“You want something?” I ask, my fingers dragging across the desk. “What do you want?”
“Give her to me,” he says, turning back to me. “Give me her, please?”
“No. I told you before.”
He shakes his head, his blond hair no longer perfect as he strokes his fingers through it.
“I need her. Just give her to me, Atlas.”
“Go home, Benji.”
He slams his fists into my wall, making a hole in the plasterboard, then he straightens his posture. “I’ll get her. You can’t be a god all the time, Atlas.”
I smile. “Who says I can’t?”
Benji backs away and doesn’t say another word as he leaves the room. When he does, Garry walks in, looking back at Benji before he shuts the door.
“Do you want her to do it? Are you sure?”
“No. No, I am not.” I move to the same wall Benji was at and inspect the damage. “But this way her debt will be paid faster, and she can be out of my life.”
Garry departs, leaving me standing there wondering about possibilities that can never happen.
Chapter Twelve
Theadora
As Chloe and her husband walk in, I watch closely. Chloe comes straight to my office as her husband walks around talking to all the women. Why she is with him I will never know.
Chloe offers me a smile before she takes the seat in front of me, one leg crossing over the other. “You wouldn’t believe the week I’ve had.”
I smile. She is my boss, so I take the time, even if I don’t have any for small talk. I am, after all, trying to run her business, which she is hardly a part of. She leaves everything to me.
“I bet it was crazy,” I reply because it usually is. How they have a successful business still baffles me. When I first started, I was her first employee, and we built this business up. Well, I did with her funds and encouragement, and now we are one of the biggest online sellers in the country. I never left because I don’t know much else, and more importantly, to walk away would break my heart. This job helped me support Lucy when our parents died.
“It was, but look… I need you to fire at least five employees.”
My mouth goes wide, and my eyebrows draw together.
What on earth?
“Umm…” I stand, walking to my door and shutting it before I turn back around to face her. This doesn’t make any sense. I see the money rolling in. I know she earns in the millions, and it is more than enough to cover her employees, and on top of that we need our employees. I don’t hire out of the fun of it; each girl in this office has a job to do, and by getting rid of even one it will make my workload even larger than it already is. Unfortunately, there aren’t two of me, so I need to know what’s going on.
“Look, I know. You don’t see it, but I need it done. Don’t question me, Thea, just do it.” She stands, throwing her bag over her shoulder.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Any preferences on who? Because I need every one of the girls in this office.”
Chloe gives me an eye roll as her husband walks over and opens the door, he leans in and kisses my cheek, making me want to spew instantly. I get creepy vibes from him and have never liked him. But in all the years I’ve been here, he hasn’t made a move apart from kissing my cheek, thank God.
“Jesse, good to see you.”
I put on a fake smile. He doesn’t work. As far as I know, he does nothing but spend Chloe’s money.
“Yes, well, sorry it can’t be under better circumstances,” he offers with a shake of his head.
Fake.
I was not born yesterday.
“I’m sure Chloe has told you, you’re to let some staff go.”
“Yes, yes, she did.” I look to Chloe who’s busy staring at her perfectly varnished nails. “She was just going to tell me why. Unless you want to?”
“Oh, you know I don’t handle the business side of things, that’s all her. I just support her and what she needs to do.”
And spend, he forgot to add.
“Chloe?” I ask, looking at her. I once thought she was the coolest person ever, to put so much trust in me and support me as I threw ideas her way that she let me run with. Now? Well, now, I am not so sure.
Chloe looks up from her nails and offers me an eye roll. “You are replaceable, too, Thea. Just remember that,” she spits at me.
When did she become so volatile?
“Yes, which you have just made perfectly clear. I simply have to have a reason for your employees when I fire them, is all.”
She flicks her hand at me. “I’m sure you will think of something, Thea. You always do.”
A hand touches my shoulder. “You are a gem, Thea. What would we do without you?”
Die.
That’s what I scream at him in my head, but then I remember I’m a nice girl, and nice girls don’t talk shit to their bosses.
“I guess we will never know.” I smile.
“I’ll be in tomorrow to make sure you do it.”
“You can, you know. If it’s urgent. Fire them, I mean?”
Chloe looks out my office to all the girls on the floor. There are at least thirty of them, each one doing their own part to make the business run successfully. From marketing, packing, checking orders, and returns, to the concierge part of the online business. Who to fire will not be an easy decision, and it’s not something I want to do, considering I personally hired each of these girls. Each one chosen for their strengths and work ethics. Not once have I had to let someone go, because when I hire them I do it right. Not haphazardly, like Chloe did when we first started. Because she had no idea and couldn’t have given the first fuck about any of them. She paid me half the wage I should have been earning at the time, which I never complained about, even though it’s illegal. And when she made her first million—thanks to me—I asked for a pay rise, which she actually agreed to. I’m sure I could take my skills and go get what I’m rightfully meant to be paid. But that would mean leaving something I’ve built, something that gives me joy. And that scares the hell out of me.
“You no longer want to do your job?” Jesse asks.
I turn to look at him. His hair, which has way too much product in it, and his high-end shirt, which is mustard in color, mixed with gray slacks… honestly, he looks like a dick. A man with money who’s supported by his wife.
My cell starts ringing, allowing me to dodge answering his question, and we all turn to look at it.
“You take personal calls while at work now?” Chloe asks.
“Considering I work more than the required hours, I need to have my phone on me in case of an emergency,” I answer with a smile.
She doesn’t reply, she knows
I work more than I should, and even weekends, which she doesn’t pay me for, when we have a big drop or sale. Yet, I don’t complain, because when it’s just the girls and me, I do love my job.
“Nice flowers,” Jesse says, walking over and touching them.
“You can have them.” I smile, walking around my desk.
“I will fire two girls at your request. I can simply not let go more than that, or else I will need a pay raise for the number of extra hours I will need to work to cover their department, and up to the correct amount I’m owed.”
Both of them stand still and stare at me.
Chloe then looks over at her husband, and he nods. Then he offers me his goodbye as he walks out, leaving Chloe and me in the office alone.
“Will you tell me the real reason I have to let go of my girls?”
Chloe looks down to the floor with a slightly guilty expression. “I have to do what’s best for him… and this is what’s best for him right now.”
“Okay.” I know that’s all she will give me. She loves that idiot of a man, and he uses her for all she’s worth. We all know he sleeps around on her, and she just doesn’t seem to care. It’s quite sad really.
“You aren’t replaceable, Thea. I do value you. It’s just been a lot lately.”
I nod. I know I’m not replaceable. If there was no me, I don’t know what would happen to this place. When I take holidays, which is exceedingly rare, it has to be when things are slow, and Marissa usually helps me out.
“I’ll do it, okay? I may not be happy about it, but I will do it.”
Chloe nods, then walks to the door and looks back.
“When should I expect to see you again?” I ask.
She shrugs. “When another cut is needed.”
Goddamn! I cringe at her words as she walks out.
Fuck.
I fired two girls the next day, as I was told, and I despised it. I dislike Chloe for making me do it. They did nothing wrong, and they all show up and do their work without problems.
Arriving home that weekend after the week I had, I pour myself a wine, and when a knock on the door comes, I ignore it. I know it’s going to be him wanting me to do some stupid bullshit task to help pay back my sister’s money.
