by R S Burton
Tobias watched me intensely before drinking the rest of his drink. He placed the glass down next to mine. He stood almost frozen to the spot where he stood.
“The people who know me, they run away. I scare people.” he muttered. “I like to scare people.”
“The people who think they know you.” I whispered under my breath. There was no way that the person who had given me a ride home, offered me a place to live and admitted to reluctantly letting his PA resign immediately so she could travel the world was a scary person. He had let me see flickers of the real him, even if it was by mistake. There was no taking that back.
“Excuse me?” He boomed, his voice was loud, but the anger behind it was all for show.
“No one really knows you, do they Mr Clarke. They only know the person you want them to know.”
“You’re toeing a fine line Ruby.” He noted darkly. “I wouldn’t push your luck.”
I smiled and shook my head. “I know what you’re trying to do.”
“And that is?” He drawled pushing himself off his desk. He walked over to the floor to ceiling window and shoved his hands in his jeans pocket.
“You’re trying to scare me, to make me run away too.”
He turned his head to look at me, his eyes alive with intrigue, with an almost smile on his face he spoke. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” I whispered. “But I’m not scared of you. Terrible people don’t do the things you do. I know I’ve only known you five days, but I can see that deep down you are a good person.”
Tobias opened his mouth to speak, but I held my hand up. “And I won’t run away from you.”
We stood there, a room apart for almost a minute without saying anything. Tobias watched me. His eyes swept up then down, then back up again. His brows softened along with his shoulders and then he smiled. It was a genuine smile, and it lit the room up when it touched his eyes. I wondered why he didn’t smile more, seeing him happy, it was like a breath of fresh air.
“You think you’ve got me all figured out.” He said, his voice low. “Don’t you?”
His smile dropped and he pulled his hands from his pockets. He picked the paper and the USB drive up from his desk and pointed to the door. “Let's go.”
I nodded. The atmosphere in the office was becoming too odd to comprehend. I needed to be at home, in bed. Sleeping. I turned and walked to the door and placed my hand over the handle. I pulled, but before I could step out, I felt the resistance of the door being pushed shut again. I turned around, only to find Tobias right behind me, so close I could feel his breath hitting my face. It smelt like mint and whiskey, which was a strange yet somehow appealing fragrance.
“Are you scared of me now?” He muttered, not touching me at all, but he was still in my personal space.
I wasn’t scared. Breathless and confused maybe, but not scared.
“No.” I replied.
“Why.” He whispered back. He sounded desperate, like he needed me to be afraid of him. I smiled and resisted the urge to place my hand against his cheek.
“Because I know you’re a good person.” I said softly. “Because I know that you’re hiding something that drives this need to be feared. Because I know, you wouldn’t do anything to me that I didn’t want you to.”
I searched Tobias’ eyes as he absorbed what I had said. He looked sad and lost. He swallowed hard and then broke eye contact with me. I thought he was going to move back, increase the distance between us, but instead he lifted his hand, and brushed my cheek. Like he had the day before when I had been crying.
“You know too much Ruby.” he whispered.
“I just know pain when I see it Tobias.” I replied.
Hearing me say his name caught his attention, he looked back up again and let his hand slip down to my chin. His eyes graced mine before dropping down to look at my lips. He wanted to kiss me, I could see it in his face, and I wanted him to kiss me. I nodded slightly, enough to let him know I yearned for it too. He didn’t waste anytime, his lips caught mine while his free hand wrapped around my waist. Never before had I experienced anything so primal. I ran on autopilot, meeting his touch with my own. He stiffened a little, but eventually relaxed. Our tongues touched, sending a shock of violet light through me. A moan escaped my lips and for the first time in my sad little life, i knew what true lust felt like. I wanted him.
But then he pulled away, stepped back and looked at me like he was the one scared of me .
“Come, I’ll take you home.” He said.
“Um…” I moved away from the door. “Okay.”
Dumbfounded I left the office with him, and stayed silent the entire way home. Tobias was a conundrum, a mess of a man hiding behind a rough tough exterior. He’d let me in for a short time, but I was on the outer again. He pulled up outside my house and sighed.
“I will have someone contact you about moving tomorrow Ruby.”
“Tomorrow?” I choked.
“I meant it. You’re not staying here.” he replied.
“You may be my boss in the office, but you’re not the boss of my personal life.” I interjected.
“Fair point.” He replied. “But I’m afraid you have no choice.”
“How do you figure that… sir.”
“Because as my employee I need to ensure your safety. If I can’t, then I can’t have you as my employee.” He replied, his voice was cold and calculated. I wasn’t going to win this war of words.
“You’re blackmailing me.” I accused him.
“If it gets you to stop being so stubborn and keeps you safe.” He replied. “Then fine. Needs must.”
I placed my hand over car door handle and pushed it open. I didn’t know what to say, after what had just happened in the office, and the way he had reacted. I didn’t want to argue with him. Then there was the fact that Ben had shown up, maybe moving wasn’t such a crazy idea when I calculated him into the situation.
“Thank you Mr Clarke.” I replied. “I shall await a call then.”
“Thank you.” he said softly. “Goodbye Ruby.”
“Goodbye.”
I got out of the car and shut the door. Thankfully Mrs Ferris was not hanging around on her balcony to yell inappropriate things tonight. Tobias drove off and I walked inside.
As promised the next morning I received a call. Tobias had organised for me to move into Worthington city apartments. They were a five minute walk from work, with all the mod cons and 24/7 security detail. It was fully furnished, which was a plus considering the only thing in my apartment that I actually owned was my uncomfortable bed. The moving company would be over to pick up my things that afternoon and the apartment manager would meet me in the foyer at 2pm. It had all happened rather quickly, so quickly in fact, I was feeling slightly overwhelmed. A week ago I had been an office junior making the bare minimum, living in an apartment I could afford but didn’t want.
But then everything had changed, and it had all been because I had taken a job no one else wanted for a man everyone misunderstood, but whether he wanted me to know or not, I saw the truth he was trying to hide.
And call me stupid, but like a moth to a flame, I needed to know more.
Chapter Six
Settling into the new apartment was easy. The apartment manager had given me a lease contract to fill in then had taken me up to my apartment. It was beautiful, spacious and welcoming. The afternoon light bathed the living room as I walked around with my arms open. “This is beautiful.”
“We pride ourselves on providing top quality living. Only the best views for our residents.”
“No kidding.” I smiled.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. Mr Clarke advised that he has left some paperwork of his own in the study for you to peruse.”
I nodded and walked over to the woman who smiled at me.
“Uh, one more thing. How do I pay the rent?” I added. She hadn’t explained the financial side of things to me yet, I still had no idea how much the monthly damage was on a
place like this. If it was out of my budget, then my savings could catch it for a month or two, but I’d have to find somewhere else pretty quick smart.
“Uh, Ms Moritz, Mr Clarke has advised that this is part of your contract at work. He’s requested you pay no rent.”
I frowned and tried not to feel annoyed, but I did. “Has Mr Clarke paid in advance for me or something?” Maybe I could get her to give it back to him. I wanted to be self sufficient, I didn’t want to rely on anyone, least of all my boss.
“Ms Moritz, Mr Clarke owns this complex. What he says goes. Is there anything else you need?”
I shook my head and stood confounded on the spot as she left the room. He owned the apartment complex?
Still dazed, I walked through the illuminated apartment in awe. I’d never been in something this extravagant. I came from humble beginnings, I wasn’t used to expensive furniture and underfloor heating. I made my way into the study, opening the doors as I walked down the hallway.
The bathroom was larger than my bedroom had been in the old apartment. There was a spa bath in the corner and a shower in the other. The room was like the rest of the apartment, bright white walls with a minimalistic feel. It was obvious now the ice king had something to do with this place. His crisp clean touch was all over the place.
I opened another door, expecting the same punch of minimalism, only to be confronted by a warm room, it was bathed in light, and the walls were a soft shade of purple. The four poster bed had a floral bedspread, with a mosquito net that draped down around the dark wooden posts. I detoured, the study and the paperwork could wait. I walked into the bedroom and let out a soft gasp. It was like the room had been designed, specifically for me. Like someone had stepped inside my mind and taken a picture of the room I’d always hoped to have.
“Asshole… my ass.” I muttered under my breath.
I left the room and walked down to the study. There was a brown envelope sitting on the desk. I sat down and opened the envelope. It was a copy of my contract, and highlighted under expenses it said “All business related expenses to be covered by the business.”
I frowned. Maybe he was an asshole after all.
I climbed into my nice new bed a few hours later and despite the very real frustration I still felt in regards to the apartment and Tobias’ I was grateful for the extra hours sleep the next morning. Waking up in a comfortable, warm, bed with nice sheets and the sun streaming in, was by all accounts amazing as well. Still I planned to walk into work and demand to pay rent, despite what my contract stated. I didn’t need favors. I wasn’t a charity case.
I showered and dressed, leaving the apartment with twenty minutes to spare. I arrived at work a short time later, walking into the building with at least five of the girls from the second floor.
“Oh… Uh, Rubina isn’t it?” One of them said, placing her hand on my shoulder as we approached the elevator.
“Ruby.” I corrected her.
She nodded and flipped her perfect blond tresses back. “You’re still here then. Our beloved boss hasn’t tossed you out on your rear yet?”
The way she said ‘beloved’ dripped with sarcasm, and I stood there wondering if she had ever even spoken to him in the flesh. If all I had ever known of the guy was what I had been told, then I’d still think he was a mean man with no softness at all. I closed myself and saw our kiss, the moment we had shared in his office. The one I had avoided thinking about since it had happened.
“I’m here.” I replied.
The other girls whispered between themselves, before the blond bombshell smiled and let out a chuckle. “But for how long is the question.”
I wanted to call her out, but the doors of the elevator pinged open on level two. I smiled and stood back as they walked out. I wasn’t going to stoop to their level and make claims about them that couldn’t be backed up. The doors closed and the elevator continued up. Before the elevator made it to the top floor it stopped on floor 8, the stationary and mail department. Jimmy stood there when the doors opened, pushing a large trolley stacked with parcels out into the elevator.
“Going up?” I questioned. Jimmy nodded and walked inside.
“Is that all for Mr Clarke?” I asked pointing to the parcels.
“Yep, there is actually another trolley in the mail room, but I only have two arms.” He chuckled.
“Well, how about when you bring the other trolley up we have a coffee?” I suggested. I needed to extend who I knew in the office, beyond just Tobias anyway.
Jimmy nodded and leaned on the trolley. “There’s a coffee machine up there?”
I nodded, I had only used it myself once or twice, but there was one in a small smoko room behind my office. It wasn’t a percolator like the machine down on floor two either. It brewed real coffee.
“Well sounds like a plan to me. Don’t tell the other mail room guys, but at 25 I swear I’m about 40 years younger than most of em.” Jimmy laughed. “They’ve all been here since the start of the late Mr Clarke, I’m the new kid. Speaking to someone close to my age would be kind of nice”
“How long have you been here?”
“Since I dropped out of college. Five years ago.” He murmured. “I don’t want to be here for the rest of my life, but the pay is alright.”
“What had you been studying.” I asked as the door finally opened. Jimmy and I walked down the corridor and into my office.
“I was meant to go into medicine eventually. But I never really felt it ya know?” He stopped and looked down at the mail. “Granted I don’t feel this either… but it's more me. I’m a hands on… without the blood kind of guy.”
“You’ll figure it out.” I smiled. “And at least you're doing something while you work it out.”
“I wish my parents saw it that way too.” he mused.
Before either one of us could say anything Tobias’ office door opened. He looked at me and then Jimmy and then back at me. His eyebrows curved and his mouth fell into a frown, he looked at the parcels on the trolley.
“Am I paying you two to chat or work?” he asked.
I walked around to my chair and sat down while Jimmy pushed the trolley over to the world's suddenly grumpiest boss. The man I had seen over the weekend seemed to have gone, but I didn’t know why. Once Jimmy had finished unloading the trolley he pushed it passed my desk and waved.
“Coffee, yeah?” He said with a grin.
“Yeah.” I replied as I watched him leave.
Tobias cleared his throat, giving me a fright. I jumped and looked up to my left. “I didn’t realise you were still there.” I choked out.
“Obviously.” He gave me a short reply and walked over to his office door.
“Sir, could we talk?
“If it's about what happened on Saturday call it a lapse in judgement.” He replied darkly “I hope your new accommodation is suitable. Amanda told me you asked about paying rent. Your company expenses are covered, as set out in your contract. That’s final.”
I closed my open mouth, aware I was unable to say anything in response. Not only had he lambasted me about wanting to pay my own way, he had erased our kiss. The kiss I couldn’t stop thinking about. He stood there for a minute regarding me with his critical eyes before walking into his ice box and closing the door. I slouched in my chair, I had to admit that he still had the ability to be incredibly disarming, even if I knew the truth about his not so icy personality.
I stood up and walked into the break room and made two mochachinos. Jimmy would be back soon, and while he wasn’t paying us to chat, our contracts stated we were entitled to two 15 minute breaks at a time of our choosing. Jimmy returned about 5 minutes later with another trolley. “Gees, did the guy buy a whole shop or something?” I mumbled standing up.
“Looks like it.” He laughed.
I knocked on Tobias’ office door. I heard his chair move, and then footsteps across the floor. The doors opened. Tobias gazed over the boxes before picking up two and pointing to the rest. �
�The rest are yours.”
“Huh?” I replied, sounding completely unprofessional, but in the moment I didn’t care. Why was I getting deliveries.
“The rest are yours.” He repeated, only this time he spoke slower.
He closed the doors and left me standing there dumbfounded next to an equally shocked Jimmy. I sighed and walked over to my desk. “Pull over a seat. You can help me find out what is inside the boxes.”
“He’s kind of odd isn’t he.” Jimmy whispered as he wheeled the trolley behind my desk. I nodded, although odd was an understatement. The guy was a walking conundrum.
Jimmy grabbed one of the spare black leather chairs on the other side of my desk and placed it by the trolley. I held out a coffee for him and he took it.
“Mmm, You make a good coffee.” Jimmy murmured after taking a sip. “And I’m a bit of a coffee snob.”
“Well thank you, although the machine did most of the work. I think it might be the brand Tobias uses. I’ve never seen it before, Has a really exotic name.”
“Caffe stravagante?”
“Yeah that's the one.”
“No wonder.” He said taking another sip. “You have to get the stuff imported and it costs almost four times as much as most coffee you can buy on the market. He’s got good taste.”
I took a sip and nodded. Jimmy was right, it was amazing coffee.
“Should we get on with it?” I pointed to the boxes, there were seven of them in total. I looked around the office, trying to figure out what I was missing, but the place had everything.
I picked up the smallest, I opened it slowly being careful not to rip the box. There was another box inside the plain brown packaging, only I recognised the logo on the second box. It was a phone, a state of the art, extremely expensive top of the line phone. I frowned, I had a cellphone, sure it wasn’t spectacular, but it worked well enough and Tobias knew he could reach me on it. I placed the branded box down without opening the box and opened the next.
“Looks like it pays to be the bosses PA.” Jimmy said in shock as I pulled out a new apple laptop.
