The Boss

by J. L. Perry

“Like I said, there’s a lot you don’t know about me, Miss Scott.”

  “You’re full of surprises.”

  “You better believe it. And if you’re a good girl, you might even be full of me when we get home.” When I grab hold of my junk, she playfully slaps my arm.

  “You’re so full of yourself.”

  “I believe it’s you who’ll be full of me.”

  A smile erupts on her pretty face as she slides her arms around my neck. “I can’t wait to be full of you.”

  God, I love this woman.

  I stare at him in awe on the drive back to his apartment. “What?” he asks, glancing at me from the driver’s seat.

  “Nothing,” I say, smiling as I reach across the centre console and place my hand on his thigh. “I just think you’re pretty special.”

  I see a boyish grin play on his lips as he brings my hand towards his face, placing a tender kiss on my palm. “I think you’re pretty special too, Miss Scott.”

  “What made you start these classes?” I ask. He was amazing tonight. The women he teaches really respect him, and he’s so good with them. Their ages ranged from young teens to elderly women. He even made me join in on the class. He taught us a range of techniques on how to handle certain attacks. I’d like to continue going to his classes if he’ll allow me.

  The smile drops away from his face as he shrugs his shoulders. “My dad . . .” he pauses briefly before he continues, “he’s been violent towards my mother for as long as I can remember.” The shame I hear in his voice, tears at my heart. “I’ve tried to help her over the years, but she won’t let me. I don’t know why she continues to stay, but she does.”

  “Oh, Harry,” I say, squeezing his leg. I’ve heard the rumours about his father’s drinking and his mother’s philandering ways, but I had no idea about the violence.

  “It is what it is,” he states, trying to play down the seriousness of his situation. “I started doing these classes about seven years ago, hoping she’d come. She never did.”

  “That’s a shame,” I say, squeezing his leg. He’s right when he says there’s a lot I don’t know about him. But truth is, the more I get to know the real him, the more I love him.

  “I look at it this way, if I can’t help her, I may be able to help someone else in her position.”

  I force a smile because I have no words for what he’s just told me; nothing that could do justice to this selfless act anyway.

  Turning my face away, I gaze out the passenger side window. I can feel the tears stinging my eyes, and I don’t want him to see them. He’s a proud man and I know him well enough to know he wouldn’t want my sympathy.

  His admission tonight just makes everything he’s accomplished in life so much more admirable. He’s not only turned the shitty life he was dealt into something wonderful, he continues to give back by helping others. It’s not something he’s ever mentioned, but I’ve seen firsthand all the money he donates to charities while I’ve been working for him. He even sponsors a few of the local schools by supplying breakfast and lunches for the kids that don’t get any from home.

  We’re silent for the rest of the drive home. My mind is swimming. I hate that he had to endure such a horrible childhood. It makes me feel guilty for having such a wonderful home life growing up, but I’m also grateful that my family was there for him when he obviously needed it.

  When we step into the elevator of his apartment building, I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my face against his chest. My heart breaks for the little boy he once was, and I don’t even want to let my mind think about everything he must’ve gone through as a child. I had a perfect upbringing and loving parents. I finally get why he was always with us and never with his own family. It also sheds some light on why Harrison was so reluctant to tell Ethan about us. I hate myself even more for coming between them now. Ethan is, or should I say was, his family.

  “You’re my hero, Harry,” I whisper against his chest as tears silently leak from my eyes. He doesn’t say anything, but when he tightens his hold on me I know he heard what I said.

  Ethan’s face lights up as soon as I enter the café. “Hanna,” he says as he stands, wrapping me tightly in his arms. As much as I’ve missed him, and hate what’s become of our once close relationship, I swore I wouldn’t talk to him again until he apologised to Harrison for the way he acted. He’s yet to do that, but I’ve decided to take the first step. Not for me, but for Harry. It’s killing me to stand by and watch him hurting. I can’t, in good conscience, do nothing. I need to make things right between these two again. Even more so now I’ve learned more about his family. He needs my brother in his life.

  Every night this week I’ve woken up to find Harrison missing from the bed. And every time I’ve gone searching for him, I’ve found him staring out into the night through the windows in the main room. He puts on a brave face, but when he doesn’t realise I’m watching him, I clearly see the turmoil he’s bravely trying to hide. He’s troubled by what’s going on, and it’s up to me to fix this. If my brother will listen to anyone, it’s me. I’ll do whatever it takes to mend the gap between my two favourite guys. Yes, Harrison has me, but it’s evident I’m not enough. Surprisingly, I’m not even upset by that knowledge. I know how much Ethan means to him. These two have been inseparable since they were kids.

  When Ethan releases me from his death grip, I take a seat at the table. The moment he’s seated opposite me, he reaches for my hand. “I’ve missed you so much, Sis. Please come back home.”

  I take in his appearance. He looks sad, tired, and so lost. It’s the exact same expression I see when I look at Harrison, and it breaks my heart. He’s suffering as well, but he can easily fix this. He’s the only one who can.

  “I’m not coming home until you apologise to Harrison. You had no right to hit him, or demand he stay away from me.”

  He lets go of my hand and straightens in his seat. The frown that appears on his forehead tells me he’s not happy with what I’ve just said. “I had no right?” he scoffs.

  “Yes, you had no right. I’m a big girl. I can make my own decisions.”

  “He had no right to lay his double-crossing hands on you,” he says through gritted teeth, banging his hand down on the table. He’s seriously overreacting here, just like he did the other night.

  “I wanted this just as much as he did,” I reply in an angry whisper. I’m trying my best not to make a scene, but it’s a little late for that. I can already see a few of the other diners watching us. “You have no right to try and come between us.”

  “I’m not going to stand by and watch him break your heart, Hanna. I know him well enough to know that he’s incapable of a long-term commitment.”

  His words sting, but I’d be lying if I said that exact same thought hadn’t crossed my mind. Harrison’s had girlfriends in the past, but only ever for a few weeks’ tops. I’d like to think that I’m different—that what we have is special, but only time will tell I suppose.

  “He’s your best friend. How can you just turn your back on him like this?”

  “Was my best friend,” he snaps. “That all changed the minute he crossed the line.”

  “What line? There is no line Ethan. You’re acting like such a jerk. He’s family . . . he’s like your damn brother. You’re just going to throw all that away over one small incident.”

  “There’s nothing small about this,” he says as his voice raises again, “it’s fucking huge. And it can only end badly for everyone involved, especially you. He may have been like a brother to me once, but he’s not blood. You are. He’s told me himself he’s not capable of having a long-term relationships. He’s proved that many times over the years. He’s never been with someone long-term. I know you better than anyone, Hanna. I know that one day you’d like to settle down and marry. Harrison isn’t that man. So, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll end this now. I won’t stand by and watch him break your heart.”

  “This isn’t your deci
sion to make.” I can feel my own temper rising. “If I get hurt that’s solely on me. It has nothing to do with you. You can’t turn your back on him over this.”

  “I believe I’ve already done that.”

  “So, you’re honestly saying his friendship means nothing to you? I call bullshit on that one.”

  He exhales a deflated breath as his gaze moves down to the table. “It means everything to me. Well, it did until he betrayed me. Before he put my sister’s welfare on the line.” The hurt he’s feeling is just radiating off him. It’s hard to watch, but he only has himself to blame.

  “My welfare has nothing to do with this. When are you going to get it through your thick skull? I’m not a kid anymore.”

  “Your welfare has everything to do with this. Why can’t you see that you’re no different to the others? Once he’s had his fill he’ll move on to the next good time. It’s what he does.”

  “It never seemed to bother you before.”

  “It didn’t, but it does now because you’re involved. You’re my family. I’m just looking out for you.”

  “Harrison’s family too,” I snap. “We’re his family, Ethan. Blood or not. We’re all he has. You know as well as I do that his parents don’t give a shit about him. He would stay at our house for days, sometimes weeks on end when we were kids. How many times did his parents contact him to see if he was okay?”

  “Not once,” he says, sighing.

  “I’m in love with him, Ethan. I have been for as long as I can remember. He treats me well . . . really well. He makes me happy . . . happier than I’ve ever been. I know I make him happy too. Why can’t you accept this?” He doesn’t answer my question. These two had a friendship like no other, a bond I could’ve sworn was unbreakable. “What if you’re wrong? What if this isn’t a temporary thing?”

  “I’m not wrong. I know him better than anyone.”

  “You are wrong,” I whisper as tears rise to my eyes. I’m so frustrated with his arrogance right now. “Do you know where I went last night?”

  “Where?”

  “I went to self-defence classes with Harrison.”

  “What self-defence classes?” I had a feeling he didn’t know about them. I think I’ve seen a side of Harrison in the past few days that he’s never let anyone see before. The fact that he’d share something like that with me means the world to me. “Is he taking self-defence classes to help protect himself from me? If he hurts you, he’s gonna fucking need them.” I could slap his smug face right now. How dare he make light of this situation.

  “No, he’s the instructor. And I very much doubt he’s scared of you, Ethan. He didn’t fight back the other day when you hit him, because he unjustly thought he deserved it.”

  “Instructor? Since when?” He almost looks hurt that he doesn’t know about this.

  “Seven years. He’s been doing this for seven years.”

  “Wow,” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. I probably shouldn’t even divulge this information to him, but I want to him see that, despite what he thinks, there’s parts of Harrison he doesn’t know.

  “Do you know why he does it?” I don’t even give him a chance to answer. “To help women protect themselves. To try and save them from going through what his mother does.”

  I see his shoulder’s slump as the realisation of what I just said sinks in. “I always suspected something was going on there. He’d always have bruises when he was a kid, but he’d never tell me how he got them. I’d ask, but he’d always change the subject or just flat out ignore me.”

  My eyes widen at Ethan’s confession. “Really? Do you think his father was violent with him too?” That thought makes me sick to the stomach. I extend my hand across the table and place it on top of my brother’s. “Call him, Ethan. He’s miserable without you. Make this right.”

  He sits back in his chair and crosses his arms. “Sorry, I can’t do that. Not as longs as you’re a couple . . . or whatever the fuck you two are.” When he shakes his head, I want to punch him. He’s being totally unreasonable.

  To say I’m taken aback by his comment is an understatement. “Well, I guess we have nothing else to say to each other. Have a nice life.” Picking up my bag from the seat beside me, I stand. Tears sting my eyes when I hear him desperately call out my name, but I ignore him as I rush towards the exit. Coming here was a mistake.

  I take some time to pull myself together before I head back to work. I honestly thought I’d make some headway just now. I’ve never seen this side of my brother before, and frankly I don’t like it. I get that he’s hurt, I do, but he’s acting like a child. I’m an adult and so is Harrison. What we choose to do behind closed doors is none of his damn business.

  Stowing my bag under my desk, I knock on the door to Harrison’s office. “Come in.”

  I can’t help but smile the moment I see his beautiful face. I’m not sure how I’m going to mend this rift between these two, but I’m not going to give up. I feel responsible for what’s happened and I won’t be able to rest easy until I’ve fixed this mess.

  “How was lunch?” I just shrug my shoulders and I walk towards the desk. I’m not going to tell him what just happened, it will only hurt him further. “Hey, are you okay?” he asks when I get closer. When I don’t answer him, he reaches for me and pulls me down onto his lap. “Hanna, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” I say, sliding my arms around his neck. “I just missed you.”

  He chuckles as his lips brush against mine. “You were only gone for an hour.”

  “I know,” I say, snuggling into his chest. “I’ve been with you twenty-four-seven for the past few days. What can I say? . . . I’ve become rather attached to you, Mr Williams.”

  Lacing his fingers into my hair, he tilts my face back so our eyes meet. When a smile explodes onto his face, it literally takes my breath away.

  As much as I want to put my conversation with Ethan out of my mind, I can’t. His words swim around in my head as Harrison’s lips connect with mine. I need to make this right.

  When Harrison finally draws back, his eyes lock with mine. The look he gives me is so endearing and, if I’m not mistaken, it’s full of love. It makes my pulse race. I could seriously get lost in his beautiful brown eyes. If my brother is right, my time with Harrison is almost up since we’ve been together for a few weeks now. In my heart, I don’t want to believe that. It feels like it’s just the beginning of us, not the end. Maybe Ethan’s wrong—maybe what we share is different to all the others. A girl can only hope.

  A smile tugs at his lips as he tenderly tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ve become pretty attached to you as well, Miss Scott.” His words make my heart sing and break all at once.

  As far as I can see, there’s only one solution to mend this rift, and it’s going to take every ounce of strength I have to pull this off.

  The moment I’ve stripped her out of her clothes, I gently lay her down on the bed. She’s become my addiction. Since she’s been staying here we’ve been trying to keep our hands off each other at work, so I look forward to getting her home in the evenings so I can bury myself balls deep in her heaven. I’m consumed by thoughts of her all day.

  Nobody has even come close to making me feel the sheer magnitude of emotions that course through me when I’m with her. I’m so completely in love with this woman it’s overwhelming me. I need to tell her how I feel, but I’m scared. Scared she doesn’t love me as much as she claims to. I’ve lost Ethan, which is something I never thought would happen. So, the fact that I could so easily lose her too, is forefront in my mind.

  I drag her arms above her head as I settle over the top of her. She’s been distant from me since she came back from lunch, and that worries me. I have no idea what’s going through that pretty little head of hers. It makes all my insecurities come flooding to the surface. I hope she’s not having second thoughts about us. I’m not sure how I’ll cope if she is.

  My eyes lock with hers as I lace o
ur fingers together. We both moan in unison when I slide the tip of my cock inside her. Her eyes flutter shut and a beautiful smile spreads across her face the moment I slide all the way in. Her lips part and the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard falls from her lips when I draw back before pushing all the way back in.

  “Hanna, look at me,” I whisper, when she doesn’t open her eyes. “Please.”

  I pause and wait for her to do what I’ve asked. When she finally does, I’m taken aback when I find tears brimming in her baby blues. Confusion sweeps through me, and it does nothing to ease my concern.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask. I’m trying hard not to let my panic show, but I’m pretty sure I fail. Stilling inside her, I wait for her response. It never comes. “Talk to me.”

  Instead, she unlaces her fingers from mine, bringing them up to cup my face. “Make love to me, Harrison,” she pleads, pulling my lips down to meet hers. I sense there’s something more to this, but whatever it is it can wait. If my girl wants me to make love to her, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

  Maybe I’m reading too much into this. She’s here with me in my bed—that’s gotta mean something.

  I push all my thoughts and worries from my mind, so I can give her my all. We’ve been together like this way too many times to count, but for some reason this time feels different. This is, without doubt, my favourite place to be. Everything is different with her—every touch, every stroke, and every kiss. She takes me to places I never thought possible.

  While Hanna showers, I get a start on dinner. I was going to take her out tonight, but I’m selfish. I don’t want to share her with anyone. Hiding away in our own little bubble, far detached from the rest of the world, is all I want.

  After tossing the slices of cooked chicken into the pot of creamy sauce, I turn the stove down to let it simmer. I throw the pasta into the boiling water, and start setting the table. Most of my culinary skills are self-taught, but I also learned a lot from Mrs Scott growing up. Sometimes she’d let me help her in the kitchen when she cooked for the family. I always loved that one on one time with her. This may sound corny, but in my mind, I used to pretend that she was my mother and that her home was my own.