by Wolf, Alex
I held her away. “Get a hold of yourself. Jesus. It’s not gonna happen. What is it with you? Some guy break your heart, and you come running back to ol’ reliable?”
She looked away again.
“Exactly.” I put a hand on each of her shoulders. “Maybe don’t treat people like shit, and they’ll love you back. There’s some free advice. Take it if you want.”
I walked back to the door and held it open.
She didn’t move, just broke down into more tears.
Fuck.
“Please don’t kick me out. I need someone.”
I closed the door and walked over to her. It was stupid, but I couldn’t help it. She looked like she’d been run over by a truck.
I took her into my arms and hugged her. It was an empty gesture. I didn’t have feelings for her, but I wanted her to be happy. “You’ll find someone. I promise. But that someone is not me. It never will be.”
Rory
Carmen met me in town, but she got called in to work right after I’d sent Hunter a text saying I was out with my friends. Oh well, it was nice to know if my friends had to bolt, I could still go straight to Hunter’s. All he had going on was his meeting, and it was finished. Usually, I would’ve just gone home and watched Gilmore Girls on repeat.
I pulled out my phone.
Rory: Carmen had to leave. I’m gonna head over, if that’s okay?
I sat there for fifteen minutes without a reply. It was unusual for him. He might act like a badass, but he always returned my messages almost immediately. I kept checking my phone like an idiot. If he didn’t text soon, I’d have to go home.
Another ten minutes, and nothing. I wasn’t going to sit around at a bar by myself and wait for him to message me. But, I didn’t want to go home. Screw it.
Rory: Leaving the bar. Be there in five.
I walked out and started up the car. My stomach twisted up the whole way there. I wasn’t sure if I was still nervous in anticipation, or because he hadn’t responded to my messages.
I knew the rumors about Hunter, but he seemed so different around me. I usually had a pretty good feel for when I was being played. He knew I was going to be out for a while. Did he have another girl over at his house?
My mind always went to the worst places.
Damn it, I forgot I need a code for the gate.
I stopped my car and got out, then went up to the speaker box. I had no idea what the code was, so I pushed the intercom button.
“May I help you?”
I stared at the box, it didn’t sound like it came through the speaker.
“Can I help you, ma’am?”
I whipped around to find a guard standing there. I glanced over about ten yards and saw a little security office type thing.
I hadn’t even noticed it when I was here last.
“Oh, umm, yeah. I work with Mr. Hawthorne and I was supposed to come over.”
“He knows you’re coming? For work?” He raised an eyebrow.
I smiled. “Well, it’s more of a social call. Can you let me through?”
He shook his head. “Sorry. Can’t do it. I can call and see if he’s expecting you.”
“Oh, that’d be perfect. Thanks.”
I waited by my car as he held a phone to his ear. A moment later, he looked at me, shaking his head. “No answer. I can’t let you through. Sorry.” He kept looking away, as if he didn’t like being put in this position.
I frowned. Why was Hunter suddenly ignoring my calls? And his for that matter?
My stomach screwed up tight, and I told myself maybe it was because there was an emergency. I knew better, but that was the only way to stay calm. “Sir, I promise he’s expecting me.”
He sighed. “Look. Mr. Hawthorne has a visitor right now. I haven’t seen her, umm, I mean, them come out yet. And he didn’t say anything to me about another visitor. I could lose my job.”
“So, another woman is there right now?” My blood started to boil.
Technically, Hunter and I weren’t anything. We weren’t dating. We weren’t exclusive, but I’d made a promise to him, and I expected the same in return. Hot tears began to sting at the back of my eyelids, but I refused to cry over it. I wouldn’t let this shit get to me.
“Thanks.” I stepped into my car.
About that time, the gate opened, and a small black Chevy came down the driveway. I watched as the car passed. There was a beautiful blonde in the driver’s seat.
The guard looked like he wanted to hug me or something. “Have a nice evening, Miss.”
I nodded and pulled down the road when my phone lit up.
Hunter: You almost here?
I stared at the phone and instead of responding, I ignored it and drove to my house. Fuck Hunter Hawthorne. He was a mistake anyway. A freak coincidence that’d doomed me at my new job from the beginning. If I was being honest with myself, I was more attracted to Hayes anyway. At least he was responsible, and professional, and hadn’t fucked me in his office.
God, what am I going to do?
Whatever it was, I didn’t want to deal with it while I was still emotional. I needed to keep my head down and do my job. It was best just to pretend that nothing happened and end the whole charade.
* * *
Hunter blew my phone up the rest of the weekend, but I ignored every call. I knew what I was doing. He would have some lame excuse, and if I put myself in the same room as him, there was no telling what would happen.
When I got to work Monday morning, an email had gone out for a company-wide meeting. I didn’t want to see Hunter, but attendance was mandatory.
Everyone took a seat in a large banquet-type room I hadn’t been in before. We waited. Hunter stood at the front. His eyes locked onto me the entire time. I kept looking away from him. I didn’t want him to see that he affected me at all.
After a moment, he closed the door and the brothers started the meeting. “Good morning. We wanted to let everyone know by the end of this week, we will have officially merged with Merathol Enterprises. There will be a lot of changes. You’ll see new staff in the offices, and we’re going to start integrating them into the company. With that being said, we need a new name. So, Hayes and I have decided to get your input. You have until Friday if you want to participate. There’s a one-thousand-dollar bonus for anyone who comes up with a name that we choose. Any questions?”
I looked up, managing to avoid him for most of the interview, but our eyes met. He looked confused, almost like a deer-in-headlights. I’d never seen him look that way before. I turned away once more. I didn’t understand why he was confused. Surely, he’d figured it out. He wasn’t an idiot.
After the brothers answered some questions, they dismissed us. I bolted from the room as soon as possible.
I rounded a corner and an arm reached out and pulled me into another room.
“What the hell?” I whipped around.
He shut the door behind us, then stood against it.
“You can’t keep me in here forever.”
“What’s wrong with you? You didn’t show up or answer my messages. I thought something happened to you.”
I glared. “Oh, I showed up all right.”
“What?”
I nodded. “I showed up. Like I said I would. The guard wouldn’t let me in. Acted all weird about me being there. And imagine my surprise when another woman pulled out of the gate. Then, I get a text saying you’re ready.” I shook my head. “What do you do? Just line us up like a fucking McDonalds drive-thru?”
He sighed. “You saw her?”
“Just let me out.” I took a step toward the door. “I’m here to work.”
“I’m sorry you had to see that.”
I shook my head. “At least I know where I stand now.”
“You have it all wrong. I didn’t fuck her.”
I laughed. “C’mon, Hunter. We both know what this is. Your reputation precedes you here. Are you under the impression everyone doesn’t know how you are
? And that they don’t discuss you?”
“Just hear me out.” He smirked.
That fucking smirk of his.
“Let me out. Or I scream.”
His jaw tensed. “You don’t even want to hear me out?”
My eyes widened. “Uhh, no. I should’ve never made this mistake in the first place.”
“Fine.” He stepped out of the way.
I opened the door and hurried from the room, practically power-walking to my desk.
I kept telling myself he didn’t mean anything. All we’d done was slept together, and had one date. It wasn’t like I was attached. So why all the overwhelming sadness? Why’d I just want to curl up on a couch and forget the world?
I didn’t want things to end. It’d just started getting good. I enjoyed the attention he gave me, and we had a good time together. But, he was going to ruin my career. It was like hitting an all-time low.
* * *
A couple days later, I convinced myself I was over him. I threw myself into my work and felt satisfied with it. I’d only been with the company a short while, and I was already getting tons of praise. It was how it should’ve been from the beginning.
The phone on my desk rang.
“It’s Hayes.”
I opened my mouth, words wouldn’t come out.
“You there?”
“Yeah, sorry.” I paused. “What can I do for you, Mr. Hawthorne? Is something wrong?”
He laughed on the other end. “Call me Hayes, please. We’re doing the informal thing now, remember?”
The laugh set me at ease a little. I was curious about why he’d call me out of the blue. It didn’t seem like anything was wrong. I couldn’t afford to fuck up my professional and personal life at the same time. It’d be too much all at once.
“And nothing’s wrong. Everyone should stop asking me that all the time. I’m going to get a complex.”
“Sorry. So, what can I do for you, Hayes?”
“Much better. I was checking your availability. Can you come by my office for a second?”
My heart pounded in my chest, and my palms grew clammy. I’d heard bosses say nothing was wrong in the past, when in fact, something had been wrong.
It was like he read my mind. “It’s just a ninety-day review. Nothing to worry about.”
I exhaled a sigh of relief, then stared up at the ceiling. “I haven’t been here ninety days.”
“Okay, fifteen days. However long it’s been.”
I shook my head. “Be right there.” Fuck it, what else could possibly go wrong?
I hung up and sat there, staring at my reflection on the monitor.
Just get it out of the way.
I logged out and took a pad of paper and pen. I never took notes, but people always expected you to be ready to.
By the time I made it to his office, I was convinced they’d found some reason to fire me. My brain was a real asshole sometimes.
I knocked on his door, and caught myself looking at Hunter’s office, wondering if he was fucking some other employee against the wall.
“Come in.”
I opened the door and stepped into his office. My fingers trembled against my legal pad, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to speak. Something about Hayes, I don’t know what it was—he made me super nervous. He had one of those faces that was impossible to read.
“Here, have a seat.”
He walked over and shut the door behind me. I sat down in the chair, completely silent.
The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention when he walked past. He was so broody. I hoped I hadn’t caused any of the problems between him and Hunter. Or created any extra stress for him. I don’t know how he’d dealt with Hunter’s bullshit his entire life. I’d only known him a short while and he made me want to burn down the world.
He smirked when he sat down, and his eyes flicked up to me. “You don’t have to look so petrified.” He smiled. “I told you nothing’s wrong.”
I glanced away. “I know. It’s just—you’re the boss. It’d make anyone nervous.”
He waved away my concerns with a flippant hand. “Don’t worry. You’re safe with me.”
The way he said the last sentence sent a tingling sensation up my back. Even through his glaring, he always seemed genuine. You knew he meant what he said. He didn’t seem to do all the bullshit feelings, or have the same fun, carefree side that Hunter did.
I’d always found myself drawn more to Hayes, but I made that one mistake with Hunter that set all the future events in motion. How had I been so stupid?
“Okay. You good?” He rested his elbows on the desk, and steepled his fingers.
I nodded.
“Good. I called you in for a couple reasons. The first is, everyone speaks highly of you in your department. You’ve advanced faster than anyone we’ve had in your position before.”
My eyes widened. “Wow. That’s—thank you.”
“I mean it. Just wanted to let you know, we’re watching, and we like what we see.”
“Thanks, again. That really means a lot to me. I want to have a career here.”
“Keep doing what you’re doing, and you will. I promise.”
He sat there and just stared for a few seconds, though it seemed like hours. It was like he could read my thoughts, or was taking in every reaction of mine.
“So, the other thing?”
“Right.” He leaned back, a little more at ease. “Are you going to suggest a name for the company? In the contest Hunter’s organised?”
I cringed slightly when I heard Hunter’s name. My eyes darted over at the wall. The wall that he’d fucked me right on the other side of, not so long ago. Jesus, how did I even do that? It was so not me.
I shook my head at Hayes. “I haven’t been here long, and it should be someone who helped build the company who chooses the name.”
He nodded slowly, taking in and considering every word I spoke. “I don’t want you to think your opinion doesn’t matter just because you’re newer. Everyone is a part of this company, not just veteran staff. All suggestions will be taken into consideration.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He smiled and then shifted in his seat. “I hope you’ll consider it. I like the fresh, new take you have on everything here. It shows in your work. If you’d like to brainstorm ideas, I could be a resource for you.”
“Wouldn’t that be showing favoritism, or nepotism, or something like that?” It sounded an awful lot like he wanted to work with me. The last thing I needed was more rumors about Hayes showing me extra attention. I’d already be done, socially, if anyone found out about Hunter. Nobody would take me seriously, no matter how much my work proved otherwise.
“I suppose it could be construed that way. Just an idea.” He sat there, staring at me.
It felt like the temperature in the room shot up ten degrees. My collar seemed to tighten on my neck.
He sat there, with that smirk on his face, tapping a pen on his desk like he was deep in thought. “I’ll tell you what. We go out for coffee. The topic comes up, organically. I think that should work.”
My body came alive, and at the same time anxiety shot through my limbs. Did he even ask me out? He said it like it was just going to happen. Something about that rubbed me wrong and right simultaneously. He was always so firm after he thought something through.
“Like a date?” I thought about Hunter. He’d be righteously pissed, but so what? Ever since my interview with Hayes, I’d been drawn to him.
No.
It was a bad idea. Way bad. Even if my heart did beat a thousand times a minute when Hayes spoke, I shouldn’t go through with this. “I don’t think—”
He snickered. “Tonight. You don’t have plans, do you?”
“No. Not tonight.”
Why did you say that? What are you doing?
“Pick you up at eight.”
He gave me zero opportunity to shut him down. The more I thought about it,
the more I didn’t want to rock the boat. It seemed like we were doing this, so I was best off just to give in. “Okay.”
“See you then.”
He didn’t ask for my address, or my phone number. The Hawthorne men were so brazen, like they owned the world. But Hayes was different. He seemed like you could trust him to be in control. Maybe he just wanted to have coffee and legitimately talk about business. That had to be it.
I stood—confused, nervous, and a million other things I couldn’t pinpoint. It was like I was more in shock than anything else.
“You have to sign up to make a suggestion for the name by five today. Can I put your name down?”
I turned around and mustered the most confident smile I could find. “Sure.”
“Very good.”
Hayes
Something was up between Hunter and Rory at the meeting earlier. She wouldn’t make eye contact with him, and she had that look on her face. I’d seen it before. He’d fucked up somehow, and I wasn’t about to miss my window of opportunity. Whatever it was, I didn’t care, but he’d dragged her down with him, same as always.
I didn’t want to bother talking about Hunter when I had her in my office. It was a dangerous game, going against Hunter, but I knew he’d fuck up eventually. I’d stood by, waiting. He was so predictable.
I strode up to her door with confidence. She needed to know she could trust me. They hadn’t even dated, so there was no way there could be any emotional ties there that I could hurt, other than the ones Hunter concocted in his brain.
Anyone else, I might’ve respected the boundaries, but he didn’t know what love was. He was infatuated with a new toy, nothing more. She deserved better than him, and I was it.
Unlike him, I wasn’t a complete asshole. I’d get to know her before making a move. I knocked on the door.
When she opened it, my cock sprang to life. Fuck, she was gorgeous, and dressed up for me this time. She was naturally beautiful, not artificial and plastic like a lot of the women I’d gone out with. She’d captivated me the first day she walked through the company doors. I glanced down to a black, strapless dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. I wanted to push her back inside, and rip it off her.
