I shower and get dressed. Before heading out, I grab my thermos and the pictures from the table where I left them. The Alyssa shit needs to be settled today. She’s crossed the line one too many times and has to be made aware of where I stand before she continues to spin out of control. I drive in silence and feel like a zombie as I walk across the business parking lot.
As soon as I step off the elevator, the entire floor is eerily quiet. The printer isn’t shooting off stacks of papers and there’s no one gossiping in the break room. All the cubicles and offices are empty. Did the fucking apocalypse happen on my way to work?
I continue to my office and see a note from Blake about an emergency staff meeting. I go to the conference room next to his office. The chatter stops when I enter, and Blake looks down at his watch with a smug ass look on his face. I smile at the blank faces sitting around the table, and my eyes stop at the only empty seat available next to Alyssa, who’s beaming. I sit and turn my head toward him, ignoring her stare, and give silent permission to continue whatever the fuck is so urgent.
“As I was saying, my last day in this department is in two weeks.”
“What?” I interrupt aloud.
“I’ve been promoted to manage the sales executives,” he continues. “Though I’m transitioning to a new position, you’ll still report to me until the position is filled.”
While Blake continues, Alyssa’s hand trails up my thigh until my balls are cupped in her hand. I play it cool, but the truth is, I’m so frustrated that I want to yank her from her chair and shake the fuck out of her. I hate how she brings me to that level. I hate how she brings the worst out in me. We had rules in place to protect us, and she’s determined to ruin that in front of our entire department. Grabbing her hand, I squeeze it until she quietly squeals and pulls away.
“I’ve made recommendations for several of you for the position. I’ve spoken privately with a few of you over the last few days. I’d suggest signing on to the back office portal and submitting your resume if you’re interested in the opportunity.” Blake’s eyes gloss straight over me, making it apparent that he isn’t speaking to me. Fuck him too. He ends the meeting, and everyone is offering their congratulations, but I walk out. Alyssa trails behind me, heels clicking on the tile floor, and all I can think about are the pictures burning a hole in my pocket. I walk into my office, and she follows. Once she enters, I shut the door and lock it. I rush to her, pinning her against the door, and she smiles.
“Oh, Travis. You’re going to fuck me against your office door? So hot.” She begins to unbutton her shirt and pull up her skirt, but I grab her hands.
“We’re done, Alyssa. I’ve had enough of your bullshit.” I pull the pictures from my pocket and throw them at her. Even if Viola wasn’t consuming my mind, I’d be ending this little arrangement anyway.
She glances down at the images and tilts her head back and laughs. “So, you didn’t like my present? I’m so sorry. Let me make it up to you.” Alyssa continues to undress until her breasts are out. She walks toward me and runs her fingers down my arms. I grab her wrists and hold them tight at her side.
“Are you fucking insane? I don’t want what you have to offer. You don’t know how to listen. That’s your problem.”
“I hear you loud and clear,” she says with menace in her tone.
I release my tight grip and suck in a deep breath, trying to regain my composure. I hate how she pushes me to my limit, causing all control to slip through my fingers. I’m two seconds away from picking her up and tossing her ass out. I don’t care if herdaddyowns the company or not. Instead, I inhale a deep breath and try to regain my composure although I can feel it seeping through.
“I hope you love your job, King. Because after I tell Daddy how you took advantage of me, I doubt you’ll have anything left.”
“Not even your father would believe your sick lies. Now get the fuck out of my office.”
“He doesn’t have to.” She bends down and grabs the pictures that are scattered across the floor. “I’ll just show him.”
My adrenaline spikes, and I’m so mad she’s threatening me that I grab her by the arm and pull her out of my office. At first, she struggles, but the closer we get to the door, the more she realizes she’s not going to win. I throw her out and shut the door in her face, giving no shits that I’ve just started a battle I’m sure to lose.
Though I’m somewhat worried about what she’ll do, I feel as if I can finally breathe for the first time in weeks, knowing I’ve left no room for misunderstanding. Being around her will get worse before it gets better, so if I have to finish this project alone, I will.
Fuck her.
No one controls me.
No one threatens me either.
I’m so pissed I can barely work. I open the project, knowing damn well that I’ll be here later than usual again and that doesn’t make me happy.
I can’t focus for shit and that just adds to my frustration. This is exactly why I stayed away from relationships of any kind. Watching the way my father acted toward my mother tainted any feelings I had about being a “couple.”
I grab a stale bag of chips from the vending machine since I skipped lunch, and my appetite has pretty much evaporated. As I sit behind my desk, staring at my screen and shoving the final crumbs in my mouth, I think about Viola, and my mood instantly lifts. I fight the urge to text her, but hell, I need a pick-me-up, so I grab my cell and send her one anyway. I know anything that comes out of her mouth will make me smile. I know things didn’t end in a fairy-tale fashion last night, and that she was seething, but that’s not going to stop me.
Travis: So, on a scale from one to ten, how jealous is your vibrator?
I smile after I hit send. It’s actually the first time I’ve really smiled all day.
Viola: Not jealous at all. It’s been places you can only dream of and I HATE YOU!
How sweet. Just the response I was hoping for, and now, I’m definitely intrigued.
Travis: Is that so? Guess you’ll have to draw me a picture since it’s only something I’ve seen in my dreams.
