Hidden Love by MINK

7

Liam

Voices filter through the door of happy employees cooing over the surly cat Georgia has set up in a little nest beside her desk. It’s been going on for hours, and I’m almost to the point where I want to fire everyone in the building and start over.

My door opens, and I’m extra irritated to find Bradley striding in.

“That is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” He brushes some cat hair off his suit. “And the cat is not bad, either.”

My hackles rise. “Don’t look at her.”

“What?” He drops into his usual chair. “Since when can’t I ogle the ladies around the office?”

“Since that one,” I almost yell.

He raises his blond brows.

“Because she’s part of a plan,” I hurry on. “I don’t want you screwing this up. We have to nail Duncan Lavine to the wall, and if you go and ruin the--”

“I’m not ruining anything.” He bats the thought away with the back of his hand. “I just wanted to come by and see the cat everyone’s talking about. I can’t believe you let her bring that angry, furry thing to work. He growled at me when I walked up.” He laughs. “And he’s wearing this horrible glittery vest thing. I kind of pity the poor guy.”

“I didn’t give her permission for the cat. It’s a subject I intend to discuss with her at lunch.”

“You’re lunching with her?” He stands and walks over to the box of cookies on my desk, then flicks open the lid. “Where’d these come from?”

I reach over and smack his hand away. “Those are mine.”

“Whoa.” He grins. “She made them, didn’t she? She made these cookies to share, and you, like the fucking Cookie Monster slash Grinch you are, kept them for yourself. Admit it.”

“I can’t have her giving cookies to employees.” I sit back down and straighten my tie. “Could be an issue with the health department. She could have given them to that idiot from the mailroom, Jim.” I grit my teeth and am sorely tempted to pick up the phone and fire him. “He could be making his rounds and choke, and then where would we be? We can’t risk it.”

“You are acting weird.” He leans against my desk and peers down at me. “Weirder than you’ve ever been, and you’re pretty fucking weird. No interest in women, no interest in drugs or booze, no interest in sweets--” He glances at the cookies again. “No interest in anything except money and power. But now, all of a sudden, you’re hoarding cookies and planning on taking your assistant to the charity gala?”

“I’m not taking her as my assistant. She’s going as a direct insult to her father. Because she will be with me at all times, or I will fire her, then blacklist her.”

“Does she know about all that?”

“Of course not.” I always get the feeling that with Bradley, I’m playing chess while he’s pissing on the checkers board. “She has no idea about any of it.”

“Did you even ask her to go with you to the gala?”

“Why would I ask? I’ll tell her today at lunch, and she will do as she is told or she’ll face the consequences.” My hand tingles as I imagine her bent over my desk again, receiving her punishment for bringing that furry beast into my office.

Brad laughs and backs away. “With that winning offer, how could she say no?”

“Exactly.” I don’t know why he’s laughing. Of course she’ll agree. She has to. It’s part of her employment.

“Later, psycho.” He opens the door. “And don’t forget we have a board meeting at three.”

I don’t forget things. Bradley is the one who frequently shows up late with lipstick stains on his collar.

The voices grow louder as Bradley leaves, and I hear a male voice. “I’d love to stroke your kitty.”

I’m on my feet and out the door before I can take another breath. Kurt is back and kneeling down to pet the hairy monster as he looks up at my sunshine. “I wanted to see what you’re doing for lunch. We could go to the new sushi spot--”

“I said to stick to your floor, Kurt.” I’ve never liked the man. But he’s an excellent marketing vice president, and I’d be hard-pressed to find another candidate with as many connections as his old-money family. All the same, he’s precariously close to getting shown out of the building by security.

“I just wanted to stop by to be friendly.” He stands, his eyes going to my sunshine, who, true to her name, smiles warmly at him. Why is she smiling at other people? It’s ridiculous. Do other people pay her salary? No. I do. Do other people educate her with a strong hand? No. I do. Only me.

“Get your ass back to fourteen. If I want you up here, I’ll summon you.”

He whistles and holds his hands up. “Sorry, boss. I didn’t know you had rules about me visiting.”

“You know now.” I step to him. Not close enough to invite a fist. Not that this ponce would ever raise a hand to me, even if he’d like to. I don’t work out every fucking morning at five o’clock to back down from a jumped up WASP in an overdone suit. “Take your leave unless you’re here to give me those marketing proposals that are due directly after the board meeting.”

He shakes his head and turns. “Working on them now.” He fades down the hall.

I wait until I hear the elevator open and close.

Turning, I find Georgia gawking up at me.

“When lunch arrives, come to my office. Leave that walking hairball”—I point to the black and gray tabby with the angry eyes and the chintzy vest—“out here. We have matters to discuss.”

Is she wearing a bra? She has to be, but the way her nipples jut against her thin white sweater sends hot blood racing through me. They weren’t hard for that piece of shit Kurt. They’re only for me, and they need a good biting so she knows not to speak to the Kurts or the Bradleys of the world. Those men are users, filthy fuckers who only want one thing. Not like me. I help people. Just like I intend to help Georgia over lunch.

“Order what you’d like. Make sure it’s here in half an hour.” I return to my office and pause inside the door. Her skirt seems short again today. I’m certain that’s a dress code violation. I add another mark to her punishment, another bit of discipline. Even though she’ll never have another job after this one, I intend to guide her in the right direction. She’ll be a good employee for me, at the very least. And, in the end, she’ll thank me for all my attention and care.

I walk to my desk and sit to go through my many emails. One in particular catches my eye.

You son of a bitch. Hiring my daughter? I knew you were a low-down bastard, but this really shits the bed. I’m not selling you Lavine Assets, no matter what you do. My daughter won’t sway me. So you can fuck off.

Oh, and tell your mom I said hi, you piece of shit.

Duncan

I lean back and smile at the message. Duncan’s made his first move. A weak one, but a move all the same. With a few keystrokes, I bring up the charter for Lavine Assets, the corporate document that Duncan thought he had safe and sound in a dark server that no one would ever access. Too bad for him that my Finland hacker busted into it and stole the articles of incorporation written out by Duncan’s father.

He thinks I’ve hired his daughter in a low-level tit for tat. What he doesn’t realize is that my little ray of sunshine is a thundercloud that will rain destruction down on his head. It’s only a matter of time.

But first, my assistant needs to learn a lesson, and I’m just the man to teach her. I stand when I hear her greet the delivery man with a warm hello. I bet she’s smiling at him. A smile that should be mine. Perhaps she needs a lesson in that, as well.

I rub my hands together and wait for her knock.