My Boss is a Dragon

by Rowan Porter

  Liam had shown sympathy, his hard stare softening for a moment as the emotional element struck him. His voice, which Sebastian had already grown used to being blunt and careless, had softened as he’d gazed up at Sebastian. He realized Liam had been asking because he’d truly wanted to know, and then had listened to the story completely. Sebastian wasn’t quite sure what to do with that idea.

  “Alright, I think that will cover everything, thank you so much, Mr. Carlton. We’ll make sure this article catches everyone’s attention,” the woman in charge said, though Sebastian couldn’t remember her name for the life of him.

  “I look forward to it,” he lied, having endured at least half a dozen questions in a row about his love life.

  He pulled on what remained of his suit, unconsciously adjusting it, so its fit was perfect. It had always struck him as a harsh irony, how much he hated being seen for only his appearance, while being fastidious and meticulous about it all the same. The game had to be played, and while he hated why his name was on so many lips, it was better than obscurity.

  Liam was waiting for him, a small amused smile on his face. “That’s absolutely amazing to watch.”

  Sebastian glanced at the shooting area. “I imagine it would be more boring than amazing.”

  Liam shook his head. “Not really the shoot, you. You hate all this attention, and how much everyone seems to fawn over you, but you preen all the same.”

  Sebastian frowned. “Just because I hate it doesn’t make it any less frustrating.”

  “Yeah, but you’re good at it.”

  “And that’s just how dragons are. We’re shiny and bright, we get the attention, and we make sure everyone has a good time. It’s why we’re so poorly suited for anything serious, just ask everyone else.” It was hard to keep the bitterness from his voice.

  Liam rolled his eyes. “You don’t want pity, but you’re going to give me a sob story?”

  “I think that would make two sob stories now,” Sebastian said dryly.

  Liam shook his head. “No, the story about your brother? That was a genuine story, a heartfelt one that shows you’re so much more than a businessman with a pretty face.”

  “Think I’m pretty, eh?”

  Liam ignored him. “If you want people to take you seriously, you have to show them you’re more than what you appear to be. You started this company so people around the world could benefit, and that seed was planted when your brother passed because of poor advancement in technology. That’s a human element you can use, one you can focus on and pour into your work.”

  “I already said, I don’t want anyone’s pity,” Sebastian said, voice losing its playfulness.

  “I’m not saying go around asking for everyone’s emotional charity. That’s asinine, and it’ll only backfire on you in the end. You said yourself that this client of yours remarked on how not like a dragon you were.”

  “While also seeming more surprised that a dragon would be in something so serious anyway,” Sebastian said.

  “He thinks your kind is flashy and emotional, but all you’ve got is the flash and none of the emotion. Flash and being emotionless is just icy; I think this client wants to see the edge to your personality, the life and vigor. The very same thing other people will respond to. Yeah, the story about your brother will pull heartstrings, but in the long run, all people will see is someone very relatable, trying to achieve a noble and relatable goal,” Liam explained, eyes flashing.

  Sebastian smiled. “I bow to the strength of your logic.”

  Liam blinked, leaning back. “You do?”

  Sebastian laughed, turning to walk away. “Yes, I do. Now come along, I have a meeting with one of our manufacturers, and I’d like to have you along.”

  “Do you want me to call your limo?”

  Sebastian grinned. “No need.”

  HE COULDN’T HELP his grin as the engine revved hard, vibrating up the pedal and his leg. Sebastian had contained himself while on the main streets, but the moment he’d hit the stretch of road just outside the city, his lead foot had started to sink. When they crossed the property line onto the factory’s grounds, he was practically zooming down the two-lane road.

  Liam sat calmly beside him, though his eyes were locked on the road ahead. “Of course you’re a speed demon.”

  Sebastian chuckled. “Not scaring you this easily, am I?”

  “Not really, though that wild look in your eye right now has me at least a little nervous,” Liam admitted.

  “I can’t help it, I love my car,” Sebastian said as he skillfully, if a little wildly, brought them around the next curve.

  “Yes, it’s a flashy, speedy, lovely sports car of some sort. I just hope you’re as good with it as you seem to think you are,” Liam said.

  At that, Sebastian twisted the wheel, cutting the motion just in time to slide into a wide, open space in front of the factory. To his immense, if private, satisfaction, he saw Liam’s eyes widen and his head jerk back as he braced for the impact that would never come. There was something enjoyable about seeing a touch more emotion out of Liam than Sebastian had witnessed before.

  Sebastian turned the car off, still grinning. “Got bored a couple of summers back and took some stunt driving lessons. First thing they really drive into you is how to do simple stuff like this. I could do it in my sleep.”

  Liam nodded slowly. “Good to know.”

  “Right, then let’s get in there, and you can get a better feel for the operation,” Sebastian said as he opened the door.

  Adrenaline and excitement still pumping through his veins, Sebastian paused at the side-view mirror and made minor adjustments to his clothes. He thought it was to Liam’s credit that the man exited the car smoothly, no longer looking ruffled. For all his stiffness and bluntness, there was something admirable in how well under control Liam was.

  Liam squinted up. “Are they doing construction?”

  Sebastian straightened, eyeing the additional floor being built on the east wing. “Yes. We’ve made a lot of progress in the past couple of years, and I thought it would be a good idea to expand operations. In order to maintain that however, I need to make sure Glass Inc. continues with its progress.”

  “Again, hence me,” Liam said.

  They strolled into the entrance, earning themselves a glance and a nod from the receptionist. Sebastian tipped the man a wink as he escorted Liam around the desk and down the nearby hallway that would take them to the east wing.

  Liam followed him through a break in the warning tape. “When is construction expected to be finished?”

  “Well, barring any further delays, we hope by the end of the year the first floor of this wing should return to full functionality. Within half a year after that, everything in this wing will be in full operation and ready to go.”

  They stepped out into a large room, stuffed full with men and machines working as they built the interior of the building. Sparks flew from rafters at the far end of the room, and the air was filled with the white smoke of nearby machines. Workers shouted over the din as they moved about, paying no attention to the two of them as they looked around.

  “Well, here we are, the heart of it all,” Sebastian said with a sweeping gesture.

  Liam looked around, eyeing a nearby stack of steel beams warily. “It’s certainly a great deal of energy.”

  Sebastian snorted. “Not one for expressing any sort of excitement, are you?”

  Liam frowned. “I’m busy trying to think ahead, of what comes next and what the best course of action is. You’ve invested a great deal of time and money into this, and I have to make sure everything leading up to that point makes this a good investment. If what you said is true, then we need to ensure you make future deals, otherwise, this will end up being an unnecessary money pit.”

  Sebastian eyed him. “Would it make you feel better if I make sure you have everything, expense reports and all, when we finally get to the office?”

  Liam eyed him, his mou
th twitching. “I think that would make me a little happier.”

  Sebastian winked. “Good, then I’ll message Sarah and have her oversee the transfer of files to your office.”

  Liam nodded, peering off toward the work in the distance. “Once I have a clearer picture of everything overall, I’ll be able to make a far more informed plan of action.”

  Sebastian’s eyes flickered to movement on the other side of Liam while the man drifted off into his own thoughts. For a moment, he wasn’t sure what he was seeing until he heard someone give a startled yell. The forklift Sebastian had seen veered off to one side, slamming into the pile of beams standing just beside Liam with a horrendous clamor. Liam jerked at the sound, whipping his head around as he tried to find the source of the noise.

  Seeing the pile teeter dangerously, Sebastian reached out without thinking and took hold of Liam’s shoulders in an iron grip. As the beams collapsed forward, Sebastian yanked Liam, bringing him with him. Twisting them around, Sebastian pressed Liam’s back hard against the wall, wincing as the beams slammed and banged in a cacophony of noise that left his ears ringing.

  Dust floated through the air, and the shouting and sound of machines began to die out as everyone’s attention turned to the near disaster. Breathing heavily, Sebastian carefully craned his neck around. The pile of beams had collapsed, scattering in a long stretch which would have crushed Liam before he’d known what happened.

  “That was…something,” Liam muttered.

  Sebastian turned his head back to him. “Are you okay?”

  Liam chuckled, shifting slightly in Sebastian’s grip. “Beams didn’t get me because of you, thanks.”

  When Liam shifted his body again, Sebastian realized he was still holding the man fiercely. His grip had fallen around Liam’s shoulder, but at one point, his other hand had come to rest on Liam’s hip. If it hadn’t been for the near-fatal accident, onlookers might have easily mistaken them for lovers, interrupted from their moment of shared passion.

  As if a switch had been thrown, Sebastian looked down at Liam and felt his face warm. Liam was only slightly shorter than he was, but he was lithe, built with compact muscle. If anything, their slight difference in size meant Liam fitted against Sebastian perfectly. It was all too easy to imagine himself kissing Liam then, his head filled with wondering if there was a passion beneath Liam’s well-controlled features.

  Clearing his throat, Sebastian let go of Liam, backing away. “You’re welcome, can’t very well have you getting crushed to death on your first day.”

  Liam’s face was tinged with pink as he looked at the floor. “Yeah, I’m sure the paperwork would have been hell.”

  Sebastian chuckled, turning away. “And the paperwork I deal with already is a nightmare.”

  Oh so carefully shoving his previous thoughts away, particularly because his suit would do little to hide his reaction, Sebastian turned to find the foreman. When he saw the man, pushing through the crowd, Sebastian motioned for him to come over.

  “Give me a moment to have a brief talk with him, then I’ll get you up to the meeting room where you’ll be a bit safer,” Sebastian told Liam.

  Honestly, he was a little pleased to have someone to scold, it meant not having to think too hard on his intrusive, though pleasant thoughts for too long.

  LIAM

  L A deep sigh escaped from his mouth as he dropped his bag into the chair just inside the dining room of his apartment. Taking a deep, follow up breath, he closed his eyes and let the relief sink through him. The work week was over, and he had the whole weekend ahead of him to process everything.

  “Thank God for Fridays,” Liam murmured as he padded into the kitchen.

  By the time he reached the fridge, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Sighing, he pulled it out as he took a look at the stock of food waiting for him. Eventually, he was going to have to go shopping, but he wasn’t going to bother about it now.

  The message, Liam found to his relief, was from his former roommate, Brandon. It had been ages since the two of them had seen one another, and his friend wanted to know if Liam might be up to spending some time together. Not feeling social, Liam almost told him ‘no’ but in the end, fired back that Brandon could come over if he wanted. It would at least spare him from having to decide if he was going to cook or not, having company over was the perfect excuse to order out.

  Once he had the time set for Brandon to show up, Liam stripped his clothes as he walked down the hall toward the bathroom. Tossing his clothes into the hamper in his room, he made his way into the shower. The glorious, soothing warmth of the water flowed over him as he let the stress of a new job, and his attempts to keep on top of everything, flow off him and into the drain. There was still so much to do, so much to adjust to, but he’d save it for next week.

  By the time he’d emerged from the steaming bathroom and pulled on comfortable clothes, the doorbell rang. Liam busied himself with ordering the food while he opened the door to his grinning friend. It had been a few months since he’d last seen Brandon, but Liam was happy to see his friend was looking clean and healthy

  “Well, you can take care of yourself,” Liam said by way of greeting.

  Brandon snorted. “I told you I’d be fine without you nagging me every day.”

  Liam took in Brandon’s neat appearance, fresh shave, and the smell of cologne. “You got yourself a girlfriend.”

  Brandon frowned. “I can learn to take care of myself without having a girlfriend.”

  Liam stepped out of the doorway to let him in. “So, you got a girlfriend.”

  “Fine, I got a girlfriend,” Brandon said grumpily as he set a six pack of beer on the kitchen counter.

  Liam chuckled, shaking his head as he closed the door and joined his friend. Brandon wasn’t a filthy person, but he tended not to place too much emphasis on his appearance. Liam thought it was a shame, since his former roommate was a good-looking man. It tended to get lost under the wild facial hair Brandon let grow out for too long, and the overly casual way he preferred to dress. The times when Brandon shaved and threw on more than a pair of sweatpants were times when Liam, and every available woman, could see the man beneath the Neanderthal.

  Brandon nudged the six pack. “I brought the beer…”

  Liam walked into the living room with a roll of his eyes. “Pizza will be here in about thirty minutes or so.”

  “What pizza place manages to deliver within an hour around here?”

  “The kind where I’m on good terms with the owner because I helped them keep their business afloat until it picked back up and became successful again.”

  “Ah yes, the life and times of a business savant.”

  Liam flopped down on the couch, flipping the TV on. “It has its perks. Doesn’t always pay the best when you’re doing freelance, but there are some extras you can nab.”

  “Like having your pizza cooked up and delivered quick in the city,” Brandon said as he joined him.

  “Most of the places I worked for were restaurants, there were a couple of general stores of the mom and pop variety, but yeah. So, I helped them, they paid me, I also occasionally get discounts or bumped to the front of the line when I order.”

  “Still going to keep all those perks now that you’ve got yourself a real job?” Brandon asked as he sat.

  Liam frowned. “How did you hear about that?”

  Brandon raised a brow. “Your mother, how else?”

  Liam groaned. “I didn’t know you were still talking to her.”

  Brandon chuckled. “Can’t be helped. Your mom was the one who called me, checking up on me. I’m kind of understanding why you’re such a mother hen, you got it honest.”

  “She never even mentioned she still talks to you,” Liam grumped.

  “Don’t change the subject. When were you going to tell me you got a job at Glass Inc.?”

  Liam shrugged. “I just started this week. I’ve been working there for a whole five days, and it’s kept me prett
y busy. I’m trying to catch up on all the information I need to know, while still trying to keep up with my boss. That second bit is a lot harder than it sounds.”

  “You have no idea how jealous I am,” Brandon said.

  Liam frowned. “Why?”

  “Dude, I’ve been trying to get into Glass Inc. for months. I mean, I’ve got all this experience and degrees with tech, of course, I wanted to get into one of the fastest growing companies that have popped up in recent years. Then you just, I don’t know, stumble into it, and in a high-end position too. I’m happy for you, but it’s hard not to be a little envious,” Brandon said with a shrug.

  Liam took one of the two beers in Brandon’s hand, opening it. “I probably should apologize.”

  “For what? Getting a great job? Hell no, doesn’t change the fact that I’m a little jealous,” Brandon said with a laugh.

  Liam smiled, hoping it was reassuring. “I’m sure you’ll find something better than the desk jockey job you’re locked into right now.”

  “I know it’s the first week and all, but how’s it been?”

  Liam sighed, taking his phone out to instinctively check his messages. “It’s been busy.”

  “So busy you can’t help but check your phone religiously,” Brandon said.

  Liam tucked his phone away in a hurry. “I was checking on the status of the pizza.”

  “You know, I’ve heard Sebastian Carlton is fun to work for, if you don’t work directly with him,” Brandon began knowingly.