by Kizzie Hayes
Eileen sighed and sat down next to Tara again as she said, “Tara, you asked me something the first day you got here- you asked me if I was happy, and if I loved Paul. Darling, the truth is, I’m happy, but it’s only on the surface- it’s not the kind of happiness I felt when your dad and I got married. And as for Paul, he’s a sweetheart, he really is- but I don’t love him.”
Eileen took a deep shaky breath and said, “There I said it- I don’t love him. I like him, I certainly enjoy his company and I think he’s a lovely man, but I don’t love him. I don’t feel for him the way you say you feel for Noah. And baby, if I can give you the chance of being happy, of being truly happy, I would never take it away from you.”
Tara stared at her mother and said, “What are you saying?”
Eileen stood up and took off her ring, “I’m saying that I’m going to call off the wedding.”
Tara leaped up from the bed and hesitantly said, “Mom, are you sure?”
Eileen sighed and took Tara’s hands into hers, “Darling, one day you might have a daughter of your own, and then you’ll understand.”
Tara flung her arms around her mother’s neck, feeling for the first time in her life, completely and truly happy.
THE END
Another bonus story is on the next page.
Bonus Story 35 of 44
Bound by the Bronco
Olivia smoothed down her skirt and hurried into the building. She had only been working in this law office for the past three weeks and the last thing she wanted was to arrive late. She knew that her boss ran a very tight ship and wouldn’t tolerate any hints of unprofessionalism.
With a few minutes to spare, she plopped down in her chair and tried to catch her breath. She usually arrived at the office twenty to thirty minutes earlier, but last night she’d had a lot of trouble getting to sleep. At 3am, she’d woken up startled. She’d had a nightmare, or maybe it was a dream. She still wasn’t sure.
When she shot up in the bed, she was surprised to find that she wasn’t bound to it. In the nightmare, she’d woken up in a strange house with all of her limbs tied to the bedposts. She could hear someone walking around the house. And she could hear footsteps approaching the room that she was in.
She began thrashing around the bed and screaming for help as the footsteps got closer and closer. The door slowly creaked open. In the dream, Olivia stopped screaming at this point. She was completely paralyzed by fear. But before she could get a good look at the face of the person, she’d woken up panting and covered in sweat. She was terrified. It was the first time she’d ever had that dream. But she had a feeling that it wouldn’t be the last.
*****
“Olivia, I’ve been waiting for you!” the sound of her boss’ voice snapped her back to the present. She sat up straight in her chair and looked around.
“In my office now,” the voice boomed out.
Olivia stood up and looked around the office. There were about eight other employees in the room at the time. None of them seemed to be paying attention to her. It wasn’t unusual for her boss, Mr. Carter, to call people into his office. Actually, it was one of his favorite things to do. He loved to flex his muscles to remind everyone who was in charge.
He was determined to make sure this firm stayed on top. Before he’d taken over from his father, the firm had gone through a period of serious decline. A few high profile cases that had gone seriously wrong had severely damaged the law firm’s reputation. That was unacceptable because in this business reputation was everything.
Carter would often talk about how his father had grown too trusting and lenient with his employees. He vowed to never let that happen again even if it meant pushing people past their breaking points. He was willing to do everything to maintain the reputation of the firm.
That passion for excellence and dedication to provide the highest quality service is what attracted Olivia to this firm. She’d had several offers to work as a paralegal but no one that she interviewed with had made quite the same impression on her as Sam Carter.
As she prepared to head into her boss' office, she was terribly afraid that she’d done something wrong. The word around the office was that as long as you did what you were told and you always put one hundred percent into each case, you would be safe from his wrath.
Why was she getting called in now? Was he just trying to scare her, or had she actually done something wrong?
She could feel her legs shaking beneath her as she walked into her boss’ office. He was typing on his desktop keyboard and didn’t acknowledge her. She kept her eyes on him as she sat down. But he refused to look at her. A few moments of tense silence passed before Mr. Carter finally looked towards Olivia.
He leaned back in his chair and cast his eyes around the room. His calmness made Olivia even more nervous. She couldn’t figure out why he was doing this to her. She was more than willing to do anything he asked. There was no reason for him to treat her like this.
“So Olivia tell how these first few weeks have been for you.”
She swallowed hard and lowered her eyes. Carter’s intense stares always made her blush. His green eyes seemed capable of cutting into her soul. It was like he knew exactly what she was thinking as if he could read all of her emotions.
“Everything is going really great,” Mr. Carter’s, she said. “Thank you so much for this opportunity. I really appreciate it.”
When she’d finished speaking Olivia was nearly out of breath. She waited anxiously for him to respond. But another few minutes of uncomfortable silence passed before he said anything.
This made her tremble in her seat. He seemed so relaxed, too relaxed. Had she said something wrong? Had she come off as silly and naive? Did he not take her seriously?
“That’s good,” he said. “Very good. It’s not easy working full-time in a law firm for the first time. But I’m glad you don’t feel overwhelmed.”
“No, no, not at all, Mr. Carter. Everything is going great. I can’t wait to keep working and learning.”
Carter sat back in his seat and stared at the ceiling. “I’m currently looking for a very particular type of woman to perform a very particular type of task for me. I don’t want to get into any specifics right now. But I must admit that I have concerns about whether you will be able to fulfill this very special role.”
What concerns could he possibly have? Olivia wondered. She wanted to wait patiently for Mr. Carter to explain what he meant but she couldn’t control her anxiety.
“But I’ve done everything that’s been asked of me. What did I do wrong? I don’t understand. But whatever it is, I promise to never do it again.”
Carter seemed complete relaxed. It was as if he had her exactly where he wanted her. Olivia was far too flustered and wrapped up with her own emotions to notice that her boss was greatly enjoying the anxiety that he was causing. If she had noticed, it would probably just have confused her even more.
After a few moments, Carter got up out of his chair. He towered over Olivia. He was six foot three with an athletic, but not too muscular build. He had piercing green eyes and devilish smile. When he looked at Olivia, she could feel her whole body trembling. No man had ever looked at her like that before.
He began slowly pacing around the room with his hands clasped behind his back. This only served to heighten the tension in the room. Olivia was sitting on the edge of her seat. She was prepared for the worst. Maybe she’d had done something to disappoint him. Maybe she’d done something that would get her fired. But that wouldn’t make any sense, she said to herself. I haven’t done anything wrong.
“Like I said, you’ve been a good employee so far. But as I’m sure you can understand, good is not what we’re looking for here. Do you understand that?” he asked fixing his eyes on her.
Olivia lowered her eyes and looked away. She couldn’t handle the intensity of his stare.
Finally, she regained her composure and was able to answer. “Yes, of course, I understand that. As I
said before, I’m more than willing to do anything you ask of me. Anything.”
Carter seemed especially pleased with that answer. For a few moments, he rubbed his chin and seemed to be deep in thought, or maybe deep in fantasy was a better way to say it.
“Is that right?” he asked. You’ll do anything I say?”
Now his face beamed with satisfaction and a sense of control. That’s how he liked things to be in his office.
“Yes, sir, I mean…”
A sly smiled passed over Carter’s lips. “What did you call me?” he asked.
Olivia was confused. She stared at her boss with a bewildered expression. What had she done wrong now? Had she said something to offend him?
“What do you—”
He cut her off with a wave of the hand. “Did you call me sir? Were you going to call me Sir Carter?”
“No. I would never do that.”
“Why not?” Carter said sitting down on top his desk right in front of her.
*****
Her mouth had gone completely dry. Her tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of her mouth. This is not how she’d envisioned her morning going. She felt like she was under attack and had no way of defending herself. Yet at the same time, there was also something exhilarating about being in such an intimate encounter with her extremely handsome and sexy boss.
She admired how seriously he took the firm’s reputation. She admired that he wasn’t afraid to tell employees when he was disappointed. She’d learned that he could be just as generous as he could be critical.
If he was particularly pleased with someone’s performance, he would pay for them and their family to take a month long vacation to anywhere in the world. Olivia desperately hoped that she would be on the end of that sort of treatment one day. Yet here she found herself being scolded. And her boss was enjoying every moment of her discomfort.
As he questioned her, he kept his eyes locked on her. He watched every tick, doubt, and hesitation that passed across Olivia’s face. His intense eyes made her feel as if she were under a microscope.
“Do you have a problem calling me Sir Carter?”
Olivia stared at her boss without answering. She wasn’t sure whether or not she was about to walk into a trap. She wasn’t sure what all of this meant.
“Would that be a problem for you Olivia? Calling me Sir Carter in front of all the other employees?”
“No, that would be—”
Carter cut her off with a sharp stare. “What did you call me?”
“I meant Sir Carter, sir. Yes, I will call you sir around the office and in front of everyone whenever you want.”
“That’s good. That’s very good. Now get back to your desk. I’ll have more to say to you later in the day.”
*****
Once she got back at her desk, Olivia felt her heart racing. She was still trying to understand what had just happened. She knew that her boss had a reputation for being tough. But what he’d just put her through made no sense to her. She’d never heard anyone else around the office refer to Mr. Carter as sir. Why was she being made to do it? It would be so humiliating. In no time, people around the office would start talking. She would be the young, naive girl who let the boss push her around.
As she imagined the future humiliations she would suffer at Carter’s hands, she felt anger welling up inside her. She had the urge to storm back into her boss’s office and demand answers. This wasn’t right. This wasn’t the way employees were supposed to be treated, not even in law firms, which were notorious for their tough treatment of new employees.
Tough treatment was one thing. But creating arbitrary rules that didn’t apply across the board to all employees was just wrong.
For the next few hours, Olivia did her best to concentrate on her work. She had to prepare some important briefs and she knew that she couldn’t afford to make a mistake. Despite how hard she tried to concentrate, she couldn’t take her mind off the strange encounter she’d had with her boss. And every time she thought of it, her eyes drifted away from the paper work in front of her and back towards her boss’ office.
The blinds were pulled down and she couldn’t see inside. But on more than one occasion, she could’ve sworn that she saw Carter peeking from behind the blinds and staring at her. She wasn’t sure, though. Maybe she was blowing things out of proportion. Maybe she was imagining things.
Her boss’ door swung open and he marched out with hands on his hips. He casts his eyes around the room. Everyone had their necks bent over stacks of paper work. Everyone except Olivia.
Carter immediately noticed that his young paralegal seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. He stared at her suggestively and sauntered towards her.
Olivia didn’t notice him, until he was standing over her desk, looking down at her with a smirk. She felt her face flush. She lowered her eyes and looked away. Carter’s smile only grew broader.
“Is something wrong?” He asked. “You wouldn’t be over here surfing the Internet would you?”
Olivia looked up with fear in her eyes. She would never do something like that. The suggestion offended her. She cleared her throat and spoke up for herself.
“No, Sir. I’m completing the Johnson and Saunders case briefs. They are due this afternoon.”
When she’d finished speaking, she noticed that the smile had disappeared from his face. She immediately had the sense that she’d done something wrong but once again she didn’t know what.
“What did you call me?” He asked in a menacing voice.
Moments later she realized her mistake. She’d forgotten to address him as Sir Carter. Her eyes darted around the office. If she had to say it, she at least wanted to make sure that no one was listening to her.
“I’m sorry, Sir Carter. I made a mistake and it won’t happen again.”
A satisfied smile quickly reappeared on Carter’s face. “I don’t think I could hear you,” he said. “Would you mind speaking louder?”
Olivia almost choked when she heard that. He was actually going to make her call him ‘Sir Carter’ in front of the other employees? She couldn’t figure why he was playing these types of power games with her. She’d never done anything in the office to deserve this type of harsh treatment.
“I’m sorry, Sir Carter,” Olivia said. “I’m very sorry.”
“That’s better. But don’t let it happen again.”
“Yes, Sir Carter. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
“Good. Finish up what you’re doing and be in my office in fifteen minutes.”
Olivia bowed her head. Her tongue was stuck in her throat. She was too shaken up to speak. She would have to go back in his office. She was very worried about what he would make her do next. This is not what she’d signed up for and she didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to handle it.
She looked around the office to see if anyone else had noticed what had just happened. A few heads turned towards her then quickly turned away. She heard whispering coming from different corners of the room. She couldn’t make out what anybody was saying, but she was convinced that she was the topic of conversation. That sort of public scolding didn’t happen in this office.
*****
Fifteen minutes later, Olivia walked towards her boss’ office. She had a queasy feeling in her stomach. She had the urge to rush off to the bathroom. But she knew that any delay would only upset her boss even more. It would give him another reason to punish and humiliate her.
She gently knocked on the door. There was no reply. She raised her fist to knock again and the door suddenly opened. Carter stared at her coldly. “Come in and sit down,” he said.
Olivia felt a shiver pass through her body.
“As I began explaining to you this morning,” Carter said, “Good is not what we’re looking for at this firm. I have to know that everyone in this office is one hundred percent loyal to me.”
Olivia had the urge to blurt something out but she managed to hold her tongue. She
figured she would be better off waiting until Carter made it clear that he expected her to speak. Until then, silence would probably be her best option.
“Do you understand why that’s important?” he asked.
She shook her head yes, then cleared her throat. Now she knew that she had to either speak or risk angering her boss.
“Yes, Sir Carter. I understand. Completely.”
“I see that you’re starting to pick things up. But I want to be very clear, I expect you to refer to me as Sir Carter at all times. And I expect you to obey whatever demands I issue. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Sir Carter.”
Carter smiled then turned his back on her. Once again he appeared to be taking great pleasure in this game he was playing. It was clear that he intended to take things further.
“I know it doesn’t seem like it these days,” Carter said, looking down at his impeccably tailored suit. “But I’m actually much more comfortable in a pair of Wrangler’s, boots, and a ten-gallon hat.”
Olivia’s mouth opened wide in surprise. “A cowboy?”
Carter nodded his head up and down.
Olivia covered her mouth to keep from laughing. It seemed so strange to her. She would have never guessed that he was anything but a high-powered attorney. Apparently, there were more layers to him than she would have ever expected.
While Carter paced around the office in silence, Olivia trembled in her chair. She couldn’t remember ever having felt so small. Weeks ago, she’d thought that this job in a prestigious law firm would help build up her confidence. But now she felt every bit of confidence and self-belief being ripped away from her. This man was turning her into a groveling, subservient employee. She hated that feeling, yet at the same time she felt hypnotized by it.