by A. L Long
“I think you should wear this.” Rade was standing against the doorframe of her closet holding up a black pencil skirt with a matching jacket and a pale peach silk blouse.
He looked magnificent standing there in a pair of pajama bottoms with his naked chiseled chest on full display.
Dylan looked at him grinning. “Don’t you know how to knock?” Even though this was his home and he looked really good standing there, he needed to respect her privacy.
Rade gave her a half smile. “I knew you were in the shower when I knocked, so I just let myself in. When I’d seen all the clothing sprawled on your bed, I thought I would help you out.” Handing the outfit to Dylan, Rade kissed her forehead and began walking to the door. “When you’re dressed, breakfast will be waiting for you.”
Dylan quickly got dressed in the outfit Rade chose and exited her bedroom. The smell of coffee and something absolutely delicious hit her senses. She was salivating at the aroma. If it tasted as good as it smelled, she would be experiencing another orgasm.
When Dylan got to the kitchen, a place was already set for her at the dining room table. A small bowl filled with a mixture of melons and berries topped with a dab of thick cream sat to the right, while a large plate with eggs Benedict, ham, and seasoned potato wedges sat in the middle.
Sitting at the beautiful presentation, she licked her lips. “This looks wonderful, but there’s no way I can eat all this.”
Rade looked at her with satisfaction, knowing she was pleased with his breakfast selection. “Eat what you can. I need to get ready for work.”
Not noticing it before, Dylan saw a small wrapped package sitting on the edge of the table. It was beautifully wrapped in silver paper and a perfectly tied green bow. “What’s this?”
Rade looked back at her. “Open it.” Not saying anything else, Rade left her holding the little package.
Taking a second to look at the box, Dylan carefully untied the bow and pulled the paper from the box. Once the paper was removed, she lifted the lid to find an expensive-looking smart phone. She didn’t know what to say. She turned her head, toward the direction she last saw Rade, only to find he was no longer there. Looking down at the phone she decided to turn it on. When it came to life, she saw a picture of Rade set as the wallpaper. This guy was really full of himself. How could he possibly think his picture was what she wanted to see when she turned her phone on? Even though he was gorgeous, she would have to change this, but for now she left it, at least until she figured how to remove it. Moving on to her contacts, she saw all her main contacts were displayed.
She wasn’t sure how he did it, but she was thankful she had them. Hearing a ping from the phone, it showed she had a text message. She wasn’t sure who it could be, but she opened it anyway. Opening it, she saw it was from Rade. You’re welcome. Dylan smiled to herself and began consuming the wonderful breakfast he prepared for her.
*****
Rade quickly jumped in the shower with a smile on his face. He knew getting Dylan a phone would make her happy. Luckily he was able to pull the SD card from her old cell phone. All her information was saved so it took no effort to get it transferred to the new phone. He probably shouldn’t have set his picture as the wallpaper, but he wanted to make sure it was him she saw the minute she turned her phone on. He also made sure his picture popped up whenever he called. Little did she know, she wouldn’t be able to remove it unless he authorized it. There was another added feature she didn’t know about. Rade had her phone cloned, which meant he could hear all her conversations and see all her text messages. There was also a built in GPS to track where she was at all times.
Finishing his shower, Rade hurried to get dressed. He opted for a gray suit, his usual starched white shirt, and a dark gray silk tie. He also chose to wear his silver onyx cufflinks and a pair of black Berluti buckle shoes. He was a perfect picture of power and wealth. He was never one to wear anything less than the best designer clothing, at least since he made his first million.
Walking back to the kitchen, Rade saw that Dylan was cleaning her breakfast dishes. Taking her plate, he said, “You don’t have to do that, I have a housekeeper that comes in on the weekdays to tidy up.”
When Dylan turned around to face Rade, she almost lost her breath. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. The suit he wore fit him perfectly. Definitely custom tailored for him.
Pleased by her gawking stare, he smiled. “Are you ready to go, Sweetness? Richard is waiting for us in the garage.”
Still speechless from his presence, Dylan looked at him, nodding. Grabbing his coat and briefcase, Rade ushered Dylan to the elevator as he helped her with her coat and handed her purse to her. He could tell she was dazed by his appearance. He loved it when he had that effect on a woman, which by his account was always, without fail.
Richard assisted Rade and Dylan into the car before climbing in. Dylan was nervous about her first day and what it would bring. She made a mental note to ask Veronica about her salary when she met with her. She hoped she didn’t jump the gun by putting down the deposit on the apartment she found, only to find out she couldn’t afford it.
“Here we are, Ms. Adams,” Richard commented, letting her know they were at her destination.
As Dylan reached for the door handle, Rade gently grabbed her arm. “I hope you have a good day, Dylan.”
Dylan hoped he couldn’t see the tension building inside her. “I hope so, too. This is my first real job and I want to make sure I do everything right.”
“You’ll be just fine, Sweetness. You’re a smart, intelligent woman. They wouldn’t have hired you if they thought you were incompetent. Call me when you get settled,” Rade assured her with confidence.
Dylan felt better with Rade’s words of encouragement. She knew he was right. They had faith in her based on her academic achievements. She just needed to have faith in herself. “Thank you, Rade. It means a lot to me that you think so.”
Rade couldn’t help but lower his lips to hers. He gently kissed her, letting her know she was going to be okay. Dylan was ready to exit the car when Rade placed something in her hand. “Here, you’re going to need this. It’s the key to the penthouse.”
Dylan took the key card, looking down on him. “Thank you.”
*****
As Dylan walked into the building, the same security guard was sitting at the check-in desk from the week before. He had been very friendly.
Looking down at his smiling face, she said, “Hi, I am supposed to begin my first day of work with Northgate Financial today.”
Greeting her, he replied, “They’re expecting you, Ms. Adams. Here is your corporate badge. It will allow you to enter the secure rooms. Congratulations on your first day.”
“Thank you so much… Mister Security Officer,” Dylan said as she took her badge.
“You can just call me Sam. Everyone else does,” he said with a smile.
“Sam it is, then.”
Heading to the elevators, Dylan gazed up to the high ceiling. She didn’t realize how amazing the lobby really was the first time she came. The ceiling must have extended at least five, maybe six stories high. There were so many windows bringing in the magnificent sunlight. She thought about how amazing it would look at night when the stars and moon reflecting through them.
Once inside the elevator, Dylan pressed the button to the twentieth floor. She hoped she could get in right away to see Veronica. She was pretty certain there would be a lot of paperwork since she was a new employee.
Walking to the reception desk, she was met with a smiling Alex. Today he was dressed in a checkered pink shirt, gray slacks, and a neon green bow tie. Even though his outfit didn’t match in the slightest, it looked good on him. Without a word, he rounded the desk and gave her the biggest hug she ever got from someone she barely knew.
“Oh my God, you look sinful. I knew the moment you walked in last week, you would get the job.” Alex hands were fluttering in front of his face as he tried to
keep back his emotions.
“Uh… Hi, Alex, good to see you too.” Dylan was surprised by his affection. Alex acted like Dylan was his long-lost friend.
“Um... Is Veronica available? I was hoping to speak with her,” Dylan explained once she righted herself.
“Absolutely, Chica. She’s waiting for you. Go ahead and go in. I’ll let her know you're on your way to her office.” Alex pressed a button on the phone to let Veronica know that she arrived.
As Dylan made her way through the frosted double doors, she saw Veronica standing outside her office door. Veronica was on her cell phone, but she waved her hand, letting Dylan know to come into her office. As Dylan passed her, Veronica ended her call.
“Dylan, please take a seat. There is so much we need to go over before you begin your day. We’re so glad to have you here.” Veronica showed a hint of excitement as she continued her spiel. “First of all, here are all of your temporary passwords for the computer systems. You’ll need to change them to your own once you log in. I also have a copy of the employee handbook for you. Make sure you familiarize yourself with it. I’ve also drawn up a contract, per the CEO, you will need to read and sign. Take your time reading it before you sign it. All of your employee benefits, compensation, and salary are outlined for you. If there is something you don’t agree with, let me know and we can work on getting the terms changed until you’re comfortable with them. I think you’ll be very pleased with everything the position offers. Do you have any questions before I leave you to it?”
Dylan took the stack of documents from Veronica. “Umm… not at the moment, but I’m sure I will once I’ve read through everything.” Dylan was overwhelmed by all the information handed to her. “I’ll just be in my new office, if that’s okay.”
“That would be perfect. Oh, and welcome aboard, Dylan.” Veronica stood as she shook Dylan’s hand.
Dylan left Veronica’s office on cloud nine. Even though she had a lot of reading to do, she was so happy she was finally part of something good.
Dylan opened the door to her new office. Even though her office wasn’t as large as Veronica’s, it was still pretty awesome. The office was furnished with a cherry wood desk and a built-in bookcase. Two chairs sat in front of the desk, also framed in cherry wood. To the left was a small conversation area with a couch and a couple of armchairs and a coffee table. She could see herself having many informal discussions there. When Dylan looked around the room, she laid eyes on a basket containing fruit and an assortment of chocolates sitting on the corner of the bookcase to the right of her desk.
Curious to see who it came from, Dylan walked over to the basket and pulled the card from under the cellophane held by a thick burgundy bow.
Ms. Adams,
From all of us at Northgate Financial, we would like to welcome you to our family. You are an important asset to our team.
Regards,
CEO of Northgate Financial and all its employees
This day couldn’t get any better for Dylan. She was beyond impressed by the welcome she received. With excitement, she took the stack of papers she was holding and proceeded to her desk. Sitting on the comfortable leather chair behind her desk, she began reading the employee contract first. Everything was pretty straightforward. It laid out the employee’s required conduct and expectations. So far there wasn’t anything out of line with their expectations of her.
When she started reading the information on her salary and compensation, she about lost it. She had to re-read it several times to make sure she read it correctly.
Executive assistants will be provided with a secure apartment that will be fully furnished for their convenience.
There will be an open-ended lease agreement to be signed by the employee stating that Northgate Financial will be responsible for the monthly lease fee. If the employee chooses to leave his/her employment or employment with Northgate Financial is terminated, it will be up to the employee to either vacate the apartment within 72 hours or extend the lease with a term no less than six months. The employee will at that time be responsible for the lease, which will consist of a security deposit of five thousand dollars along with the first and last month rent, totaling ten thousand dollars.
All of the utilities will be paid by Northgate Financial until either action from the above paragraph takes place. It will then be the responsibility of the employee to pay for these services shall he/she choose to stay.
The employee will also be provided a key card and a code to enter the building, elevators, and any provided facilities (i.e. pool, gym).
“Oh my God,” Dylan said out loud, realizing she might have been heard by the other employees. It was so unbelievable. Dylan finished the remaining section of the compensation and benefits, which explained her responsibilities as a tenant, set parking spaces, and workout facilities, which included the gym and the swimming pool.
As Dylan read on, she got to the section that discussed her salary. This was even more amazing than the first part of her compensation package. It was just too good to be true.
Executive Assistants will be paid an annual salary of $150,000.00 per year. Upon completing the 90-day probationary period, the salary will be increased to 175,000.00 per year.
Eligible employees will also be paid a yearly bonus. Such bonus will be based on the employee’s performance.
Dylan was speechless with the compensation and benefits described in the employee contract. The salary was over the top. She couldn’t believe her starting wage. There had to be a mistake. It had to be a typing error. Surly they meant $50,000.00 per year and $75,000.00 after the probationary period. She needed to talk to Veronica about this. If everything was correct, she couldn’t comprehend the possibilities. She would able to pay off her student loans, buy a new car. The list went on and on.
Still trying to process everything, she pushed from her desk and made her way back to Veronica’s office. When she got to Veronica’s door, she gently knocked. She could hear a faint voice from inside the office. She was ready to turn and leave when she heard her name.
“Yes, I have given Dylan the revised employee contract.” Dylan heard Veronica say before the conversation continued. “I’m sure she will be very happy with the terms. I just hope the other employees don’t catch wind of the inflated compensation.” What did Veronica mean by that? Dylan thought to herself. She was confused. Did they want her so badly that they were willing to paying her more than the rest of the Executive Assistants?
Dylan didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping, so she quietly went back to her own office, deciding it would be better to buzz Veronica instead.
When Dylan got to her desk, she scanned through the documents for Veronica’s extension. She was positive she saw an employee extension list. Once she located it, she dialed Veronica. Veronica answered and let Dylan know that she was free to visit with her.
By the time Dylan left Veronica’s office, she was more comfortable with the contract. Dylan signed it and handed it over to her. Everything in the contract was spelled out correctly. Veronica told Dylan a key card to gain access to her apartment, the elevator, and the main entrance would be ready for her by the end of the week. In the meantime, she wanted to schedule a showing with Dylan, so she could inspect the apartment herself and make sure it was to her liking. They scheduled it for tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. The apartment building was located only a short distance from Northgate Financial, but not within walking distance. She would need to get a transportation schedule or grab a cab to get there.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Rade was pacing the floor, wearing out the carpet. He wasn’t getting any work done given his hourly checkups on Dylan. Veronica relayed, in detail, Dylan’s activities throughout the day. It was almost 5:00 p.m. when Rade finally decided to contact Dylan himself. He requested she contact him when she got settled. He couldn’t wait any longer
“Hello,” Dylan greeted him with curiosity in her voice.
“Hey, Sweetness, I wanted
to know how your day was going and to see if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight.” Rade thought if he threw in the dinner request, she wouldn’t think he was checking up on her.
“My day has been amazing, Rade. I still can’t believe I got this job. It offers so much. I get an apartment and the salary is crazy good.”
Rade could hear the excitement in her voice. She deserved to be happy, considering everything she’d been through. He just hoped he wasn’t making a mistake by giving her so much. Not even the best companies in the world offered such a generous compensation package without the employee having some sort of track record and successful reputation.
“That’s wonderful, Dylan. Dinner will be a good way to celebrate then. I’m just leaving the office. I should be there in twenty minutes. Do you think you will be ready by then?”
“That’s perfect. I just need to make a few calls. I’ll see you then.” Dylan ended the call and called Lilly. She wanted to share her good fortune with her best friend.
“Hey, girlfriend, what’s up?” Lilly asked in her all-too-happy voice.
“Lilly, I have the most amazing news. As you know, today was my first day of work,” Dylan began.
“Yeah.” Lilly interjected.
“…. Well, the position comes with an apartment and a salary that… well, let’s just say, it rocks.”
“That’s great, Dylan. With everything you’ve been through, you deserve things to start going your way. How are things going with you and what’s-his-name?”
“Lilly, you know perfectly well what his name is. If I didn’t know better, I’d sense a little bit of sarcasm in your voice.”
“I’m sorry, Dylan. I don’t mean to be. It’s just that… I don’t trust the guy. He seems too good to be true,” Lilly expressed her concern.
“I know… sometimes he can be a little overprotective, but he has been really good to me. Things will get back to normal once I have my own place. Maybe we can go out and celebrate this Friday after I get off work. We could go to that new club Thrive again. Just you and me,” Dylan offered.