by Harper West
I shook my head. “You guys, we aren’t--.”
Kayla waved her hand in the air. “Bah, don’t sweat it. If you aren’t ready to say anything about it now, that’s fine.”
I sighed. “No, you don’t understand, Tommy and I aren’t--.”
Angelica poured me a drink and handed it to me. “He’s a great guy. A little pushy sometimes--.”
“You think,” I murmured.
Angelica giggled. “But he’s one of the good ones.”
I groaned. “We aren’t a fucking item, you guys. Seriously.”
Angelica paused before she smiled brightly. “You’re so cute when you’re shy, you know that?”
I looked over at Brit, but she simply shrugged. She sipped her sparkling cider like nothing was happening and it made me wonder what kind of friend she really was. I threw back my drink and let the burn trickle down my throat. How the hell I let two men close enough to ruin my life, I’d never know. But, I wouldn’t stand for this.
I wouldn’t stand for rumors like this in my place of work.
“I need to go talk to someone,” I murmured.
“Go get your man, girl!” Angelica exclaimed.
I glared at her over my shoulder before I whipped my door open. I stormed out, my head on a swivel as I made my way down to Tommy’s level of the building. It took me over thirty minutes to find that asshole, but when I did, he was laughing with some other guys in the lounge area on the main floor.
And their topic of conversation boiled my blood.
“I’m telling you guys, she’s a rock star in bed,” Tommy said as he sipped his soda. “I mean, if you haven’t been with a fat girl, you really need to try it. Never had better sex.”
His friends laughed and high-fived him and I felt my face burning with anger. I slammed through the door and watched Tommy’s eyes grow wide as his friends hopped out of their chair like I’d just shot a twelve-gauge in their general direction. And as my stare leveled with his, Tommy cleared his throat.
“Give me and missus a second, guys,” he said.
I giggled bitterly. “I’m not your missus.”
The guys looked at Tommy with a confused look on their faces, but he simply brushed them off. He waved his hand in the air, dismissing them like common peasants. I watched his three friends scoot by me, their eyes lingering on my legs a bit more than I would have liked.
But, once the door swung shut behind me, I cleared my throat. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Tommy slid his hands into his pockets. “Well, since everyone thinks we’re a couple, we might as well act like one. Right?”
I blinked. “You mean, they think we’re a couple because you’re telling them we’re a couple, when in fact we’re not. Right?”
He snickered. “I can’t help the rumors that spread around our place of work.”
“The rumors you started, Tommy!”
He shook his head slowly. “Don’t you raise your voice at me. I’ve done nothing wrong here.”
“Oh, so telling your bullshit friends about some nonexistent sex life we’ve got is not doing anything wrong? Is that what you’re telling me!?”
He took a few steps toward me. “Come on. Do you really hate it? I mean, men only talk about their sex lives if it’s really, really good.”
I balled my hands up into fists. “I’ll report you to H.R. for harassment of the highest degree if you don’t--.”
He leaned down into my ear. “And what proof will you hand over of this supposed harassment?”
I took a step back. “Fuck you and whatever mental illness has made you the sicko you are today.”
He chuckled. “Since you love playing hard to get, I got your address from the company employee database.”
I blinked. “You did what now?”
He slipped past me. “I’ll pick you up tonight around eight for our date. You owe me one anyway, remember?”
Tears rushed into my eyes as Tommy eased out of the room and I heard his friends clapping and whooping and hollering in the process. I looked up at the ceiling, refusing to cry over some sorry excuse for a man before I turned on my heels and made my way back to my office. I kept my head down, trying not to let anyone see exactly how distraught I felt.
And the second I sat back down at my desk, I noticed I had an email.
From JoJo.
Miss Becca,
Enclosed is a list of things the board needs from me in terms of financials. I want a polished PDF in my inbox and a paper copy on my desk by tomorrow morning.
J. Ryker
And as I sat there, reading the words over and over, relief washed through my veins.
I’d never been so happy to stay late in all my life. So, I tanked through the few things I had to get done and started on the painstaking process of appeasing the old, crotchety board of investors this company had. I buried myself in the numbers and the statistics. The projections and the bar graphs. While it was boring work, numbers made sense. Numbers had a clear-cut purpose and held no motive to screw those over who were using them. Numbers felt like home some days. Numbers helped to make things make sense.
I didn’t once look at the clock until after I had shot the electronic copy to his email, and I noticed it was eight-thirty.
Thank the Lord.
I printed out a hard copy and made sure all of the pages were in order before punching holes and sliding it into a navy-colored three-ring binder. I stood up and cracked my knuckles, allowing myself a moment to celebrate dodging Tommy with something I had been asked to do. Then, I gathered my things, locked my office, and started up the steps toward JoJo’s office.
And as I got up to his top floor, I noticed him leaving his office.
“Done for the day, too?”
He slowly looked over at me and I held up the binder.
“Got this for you,” I said confidently.
He threw his office door back open with a muted face. “On my desk.”
I scurried past him and set it in the middle of his pristine, sparkling desk before I booked it out of his office. And while I would have usually sprinted out of his presence, something in my head screamed for me to stick by his side.
So, I didn’t ignore the voice that had kept me safe my entire life. Instead, I used looking through my purse as an excuse to step into the elevator with JoJo.
While praying my gut was wrong as I felt his eyes boring holes into the top of my skull.
9
Jospeh
I clasped my hands in front of me as the elevator shot us straight down into the garage.
I clenched my hands until my fingertips went numb, then I started curling my toes just so I didn’t say anything.
Being trapped in an elevator with Becca was like being trapped in a dark room with my worst fucking nightmare, and all I wanted was to blow through the roof of our metal encasement and find any other way out of this damned building.
But, when the doors opened, there was a man in a suit standing on the other side.
“Figured I’d find you here,” the man said.
Becca snickered. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to pick you up for our date. When I went by your place and you weren’t there, I figured the Bossman here made you stay late.”
He works here?
I pushed my way out of the elevator. I didn’t care what kind of plans they had. All I cared about was getting home and--.
“Tommy, please stop this,” Becca said.
I slowed my walking as that name dawned on me. Tommy. As in, Thomas Lancaster? I’d had a couple of H.R. reports about him on my desk over the past year or so. But why the hell did I care? Sure, he flirted with the girls a bit too much. Didn’t we all whenever we were desperate to get laid?
“Come on, Becca, you know you want to come out with me.”
That statement halted me in my tracks, though.
“Tommy, cut it out, okay? We aren’t dating. We aren’t together. Just leave me alo
ne,” Becca said.
I peered over my shoulder as the shadows of the underground garage cloaked me. I watched that man keep in stride with Becca as she made her way up the row of cars. And as I watched that man follow her, I noticed something.
She was fiddling with her keys in her hand.
“Just one night, that’s all I’m asking. One night to rock your world and flip it upside down. I’m telling you, there’s a chemistry here.”
And at that statement, Becca whipped around. “The only chemistry here is me wanting to explode with rage every time you pop up. I’m sorry that I had to ditch our drinks when I had to work late that one night, but now I consider it a favor Mr. Ryker did me.”
He scoffed. “A favor? What the fuck are you saying?”
She stood her ground. “I’m saying that I want nothing to do with you. You’re a predator. You’re stalking me. You got my address out of my employee file for crying out loud.”
He did what?
And that’s when I watched him back her against a car. “Keep your damn voice down. You want me to get in trouble with--?”
I started walking toward them. “With whom, Mr. Lancaster?”
He quickly whipped around and tried to shield Becca, but I saw the fear in her eyes. The anger. The hesitancy. She was still fiddling with her keys, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was trying not to get into her car until he was gone.
And while I had a great distaste for her, no one in my company was going to act in such a poor manner.
Mr. Lancaster’s eyes grew wide. “It’s nothing. Just a couple’s spat.”
I peered over his shoulder. “Have you two declared your relationship with H.R.?”
Becca shook her head. “Nothing to declare, sir. We aren’t dating.”
“Shut up,” he murmured.
And that’s when I hovered over him with my briefcase clutched tightly in my hand.
“I’m very familiar with your antics regarding the women of my company, Mr. Lancaster. Aggressive flirtation and a hostile work environment? I now see where they get it.”
He scoffed. “Where who gets it?”
I set my briefcase down. “I’m only going to say this once before I fire you, so listen up: if you so much as breathe in the direction of a woman in my company without her permission again, you’re done. You hear me? I’ll make you pack your desk up so quickly it’ll make your head spin, and I’ll be sure to let anyone who calls me for a recommendation know exactly what goes on whenever you’re around.”
He clenched his jaw. “Yes, sir.”
“And in the meantime, if you so much as go near Miss Becca ever again I’ll blacklist you on this entire coast. You’ll be forced to move if you ever want a job in your sector again. So, straighten the fuck up and stop making me look like an idiot for hiring you.”
His eyes filled with anger. “Well, what if we have to work together?”
I chuckled. “Trust me, I’ll make sure that never has to happen.”
My eyes peeked back over at Becca and I saw confusion wafting over her face. I didn’t care, though. All I cared about was making sure she got out of here without him following her. The thought of anyone else having her, or taking her out, or generally demanding her presence made me sick to my fucking stomach. I hated her, sure, but that didn’t mean someone got to swoop in and turn her attention away from me.
I had more lessons to teach her, and I couldn’t if she was distracted by someone else’s dick.
Then, Mr. Lancaster smiled. “I see what’s going on here.”
“What’s going on here?” Becca asked.
Her eyes stayed locked with mine before I slid my gaze to my employee’s face. “What do you believe is going on in that twisted head of yours?”
He pointed his finger in my face. “Now, that’s enough. It is after hours and you aren’t my boss any—ow, ow, ow, OW! Holy fuck!”
“JoJo!”
I grabbed that fucker’s finger and twisted his entire arm behind his back. I slammed him against the car he pinned Becca to, causing the car alarm to start blaring while lights flashed. A little more torque, and I’d break the damn thing. But I felt the softest touch against my forearm. Warm, and comforting, and inviting.
And when I looked down, I saw her hand.
“Don’t. You know he’ll report you,” she said softly.
I gazed into her eyes before I released Mr. Lancaster. “I’ll escort you to your car.”
“The fuck is wrong with you, you maniac!” he exclaimed. “I’ll be reporting you to the damn police!”
I pointed to the security camera in the corner. “Then, I’ll make sure to release the footage of this incident. Complete with audio.”
Mr. Lancaster’s face dripped with disdain. “Fuck you.”
I grinned. “Not my type, sorry. Miss Becca?”
She nodded quickly. “Thank you for the escort.”
Then, I looked back over at a man I still wasn’t sure had a job at my company. “Get out of here before I call the police myself.”
And as I watched him run like a little bitch, my anger started to subside.
“Lead the way to your car. I’ll make sure you get out of here,” I murmured.
“Thank you, Mr. Ryker,” Becca whispered.
Then, it hit me.
Did she just call me “JoJo?”
Rebecca
The second I got into my car, I watched as JoJo closed my door for me. His eyes ran along my car, probably judging the rust along the edges and the dents and scratches it had obtained over years of wear and tear. I’d had this car since my beginning years at college. It had been a gift from my parents, and I had worn the hell out of it ever since. I struggled to catch my breath as my trembling hands gripped my steering wheel.
And as JoJo stood off to the side, he looked around before motioning me to back out.
“What the hell is he doing?” I whispered softly.
Still, I cranked up my car and eased out of the parking space. I looked around for any sign of a car pulling out with me in case Tommy the Maniac got any ideas. But, after pulling out of the parking space and throwing my car into drive, I putzed down the ramp and out onto the road.
Before turning left to head home.
“Holy fucking shit!” I exclaimed.
I slammed my hands against the steering wheel. I let out shriek after shriek to try and get my heart rate to climb out of the clouds. My eyes watered with tears of fear and shock and anger, and as my breathing grew more labored I pulled over onto the side of the road.
Before my hands clutched my heart.
“Dear God, I’m dying,” I choked out.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of my car. As traffic whizzed by, kicking up stale air that smelled like old diesel fuel and burnt rubber, I leaned against the hood of my car. I tried to catch my breath as my entire body shivered uncontrollably, and tears dripped onto the metal of my car like raindrops from the sky.
I’m going to owe him a favor after what he did for me.
And I dreaded the thought of how JoJo might cash that favor in.
As I leaned against my car, trying my best to slow down my breathing, I racked my brain for any and all ways JoJo could cash in on what had just happened. I knew he’d use it against me. I knew he’d find a way to make my life a living nightmare in the process. But there wasn’t anything I could do about it any longer.
And for some reason, that settled me down a bit.
“I can’t fix what I can’t control,” I whispered to myself.
I felt my heart rate slowly climbing out of the heavens as the shaking in my hands stopped.
“I can’t fix what I can’t control,” I said out loud.
I kept repeating the phrase over and over that my father taught me to understand from a very young age. He had always been a panicky person, so I utilized the techniques he taught me as I curled my fingertips into the top of the car.
“Five things I can see,” I said breathles
sly. “My car. My fingers. My nail polish. The hair on my knuckles. My bracelet.”
I cleared my throat and tried to make my voice stronger. “Four things I can smell. Uh, burnt rubber. Car exhaust. Rain clouds. My lingering perfume.”
My vision started to clear as I stood up straight. “Three things I can touch. My blouse. My skin. My hair.”
I raked my hands through my hair before I quickly dried my tears. “Two things I can… I can…”
Suddenly, it lifted. Just as quickly as it had come on, the tension in my chest left and I drew in a lung full of stale city air. I giggled with delight before I rushed to get back into my car and I kept my eyes on my rearview mirrors as I took the long way home. The last thing I needed was that pig-headed asshole to follow me home.
And yes, I mean both Tommy and JoJo.
In the midst of all the chaos I didn’t even hear my phone going off, and it wasn’t until I was inside the safety of my apartment that I checked my phone. I had seven missed messages from a blocked number, and the second I opened them that panicked feeling gripped my heart again.
Unknown: I’ve got your number, too.
Unknown: Your boss can’t keep you away from me. He doesn’t even work on your level.
Unknown: You can’t keep ignoring me, either. At some point in time, you have to talk to me.
Unknown: Would you just answer my messages, for fuck’s sake? All I want is to have a damn drink with you.
Unknown: Fine. You’re probably off screwing Mr. Ryker for helping you out anyway.
Unknown: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. I’m just upset. How is it that you stand me up, yet I’m the bad guy? All I want is what you promised.
Unknown: All right, I’ll stop for tonight. But don’t think we’re done talking. At the very least, you owe me a conversation.
I wanted to throw my phone against the wall, but the only thing stopping me was the fact that I didn’t have the money to replace my personal phone. Fucking hell, how did things get so out of control? I flopped onto my bed and listened to every sound coming up and down the hallway. For a second, the idea of getting a guard dog for my place made sense, and I wondered if it would help me feel safer.