HATE LOVE: A Billionaire Boss Romance

by Katie Ford

  “I’m excited to be here,” she murmured, jumping back when the mic howled alarmingly, but I shot her an approving look, encouragement in my eyes.

  “I’m excited to be here,” she began again, a little braver this time. “Again, my name’s Mia Smith. I’m the person who broke in as Anonimo a while back,” she said blushing, “and although it wasn’t the ethical thing to do, I hope you understand why I did it.”

  There was a pause as a couple people applauded. Taking a deep breath, Mia continued.

  “Even though I’ve only been here a short time, it’s obvious that what you all have is more than just a company. It’s community, and even family from Picto-Town’s lovely town square to the open working space where we are all equals. Tech Leads work right alongside Junior Engineers and interns, and that’s really inspiring.”

  Mia’s voice grew stronger as she spoke. “I’ve only been here one day, but I felt so welcomed right when I stepped in, and that’s a great way to start.”

  One of the front desk receptionists, Amanda, called out, “Welcome, Mia!”

  Mia giggled, blushing fetchingly. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

  A member of the audience whistled and then yelled, “Nice pic!”

  My beautiful brunette laughed.

  “Thank you, I think. You know, I never wanted to be Picto-famous, so that was kind of out of the blue.”

  Someone heckled spiritedly, “They all say that!” The crowd laughed.

  Mia giggled, but shook her head again.

  “No, I really mean it.” She took a deep breath, shooting me a sideways glance. “I never wanted to be famous, and the shot you saw was a random pic taken by a friend. I didn’t even have a Pictogram account at that time, to be honest,” she said wryly, but she continued, expression serious now. “However, I’m glad that it happened because it’s brought me here today with all of you. I’m proud to be the newest member of Pictogram, and I’m really committed to improving our product.”

  The hall erupted into applause, but Mia wasn’t done.

  “While I’m on a roll,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Could all the female engineers please raise a hand?”

  To Mia’s delight, half of the hands went up, and she smiled, beaming.

  “That’s wonderful. There are a lot of us. Girl Power!” was her rallying cry.

  The women in the crowd echoed, “Girl Power!” with quite a few fists pumping up and down.

  Whoa, this was getting out of control. On the one hand, I completely believe in feminism and women in tech, but on the other hand, I didn’t want a crazy rally during Mia’s first day either, filled with rabble-rousing and violence. So I stepped in then, grabbing the mic.

  “Hey all, thanks for welcoming our newest employee. She’s going to be fantastic, and our security is going to be out of this world with Mia working on our team. But time is money,” I quipped, “so let’s head back to work.”

  A couple playful moans rose from the crowd, but I shot a smile towards my employees, adding a pick me up.

  “Today there’s steak in the cafeteria,” I threw in. “On the house, as usual, the best prime Angus. And for those who are vegan, there’s some amazing Tofurkey dressed up just like steak. So let’s get cracking, Pictogram doesn’t run itself.”

  And with that, people started talking, turning away to go back to their desks.

  I looked at Mia appreciatively. “Hey, that went well, don’t you think?”

  She threw me a wry glance.

  “I guess you didn’t want me to scream ‘Fuck Brogrammers’ at your employees, hmmm?”

  I laughed because the brunette had read me right.

  “Yeah,” I replied. “You’ll see what it’s like to work in a corporate environment. Sure, we’re relaxed,” I said gesturing to the open desk plan and casual clothes, “but this is still a company with lawyers ready to jump on your back at the least little infraction. As you can tell, I’m in hot water big time.”

  Mia nodded, looking down for a moment before taking a deep breath.

  “I’m really sorry, Theo,” she said, brown eyes meeting mine. “I know that these problems are because of me, and when I hacked in as Anonimo, I had no idea that this would happen.”

  “You mean no idea that the board would get on my back for a bunch of orgy pictures?” I replied wryly.

  She took another deep breath before nodding.

  “I guess I always figured that this was your company, and you were the boss. Nothing happens unless you want it to, so I didn’t realize,” she said a little miserably. “The board and all these corporate ramifications never entered my calculations.”

  I nodded, understanding.

  “Yeah, being a CEO is a lot more complicated than it looks. From the outside, it seems like I call all the shots as a dictator, but with a company as big as Pictogram, it’s not true. We have a board that acts as a counterweight so that no one gets away with murder. Plus, we have an army of lawyers and compliance people, making sure that this and that regulation are followed. It’s just the way business works, sweetheart. You’re a student and frankly, most hackers have no idea the consequences of their actions.”

  Mia nodded solemnly.

  “I’m sorry Theo,” she repeated in a low voice, cheeks flushed. “I had no idea.”

  And her apology touched me. Because brogrammer culture is real, an intense, high-energy environment, no one ever apologizes. Instead, people gloss over errors, trying to blame it on other factors. So Mia’s heartfelt apology really made a difference. This was a girl who was genuine and real, bringing a sense of responsibility and ownership to the process.

  “It’s fine,” I said roughly. “I can handle it. I’ve been in the hot seat for a long time now, so trust me, this too will pass.”

  She looked at me then, her caramel eyes shining. “Thank you, Mr. Wainwright,” she said, her voice clear and true. “I think this is going to work out just fine.”

  And with that, we gazed at one another, our environment collapsing until it was just us once again, everyone else disappearing into the mist. Because this girl was a dream come true – a natural beauty, casually clad in sneakers and jeans, with a plump form like Venus rising from the waves. But also smart, with the brains to challenge any brogrammer here.

  And best of all, Mia was humble. She knew when she was out of her comfort zone, and wasn’t afraid to admit it. That took guts in this culture, where everyone’s always trying to one up each other.

  I took her small hand, uncaring that other people could see.

  “We’re going to make this work,” I said, my words rough and genuine. “You and me, sweetheart.”

  And the smile that crossed her lips made my heart thump.

  “Absolutely, Mr. Wainwright. We can make it happen,” she murmured with a smile.

  And shit, but my world stopped then. Because within a few weeks, this brunette had transformed my outlook on life. After a couple false starts, it was clear that she was the real thing with a generous heart, and spirit. Because Mia Smith, aka Anonimo, aka the latest Picto-famous It Girl, had somehow hacked her way into my heart.

  Chapter 7

  Mia

  I’d started my first day at Pictogram wary of seeing Theo again. After all, what if he pretended that nothing had happened? What if I was just another notch on his bedpost?

  But that wasn’t the case at all because the moment our eyes met, the sparks were there. It hadn’t been a dream. It hadn’t been the fantasy of a Cinderella who’d lost her glass slipper. The electricity between me and the CEO was real, and we ended up going at it on his desk. During my first day. With people outside the office.

  Oh god. How did I become this wanton? Just weeks ago, I was a shy virgin spending days and nights in the computer lab, pasty and pale from never getting outside. And yet now, Theo and I were locked in some type of feedback loop that made me shiver both emotionally and physically. I wanted more, more, more of him, so much that even now, my brain and body throbbed.


  Theo Wainwright. How did he do it? The billionaire was magnetic, charming, and impossible to deny. I guessed that was how he got to where he was, by being all those things and more.

  I smiled to myself, feeling warm from the inside out. Because suddenly, this job just got ten times better, the CEO at my side. Plus, my welcome at Picto-Town had been a surprise. I hadn’t been sure what my new co-workers knew about me, or what their reaction would be when they found out I was Anonimo. I’d just caused them a huge headache, after all, and maybe they wanted to bury me before we even started.

  But going on stage with Theo had been amazing because instead of getting booed like I’d half-expected, they were cheering my name.

  That was real strength. Acknowledging your weaknesses and welcoming a competitor because she’d make your team that much stronger.

  Not just any competitor too, but a woman – a female hacker who’d already breached your systems.

  So filled with the warm fuzzies, I went back to my desk feeling empowered. I didn’t want to let Pictogram down. Anonimo had set out to destroy the company, but by being here, I was Mia again and not just some faceless hacker. This was a community I wanted to invest in, and not the other way around.

  A purple haired girl strolled over to my desk, clutching the Marc Janow ad in her hand. “Mia?”

  “Hi!” I said with a friendly smile. What now? The girl was so cute, dressed like a classic computer nerd. She had on a black t-shirt with a black Javascript logo. Her flared tulip skirt was a perfect mix of casual and hip, finished with cute kicks. I’d never looked so stylish in my days as a programmer.

  She pushed her glasses up with her bright neon blue nail.

  “Hi, I’m so glad to meet you. My name is Sophie. I’m on the front-end team. I just wanted to say how inspirational you are.”

  “Thanks,” I said, smiling. “I like your shirt, by the way.”

  She looked down and laughed.

  “Thanks. I’ve got so many free t-shirts like this from conferences and hackathons, it’s pretty crazy. I should buy some real clothes for a change.”

  “Me too,” I replied cheerfully. “But free is always good.”

  We both burst into laughter then because free clothing was a thing for engineers. A lot of people wore free stuff from their companies even when their options were worth millions. So to see the Javascript logo was a bonding point, especially since I was really good with Java.

  And suddenly, I thought about Jill. Jilly has been my partner in crime since the beginning, screaming eff you at all those brogrammers. Jilly would like it here with the Amandas and Sophies who were competent, yet cool. Jill would be relieved to find some women just like us.

  At that moment, another woman holding an adorable brown yorkiepoo in her arms came over. “Mia, you are so inspirational to women engineers everywhere,” she said, smiling. “I’m Eunice from the data algorithms team, and this is Mr. Dooey.” She ruffled the dog’s fur.

  Mr. Dooey? What kind of name was that? But I smiled my welcome.

  “Thanks,” I replied. “Glad to be here.”

  Sophie’s voice dropped to a whisper then, her eyes looking around.

  “Can we let you in on a secret, Mia?” she said confidentially. “It isn’t just that you broke through the security weaknesses in Pictogram, you also exposed Theo for who he is. A total player.”

  I frowned on the inside, but tried to keep my expression neutral.

  “Oh? What do you mean? I thought everyone knew he got around?”

  Eunice, stroking the yorkiepoo, mused, “Yeah, everyone knows, but you brought it to life with those orgy pics. I mean, he runs through those poor models like he’s trying to win a relay race.” Her cute little dog yelped as if in agreement, panting with its mouth open. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Dooey?”

  Sophie giggled. “It was all conjecture before. You know, rumors? But you found the truth, Mia, and those pictures made it concrete. Ha. Serves him right!”

  Eunice leaned closer, whispering confidentially again. Clearly, these ladies had no idea that Theo and I had had two passionate sessions by now.

  “Not that he has ever inappropriately crossed the line with any of his employees,” she said. “But those poor women. They were nothing to him, just big zeroes.”

  I tried to laugh it off.

  “Well, from what I saw in the photos, they weren’t exactly victims. The girls seemed to be having a good time.”

  Both Sophie and Eunice giggled in unison then.

  “That’s true. Some of those girls were in a lot of pictures from different sessions. They clearly went back for more.”

  I nodded before taking a breath to speak.

  “I appreciate your comments, but in all honesty, that’s not why I did it.”

  The women’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

  “It isn’t?” asked Sophie, brows wrinkling in confusion. “Then why? Was it just for fun? Lots of hackers do stuff just to be annoying, but posting those orgy pictures was pretty far out.”

  I took a deep breath.

  “I know, but it was a weird revenge of sorts. I was really mixed-up myself, to be honest, because I never wanted my Marc Janow photo to trend. I never wanted to be Picto-famous or any of that. All I wanted was to be left alone, and that was taken out of my hands when Mr. Wainwright sold my photo.”

  Sophie called up the ad campaign on her phone.

  “Honestly, it’s an amazing shot,” she said, nodding with appreciation. “We love it. I love it because it shows your power as a woman.”

  Eunice agreed. “Power as a female programmer too. That’s really rare.”

  But I wanted to make them understand.

  “I totally get it, and I’m happy it’s had this result, but honestly, I never intended it to blow up like this,” I explained. “My best friend Jill and I were goofing around on a sunny day, that’s all. But when Mr. Wainwright sold my image, I lost my privacy in one fell swoop.”

  Both women nodded in agreement.

  “Yeah, that’d be rough if you didn’t see it coming,” Sophie mused, slowly shutting off her phone.

  “Now that you’ve phrased it like this,” Eunice agreed. “I don’t feel sorry for our fearless leader anymore. Maybe he had it coming. Karma can be a bitch, and you can’t be a player and never get burned. That’s just not how the world works.”

  On the one hand, I appreciated their words because they were the words of female solidarity. But on the other, I wasn’t convinced because what I’d done was pretty heinous. There was a big difference between my Marc Janow sassy pose and nude orgy photos. Player or not, should the press vilify Theo for having sex with willing super models? Did he deserve the severe punishment Anonimo had doled out?

  So I tried to change the subject.

  “How is he as a boss?” I said curiously. “Nice? Mean? Easy to work for, or hard?”

  Sophie sighed. “Both, if that makes sense. Theo is awesome because he works harder than anybody here. If you’re working fifteen hour days, then he’s working twenty. Plus, the man is dead serious about equal pay and equal work for men and women.”

  Eunice nodded thoughtfully.

  “Yeah, he’s a pretty decent guy, championing female coders and even pregnant coders, if you can believe it. Most men shy away from ‘women issues’ but not this guy. There are good benefits here, and six months of paid maternity leave although the company actually doesn’t have to offer anything by law.”

  Man, that was eye-opening. Paid maternity leave is almost pure overhead for corporations because a woman gets full salary although she’s out. So I respected Pictogram’s female-friendly stance.

  “Plus, Mr. Wainwright funnels a considerable amount of money into coding programs for underprivileged kids,” Sophie added helpfully. “A real do-gooder in some respects.”

  Crossing my arms, I said thoughtfully, “So basically, aside from sleeping with an obscene amount of women, Theo Wainwright is an otherwise good guy.”

/>   Eunice and Sophie shared a glance before speaking in unison.

  “Kind of, yes.”

  And my heart thrilled because these women wouldn’t lie. I was the It Girl famous for giving the middle finger to brogrammers, so they’d tell me if Theo was horrible. And yet, they were saying the opposite. My lover was fair and kind, even considerate to some extent.

  Suddenly, I felt awful for exposing Theo like I had. Just because I’d been upset about my photo going viral and being snatched up by Marc Janow without my knowing didn’t mean he deserved to have his private affairs out in the open.

  Shit. I’d acted just like the teenage boy who lives down the street, trolling for dirty photos with no idea of what he’s doing or the harm he’ll cause. I was no better than a child in some respects.

  And now, with more information, it was clear the attack had been unwarranted. The news was skewering Theo, but in truth, the way he treated women off the clock was unrelated to how he treated women at work. People have personal lives and professional lives, and unfortunately, in this case the wires had gotten tangled.

  Sophie laid the poster on my desk. “I know you hate this photo, but…” She paused with a beseeching smile. “Do you mind signing it?”