by Harper West
From now on, I vet everyone who’s hired at my company.
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. Maybe this wasn’t who I thought it was. Maybe this new hire just looked like Becca. But, in the back of my mind, I knew that wasn’t true.
My past had finally found me again.
“Fucking hell,” I growled to myself.
I watched as a shadow came around the corner of the hallway before her figure appeared once more. She had changed so much, and yet not one bit at the same time. She still had her plump figure with thighs that never breathed since they constantly rubbed together. Her hair was still a wild mess of fly-aways at the crown of her forehead. She still couldn’t do her makeup and she still wore that stupid “deer-in-headlights” expression on her face.
Or maybe that was simply because she didn’t want to see me.
Just like I never wanted to see her, or that fucking sister of hers, ever again.
A knock came at my door and I called out to the person behind it, beckoning them to come into my personal space. I crossed my leg over my knee as the door eased itself open and I smelled her cucumber melon body spray even before she entered.
Is she really still wearing the same shit from high school?
“You wanted to see me before I get started, sir?”
Her voice. I’d never forget her voice. Light and sparkling, but with a strength beneath the tones of her voice that filled it out, like the way her curves filled out her clothes. I raked my eyes down her body, drinking in the woman she had grown into. But, as my eyes made their way back to hers, an all-consuming rage filled me from head to toe.
There’s no way in hell I can ever work with this woman.
“Sit,” I said, holding my hand out to the chair in front of my desk.
Becca paused for a second before closing my office door behind her and she did as I asked. I saw how nervous she was and that only served to fill me with glee. She needed to be nervous. Did she not do a lick of fucking research before applying for the opening of my business’s accountant?
Apparently not.
And I didn’t like someone who didn’t do their goddamn research.
As she sat there and stared at me, I found myself contemptuously hating her. Everything from her meek expression to her cheap clothes to her fucked-up makeup all the way down to her stained heels. I mean, did she fucking roll around in a sewer before appearing for her first day of work? Did this bitch not understand how to make a decent first impression?
I thought I had gotten rid of my rage a long time ago. But, as it washed over me and dragged me under, I had no idea what the hell to do with it.
And judging by the fear rushing behind her eyes, she had no idea, either.
“You’re my new accountant?” I asked.
She clutched her purse in front of her. “Yes, sir.”
Good. At least she knows her place. “Did you get the paperwork we mailed to you?”
She nodded. “Got it all filled out and sent back in.”
I typed on my computer to double-check and make sure we did get it back in, and we did.
“So,” I said as I leaned back in my chair, “what made you want to interview with my company?”
She swallowed hard. “Do you own the company as well, J—I mean, sir?”
My eye twitched. “Yes, Miss…?”
Her brow furrowed softly. “Becca?”
I nodded curtly. “Right, Miss Becca. Yes, I do own and operate the company at the highest level.”
She smiled softly. “Congratulations.”
“On what?”
The smile quickly faded from her apple-peaked cheeks. “Nothing. My apologies.”
I leaned forward, my stare burrowing into hers. “There are three things I’m legally supposed to state to new employees before they start their first day.”
“I’m all ears then, sir.”
“Wonderful,” I said as my hands settled on top of my desk. “One, interoffice relationships are forbidden. Period.”
“Of course. Yes.”
“Two,” I said as I leaned back again, “if you want to take time off, you have to put in a leave request at least two weeks in advance. Anything after that is automatically kicked back by the system.”
“Got it, sir.”
“And three, don’t get on my bad side. It’s rough when people get on my bad side. Just do your job, keep your head down, and don’t screw things up.”
She swallowed hard. “I won’t, you can count on that.”
“I hope so,” I said flatly.
She tilted her head off to the side. “Do you remember me at all?”
My eyes searched her face. “Can’t say that I do. Why?”
Relief rushed over her features before a smile crossed her face. “Nothing. Just—you look like someone from my past. But, I could be mistaken.”
“You probably are.”
She sighed. “Right, right.”
I can’t wait to watch your face melt into fear when I tell you everything. “Do you have any questions?”
She shook her head. “No, sir.”
“Then, get the hell out of my office and get to work. My secretary out there will show you to yours.”
Even though his secretary-slash-receptionist—whose name I found out was Lexie—led me to my office directly below JoJo’s, I couldn’t pay attention to a word she was saying. I mean, could it really be possible that he had no fucking clue who I was? Elation filled my veins. Hope puffed up my muscles and put a pep in my step as I stood in the middle of my gigantic office. I’d never had an office before, and the second his secretary left me alone behind its closed door I cupped my hands over my mouth.
Holy shit, I did it.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, then. I mean, I had an office directly below the top floor of one of the most prominent tech companies in the world. The man who made my life a living nightmare during high school had no recollection of who I was to him. And now, I had a blank slate of an office that I could decorate and bend to my will while getting a bird’s eye view of the financials of one of the tech giants in this country.
“I made it,” I said breathlessly.
“Knock, knock!” a woman sing-songed.
I whipped around and watched a bouncy, mousey-looking redhead fling open my office door. She wore a beautiful light green sundress with matching flats and the freckles that scattered themselves across her body only added to her bright persona. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me in for a tight hug as if we had known each other for years.
Then, she stepped back and stuck her hand out. “Hi! Sorry for the intrusion. I’m Brittney, and I’m the other accountant Mr. Ryker has on staff here at the company.”
I shook her hand as a smile crossed my face. “So, we’ll be working a lot together, then.”
“Mmmm, maybe not as much as you think. I make sure his taxes are all in line while you’ll be doing quarterly calculations for the board and things like that. But don’t worry. I’ll help catch you up and get you filled in so you can have a smooth first day.”
Happiness filled my heart. “It’s really, very nice to meet you, Miss--.”
She dropped my hand before waving hers in the air. “Mr. Ryker uses formalities, but not me. You can just call me Brit.”
I nodded. “Okay, Brit. It’s really nice to meet you. I’m Rebecca, though everyone usually calls me Becca.”
She smiled brightly. “Becca it is, then! So, Becca, do you have any plans for lunch?”
“I don’t, actually.”
“Well, you do now. Me and a couple of the girls from the H.R. department go out to lunch every day. We go to this cute little café where we can sit outside and have some coffee and enjoy the sunshine when it’s out.”
“That sounds wonderful, I’d love to come along.”
She backtracked toward my office door. “Great! I’ll come knock on your door around ten minutes to twelve, then.”
I nodded. “See
you then.”
She left my office and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone to digest how absolutely perfect this morning had gone. I walked over to my empty desk and tossed my purse on top of it before standing at the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the back of my office. I gazed out at Los Angeles, a city that was so far removed from my hometown of Peachland, North Carolina. And even though part of my past had followed me here, it seemed as if Los Angeles was determined to give me a fresh start.
Until a knock came at my door.
“Did you leave something behi--?”
“We need to talk,” JoJo said.
The growl of his voice whipped me around and I watched him charge me. Those steel gray eyes came alive with the anger that had haunted me all throughout my young adulthood and I found myself speechless as he planted his hands on either side of my head. With his body pinning me against the windows, I felt my heart stop in my chest.
And I watched as his eye twitched with fury. “Despite the professional relationship we now have, don’t you think for one second that I’ve forgotten what your family did to me. The humiliation they put me through and the broken heart I was left with. And if you think I could ever forget something like that, then you’re really as stupid as you were back in high school.”
Tears crested my eyes. “JoJo, I swear, I had nothing to--.”
He slammed his fist into the glass. “Call me that one more time and see what happens.”
I trembled in my heels as he slowly backed away. His stare slid down my form before he grimaced, as if my very presence disgusted him. And before he turned his back to me, his gaze met my stare one last time.
Before he stormed out of my office and closed the door silently behind him.
Okay, so he does remember me. Fuck.
But did he honestly believe I had anything to do with what happened to him all those years ago?
Keep Reading Now!
Grab Boardroom Bully Now!
Free Book
JOINING MY NEWSLETTER
HAS IT'S PERKS...
Want to join a group of people who love the same things you do? My Newsletter is the best place to be. There, you'll find Books and Freebies exactly to your taste. Plus, you get a free read just for joining.
No rules.
No expectations.
No shame.
Embrace your XXX side
Join Now
Also by Harper West
Gods of Galway Series (Contemporary Dark Irish Mafia Romance - Standalone Books):
1. Damon
2. Kilian
3. Coming End of July 2021
The Savage Revenge Series (Contemporary M/F Billionaire BDSM Romance Trilogy):
1. Boardroom Bully
2. Bedroom Bully
3. Coming August 2021
The Pleasure Wars Trilogy (Contemporary M/F Billionaire BDSM Romance):
1. The Dom’s Deal
2. The Dom’s Rules
3. The Dom’s Forever
Irresistible Billionaires Series (Standalone Menage Billionaire Romance):
1. Her Irish Billionaires
2. Her Bratva Billionaires
3. Her Country Billionaires
4. Her Hollywood Billionaires
5. Her Bourbon St. Billionaires
Countdown to Pleasure Series (Standalone Contemporary M/F Romance):
1. 7 Nights
2. 6 Weeks
Boxed Sets
1. 8 Hot Billionaires & Booklovers: A MFM Billionaire Romance Collection
2. 10 Hot Billionaires Volume One: A MFM Billionaire Romance Collection
3. 10 Hot Billionaires Volume Two - The Irresistible Collection: A MFM Billionaire Romance Collection
Satin Cages (Standalone BDSM club Reverse Harem/Menage Romance)
1. Bound by The Triple Dom’s
2. Spanked by Her Daddy Dom’s
Military/Navy Seal Romance
Their Forbidden Girl: A Stepbrother Navy Seal Reverse Harem Romance.
Standalone Novels:
Bitter Devil
The Dom and the Intern: A Dark BDSM Romance
The Big Bad Billionaires and the Student: A MFM Billionaire Professor Menage Romance
The Billionaires and The Author: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
Doubling Down in Vegas: A MFM Mafia Bad Boy Romance
The Pleasure Contract: A Reverse Harem Billionaire Romance
The Billionaires and The Bookworm: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
The Billionaires and The BookNerd: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
The Billionaires and The Librarian: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
The Virgins Double Tycoons: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
Seduced by Her Royal Dukes: A MFM Royal Menage Romance
Tempting Her Royal Princes: A MFM Royal Menage Romance
Given to The Mafia Bosses: A MFM Bad Boy Menage Romance
Training Their Virgin Assistant: A BBW Billionaire Menage Romance
The Billionaires Surprise Baby: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
The Nanny and The Billionaires: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
The Virgins Billionaire Bachelors: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
FREEBIE:
Shared by Her Billionaire Bosses: A MFM Billionaire Menage Romance
About Harper
Harper West writes Erotic Contemporary Romance featuring: Billionaires, Doms, Mafia Studs, Royals and so much more.
A Cali girl through and through, Harper loves visiting theme parks, traveling to the ocean and mountains in the same day, spending time with her kitties...and writing out all her wildest fantasies.
She believes that women should be free to enjoy their XXX side without shame, judgement, or rules.
And she writes stories that embrace that mantra.
Join my reader group!