2. Arabella
CHAPTER 2
Arabella
I ’m bone tired. Mr. Thorne is still out of the office. I’ve been working here for two weeks and have yet to speak to him on the phone, nor have I seen him. He sends me text messages of what he wants from me. The man is crazy and demands almost the impossible.
I sigh and rub my eyes, glancing at the clock. It's already past 8 PM, and I'm still at the office, trying to finish the impossible task Mr. Thorne assigned me just an hour ago. My phone buzzes with another message from him
Mr. Thorne: Need those reports by 9AM sharp. No excuses.
I groan inwardly. Does he think I'm some kind of machine? I've been working non-stop since I got here, and it feels like I'm chasing a ghost. A demanding, unreasonable ghost.
I don’t bother replying. Instead, I get to work, knowing that he’ll be pissed if these aren’t done. Mr. Thorne owns one of the biggest tech companies on the East Coast. He’s a big name in the tech world, from what I have researched. He’s also extremely private and illusive. There aren’t any pictures of him online. None at all. For a multi-billionaire, that’s almost unheard of.
As I pore over the spreadsheets, my eyes start to blur. The numbers dance across the screen, taunting me with their complexity. I reach for my fourth cup of coffee, the bitter liquid long since gone cold. Ugh, I can’t have another one. If I do, I’ll never sleep tonight.
I continue to go through the reports, ensuring that everything is correct. I’m a stickler for details, which is probably why Mr. Thorne hired me in the first place.
As I'm double-checking a particularly complex financial projection, I hear a noise from down the hallway. My head snaps up, and my heart suddenly races.
It's probably nothing, I tell myself. Just the cleaning crew? Or maybe it’s the old building settling. But at this hour? I glance at my phone. It's nearly midnight now.
The noise comes again, closer this time. It sounds like... footsteps? Slow, deliberate footsteps.
I hold my breath, straining to listen. The footsteps stop just outside my office door. The handle turns slowly, and the door creaks open.
A tall figure stands in the doorway, silhouetted against the dim light from the hallway. “Ms. Fox, is that you?”
I breathe a sigh of relief as I press my hand to my chest, hoping to ease my racing heart. “Jon,” I cry. “You scared the hell out of me.”
Jon shuffles into the room. He’s the night security guy. I’ve seen him a lot over the past two weeks. “I’m sorry, Ma’am, I didn’t intend to frighten you.”
I wave off his apology, trying to slow my breathing. "It's okay, Jon. I'm just a little jumpy. What are you doing here so late?"
Jon's weathered face creases with concern. "I could ask you the same thing, Ms. Fox. It's not safe for you to be here alone at this hour."
I gesture to the pile of papers on my desk. "Mr. Thorne's orders. These reports need to be done by morning."
Jon frowns, his bushy eyebrows knitting together. "That man... he works you too hard. I've been here for twenty years, and I've never seen him push an assistant like this."
I shrug, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. "It's the job, I guess. At least the pay is good."
Jon nods, but his eyes remain troubled. He glances around the office, his gaze lingering on the shadows in the corners. "Still, something doesn't feel right. I've been noticing strange things lately. Odd noises, doors left open that I know I locked."
I bite my lip, knowing that it’s me. “I’m sorry, Jon, I’m so sorry, I’m so forgetful at locking up and switching off lights when I’m finished. I didn’t mean to make you think something untoward was happening.” Christ, what the hell is wrong with me, scaring an old man? I feel terrible.
I watch as his body deflates. “Thank God,” he breathes. “I must admit, Ms. Fox, that I’m mighty relieved that it’s just you. I thought for sure that something evil was out there.”
I press my lips together, trying not to laugh. “Thanks for checking on me,” I say to him as I turn my gaze back to my computer screen. I really need to get these reports finished.
“No problem, just ensure that you finish up soon, tomorrow is a new day and Mr. Thorne is back.”
I nod, my fingers already flying over the keyboard. "I will, Jon. Don't worry." My heart stuttering at the knowledge that tomorrow I’ll be seeing Mr. Thorne. My nerves kick in and I begin to breathe hard. I listen to Jon shuffle back out of the office and I close my eyes, trying to calm my breathing.
What if Mr. Thorne hates me? I have a feeling he already does as the workload he’s given me is over the top. It’s as though he’s doing everything in his power to make me quit. Something I won’t be doing no matter how hard things get. This is my dream job; I just wish it were with a better boss.
I finally manage to calm the hell down and finish the reports. I email them all to Mr. Thorne, knowing that it’ll have the timestamp of when they were sent. I don’t care if the email wakes him; it serves him right for being an ass.
I shut down the office and hurry outside. I’m hungry and bone tired. I need food and sleep in that order. I’m already dreading tomorrow, but I’ll push through it. There’s no other option.
My hands are trembling as I stand in the elevator as it rises toward my office. I don’t think I’ve ever been as nervous as I am now. I’m twenty-four years old and have finally landed my dream job, but my boss is a grade A prick who seems to love causing me misery. But I’m stronger than this and I’ll do whatever it takes to succeed in life.
As the elevator doors slide open, my breath catches in my throat, and I am face to face with the stunning man who had captured my heart during one unforgettable night. "Tanner," I whisper, his name rolling off my tongue like a melody.
His eyes meet mine, dark and alluring, and I feel the familiar flutter of butterflies in my stomach.
Memories of our night together flood back, my stomach clenches and my panties are soaked as I remember the way he set my body alight.
“Mr. Thorne,” Jessa says, her eyes narrowed on me. Jessa is a leader in HR, she’s not a nice person, I knew that the first day I met her when she glared at me and sneered at my answers during the interview. Thankfully, I don’t have to deal with her on a daily basis, just seeing her around the office is enough to make me want to claw her eyes out at the way she dismisses me like I’m beneath her. “This is your new assistant, Arabella,” she says gleefully.
My world suddenly spins as the realization hits me. Tanner, the man who had given me the most passionate night of my life, is none other than my tyrannical boss, Mr. Thorne. The same man who's been making my work life a living hell.
I struggle to maintain my composure as Jessa introduces us, my cheeks burning with a mix of embarrassment and shock. Tanner's expression remains unreadable, but I catch a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
"Miss...?" He leaves the question hanging, clearly expecting me to provide my last name.
"Fox," I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. "Arabella Fox."
He nods curtly, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. "Welcome to the team, Miss Fox. I trust you received my email regarding today's tasks?"
I grit my teeth. The asshole hadn’t even thanked me for the reports last night, but when I woke at six this morning, I was greeted with an email that outlined what he wanted from me today.
"Yes, Mr. Thorne," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. "I've already started on the project outline you requested."
He gives a curt nod. "Good. I expect it to be on my desk by noon." His eyes flick to Jessa. "That will be all."
Jessa smirks at me before sauntering away, leaving Tanner and me alone in the hallway. The tension between us is palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife.
"My office. Now," he says, his voice low and commanding.
I follow him, my legs feeling like jelly. As soon as the door closes behind us, he turns to face me, his expression a mix of frustration and something else I can't quite place.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were during our night together?" he demands.
I blink, caught off guard. "I... I didn't know," I stammer, my cheeks flushing. "I had no idea you were Mr. Thorne. You introduced yourself as Tanner that night."
His eyes narrow, searching my face for any sign of deception. "And you expect me to believe that?"
"It's the truth," I insist, my voice stronger now. "I wouldn't have... if I had known..."
He takes a step closer, his presence overwhelming in the confined space of his office. "If you had known what, Miss Fox? That I was your boss? That our night together was a mistake?"
My breath catches in my throat. Was it a mistake? The logical part of my brain screams yes, but my body betrays me, responding to his proximity with a rush of heat.
"I... I don't know," I admit softly.
Tanner runs a hand through his hair, agitated. “It really does complicate things,” he says thickly.
"You think?" I can't help the sarcasm that drips from my words. "Look, what happened that night was... incredible. But it was also a one-time thing. We're professionals. We can keep our personal and professional lives separate."
He takes a step closer, and I have to force myself not to back away. The scent of his cologne—woodsy and intoxicating—fills my senses, bringing back vivid memories of our night together.
"Can we?" Tanner asks, his voice low and husky. His eyes bore into mine, dark with an intensity that makes my pulse quicken. "Because I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since that night, Bella." His gaze darkens as he looks down at me. “When I look at you, all I can think about is how you felt in my arms, the sounds you made when I touched you."
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way my body responds to his words, to his nearness. "Mr. Thorne, I?—"
"Tanner," he interrupts. "When we're alone, call me Tanner."
I shake my head, attempting to clear it. "We can't do this. You're my boss. It's unprofessional and?—"
His hand reaches out, fingers grazing my cheek so softly I almost think I imagined it. "And what about what we both want? What we both feel?"
For a moment, I let myself lean into his touch, my eyes fluttering close. I catch myself pulling away from his touch. "No, we can't," I say firmly, even as every fiber of my being screams for more. "This isn't right. You're my boss, and I need this job. I won't jeopardize my career for... for whatever this is."
Tanner's hand drops to his side, his expression hardening. "You're right," he says, his voice cold and professional once more. "I apologize for my inappropriate behavior, Miss Fox. It won't happen again."
The sudden shift in his demeanor leaves me reeling. I nod, trying to gather my composure. "Thank you, Mr. Thorne. I should get back to work on that project outline."
"Yes, you should," he replies curtly, turning away from me to face his desk. "And Miss Fox? I expect nothing but the best from my employees. Don't let our history affect your performance."
I nod stiffly, my throat tight. "Of course, Mr. Thorne."
As I turn to leave his office, I catch a glimpse of regret in his eyes before his professional mask slips back into place. The door closes behind me with a soft click, and I lean against it for a moment, trying to steady my racing heart.
Back at my desk, I throw myself into work, determined to prove my worth beyond any doubt. The project outline consumes my focus, but I can't shake the lingering tension from my encounter with Tanner. Every time I glance towards his office, I remember the heat of his gaze, the electricity of his touch.
But there’s nothing that could ever come from it. He’s my boss, that’s the end of it now. I have to focus on my career and what I have set out for myself to achieve. My dreams mean the world to me and I’m determined to reach each and every single one of them.