Ten
L eaving the conference room feels like stepping out of a sauna. The air hits me and I realize how hot I was in there. What was that? The way he looked at me was beyond intense, and while I want to be mad about it—I wish I was disgusted by the way his eyes gravitated to me and refused to look away—I honestly can't explain my emotions. I dislike how he embarrassed me in front of my coworkers, but the way he looked at me nearly overshadows it. There’s just something so hypnotic about his gaze—the way his jaw flexes as he stares. It’s like being locked in place by invisible hands that don't allow me to do anything but stare back … but fuck him for making me look bad, and fuck him for the idiotic idea of working with a known criminal.
Rome’s plan of pursuing a new contract with Golden Diamond casino is beyond insane, and it’s about so much more than Sandcastle’s history with finding local companies as partners. Going for a bigger clientele isn’t a bad thing, and I’d almost expect it from him since he admitted that he’s competitive and ambitious during his introductory meeting yesterday. But attempting to team up with people we know are sketchy is not a good idea, and no smoldering look will ever make it one.
After taking a quick second to gather myself in front of the conference room door, I bite my lip as frustration grows in my chest. I’m so annoyed by everything that just went down that I need to let it out. I have to talk about it with someone who I know will understand and be supportive of my feelings, and there is only one person working at Sandcastle that fills that role.
“You won't believe what just happened in there,” I say to Jeremiah the second I reach his cubicle.
He's facing his monitor, so he never had a chance to see me coming at all, which leads to a wide-eyed, bewildered expression as he spins his chair around. His clean-shaven face looks up at me with a furrowed brow as his cup of coffee steams behind him on the desk.
“Now you know it’s too early to come over here confusing me, Nia,” he says, slow-blinking like he’s too tired to stay awake.
After a sigh, I reach around him and grab his coffee, forcing the cup into his hand. “Then drink this and wake up, because I have to tell you how our first meeting with Mr. … Rome went.”
“Rome? Y’all on a first name basis now?” Jeremiah asks before carefully sipping from his Sandcastle mug.
“Apparently, because he demanded to be called by his first name,” I explain. “He even had a little attitude with Sierra and me about it.”
“Oh, for real?”
“Yes, and that’s only the half of it,” I continue, my annoyance climbing and raising the volume of my voice without me knowing it. “I think the asshole vibe has been confirmed. This man is off the chain.”
Jeremiah frowns like he’s disappointed. “Seriously? Goddamn it. The last thing I wanted was for Mr. Thomas’s replacement to be a pain to work for.”
“Then you better buckle up, because not only is he an ass, he’s also so ambitious that he’s willing to risk Sandcastle’s doors closing so he can work with Nix-fucking-Malone.”
Jeremiah nearly spills his coffee from sitting up so fast. “What?”
“Yeah, you heard right. Nix Malone is having a new casino built in Center City—you know, with his blood money—and Rome wants us to pursue the ad contract. He even wants us to do pitch wars to see who will be lucky enough to go meet Nix Malone in person to pitch our idea. The man is crazy.”
“Does he know who Nix Malone is?”
“That’s exactly what I said! Apparently he does, he just doesn't care. He says everything we know to be true about Nix and Solomon—everything all of us practically grew up hearing—are just rumors. He thinks because they have never been indicted that they must be good businessmen. When I mentioned their known illegal activity, he chastised me and threw Mr. Thomas’s indictment in my face in front of everyone in the room. It was humiliating, so now I have to call Jaz and have her come slash his tires for trying to make me look like an idiot in front of my peers.”
When I finish ranting, I look down at Jeremiah and find him frowning at me.
“What?” I ask with raised hands.
“Damn, girl. He has you wound up tight ,” he says playfully.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’ve never seen you this amped up after a staff meeting before,” he expounds. “He wants to pursue bigger fish. That’s not the worst thing in the world, although it’s crazy to team up with Nix Malone. But why are you so personally bothered? You're damn near sweating just standing here.”
I sigh and roll my eyes. “I’m not personally bothered . I just don't like the way he talks to people, or how he looks at me.”
“Looks at you? Oh, wait. Is he a perv?”
“No, it’s not like that ,” I try to explain, but the words won't align right inside my head. “He just … he has this way of looking at me that … fuck, I don't even know.”
Jeremiah’s eyebrows rise so high I think they’ll float off his face.
“Oh, you like it,” he says.
My brows nearly touch from furrowing so hard. “What? No I don't. I hate it.”
“But do you, though? You might be able to lie to anybody else in this building, but don't forget that I know you, girl. I know exactly what you're into, so don't play. He's so fine that you're feeling some type of way when he stares at you, huh?”
I roll my eyes again, harder this time to really be convincing. “Oh my god, shut up. Okay, yes he is gorgeous—annoyingly, breathtakingly, frustratingly gorgeous—but that doesn't mean anything. He’s my boss, and I had a great time with Marcus at King’s Cage last night. So, you can just chill with all of that. I don't like being stared at, I don't like being put on blast, I don't like the idea of crafting a pitch to work with a criminal, and I don't like Rome . If I’m feeling any type of way, it is all of those things rolled together. Got it?”
“I got it,” a voice replies, but it’s not Jeremiah’s. I look down at him and realize he’s staring blankly over my shoulder.
My heart beats like a military drum as I slowly turn around and let out a quiet groan as I come face to face with Rome.
His light brown eyes connect with mine once again, sucking the air from my lungs and putting me right back in the sauna.
“Mr. … Rome,” I stammer like a complete idiot who is definitely about to be fired.
“Mr. Rome? That’s a new one, but Rome will do just fine,” he says calmly— too calmly. He’s absolutely about to fire me.
“Rome … umm … what’s up?” I ask, doing my best to play it all off and hoping he didn't hear any of what I just said.
“Oh, nothing much,” he answers. “Just standing here listening to you. You have quite a lot of feelings about me … and the meeting we just had.”
Fuck. That’s it. It’s over. I just ruined my career over a sharp gaze and Nix Malone.
“Oh my god. Rome, I’m so sorry,” I say with as much sincerity as I can muster.
Rome raises a hand. “No, there’s no need to apologize. I could tell you were frustrated in the meeting so I came to make sure you were okay. Clearly you're still upset, which is unfortunate. However, it’s important that you remember what I said back there. If my idea about Golden Diamond doesn't pan out, it’s not on you. If I’m wrong about Nix Malone, that’s not on you either. This is my plan, and it’s your job to buckle up and go along for the ride the CMO puts you on. So, there’s no need to be so affected by it. You voiced your opinion and feelings to me in front of everyone—which I admire—now all you can do is go along with it. It’s not personal, so let’s not make it seem that way. Okay?”
I hesitate a moment, waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Rome to laugh as he loudly terminates my employment right here in front of Jeremiah. But he doesn't. He just stands there, waiting for me to answer him.
“Okay,” I reply softly. “Thanks for your understanding.”
“You’re welcome,” he says. “Thanks for your honesty in the meeting. However, it’s also important that you know I don't like being talked about behind my back. I know I’m the boss, plus I’m literally the new guy here, so it’s bound to happen. But I don't like it. If you have something you want to say to me, come say it, just like you did in the meeting. Just remember what I told you about me being the boss. In fact, let’s make sure you don't forget it. Now tell me, Nia, who is in charge?”
I swallow hard, mortification gripping me by the throat. “Y … you are.”
He nods, licking his pink lips. “Say it again.”
Our eyes lock together, and I swear to God, everyone in the bullpen fades away. The walls turn black as all sound disintegrates into nothing. All I can see is him as he stares at me, never once focusing on anything else. So many men have trouble maintaining eye contact, but not Rome. He blinks as though he is unbothered, but he doesn't look away. It’s like I’m the only person in the room to him, and suddenly my embarrassment turns to something else entirely.
“You’re in charge,” I repeat with a shaky breath. My body fizzles like a freshly opened soda, and I'm suddenly ready for him to drink me.
One side of Rome’s mouth pulls up, and I think I’m about to see him smile for the first time, but he pushes it away.
“Good girl,” he says, pulling a gasp from my throat and intensifying the gravity in the room before continuing. “As long as you can remember that, I think we’ll be fine. I also have faith in you, Nia. I think you're going to do great with this pitch, and I very much look forward to hearing what you come up with to land this client. Be as passionate as you clearly are, and you can’t go wrong. I believe in you, so go get it.”
“Yes … uhh … thank you,” I stutter, totally shocked and disoriented by how all of this just went down.
Rome performs his signature head nod and turns on his heel, walking away without looking back.
I stand there for a moment in complete disbelief. The carbonation of my insides slowly fades away as I stare at the ground, shaking my head before turning around to see Jeremiah’s astounded face. His mouth is open, his eyes wide and twinkling like starlight.
“Can you believe that?” I ask before letting out a breath.
Jeremiah’s eyes somehow grow wider. “Can I believe how unbelievably intense, unnerving, and hot that was? Uhh, no I cannot.”
“ Hot ? What are you talking about?”I inquire, but I already know exactly what he's talking about.
“Don't play with me, Nia,” he says. “We both know what I’m getting at. I know you saw that. Shit, I know you felt it, because I wasn't even involved in the convo and I felt it.”
“Felt what ?”
“That not only are you into him , completely and easily excited by the way he talks to you and carries himself,” he says. “But, from where I was sitting during that little exchange, he’s into you, too.”
“Oh lord,” I force myself to say with another eye roll. “I don't have time for this. I have work to do, and so do you. We need to research Nix Malone, his restaurant called The VP, and every detail we can find about Golden Diamond, so that we can put together a pitch. I’m going to focus on that and nothing else .”
Jeremiah nods slowly, his lips pursed before saying, “Whatever you say.”
I force a smile as I turn around and walk into my office, but when I sit down at my desk, I don't even touch my computer. I sink into my chair and stare into space as my mind struggles to think about anything other than Rome and the way he just spoke to me. He made me say that he’s in charge, he had me repeat it, and he called me a fucking good girl. Suddenly I’m not thinking about the meeting at all because he has put something entirely different on my mind.
I don't know how or why, but my new boss is giving off some very powerful Dom vibes, but I know I must be looking too far into it. Surely I’m just projecting my ideas of the perfect Dom onto him because he’s so attractive and in a position of power. That’s clearly the case, because the chances of him being an actual Dominant are slim to none. There’s no way he is into the lifestyle.
No way.