Chapter 5
5
There was nothing marshmallow about Reuben Jones.
Faith now knew why all those other assistants had quit. No money was worth putting up with his grouchy ass.
Unless you were broke and desperate like she was.
Still, she was shocked she’d lasted the whole week.
He was demanding, he was bossy, and he was a perfectionist.
And the worst thing of all?
He had every right to be annoyed with her. Because she was terrible at this job. She couldn’t seem to get anything right.
Including making coffee.
“But today, Estelle, I’m determined to conquer you.” She glared at the coffee machine. “We’re not in gym class anymore, so you can’t make me do fifty sit-ups just because I failed to walk across the beam without falling. Nope. Now, I’m the boss of you!”
Yes, she’d named the coffee machine after her high school gym teacher.
She thought it was fitting since they were both sadistic and mean.
Pulling out the manual she’d found, she slid her thumb into her mouth as she read through it. When she realized what she was doing, she hastily drew it out.
Shit.
Sucking her thumb was something that had been happening more frequently lately. For some reason, her Little side kept sneaking out without her consent.
Which wasn’t cool. Her Little couldn’t go breaking the rules like that.
Bad Little. Bad!
She didn’t need to give Reuben an excuse to get rid of her.
She was pretty sure that Reuben had wanted to fire her at least once a day since she’d started. But for some reason, he was holding back.
Maybe he was a sadist like Estelle. Or was it masochist?
“Okay, Estelle, listen up, you . . . you turkey. You’re going to let me make a latte, and you’d better not spit or scream at me, understand?”
Estelle didn’t say anything.
She never did.
Rude.
Reuben stood in the doorway, watching her in shock.
Had she really named the coffee machine? And was she talking to it like she thought it might answer back?
Fuck. He should have gotten rid of her that first day when she tried to poison him. But after getting over the shock, he’d realized how hurt and upset she’d been.
He hadn’t actually meant to react like that. Sometimes, when he was deep in his work, he didn’t really pay attention to what was going on around him.
But now she had his attention.
Had she just been sucking her thumb?
Is she a Little?
This changed things.
No. Shit. It couldn’t change anything. He couldn’t afford to have a Little in his life.
A Little would need time and attention. Things he didn’t have. And if he ever did decide to get involved with someone, they’d be firmly under his command.
He couldn’t have it any other way.
She had that same hair clip in. And daisy earrings were dangling from her ears.
She was wearing a long, pale blue tiered skirt. Each tier had a lace hem. Her white blouse was buttoned to her neck with billowy sleeves that were tightly cinched at her wrists.
Demure. Innocent and untouchable.
Reuben really needed to get rid of her before he ate her up and spat her out.
Before he broke her.
Because that’s what was going to happen. And he couldn’t stand the thought of breaking this girl.
She should have a family, a home, kids, and a dog. Something normal and sweet.
Not dark and dangerous like his life was.
At least if she’s here, you can protect her.
Yes. But who would protect her from him?
Suddenly, the coffee machine started steaming. Shit! She was going to get burned. He rushed forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her back.
“Faith!” he barked. “What were you thinking? Are you hurt?”
She jumped in the air with a squeal.
Fuck. He hadn’t meant to yell at her like that. He’d just been worried she was about to get burned, and his fear came out sounding like anger.
So he should have expected the jug of milk she dumped all over him as she spun around, her face white with shock.
Unfortunately, the milk landed right over his lower stomach and crotch.
He glanced down, shaking his head.
Great. He looked like he’d wet himself.
“Oh no! I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize you were there and now I’ve spilled milk all over you. Just let me . . . ” As she grabbed a towel, he turned the coffee machine off.
Suddenly, she dropped to her knees in front of him. And using the towel, she wiped his trousers.
Right over his cock.
Jesus wept.
This was it . . . this was his penance for all the bad shit he’d done in his life. He’d never regretted any of it. But the universe had decided to send him this girl to test him. To fucking destroy him.
“Blossom,” he groaned, reaching down to grab her hand before she noticed that his dick was starting to react to her touch.
Before he could help her stand, the door opened, and a blonde-haired shark stepped inside, her face dropping in shock as she took them in.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
Faith let out a squeal of shock at a woman’s voice. Turning her head, she stared up at the woman standing in the doorway.
She was dressed in a dark-red pencil skirt and a cream-colored blouse. Something similar to what Cammie wore to work. She was gorgeous, but in an ice-cold way.
And she was glaring down at Faith like she was goat shit on her shoe.
You did not want to get goat shit on your shoes, it stunk.
“Oh, I, um . . . ” she stumbled over her words as Reuben didn’t bother to reply.
Then Faith went bright red as she realized what it must look like to the other woman.
“I was just cleaning him up after I got him all wet,” she exclaimed.
Was this woman his girlfriend? How terrible.
Not because she was a bad person or anything . . . although the look on her face wasn’t that nice.
Reuben let out a strange noise that almost sounded like a laugh.
But tyrants only laughed when they were conquering small countries, right?
She attempted to scramble to her feet, but the room started spinning, and she swayed.
“Whoa, Blossom, you all right?”
Reuben grabbed hold of her hips and his touch heated her body. The spinning disappeared, but her heart raced for an entirely different reason.
“Faith?” he barked.
Why was he angry at her?
“Yes, I’m fine.”
He eyed her with a firm look. “You do not look fine. I want to know what’s wrong.”
Sheesh, he was demanding.
Faith pushed her shoulders back. “You don’t need to know that, sir.”
The look on his face made her gulp. She had a feeling that she’d just waved a red flag in front of a bull.
He leaned into her. “That’s where you’re wrong, Ms. Blossom. I need to know everything.”
A small shudder ran up her spine at the not-so-subtle threat in his voice. And she wasn’t sure if that terrified her or made her want to kneel at his feet again.
“Excuse me, I’m still here.”
Faith glanced over at the woman, who glared back at her before she turned to smile at Reuben.
“Lucien and I have an appointment with you, Reuben.”
Shit. Faith had forgotten about his two-thirty appointment. In her defense, he didn’t have many people come to his office for appointments. Which was odd. He did go out a lot to meet with clients, though.
Well, she thought they were clients.
“I haven’t forgotten about you, Kirsten,” he said in such a cold voice that Faith wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d started breathing icicles. “Go and wait. We’ll be out in a moment.”
Kirsten’s gaze moved over him, then to her with a huff. “I’ll take my coffee black. Lucien likes one sugar.” She turned and left.
“Do not make them coffee,” Reuben commanded.
She nodded miserably. It was because she made the worst coffee, she got it. He was probably worried that she would poison them.
“Hey. I don’t want you making them coffee, because they’re not staying long.”
Oh.
“Now, what just happened? You looked pale and were swaying.”
“Oh, nothing. I’m fine.”
“Do not lie to me, Little Blossom.”
She stared up at him with her mouth open. What had he just called her? Why hadn’t he barked her first name like usual?
What is happening right now?
“You will not like the consequences if you do that,” he warned. “What is wrong? Are you ill?”
“I just get a bit dizzy if I stand up too fast,” she explained in a rush. “But I’m not ill.”
“Blood pressure?” he guessed correctly.
“Ahh, yes.”
“What do you do for it?” he demanded.
“Shouldn’t you get to your appointment?” she said desperately.
“Faith, answer the question.”
“I just have to eat small meals regularly and drink lots of water. Oh, and eat salt.”
Drat. How did he get that out of her?
He nodded. “I need to go get changed.”
That was it? Whew. Relief filled her. She’d been worried he might use that as grounds to fire her.
“Oh, you’ve got a spare pair of pants?” she asked. “That’s good because it kind of looks like?—”
“Like what?” he asked in a silky voice.
“Uh, nothing, sir. Let me know if you need anything.”
After he walked out, she slumped into a chair at the small table. “Damn it, Estelle. You couldn’t behave just once? Because of you, I just threw milk all over the son of Satan.”
Or SOS, as she’d started calling him for short.
She’d even put him into her phone as SOS.
After cleaning everything up, she sat back at her desk and did some research into a company that Reuben’s main client, Mr. De Leon, was considering purchasing.
She’d only seen him once. Now, that was a dangerous, gorgeous man. Not as sexy as Reuben, but still extremely hot.
The door to Reuben’s office opened, and she glanced up as a good-looking man with a thick head of silver hair walked out. He paused, glancing down at Faith with a smile.
He was an attractive looking man. “Hello. I see Reuben has a new assistant. I hope he keeps you around.” He winked at her.
She gave him a small smile back, but there was something about him that seemed off. Thankfully, he moved off to the elevator quickly.
He was followed by Kirsten, who paused at her desk, looking her up and down. “Little country mouse . . . you won’t last long here, dear. I wouldn’t set my sights on the whale.”
She strode off. Damn, she had a sexy walk. If Faith tried walking in heels that high, she’d fall on her face.
“What did she say to you?” Reuben asked, walking up beside her.
“Something about mice and whales. Who is she?”
“A shark,” he replied.
She never thought that city people would be so animal-obsessed.
“They’re brother and sister. Lucian owns a property developing business and he wants Alejandro to invest, I guess you’d say. I don’t trust him, though, and I’m looking into him. Just stay away from them when they’re here.”
“All right.”
“Where is your drink bottle?” he asked abruptly.
“Oh, um, I don’t have one.”
He walked back into his office without a word.
Well. At least she didn’t get fired.