Chapter 8
Sutton
The following morning, I arrived at Apex early and dropped my stuff at my desk before heading to the breakroom for some much-needed caffeine. Jack Gallo was again inside. My footsteps stuttered, but the clickity-clack of my heels made him turn.
He smiled. “Good morning.”
“Hey.” I forced a smile—not sure why it had to be forced. Jack was a nice-enough guy. “Came up for the good stuff again, huh?”
He poured a drop of cream into his mug and lifted it to his lips. “I forgot how much better it is than the crap I buy on the street. How was your first day?”
“Good. Though I was introduced to so many people, I’m not sure I remember any of their names.”
He smiled and patted his chest. “I’m Jack.”
I chuckled. “I remember yours.”
He stepped away from the big espresso maker to make room for me, but leaned a hip against the counter, not going anywhere soon. “I was disappointed that we didn’t get matched together.”
I nodded. “We have a few things in common, so I thought it was a possibility.”
He sipped his coffee. “You would’ve been better off with anyone than the match you got.”
“Oh? Is Jagger not a good mentor?”
He shrugged. “He’s just difficult overall. He’s arrogant and thinks he knows better than everyone. The guy has an expensive management team in place to advise him, yet he does whatever the hell he wants.”
I felt oddly defensive. “Considering he made the Forbes Top 100 CEO list and is worth more than most of the Kardashians and Jenners, it sounds like whatever he wants must work pretty well.”
“I guess.” Jack shrugged. “I just hope he makes time for you. I know I would’ve.”
I finished making my morning cappuccino, feeling ready to end this conversation, but Jack walked out of the breakroom with me and followed me to my cubicle.
“Are you going downstairs for the morning management briefing?” he asked.
I nodded. “They said it was optional, but it sounds interesting. That’s why I came in early.”
Every day, Apex held a fifteen-minute management briefing on the tenth floor, though it was open to anyone.
It had been described during yesterday’s orientation as the morning news—with highlights and a few stories getting a deeper dive—but of course all the news was Apex related.
I thought it was a cool idea, a way to get staff at all levels invested in everything going on across all the different lines of business.
Jack lifted his chin to the cubicle next to mine, where his assigned intern sat—or would sit, when he got here. “Guess you’re the only one who thinks it’s interesting.”
I smiled but wasn’t about to badmouth my peers. Tucking my purse into the drawer, I picked up a pen and notebook. “Do you attend the morning meeting every day?”
“Not usually. I go to the gym in the morning, so I don’t generally get here until closer to eight.” He put a hand out for me to walk first. “But I’m going to make an effort to get here now.”
I didn’t ask why as we headed for the elevator. Jack pressed the button, and a few seconds later the doors slid open. There was only one occupant inside the car, Jagger Langston.
My pulse sped up. He was looking down at his cell, but when his head lifted and he saw me, a slow grin curved his lips. Though when his eyes shifted to the man standing next to me, that grin flattened to more of a grim line.
“Morning, boss.” Jack put his hand on my back, guiding me to enter.
It was innocent enough, but the way Jagger’s eyes seized on it made it feel anything but.
Tension radiated from the boss, filling the car as we stepped in.
I smiled, but he just offered a curt nod and went back to his phone.
It wasn’t hard to figure out why Jack had said what he’d said about him earlier.
Awkwardness set in as the doors slid closed, so I did the only thing I could do—held my breath and stared up at the illuminated numbers, willing them to move faster.
The entire encounter probably took less than twenty seconds, but by the time the doors opened, I desperately needed air. Jack again put his hand out. “After you.”
I started to take a step, but a hand at my elbow stopped me.
I turned to look at the man holding it. “I’m going to the morning briefing.”
“We have an appointment this morning,” Jagger said.
Jack was still standing next to me, waiting for me to get off the elevator. The boss glared at him. “You may go.”
“Uh…” Jack’s eyes flickered between Jagger and me. He seemed hesitant to leave me alone, but I didn’t want this to turn into a scene, so I smiled and tapped my temple.
“Silly me. I completely forgot I’m supposed to meet with my mentor. Probably not the best thing to do on the second day of my internship.”
Jack gave me a look, and I got the feeling he didn’t believe me, but at least he stepped off the elevator. “I’ll see you around.”
I continued staring straight ahead until Jagger pressed the button for the top floor, and the elevator doors closed. Then I yanked my elbow from his grip. “What are you doing? We don’t have any appointment, and you just made me look like a jerk.”
“I told you to figure out what you wanted, whether you preferred I step back from the mentorship program or not.”
“So? That doesn’t mean you can manhandle me in the elevator!”
“I didn’t manhandle you.”
“You grabbed my elbow and told Jack I had an appointment, which we both know is not true. What else would you call it?”
Jagger’s eyes swept over my face. The stern facade he’d had since he saw me with Jack fell away. Both his face and tone softened. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
I sighed. “You didn’t offend me. Just…just don’t do that in front of people who work here.”
The elevator doors opened at the next floor. Thankfully, no one was waiting. Though at the last second, a wing-tip shoe slipped between the closing doors and they bounced back open. The owner of the foot attempted to step inside, but Jagger showed him his palm.
“Wait for the next one.”
The guy’s forehead wrinkled. “Uh... Okay. Sorry.”
Jagger leaned forward and pressed the button for the top floor, though it was already illuminated. I waited for the doors to slide closed once again before speaking, since the man he’d just rejected was still staring at us.
Once we were alone, I turned. “Why did you do that?”
“You told me not to touch you in front of people who work here. He works here.”
I wanted to be pissed off, but he was dead serious. For some unknown reason, I burst into laughter. “You don’t care about making people uncomfortable, do you?”
He stilled. “I’m making you uncomfortable?”
“Not me!” I flapped my hands in the air. “That guy you just barred from the elevator.”
He dragged a hand through his hair. “Let’s just go speak in my office.”
Neither of us said another word as we rose to the top floor, got off the elevator, and wound our way through a series of halls to get to the big corner suite.
Jagger closed the door behind us. I took the same seat as yesterday, but he didn’t this time.
He moved the guest chair beside mine and turned to face me head on.
“What have you decided?” he asked. “Do you want me to recuse myself, or do you want me as your mentor?”
I’d been feeling prickly, but being this close to Jagger made me feel something entirely different. Electricity crackled inside of me. “I probably should ask you to recuse yourself.”
Today’s bespoke suit was navy. It brought out the color of his eyes more than usual—and that was saying something, because his irises were the color of an Alaskan glacier.
Our chairs were set two feet apart, but Jagger’s long legs were only inches from mine.
It made me want to lean forward and brush my knees with his, just to see how he reacted.
“That’s not a yes.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve never been very good at doing the things I should do.”
His lip twitched once again. Why did I love that so much? “I’m sure you’re good at anything you set your mind to.”
I sighed. “You scare people, you know.”
“Who?”
“People who work here.”
“Do I scare you?”
I thought about it and shook my head. “Scare me? No.”
He shifted in his chair, leaning forward until our knees touched. When they did, his eyes stayed firmly focused on the contact for a long time before lifting to meet my gaze. A wicked smile spread across his face. “Are you sure about that?”
Electricity zapped from my knee to…other places. I swallowed. “Yes.”
I thought he was going to delve further into the subject. Even if he bought that he didn’t scare me, it was clear he did something to me. Instead he adjusted in his seat, breaking the connection, and cleared his throat. “One o’clock today.”
Had I zoned out and missed part of our conversation? I felt my brows draw close. “One o’clock?”
“For our mentor lunch, the one we were supposed to have yesterday. Meet me downstairs in the lobby.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Jagger got up and walked around his desk. It was the equivalent to what he’d done to Jack in the elevator without saying “You may go.” Still, I took the hint, stood, and walked to the door.
I turned back to look at him. “You’re sort of rude, you know that?”
I loved the surprised look on his face. Jagger’s eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. “Is that so?”
“You asked if I was afraid of you. I’m not, but you’re dismissive, and it makes people feel disregarded.”
He stared at me for a full five seconds before shifting his attention to his desk. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
***
Miles: How are things going with Daddy Discipline?
I was sitting in a conference room with all the other interns, watching some mandatory HR videos on a big screen. I lowered my phone under the table and typed back.
Sutton: I decided to keep him as my mentor.
Miles: I already knew that.
Sutton: How?
Miles: Because I know you. This guy is like the Rubik’s Cube your mom brought home in fourth grade.
Sutton: I’m not following…