Chapter 2
POV: Kiera?
1 week later…
Question: Why did you get fired from your last assistant job at Blake Technologies?
Answer: My boss and I shared differing views.
Real answer: My boss, who was first my boyfriend before he was my boss, insisted that I start a job as his assistant then proceed to cheat on me. I caught him. I broke up with him and I lost my job.
Question: Why do you think we should take your word over Mr. Blake’s?
Answer: Because I’m being completely honest.
Real answer: Because Mr. Blake is a lying, cheating asshole.
Question: Relationships within the company are strictly forbidden. Would you start another relationship with another member of the company while employed here?
Answer: Absolutely not.
Real answer: I want nothing to do with another CEO in my entire goddamn life. I can assure you of that.
I let out a heavy sigh as I stared into my reflection in the mirror.
T-minus 10 minutes and I’d have my fifth interview for an assistant position at a tech company. And probably like the other four times, I would be denied the position and unfairly blamed for my ex’s wrongdoings. Ryan, my ex has clearly done his best to blacklist me from every apparent job, using all of his connections, all because he was butt hurt because I dumped him after I found him cheating on me.
I guess I can’t say I’m surprised, this was something I’d expected from Ryan, and now I can’t even imagine why or how I went out with him in the first place.
And now I was paying for it.
Here goes nothing, I told myself, as I walked out of the bathroom and into the doors of the office of the CEO of Naughton Technologies, Cain Naughton.
A woman stood in the center of the room, clutching a clipboard for dear life and looking over me as if she already had made her opinion.
She was the type of woman I expected to be Mr. Naughton’s assistant already—-long legged, tanned, long silky brown hair, she practically looked like a model.
“You’re late,” she said, staring down at her watch.
“I’m 1 minute early,” I mumbled under my breath.
She shot me a glare. “Right this way.”
Right this way, I mocked inside my head.
Two gigantic wooden noir colored doors stood closed in front of us.
I straightened my shoulders, tossing my blonde hair behind my back and holding my head high.
Act confident, Kiera, this one might be it.
But I knew that was optimistic and at best, he’d be skeptical of hiring someone with a target on their back.
As the doors opened and the woman hurried inside, I followed closely in her tow, peaking out from behind her at the large figure that loomed behind a desk.
All I could see was the outline of him, tall—extremley tall, broad shoulders, dark hair, expensive suit.
Then I saw him stiffen almost immediately, remaining frozen in place staring at the fireplace behind him.
“Excuse me sir,” the woman went on.
Silence.
He didn’t respond.
Well….this is weird.
I froze in place, staring at the fireplace and his silhouette and wondering if I should just cut my embarrassment short here and run out of the room already.
But no, my stubbornness, and something else—something I couldn’t quite name held me frozen in place.
The woman went on again, trying to gain his attention, “Sir? Hello? Your 4 o’clock is here. Ms. Sorens.”
He flinched but didn’t move.
He actually flinched.
What the hell?
Still, I stayed right in place, peeking at him from behind her, wondering what the actual hell was going on here.
Fight or flight thrashed through my mind.
Should I stay or should I run?
But just as I was deciding between the two, he turned slightly, his hands curled into balls, as if he was a tight wound from something, as our gazes locked and I felt the world tilt sideways.
I felt dizzy. I felt nauseous.
I couldn’t understand why, still I held myself up right and stared at him right back.
I wasn’t going to be intimidated into leaving. I shouldn’t be. I should be given a fair chance just as anyone else.
“Thank you, Margaret,” he finally said.
His voice was smooth—the smoothest voice I’ve ever heard.
I breathed heavily as I took a step backwards in confusion.
He turned to face me completely now and I almost gasped at the sight of him.
He was…beautiful.
He was the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Dark brown hair, mystifying deep blue eyes, a jawline sculpted to perfection, broad shoulders, muscular legs, a beard that was kept and trimmed.
I think I was gawking.
I forced my mouth shut and forced my gaze to the ground.
This was strange. This was like something I’ve never felt before. A fire so rapid inside me that it was flaming my insides. A pull so strong that I felt as if I needed his presence. A connection so deep that I could see through his soul.
I was beginning to sound and feel like a stalker. A certified stalker.
I know I have a thing for tall guys, and well muscular guys, and well guys who exude authority—but this—this was something else entirely. I felt bewitched.
“That’ll be all, Margaret,” his voice floated over me again.
Margaret nodded, glaring at me and strolling out of the office.
And suddenly it was just the two of us staring at each other.
“Sit,” he ordered.
And I found myself immediately obeying.
What the hell?
As the doors closed behind us, I felt like I was frozen in place being suffocated by something I could not name….