Chapter 1
Saige
Months later…
“Tawny,
Let’s do lunch tomorrow. I need a venting session more than I need any air to breathe.
I know what you’re going to say. Don’t let the arrogant prick get to me so much, but he is just so…
Oh, I can’t stand him. The way he sashays around the office as if he owns the company.
His smug attitude. The man is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, ridiculously expensive clothing.
Maybe I should describe him more as a rooster the way he struts around the office.
It doesn’t matter that he’s breathtakingly handsome or can command a room from afar.
He is a nightmare to work for and wouldn’t be nearly so successful if he didn’t have me to pick up the slack.
Imagine what would happen if I dared point out all his mistakes.
And do you want to know the worst of it?
He doesn’t listen to me. Not a word. Not my advice or suggestions on investment opportunities or in considering taking the company public.
By creating strategic partnerships, Chertov Corporation would double their financial standing in one year. One year! But no, the man with the perfect abs and gorgeous, albeit frigid blue eyes continues to go about his merry little way in his own glass house world.
Just like all men. They can’t handle the strength and intelligence of a woman.
You know exactly what I mean. I tell you what, his life must be dull and full of drudgery.
Mr. Boring. I bet he has eight of the same suits, six of the exact same ties.
Who the hell is his tailor. I know, but he’s the boss. Right?
Even with his perfectly sculpted body, he is a cold fish who likely eats small children for breakfast. Can you tell I need a night out on the town? Right now, lunch will have to do. Anyway, let me know if tomorrow is good for you.”
Huffing, I quickly read over the email before hitting send. It had only taken me several months of bickering and bantering with him to come to the conclusion he was hardheaded as any man could me. I’d thought I could work miracles, convincing him to listen to me.
I’d been dead wrong.
Time for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow was another day of maneuvering around the sleeping bull.
Or maybe I should call him a caged lion.
* * *
Get out of my way, you idiot!
The words were on the tip of my tongue. Instead, I gritted my teeth while the asshole who remained seemingly completely unaware he’d created a people jam barked out orders on his cellphone like he was a drill sergeant. However, I knew his type.
He was an arrogant man-child who believed his presence alone on this earth allowed for his bad behavior.
The only reason I didn’t fill his ears with some creative expletives was because my mama had raised a good girl.
At least for the most part.
Although even I could admit living in the Big Apple had been impactful. No longer was I the kind of girl to allow anyone, including rich, handsome men, to walk all over me.
Especially this asshole. I almost laughed. I’d been down the road with a stranger. Never, ever again.
“I told you, Jeanine, this report is unacceptable. What you gave me is absolute garbage. My six-year-old son could provide a more qualified report. Maybe I’ll task him to do so.” He laughed when poor Jeanine attempted to rebut his horrendous and very nasty comment.
People were actively trying to get around him, finding it difficult since he needed to spend more time on a treadmill and less behind his desk studying useless reports.
Horns honked.
People shouted.
Bells rang.
Collectively the sound was worse than a teacher scratching her long, sharp claws down a blackboard while being eager to condemn your work.
Yeah, I’d had one of those teachers in elementary school, our tiny district unable to afford modern equipment.
I was sweating bullets and in my off the rack silk blouse, the material was going to stain.
That was unacceptable.
“And don’t even think about going on vacation,” the prick continued. “Your time off has been canceled.”
The bastard laughed after making the statement, enjoying Jeanine’s pain. I fell into step directly behind him, the bones in my neck cracking when I stretched it from side to side. The sound of my increased tension echoed in my ears even on a crowded sidewalk in the middle of Manhattan.
A strand of hair fell into my face because of the haphazard bun stuck like a pincushion on top of my head.
The horrific hairstyle was the product of my alarm deciding to take a vacation, and awakening to my body covered in sweat since the air conditioning was broken in the entire apartment building.
Then a phone call from my mother, which meant she hadn’t been able to sleep since it had been five in the morning when she’d called.
Just to see how I was doing. Bullshit. She wasn’t a good liar, putting on a good face when facing losing everything.
And even after enduring the most infuriating man in the world for endless months, I still couldn’t provide my family with the type of help they required.
Oh, I needed a vacation, a huge bottle of tequila, and a raise.
Not necessarily in that order.
I wouldn’t give credence to the fact my pantyhose had remained damp based on the high humidity, causing a run in two pairs. Money I didn’t have to waste. Every dime saved for a very specific reason.
On top of the ugly start, my poor kitty hadn’t received her morning snuggles. She would be a pissy little bitch when I returned. Nothing a little catnip couldn’t fix.
Yeah, I was in a foul mood.
Which is why without thinking, the good girl side of me failed completely and utterly. I managed to step in front of him, painting on a practiced smile while yanking the phone from his hand.
“What the—”
“Jeanine,” I said, cutting him off. “Your boss is suddenly in a crisis moment where he’s uncertain of the best way to get his head out of his ass.
Now, I realize your job might be very important to you, but there are other jobs and other bosses.
This one will never learn it’s all the people who work for him, not under him, who can make or break a company.
For now, take your vacation and enjoy yourself.
When you return, find another job where weasels don’t run free. ”
“What the fuck are you doing?” he huffed and puffed. Of course he did. I skipped launching into him personally. That would truly get me on the naughty list for the holiday season.
And I was all about the presents.
“Making someone’s day.”
“Give me back my phone.” His demand was adorned with a red face and an attitude that screamed of a man capable of terrifying young girls in a dark alley.
The phone accidentally on purpose slipped from my fingers, immediately stepped on by several New Yorkers, all of which were running as late as I was.
“Oops.” My smile more genuine, I suddenly had a little pep to my step as I gently pushed my way through the crowd and toward the building where I worked, thankful I traveled in running shoes, my heels in my tote bag. A single check of my watch was enough to initiate a horrific groan.
I was already late. My only hope was that my boss had taken the morning to sleep in.
As I rushed inside, I almost knocked over a guy who was way shorter than me. “Excuse me. So sorry.” He didn’t seem worse for the wear, smiling from the close contact. I was full on running toward the bank of elevators, zigging and zagging my way through the onslaught of people.
One of eight elevator doors was still open. “Hold the elevator. Hold it!” My cry was certainly loud enough the man standing by the control panel could hear. In fact, I know he heard me because we locked eyes a split second before he shifted his hand onto another button.
And the doors closed.
“You son of a…” I glanced around me, cognizant I’d made a scene. “Biscuit eater.” As my mother would say. With no time to waste, I smacked my hand on the up button, immediately glancing at the LED displays indicating what floor they were on. Why were they all going up at the same time?
After three more brutal smashes of my palm on the button, I considered taking the stairs.
“Relax,” some guy said from behind me. “It’s a gorgeous sunny Wednesday in the best city in the world.”
There were actually people who were that damn chipper.
I resisted even turning around for fear the same expletives I’d thought about for ten minutes would be used on the wrong man.
As I waited, I tried to envision a happy, peaceful location where time stood still.
A location where the world went silent because of extreme relaxation and not from a powerful man entering a room.
Let’s face it. While the jerk from minutes before did have a special place in hell based on the way he treated people, my anger was directed toward someone else.
My boss.
A man who made Hannibal Lecter seem like a favorite uncle who enjoyed inviting you to dinner.
The man so many called the Wolf. Why? Because he was a silent predator controlling and stalking the halls of the Chertov Corporation.
If he was a shifter, he’d be sleek black in color, a deadly killer.
I’d envisioned him more than once with sharp canines, slicing through a man’s jugular.
That helped ease the pressure of being his… glorified assistant.
He was also the man I’d briefly thought a hero, saving me from a drunk asshole on a glorious night where I’d believed fantasies did come true.
The moment I’d walked into his office after passing the first round of interviews, I’d been blown away.
I hadn’t recognized his face at first, especially since he hadn’t been wearing his signature glasses, but the man I’d had an intimate interlude with had been holding court behind his desk.
Wearing a smug look.