Fighting My Demons (Forbidden Love #3)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

“Bella!” Addie squeals, excited to see me.

I still can't believe it has been so long since she had a baby.

I tried to do the math and concluded she had him early; it was the only thing that made sense, and she had to have fallen pregnant the moment they got back from Soya before they left again, or maybe she was pregnant before then.

“You are back?” I ask, rushing over to her and quickly hugging her.

This place has been boring without Addie, overall just quiet, without Troy's constant harassment, and things have been peaceful.

I am about to ask her how she has been when my phone starts vibrating and ringing loudly.

“Bloody thing never stops,” I tell her with a sigh while rummaging through my oversized handbag.

Seeing an unusual number pop up on the screen, I flick the screen off before muting it and shoving it back in my bag.

Odd numbers usually mean my brother trying to get in contact with me or the prison that he frequents.

Maybe it isn’t him; he should still be in from his last stunt.

I should have a few more months of freedom without him trying to ruin my life.

“So, do you have any idea how many new people I have to induct today? Eli said there are like six new employees at least on my floor and he wasn’t sure how many more would transfer,” I ask Addie.

“No idea,” she says, hooking her arm through mine.

We are walking to the elevator when I see another man walking toward us.

He is wearing a suit. His smile is dazzling as he approaches, and I suddenly forget how to breathe, and my god, is he gorgeous, like a Viking with his long hair braided at the back of his neck.

He is walking toward us with a box in his arms. He flashes his megawatt smile, and Addie nods to him like she knows him, and my heart skips a beat.

Please tell me I won't have to work with this man.

“Addie,” the man says, pecking her cheek. “And you must be Bella.”

I step back. His eyes are black.

How is that even possible?

He shoves the box at Addie, who grabs it when he grabs my hand in his giant one and kisses it like some old-fashioned gentleman.

“Wait, how do you know my name?” I ask, my cheeks tinged red at the sudden attention and his strange gesture.

Did men even do that these days? Not only does he look like he is from a different era with his hair and Viking-god looks, but he acts it too. It is a little off-putting, but I’ve never mentioned my name, so how does he know it?

“Ah, Addie told me. Apparently we will be working together,” he tells me, and I nearly drop dead on the spot.

This can’t be happening. How the fuck am I supposed to work in this man's presence? He would only be a distraction.

I look pleadingly at Addie, praying this was a mistake, but she was glaring at him for some unknown reason.

“Wait. Hold up,” I hear a voice call out before a hand reaches out, stopping the elevator doors from closing, and two more men push their way into our already cramped elevator.

Looking up, I freeze when I realize the other two men and the man whose name I still don’t know are all watching me. Addie is jammed against the corner and I see her elbow one of them to get more room but I want to shrink under the intensity of their gazes.

Why are they staring like that?

They are giving me the creeps, and I fight the urge to shiver.

“You must be the new boss lady?” one of the men says.

I look at Addie, praying that this is some joke because I can’t work with all these men, not when they look like they belong on some runaway.

With the way they are oozing all this sex appeal, my libido suddenly rears its head.

I am usually as dried up as a desert down there, and men do not give me this reaction because I know they only want one thing.

Still, I would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to them.

Have I missed something? Because suddenly the one I met first and the one that just spoke are facing off.

I lean over to Addie to whisper to her. “Please tell me they won't be working on my floor.”

They suddenly stop and look at Addie, who is staring back at them.

“Yep, they are part of the six new employees on your floor,” Addie says.

I feel my stomach drop at her words. This can’t be happening. The Viking god doesn’t look like one that will take orders easily, let alone be okay with working under a woman.

“Exactly how am I supposed to get anything done with three men that look…” I shake my head. “Like that.”

“Like what?” Addie whispers, smiling. She knows very well what I mean.

“Never mind,” I mutter before trying to compose myself and failing miserably.

Reaching over, I hit the elevator buttons. Why is this thing so slow? I want to get out. When the elevator stops, I shove past them and all but run from it to my office, making sure to shut the door.