Chapter 4 #2
I almost say no out of force of habit—I’m used to figuring things out on the fly, thanks to Sloane and her refusal to do her job—but the thought of the elevator snags in my mind. A sheepish smile pulls at my lips as I glance off to the side apologetically.
Asking for anything, especially from a boss, has never been my strong suit.
“Ah, well, would any of the meetings happen to be held above the thirtieth floor?” I ask hesitantly.
“It’s just—I don’t have a clearance badge, so I might wind up being a bit late to some of the meetings if they’re scheduled just before or after lunch, since I have to ask the guards to buzz me up every time. ”
Nick’s brows furrow slightly in a frown as he glances at Sloane standing beside me.
“So that’s why you’re here,” he says to Sloane, sighing. “You’ll be up here too often to not have clearance. Sloane, you can handle getting Riley a badge since you’ve got enough free time to sit in on meetings that don’t involve you.”
Sloane and I both startle at that. I have to press my lips together to stop myself from grinning at the fake, icy smile she sends his way.
“I’ll raise a ticket with HR.”
Nick has already tugged the papers he was looking through closer to him, obviously intending to go back to them, but he looks up with an aggravated sigh and says, “No. You’ll handle getting Riley a badge, like I said.
In fact,” he glances down at his watch and then back up to her, “you can head to HR right now and get it sorted.”
Sloane gapes at him, fury lighting in her eyes as he directs his attention back to the paperwork.
“I’m really busy for the rest of the day, actually—”
“Then you should have thought of that before lingering where you aren’t needed.
This isn’t a discussion.” He doesn’t look up from his desk as he cuts her down with nothing but a few well-chosen words.
“Time is money. Don’t waste mine for something that could be handled in five minutes by just going down there in the first place.
You’re both dismissed. Riley, I’ll see you this Friday. ”
Sloane is at a loss for words, her red-painted mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. She’s going to take out her frustration on me regardless of what I do, so I don’t hesitate in offering Nick a beaming smile.
Showing a little excitement in the face of such an opportunity can’t hurt.
“Yes, sir. I’ll see you on Friday.”
Sloane whirls on one stupidly high stiletto before the words are even out of my mouth, storming out of his office. I close the door gently behind us, not looking up in case Nick catches me staring for longer than is appropriate.
My mystery man may have kept my mind preoccupied the last few days, but Nick has my mind twenty-four-seven.
I barely manage to catch up to Sloane and slide into the elevator beside her before the doors start to close. She tosses her bouncy blonde curls over her shoulder and levels me with a glare.
“I don’t know how you’re up to Nick’s standards when you can’t even reach mine.” There’s that Nick again. “Do something special to get his attention, little girl?”
A laugh tumbles from my lips before I can even fully process how fucking rude that is, and I don’t have a second to so much as gasp before Sloane is sneering and continuing on.
“Whatever it was, just be grateful you got anywhere and don’t push for more.” She drags icy blue eyes over me with a look of disgust that makes me feel about two feet tall. “Wearing short skirts isn’t going to get you into bed with a man like Nick. It’s pathetic to even try.”
My mouth drops open in outrage, thoughts going a million miles a minute.
I worked my ass off to get my work noticed. I’ve done her work and my own for over a year. How dare she throw that in my face just because she clearly wants Nick’s attention all to herself?
We’re not in high school.
And he’s clearly not interested.
Besides, I wear the same bland, below-the-knee pencil skirts to work since I started interning here! Not to mention that Sloane was practically shoving her tits in Nick’s face.
She has no room to talk.
“I’d really rather not talk about—”
“I’m doing you a favor,” she says snottily. “You’re just making yourself look stupid. Nick doesn’t like desperate women.”
I duck my head down, staring at the tiled elevator floor so I don’t snap, but I can’t help the mumble that slips out under my breath. “Really ought to take your own advice on that one.”
Sloane narrows her eyes at me, stepping closer with decisive, threatening snaps of her heels.
“What was that? Speak up if you’ve got something to say, Morgan.”
I clench my jaw hard enough that it hurts, just to reel in all the anger boiling in my bloodstream. It will be something that I’ll have to deal with later. Maybe I should take Taylor’s advice and go to one of those rage rooms she’s always talking about.
“I said I’ll keep it in mind, ma’am.” I force a bland smile to my lips and push my glasses up the bridge of my nose before meeting her hateful blue eyes. “Thank you for the advice.”
The words leave a sour taste on my tongue.
Sloane scoffs at me like I’m dirt on the bottom of her ridiculous high heel just as the elevator doors slide open.
“Come on,” she snaps, waving me out of the elevator impatiently. “I’m not dealing with your errands alone.”
I’m not the one who told her to do this, but I follow her out of the elevator instead of arguing.
Maybe if I’m meek and cooperative enough, she’ll stay out of my cubicle and let me get some actual work done today. I walk behind her as she stalks her way up to the desk of one of the girls in the HR office, launching into a list of demands without even letting the other woman say anything.
My phone buzzes in my blazer pocket, and I pull it out to check it in case it’s work-related. Nick did say he was going to have his assistant email me.
Instead of an email, my heart stumbles in my chest when I see a new text waiting for me.
Mister Mystery: How’s work going, Miss Morgan?
As much as I want to fill him in on everything, I want to be in a good mood when I tell him. Sloane’s shitty attitude can ruin my mood for the day, but I don’t want it to spoil the good news.
Riley: It’s a bit of a rough day so far, but it’ll be fine. Just my supervisor getting on my nerves. She rides me over her own made up issues a lot. But… I’ve got good news! I’ll tell you later though! Don’t let me forget.
Sloane’s long fingers come between my face and my phone, snapping at me again, and it takes every ounce of self-control not to swat her hand away.
“Get off your phone, Morgan,” she hisses, utterly disregarding the fact that she’s actively scrolling through thirst traps. “Jess or Jane or whatever is going to get your badge sorted. Hurry up, some of us are busy people.”
I smile tightly, exhaling through my nose before hurriedly slipping my phone back into my blazer pocket.
“Yes, ma’am.”