On the run

Nine

I had full intentions of heading to the gym yesterday. After spending hours on the floor by the door to my apartment on Saturday night, I really wanted to put that effort in. But when my alarm went off on Sunday morning and I had barely slept, I turned it off and turned over, able to sleep better now the sun was rising.

I had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to do now with this. With Alex. I mean, he's my boss. Out of all the people in this building, all the men I encounter on a daily basis in the office and the bar and in the god damn street. I sleep with the one person in the world, I can't even avoid. Because I need to do my job. And he is my job. Keeping his life running, is my job. Being around for him is why I get paid, why I have a roof over my head. So yeah, sleeping with Lord Douche himself, was beyond a mistake. A brilliant, stupid, ground-breaking mistake.

I'd text him as normal to make sure he was up, reminding him to bring his gym stuff to work because he had a late meeting so wouldn't be able to go home first and headed into work early. I didn't want to give him a reason to talk to me if I could fight it so I was going to find a reason to keep busy today. Even if it was a complete waste of time, I don't even know what was going to happen here today. I was out of the way when he got in. Out of sight and I'd stayed that way, working on some of the Sales teams filing downstairs. I'd left him a note that I had my phone if he needed me for something but as of right now, nothing and I was kind of grateful.

But we had a meeting in 20 minutes and I knew for a fact I couldn't avoid him there. I'd be sat in the back taking minutes like my life depended on it and I needed a way to get out at the end of the meeting before he had a chance to grab me if he wanted to talk. I didn't want to talk. I wanted this whole thing to have been something I made up. But the bruises and bite marks dotted across my torso and legs was proof it wasn't.

I'd set the presentation up when he came into the meeting room. Suited and booted looking the most dressed up I'd seen him. That split second of eye contact was enough to cover me in goosebumps, flashbacks of him pounding into me instantly covering my body in goosebumps.

"Pop-"

"Coffee?" I slid my laptop onto the table, standing up quickly and getting out of the room before I started suffocating. When I returned, the room was filling up and he wouldn't be able to say a word, giving me the chance to slide his coffee in front of him and retreat back to the safety of my chair in the corner of the room.

I sat there in silence, typing down the minutes as he spoke to the client discussing everything he needed to with them. When the Simon and Anna took over, he sat down in his seat and sipped his coffee. I could feel his eyes burning into me as I kept my eyes heavily focused on what I was doing and I was now starting to miss James being my boss, even with his shitty personality, at least I didn't have to worry about him being fucking murdered by my ex.

The second the meeting was over, everyone piled out as I collected the papers scattered around the table.

"Why are you avoiding me?" The second the last person left the room, Alex stood from his seat, moving around to the side of the room I was on. I didn't look up, just continued gathering the things I needed to.

"I'm not. Just doing my job. Need anything?"

"Yeah. You to talk to me."

"I am talking to you, just got a list as long as my arm to do today. I'm gonna-"

"You're not gonna anything until you talk to me Poppy." He pulled on my jumper as I tried to get away. "You can't just leave our conversation how you did the other day."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Saturday Poppy."

"I didn't see you Saturday." He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no?" He lifted my shirt a little, pushing a thumb into one of the countless bruises. "What's this then?"

"I'm clumsy." I shrugged, pushing his hand off me and moving out of the way. "If you don't need anything from my Mr. Seagrave, I've got today's minutes to type up and send out and sort out the actions."

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Busy."

"With what?"

"Friends." He groaned as I grabbed my laptop. I have never seen a man literally jump over a table and dive in front of a door as I tried to leave, but of course, Lord Douche wasn't someone you could make bets on his actions. God knows he loved to throw curveballs.

"Fine. Tomorrow."

"Busy."

"Wednesday?"

"Busy."

"When are you not busy?" He was so close right now, his aftershave filling my lungs like smoke. Heavenly intoxicating smoke. "And before you answer with an attitude, think about where that got you last time." My core clenched. I didn't need to think about it, it was playing on repeat in my head, over and over again. Had been since I saw him this morning and my god was it getting difficult to keep my hands off myself, let alone him. "Friday night?" I shook my head. "Come on Pops."

"Sundays."

"Just Sundays?" I nodded. "You're that busy?" He lifted my head up to meet his gaze, my face instantly heating up at his touch. "You're not lying to me again Pops are you?"

"No. Sundays are the only day I'm ever free. After lunch."

"12?"

"Well-"

"Fine. Sunday after 12. You're gonna be eating lunch with me now though."

"What? No- I-"

"I'm not taking no for an answer Poppy. I'm gonna get whatever it is you're hiding out of you eventually. You can run from me, hide in filing and frivolous tasks, avoid me, whatever. I'll stick to your stupid rules, but I'm going to work out what you're so scared of. Whether you want me to or not." I swallowed as he brought his face down lower, hot air covering the side of my neck as he pushed my hair out of the way. "You look beautiful today." I knew for a fact he could feel how heavy I was breathing, how his stupid little movements were turning me on without him needing to do anything. "Gonna drop this attitude? Or do I need to remind you that you're mine." His lips barely brushed the skin by my ear and I shivered. "You know where I am if you want to throw your stupid rules out the window. My office is practically soundproof." He stood up, knowing he had essentially lit my fire and was now going to leave me to burn and I couldn't' do anything. Not without breaking my own rules. Which I wasn't going to do. If he wanted to play this, turn me on and send me out into the world. I sure as hell could play it better than him.