Bastard Boss

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Bella

Turns out I'm in first class, right next to Tyler, just me and him, in a cozy nook. For this reason alone, when the flight attendant appears and before she ever speaks a word, I say, "I'll have a Bloody Mary, please."

Tyler's lips quirk with my rapid request and he orders some sort of whisky. When the flight attendant walks away, he observes. "I see you went all-in on my advice."

"Considering you offered no solution to what Allie said, and trouble is brewing, yes. I need a drink."

"Depends on how you define trouble," he replies, and the flight attendant is already back, offering us bottles to go with the glasses filled with ice. I wish she'd mix them for us. Then I could blame her for my ridiculously low tolerance for alcohol, and say she mixed it too strong.

"The good news," I say, filling my glass with a mix of vodka and tomato juice, "is that vodka all but ensures I'll sleep through the four-hour flight sitting next to you."

"I'm not sure how I feel about inspiring sleep," he replies, filing his own glass.

"You inspire a lot of things in me that are not sleep, Tyler," I assure him. "And before you run with that the wrong way, I'm in a professional headspace. There is a predominant emotion I've felt with you most of my career that is not what you will assume to insert."

"Which would be what?"

"Motivated. You're very cold about your feedback, but also honest, and usually right. I'm better for it."

"That was training. I don't remember having much feedback for you since about six months into your employment."

"I bring problems to you often, as proven by our present state of travel."

"Working together to solve a problem is not the same thing as me training you. And that's what I was doing when offering that feedback."

"In that Tyler kind of way. That's my point."

"Is this where you talk about my arrogance?" he asked.

"Which is directly related to your ego. Do we really need to talk about it?" I ask, sipping my drink. "I mean it's just so big and out there. It's not a good idea to give it more attention."

He laughs, a low, deep masculine laugh that might curl my toes if I let it, but I won't.

"You always meet me blow for blow, woman. I do like that about you. And for the record, I've never given you any suggestion you didn't beat to death."

"Hmm," is all I say, sipping again, the alcohol sending a rush of warmth over my skin. A few more sips and life will be good.

My cellphone buzzes with a message, and I quickly grab it from my purse, hoping to read the message before I get in trouble with the flight attendant. The minute I spy the number on the caller ID, I light up. "It's from Sommerby," I glance over at him, "that's—"

"The competing studio head," he supplies. "What did he say?"

"He'll see us tomorrow at nine, which is going to be rough considering it will be late when we get to our room." My eyes go wide because at this point, I'm angled toward him and somehow my leg is touching his leg. I move my leg and amend, "I mean rooms."

Tyler laughs. "You have your own room, Bella. We should talk about the strategy for the meeting though before you let that vodka put you to sleep."

I hold up a finger. "An excellent idea, boss."

His eyes darken and warm. "Tyler, Bella."

"I guess I could say, Mr. Hawk. Since you said Ms. Bailey the other day."

"There could be a time when that would be appropriate, Bella. You just haven't been there yet."

Suddenly, I don't know what we're talking about, but I'm pretty sure it's related to his need to dominate during sex. Which is an assumption since I haven't had sex with him, but I remember oh too well how he dominated me in his office. Tell me what you want. Say it.

Tyler leans in closer. "What are you thinking right now, Bella?"

"I'm not sure I moved the wash to the dryer."

He laughs again, and I don't remember him laughing in the past, as in at all, let alone the numerous times he has with me today. He's a complicated man, one with layers and layers of emotional baggage he guards well. And yet, he's let that guard down today with me.

An announcement sounds over the intercom. The short version of the message: we're taking off. I react by easing into my seat, always a bit edgy at this portion of a flight. Tyler glances over at me, those blue eyes of his seeing way too much. "Nervous flyer, are you?"

"I just don't like takeoff or landing. Those are the times you're most likely to crash. Everything in between is fine."

"You're afraid of what you can't control," he states as if it's obvious. "It's not the same way I look at control. I want it in all things. You simply dislike those things that can't be affected by anything you say or do."

It's true, of course, and I'm surprised by how well he understands my psyche even more so than my brother, and I'm close to Dash. "Per the counselor I saw at the hospital, this type of thing is normal for someone who lost a parent they were close to at a fairly young age. Though I'm not sure twenty-one is all that young."

"She died five years ago of an aneurysm, right? I believe Dash told me that, at some point."

"She was only forty-nine, with so much left to do in this world."

"The founder of the Alice Shopping Network, Alice herself. I have no doubt she did. If I remember correctly, from your job interview, you said she'd gone public and gotten out of the company?"

"Yes, she didn't like what the company looked like after the offering, but she was plotting new ways to take over the world." I tilt my head and look at him. "You didn't want to hire me because I came from money."

"I never said that."

I laugh. "You said it directly, Tyler Hawk." I deepen my voice. "'I'm going to be frank, Ms. Bailey, I don't hire people who aren't hungry. I assume you inherited a lot of money from your mother. Your father is also a rich man. It's hard to believe you could ever be what I consider hungry.'"

"Ah, that's right. To which you asked, 'Weren't you born into money and in the shadow of your successful parents? Don't you want to prove you can win because you're you?'"

"And with that, you sold me. And now, you have your success."

"I won't feel like it if this deal falls apart."

"Nothing to worry about, Bella. Per Allie, we're the dream team, remember?"

There is something in his voicein the air between us, when he says those words. I tell myself it's all about sex. I'm in lust with him. He's in lust with me. But I've known him for years and there is a bond between us that already existed.

The plane starts to taxi at rapid speed, and I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling as if I'm about to crash and burn, and not on this plane, but with Tyler.