Business With Lust

Chapter 20

"What is it?" He asks. "It's nothing, really. Now come on we're going to be late" I tell him, but he doesn't remove his hand from the door.

I sigh and decide to just tell him now. "We are dating right?" I ask, and he nods his head. "Can we..keep it a secret? Not from our family or friends, just from everyone else. Like the people here" I ask nervously.

"Of course. I didn't plan on announcing it to people anyways, but I'll refrain from doing anything in front of people if that's what you mean" Alex tells me, and I smile. This conversation went rather well.

"May I ask why?" He asks. I take back my last statement.

"It's not important" I shrug. "Let's go, shall we?" I smile, going to open the door since he had removed his hand from it.

I open it and step through, but I don't make it far until his arms wrap around my stomach and he quite literally pulls me back. Thankfully no one saw, because it would be rather weird seeing someone get snatched back through a door.

Alex places me in front of him, while he's leaning against the wall beside the door. He waits until the door closes to begin talking.

"Diana, what the reason?" He asks, and I sigh. "I know what people will think" I explain, and he looks at me confused.

I find it a bit adorable how oblivious he is.

I'm aware Alex has no clue about the rumours about us. The rumours where people think I only got this job because I had sex with him, or how he only keeps me around as a little fuck toy. I'm pretty sure everyone in this company hates me. I gathered that from the dirty looks and the quiet comments they make when I walk by without Alex.

He's not aware of the fact pretty much everyone thinks I'm a joke, and he most certainly isn't aware of the odd letter I get calling me a whore or a slut.

Let's just say it's an extremely good thing I've grown thick skin after working on level six for three years.

If Alex and I announce that we are actually together, for them it will just confirm the rumours, and it will get so much worse.

"What will they think?" He asks, and I chuckle. "Come on Alex you know what they'll think".

I hope he figures it out by himself because I'm not looking forward to telling him.

He looks at me confused, and I sigh. "You never had an assistant before, then all of a sudden you hire one from level six, then two months later you announce we're dating" I tell him, hoping he gets what I'm saying. "So what?" He asks.

Oh, Alex.

"They are going to think the only reason I got this job is because we're fucking" I tell him bluntly, and he scowls.

"That's bullshit" He tells me, just as the door beside him opens.

Two men walk out, but they quickly fall silent when they see us. They hurriedly rush down the stairs, and I wait until I'm sure they're gone to start talking again.

"It is though?" I ask. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Alex mutters. Here goes nothing.

"They already think it Alex. If they find out we're together they'll only believe it more" I tell him, and he scoffs. "They don't think that Diana" He tells me, and I chuckle. "You're just unaware of it Alex," I tell him.

The door beside us opens again, and a woman walks out. She slightly jumps when she sees us, obviously not expecting to see the CEO of the company the second she walks through the door.

I send her a friendly smile as she walks past. Before the door closes, I quickly slip through it and begin walking towards the meeting room, Alex following close behind.

"Diana" He calls out, but I keep walking. We're already late to the meeting, and for the sake of the people there, I think it's best not to piss Alex off any more than I already have.

I turn a corner and walk down the hallway when he grabs my hand and stops me. I turn to him, my back against the wall and him standing close in front of me.

"Do they really think that?" He asks, and I sigh while looking down the hallway to make sure no one's walking by. "This is why I didn't want to have this conversation before the meeting" I mumble.

"Diana please answer me" Alex says, just as we hear voices. Alex takes a few steps back just as two women walk by the hallway we're in.

"Yes," I tell him in a hushed tone once they're gone. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me?" He scowls.

"Because there's nothing you can do. Telling you would have only made you pissed off and upset" I tell him, and he clenches his jaw. "It's fine Alex. I'm not bothered by it at all" I tell him quietly, and he scoffs.

"Nothing about this is fine Diana. Even if you are unbothered by it, it's not okay" He mutters. "Well there's nothing either of us can do" I tell him, and he frowns.

"I can handle a few dirty looks and comments, okay?" I assure him. I take a step forward and hold his hands in mine, hoping to help calm him down but he suddenly looks even more pissed off.

"Comments? You never said they were making comments" Alex scowls again, and I sigh. "Tell me what they are doing Diana" He demands.

"Alex we're late-" "I don't give two shits, this is more important" He mutters. "Tell me what they are doing" Alex repeats.

"They give me dirty looks, mumble insults when I walk by. I've been left notes a few times but I'm fine-" "Notes? They leave you fucking notes? What do they say?" Alex asks, getting more pissed off every second.

"They just call me a whore or a slut. I got a 'how much for a night?' once which I found a bit funny" I mumble, looking down at our conjoint hands.

I didn't really find it funny. In fact that one hurt a lot. I went on my break early and cried in my car for ten minutes. But he doesn't need to know that.

"Diana that's-..you should have told me sooner," He tells me, and I nod. "I didn't want to upset you. There's nothing really you can do and I don't want you to feel helpless" I explain.

"There is stuff I can do. Stuff I will be doing" He tells me, and before I have a chance to say anything he pulls me into a hug. I hug him back, not caring that we're in public despite what I told him ten minutes ago.

"You have to tell me stuff like this Diana" He mumbles, and I nod against his chest while he hugs me tighter. "Promise me you'll tell me when stuff like that happens. Any note you get or comment you hear, tell me. Please" Alex says as he pulls me away from his chest, and I nod my head.

"I will. Promise" I tell him, and he sighs.

"We're nearly fifteen minutes late" I remind him, and he rolls his eyes. "They can wait" He mumbles as he kisses my forehead quickly, and I smile.

He lets me go, and we began walking to the meeting room where the meeting was being held after I assured him that I was fine and that I was okay to attend.