Work With Me - Book One and Two Available on GALATEA

Chapter One - You Won't Last A Week

Four years, countless all nighters, over $50,000 on students loans and I could say I'd made it... as an office junior. Of course, I was still one of the lucky ones, I'd managed to walk out of my college graduation and into a semi well paying job at the largest marketing firm in town. Sure, I was basically just a paper filer/coffee runner. But it paid the bills. Just.

I walked down the pavement, dodging through numerous other people heading into work. I was already running late, and after only four weeks on the job, I didn't want to ruffle feathers. I looked at the lock screen of my phone. Five minutes, I had five minutes to walk five blocks.

I picked up the pace, readjusting my brown satchel over my shoulder. My black heels barely had time to clip the ground as I sped my walk up to a jog. The smell of coffee and gasoline filled my senses. I smiled, every morning was the same and while to some it was monotonous, it just made me feel comforted.

I ran through the front door a minute before I was due to start, swiping my card on the security marker as I passed through.

Breathless and almost surely a mess I stood at my cubicle and placed my satchel down. I was about to attack my In tray when my manager Stacey walked over with a folder and a large smile upon her face.

"Ruby, may I speak with you in my office." She exclaimed.

My stomach turned. I couldn't afford to lose my job. I was only two minutes late to my desk she wasn't going to fire me over two minutes was she?

"I'm sorry, my bus was late, It won't happen again." Stacey held her hand up and shook her head.

"Just come to my office in five. Make yourself a coffee first, oh and me too." She grinned. "Black, no sugar."

She turned on her heel and walked toward her office. I swallowed hard and made my way into the kitchen. A group of office juniors sat at one of the tables, talking in hushed voices.

"Didn't you hear?" One of the girls whispered. "Tobias fired Josanna this morning."

"But Josanna was Mr Clarke's PA for years."

"Since Tobias was a little boy." the original girl added. "Apparently she was telling him how to run the place, and he had enough."

"He's so horrible." One of the girls complained.

"But incredibly hot."

I rolled my eyes. Tobias Clarke was Clarke Industries new CEO. His father had died three months beforehand and left the business to him. I'd never met the guy, but I had seen pictures. He was attractive, but all this hearsay, well it didn't make everything everyone said about him true.

"Anyway, he's sent word down here for a new PA."

Their hushed whispers continued although I shut off and finished making myself and Stacey a coffee, last thing I needed was to get involved with office gossip. I walked across the office, ignoring the continued whispers amongst the floor. Obviously news had spread. I knocked on Stacey door and peeped my head through the door.

"Coffee, black, no sugar." I smiled.

"Come in Ruby, please take a seat." She gestured to a small black leather chair on the other side of her desk. I placed her coffee down and then sat down myself. Stacey looked at her computer and typed something in. Then she placed her hands on her desk, lacing her fingers together. A sinking feeling hit my gut. I was the last staff member hired, they were letting me go. I really was being fired. It had all been too good to be true. Getting work right out of college had been a pure stroke of luck, but I had figured at Clarke Industries I'd have a steady income and job security, I'd be okay. I could pay rent on a nicer place in time too. I sighed and resigned myself to my dodgy apartment on the dodgy side of town. It had been fun while it lasted.... Kind of.