Word count: 2649
You guys are golden. And you deserve the best. ❤😍
My shout out goes to Denver, Rio, Nairobi and Oslo. 😆😆😆
*
I didn't sleep at all last night.
My face was swollen when I woke up this morning. I had eye bags and I had catarrh and cough. One that needed serious and immediate attention so it wouldn't stay longer in my system or get transferred to my siblings.
Or boss.
Speaking of boss, my gaze traveled towards him and I heaved a soft sigh.
He had this weird smile on his face since morning. And he hadn't snapped at all today.
That was a good sign though, if only he'd stop staring so intently at me.
I went back to the appointments Adam had scheduled for Gonzalo this weekend. They'd been properly reviewed by me but they were yet to be equally crosschecked by Adam before getting transferred to Gonzalo.
"Romeo." I called and Romeo appeared by my side immediately. Gonzalo insisted I transfer all my things from my office, which was beside his, into his own office. His office was extended into mine, for more space. Meaning there was no demarcation between our offices anymore.
"Did you brief Adam on the reports?"
"Yes." He nodded.
"Speaking of Adam, why has he been taking some days off since the past one week?"
"Family issues."
"Like?"
"His girl is pregnant and she usually has a fit...sometimes."
I frowned. "Has this happened before?"
How come I'd never met her if she'd done so? Not like I was ever away from the office, since I worked inside the same space as Gonzalo.
"Yes." Romeo's response cut me off my wandering thoughts and assumptions.
So, this had happened before.
I gestured for him to go on when he just kept staring at me. "Well? Go on. When did it happen? I want to know all about it. He's not being paid to take occasional leaves and take care of his girlfriend whenever he feels like it."
"Last year. She miscarried after their second attempt at having a child...so he is being careful this time." Romeo grimaced, looking uncomfortable to be sharing this information. I could totally understand him.
I sighed. "Okay then. Tell him to see me when he resumes work. We're both Gonzalo's assistants so I think he needs to explain himself instead of right out awarding himself some free days. That's all."
He nodded and went back to his desk.
"Rosa?"
"Sir?"
"Come here."
I left my table and went to meet him.
"What were you discussing with him?" He nudged his chin in Romeo's direction.
"He was briefing me on Adam. Adam has taken so many days off in the past few days so I asked about it."
Gonzalo frowned. "Yes...where is Adam at the moment? I've only seen him once this week."
"I was told he has some...issues. Family issues. I've not called him though. I'm hoping he'll call you and explain the situation so I won't have to do that."
"Give him till this noon and if he doesn't call, then tell him to see me. If something is wrong, I don't like when my employees act shady about it. Talk to me instead. I'm not a monster after all." He complained and I nodded. Turning around, I was about to head back to my seat but I stopped when he cleared his throat. "Er, Rosa."
"Yes?" I turned around.
"Have I told you you're really beautiful this morning? Your earrings are cute."
I gave him a bland stare but that didn't stop my face from turning crimson regardless of my facial expression.
My left hand subconsciously came up to finger my star shaped beaded earring which I'd gotten at the mall the other day.
"No you haven't. Thanks for the compliment sir." I gave him my most sincere smile.
I walked back to my seat, head raised high on my shoulders because I knew his eyes were on me but inwardly I was a quivering mess.
My heart was thumping wildly in my chest and I tried to calm my nerves. When did he even start noticing my earrings? And I never even knew he had such a glib tongue.
I turned to face him but Gonzalo was already staring at me with lips slightly parted as if he was in a deep thought about something, his chin resting in his palm while it rested on his elbow supported by the table. He winked when he caught me stealing a glance and I looked away speedily, blushing to my roots.
I never knew my boss could be this shameless.
"Rosa?"
I cleared my throat and faced him for the umpteenth time. "Yes sir?"
"Have you had anything to eat?"
"No I haven't." I ate very early this morning but it doesn't count since it's almost twelve PM already and working all morning tended to make one hungrier.
"What would you like to eat?"
"I'll probably have some French fries and a can of soda but I'll go get them myself so you don't even have-"
"Shh. I only asked you what you want." He gave me a sweet smile. "Romeo? Call Corbin and give him her order. I'll have the same."
My forehead creased. "You don't take soda. Your doctor-"
"I'll have what she's getting." He nodded at Romeo to give his final instruction, and his bodyguard frowned in confusion, giving me a questioning look. I shrugged.
"I'll have orange juice instead, Romeo. Get that for him too."
Romeo nodded and gave Corbin the order. I sighed in confusion and decided not to dwell on Gonzalo's weird behavior so it wouldn't affect my work.
When Corbin delivered our meal, I thanked him and dug in.
My back felt warm most of the time, and I knew my hunch was probably not far from the truth, which was that Gonzalo had probably snuck glances at me several times.
We worked that way till the close of work and I packed up my things to go home.
During our drive back home, Romeo kept throwing me confused, weird, stiff and uncomfortable glances from the side mirror where he was sitting and I had to stifle my giggles several times. This was because I kept making weird faces at him.
My face contorted into a constipated one and he frowned again and shook his head at my childishness.
I giggled this time.
"Is there something funny?" Gonzalo asked. His tone was chilling and his eyes were questioning.
"Nope. Just me and Romeo sharing an inside joke." I chuckled.
Gonzalo huffed and adjusted his tie, going back to what he was doing on his laptop. I resumed my playful act of making funny faces at Romeo who reduced the glances he was sneaking at me.
Then my phone beeped and I unlocked it to read the message. It was from Romeo. Couldn't he have just said it out?
Romeo: *stop making those faces. Do you want to get me killed?*
Rosa: *What?*
Romeo: *Boss has been throwing me glares. I think he'll kill me if you keep trying to get my attention.*
My face morphed into one of confusion. Since when did Gonzalo start giving threats to Romeo because we were being playful?
Turning to face the said man slowly, my eyes widened. He was indeed throwing Romeo subtle glares, his eyes staring intently at the back of Romeo's head with suspicion in his eyes.
We finally got home and I heaved a grateful sigh. Finally I would get to check on Greta. I alighted with my handbag.
"Rosa."
I sighed and turned around. "Yes Gonzalo?"
"Come to my room after you've freshened up. We have something important to discuss."
"Okay."
I went in to check on Greta, who was having a nap.
"Didn't she sleep this afternoon?"
Aliza shook her head, smiling widely at the sight of a sleeping Greta. "No. She has even been more playful than before." Then her smile slipped off her face. "I'm really sorry about the incident. I had no idea the drug I bought had expired. If anything had happened to her...I wouldn't have forgiven myself."
I placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine. It wasn't your fault anyway. From now on, just as I've told you before, I want to know about every drug she uses. Make sure of it."
"Noted."
I left her and went to freshen up and find something to eat before going up to Gonzalo's room.
I knocked.
"Come in dear." He called and I felt my cheeks warm up at the random endearment. I went in and gently shut the door behind me.
"Rosa, come in. Come here. Sit beside me." He gestured.
I did as requested.
"What kind of games do you love playing?" He suddenly asked, smiling at me.
"Sir?"
"Oh drop the honorific. We're alone right now so no need to use the honorifics. Though I wouldn't mind if you stopped using the honorific altogether. Anyway, what are your favorite games?"
I didn't have any favorite games. I read books, sometimes. And I liked watching after my siblings like the act was a hobby. Maybe I played some games with friends a few times over the years but I never had a favorite.
"I don't have a favorite game."
"Okay. But you play games quite a lot."
"No I don't?" I asked rhetorically.
"Oh. The one you were playing with Romeo on our way back home wasn't a game?" His forehead creased as he appeared to be thinking so hard about it.
"No Gonzalo." I sighed, already dreading where this whole conversation was headed. "I just like making funny faces at him..." I trailed off. This conversation was weird on its own.
He sighed and gave me a disappointed look. "You seem to be very fond of Romeo."
"We work at the same place. For the same person."
He scratched his forehead. "My girlfriend doesn't give me attention except I ask her to, yet she keeps trying to get the attention of my men."
"Er, about that, I've been meaning to have a serious talk with you."
"Same here. We didn't get the chance to talk properly the last time because of Greta. How is she now? And how is your hand?"
My mood brightened considerably at the thought of my baby sister. "She's fine and my hand has completely healed." I sighed, showing him the spot that only left thin scar, which would fade soon. "Actually Gonzalo, the thing is that-"
He pursed his lips and held my hands. "You want to break up with me don't you?"
I eyed him with a creased forehead. "Wait, what I meant-"
"It's fine. Do you really not like me? Not even one bit? I thought we had chemistry there."
My face contorted at his downcast expression and tired tone. He looked like a puppy that'd been kicked to the curb.
"No-" his face fell. "I like you Gonzalo. I do. It's just that, don't you think we're going a bit too fast? So many things has been happening at the office lately..."
I looked up at his face amidst my complaining to see him smiling wildly. "I knew you had the hots for me. Look sugar-" he eyed me skeptically, "can I call you some pet names? Rosa sounds too formal."
I nodded stiffly. "Sugar sounds corny though, but it's fine."
"We will make this work. Now to the rules, my men are not allowed to look at you...for more than five seconds. They're not allowed to smile at you and you can't be seen in corners with any man that isn't Gonzalo Romano Rodriguez or Leonardo. That's unacceptable. As your boyfriend, I will keep you safe, protect you and your siblings, satisfy your every needs-"
I raised my hands in horror at how fast this was going but he grabbed them and showered kisses on them, giving me a dimpled smile.
"I know your worries baby. I'll deal with your brother and pass what ever test he has planned for me...I know how brothers can be."
I shook my head. This wasn't even about Leonardo.
He continued. "Now, you will go with me on some official meetings, as my woman and if you ever get uncomfortable with anything, anything at all, I will handle it. Also, don't forget that we are a team. Tell me everything that's going on in your life and I will also do the same. If anyone makes you uncomfortable, punish them. I won't scold you. Lastly Rosa, breathe in and breathe out for this one."
I did as told, breathing in and out. "By the way I also have my own rules and regulations. Since we're doing this like a military thing."
"Alright. I will adhere to them. Lastly, Rosa, I will say this only now and the rest that will follow, will be my actions. Okay?"
I nodded. This all sounded crazy, yet here I was. Still sitting in his room and allowing him continue with what I remembered telling myself was a foolish idea last night.
"I am a possessive man. I will never share you with anything or anyone. We will make an exception for your two siblings. But that is it. I once drugged someone because he wanted to take away someone I cared about. The drug almost made him lose his sanity, my dear Rosa. If I sense a threat, even the least of it, I will kill. Any man. Especially another man that isn't me or Leonardo. So please don't make me jealous, especially with Romeo. Okay babe?" He ended with a serious expression, hard eyes set on me.
"Yes Gonzalo."
Yes. That was what he probably thought I would say since he was the lord of this mansion. I looked him dead in the eye and chuckled.
"You will have to control your jealousy, Gonzalo. Not every man wants to know the color of my panties, I assure you. And I can't stop guys from being friendly towards me. Also, be rest assured that I won't look at any other man the way I would look at you since...I've thought hard and long about this for a few days now and decided to give your proposal a yes."
I didn't have a boyfriend anyway. And also, apart from his occasional aggressiveness and ways of showing his displeasure, which I could handle by the way, he was okay. And good looking. And he seemed to really like me.
He smiled and pulled me closer to him, leaving only a few inches space between us. Then he leaned in.
I swallowed thickly.
He bit the side of his lower lip and pulled me impossibly closer to him.
"I knew you were trouble since the first day I came across you right outside my room. My red head. From now on, I will call you Phoenix. My Phoenix. And all my men shall call you Phoenix, because you have that spirit in you to never cower even when you're facing the most gruesome situation. I chose well." He laughed out loud for a few seconds, then stopped abruptly and smacked his lips on mine for a second that I gasped.
He released me and I involuntarily leaned back into the seat, still shocked at how he could steal a kiss and look so carefree while I was a quivering mess inside.
"Now I'll listen to your conditions. Go easy on me, my Phoenix." He chuckled.
I glared at him. Steal my first real kiss— in three or so years and then ask me to go easy huh? No way.
***
Who wants Gonzalo's POV? I actually planned on maintaining only Rosa's POV but who knows if you can change my mind? Hehe.