For the most part, it was business as usual working with William. We were both still professionals and able to focus on the task at hand. I have to note that there were significantly less tedious jobs handed over to me. I hadn't stepped foot back into the filing room and as far as I knew, the job had been handed off to some of the other interns to complete.
I almost fell off my chair when one of the interns was called for a coffee run and a cup was not only placed on William's desk but on mine as well.
"If I had known that coffee would be included, I would've snogged you a long time ago," I said, closing my eyes as I savoured the aroma floating from my cup.
"Is that so?" He asked a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Definitely," I responded, taking another leisurely sip.
A call came through on William's line. He answered it without me paying much attention to what he was saying.
This was seriously the best cup of coffee that I have ever had.
Was that a hint of vanilla that I tasted?
I took another sip just to make sure.
Yup, definitely vanilla...
William cleared his throat from beside me.
My eyes shot open to find him hovering over me, one eyebrow cocked.
"Bloody hell!" I sat up straighter as my hand inadvertently landed over my beating heart.
I seriously have to put a bell around this man's neck otherwise my heart might just combust.
Kinky.
Would you stop...
"Come, we've got a meeting to get to," William said as he pulled my office chair out.
"But my coffee," I stared longingly at the cup that was left behind on my desk as I stood and collected my belongings.
I didn't care how stupid I sounded. That was a freaking good cup of coffee.
"I'll take you out for coffee afterwards," He placed his hand on the small of my back as he lead me out of the office.
We walked down the marble hallways that had felt cold and intimidating when I first started working here. Now, with William beside me, it didn't feel the same anymore.
He opened the door to one of the board rooms and let me through before following suit.
An intern came scurrying inside with a stack of papers in her arms. She looked timid, hardly daring to make eye contact as she greeted us before placing the stack of papers in front of me on the table. She left the room as quickly as she came in.
I could relate. I knew how agitating it could be to start a new job, not to mention a job under one of the most prestigious and intimidating men you could ever come across.
His presence demanded respect and attention wherever he went. Even now, when his eyes were meticulously scanning over the documents in front of me, ensuring they were without a fault, he made me squirm on the spot.
Although I realised, this might not so much be because I was frazzled by his presence. At least not in the same as that intern had been. I got the chance to admire him as he hovered over my shoulder. His jaw was cleanly shaven, not a single part of his appearance out of place. His brows were set, a serious expression resting on his face, all traces of his previous lightheartedness had vanished into thin air. And I don't know how he managed it, but he was somehow even more attractive.
The door opening drew my attention away from the sight that was William Knight.
It was quickly replaced by disgust as my eyes landed on the man who entered the boardroom. I had to force my features to display a professional smile, even though I wanted nothing but to bolt out of the room.
In walked Mr Archebald with his greasy assistant right at his heels. He greeted William first before reaching a hand out to me.
I had to fight the urge to recoil as Mr Archebald's sweaty palms latched onto mine.
"Good morning Miss Bennet," His eyes were roaming over my body, travelling over my pencil skirt before resting on my face again.
William was busy shaking the assistant's hand, making Mr Archebald's leering out of his line of sight. His eyes did not however miss mine right after the fact. There was a question in them, but I simply smiled to reassure him that everything was alright.
There was no need to cause a fuss about nothing.
"Please, take a seat," William said with the confidence of a man that would someday rule the world.
He started the meeting, by going over the objectives and potential obstacles that they might have to face in the future.
I could feel Mr Archebald's gaze landing on me every so often when he thought no one was paying attention.
We hadn't done business with them thus far, William had only recently agreed on sitting down and going through all of the details. He never went into anything blindly and the current circumstance was no different.
Mr Archebald headed one of the most prestigious wine farms in the country. How he managed to run a business while being such an absolute creep of a person I knew not but somehow he managed. That just goes to show, that when it comes to business, it's certainly not about who was the nicest or most upstanding citizen.
"Miss Bennet?" William addressed me tightly.
Shit.
When it boils down to it, William was all about professionalism and me spacing out during a meeting was definitely not it.
I straightened in my seat before realising what he was staring at.
The documents.
I pushed out of my chair and started handing everyone their stack that was neatly held together with a paperclip. I fully intended to just place the papers in front of each person, avoiding any contact as far as possible. But when I reached Mr Archebald, he clearly had other plans as his hand came into contact with mine as it was lowering to place the papers on the table.
My body seized up by the contact and I dropped the stack on the floor, causing the papers to come loose and scatter all over.
Heat quickly rushed to my face.
How unprofessional could I be? First I wasn't paying attention and then I managed to cause an even bigger scene by dropping everything on the floor.
You had one job Elizabeth!
"Sorry," I rushed before going down on my hands and knees to retrieve the scattered papers.
I frantically tried to pick up everything as quickly as possible. I had about half of the stack in my hands when William's voice stopped me.
"Get out," His voice was clipped, but the edge it carried was lethal. I couldn't see his expression but I was sure it was equally frightening.
Now you did it...
I rose slowly, mentally preparing myself for the very thing I feared would happen since I started working for William Knight.
But when I finally straightened enough to take in William's demeanour, he was no longer sitting at the end of the table but was standing in front of Mr Achebald, blocking him from my sight.
"You have got to be kidding me?" Mr Archebald jumped to his feet in outrage.
Even when he puffed himself up to his full height, he was no match for William who was towering over him on a good day. He could probably even see his own reflection in the bald spot atop Mr Archebald's head.
"I assure you I am not." He said with so much venom that I wondered how Mr Archebald was still standing.
Mr Archebald scoffed.
"How dare you treat me this way? First making me wait for you for months to set up a meeting only to have you throw me out for no reason! This might be due to your lack of experience but you won't last in this business if you treat people of importance like this." Mr Archebald's pudgy face was now turning from red to purple.
William seemed calm on the outside but I knew better. The calmer his tone was, the more afraid you had to be.
My mind was still desperately trying to catch up to what was transpiring before me.
"And you thought it wise to disrespect a man like me by shamelessly ogling Miss Bennet right in front of me?" I peered over William's shoulder to see Mr Archebald's eyes grow twice their normal size. A flicker of fear was passing through them now.
"You have made her so uncomfortable, in my own company might I add, that she's been on edge since the moment you stepped in this room. And then you go and provoke her further and bloody stare at her ass while she cleans up the mess you caused." William was practically fuming now.
A new heat of embarrassment rushed through me as his words registered. I sunk back behind him, not wanting to see their exchange any longer.
"Are you... are you serious right now? She's just an assistant!"
"Get the fuck out!"
The room became so quiet you could probably hear a paperclip drop.
After a few moments, the door opened and closed without another word.
Black dress shoes invaded the spot I had been focusing on on the floor.
William pulled me into his chest. My body started shaking the moment I came into contact with him, as it finally got the opportunity to release all the pent-up anxiety.
William's heart was hammering loudly against my ear, his own body still rearing up for a fight. I started wondering if he was holding me close to calm himself this time.
I lifted my shaking hands to cup his face and have his eyes meet with mine. His breathing was still uneven and eyebrows drawn together.
My thumbs reached up, drawing lines over his brows in an attempt to minimize the crease in between them.
"You should have told me." William's voice came out gruff.
My eyes searched his. There was no sign of anger or accusation, there was only worry left in them.
"There's always going to be people like him," I said softly, "You can't very well kick all of them out."
"Yes, I bloody well can," He was completely serious, "I won't allow you to be violated like that. No one gets to look at you like that."
I got the striking feeling that this statement stood, no matter what the other person's intentions.
"I'm okay, really," I added when that crease became more prominent again.
I relaxed my shoulders that had been bunched up against my ears to further prove my point.
"I promise," I reached onto my tip toes and placed a quick peck on his lips.
His eyes warmed up in surprise, the worry slowly leaking away from them.
He reached behind my neck, attempting to pull me into another kiss.
"Nope," I said, pulling back with a teasing smile on my face, "You promised me a cup of coffee. It's time to put your money where your mouth is."
I turned around, already halfway to the door when he responded in a low voice.
"There are so many other things my mouth would rather be occupied with,"
I desperately fought to hide my blush as William fell into step next to me.
But if there's one thing that today has proven, it's that nothing gets by William Knight.
Finally, we're rid of that creepazoid.
But can I just say, jealous William is seriously swoon-worthy!
Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter (and this side of William).
And I would also just like to say thank you to all of you who have taken the time to go back and vote for chapters on What Nobody Knew.
I hope this extra-long chapter is enough to thank you!
XO
Audrey