The Anagapesis
I was late to work the next morning I couldn't seem to wake up. I walked into the office and quickly walked to my desk hoping that Kaiden didn't notice. The second I sat down I heard his voice. "You're late." He said in a deep stern tone I could tell he wasn't happy with me. I turned around to see him leaning in the doorway of his office wi this arms crossed. "I'll excuse it this time but not again." I was speechless at his remark. How could he threaten to punish me and take such drastic measures after how he has been treating me so well.
I guess the question to Ari's has been answered. No it wasn't special enough for it to be something. "Yes sir I'm s-sorry." I stumbled over my words I was not confident in them whatsoever. "I have a meeting in 20 minutes I don't have time to talk about this right now." He said returning back to his office without shutting he door. I clocked into the computer and I began to read through emails from the weekend. "Can you please for the love of God get me Brenner's number on paper." He said walking back out of his office and beginning to put on his tie. I noticed that around his neck he had a necklace with a ring on it.
He hid it under his shirt as he began to tying his tie. That's when I realized I had jus been staring at him thinking. "Now please Jesus Christ do I have to do everything myself." He said and without a word I turned to my computer and I looked in my email to find a email from Mr. Brenner with what looked like some statistics. I hit print and Kaiden grabbed them off my printer before I could get to them. "Are you okay?" I asked in a calm tone. I was curious as to what could possibly have him acting out in this way.
"No I'm not I come in and everything in my schedule is fucked up. I have people missing meetings and paperwork. None of my clients have sent me a my monthly update and apparently they didn't get the email that my receptionist was supposed to send last Monday." He explained to me and my heart sank a little bit. "I'm sorry you weren't in the office all of last week nor did you respond to any of my questions about your schedule for this week. You just told me to move them all to this week so I used your clients schedules." I defended myself and he growled lowly under his breath. "Well maybe know how to do your job better." He hissed at me and I gasped at him.
"What happened to the nice Kaiden I saw last week?" I asked him and he scoffed under his breath stapling the papers together. "You caught me in a weak moment and I over shared." He said looking me straight in my eyes and I stared a him a little hurt by his words. "Be careful Mr. Hark make sure to taste your words before you spit them out." I replied in a stern tone fed up with his attitude. He stared a tie for a second taken back by my words now. "We have a meeting to get to Denali-" I cut him off standing and grabbing my items for the meeting. "Ms. Cooper to you." I said maneuvering around him and walking ahead to the meeting room.
I opened the door for Mr. Hark and he walked in not giving me a single glance. We walked in and there sat Mr. Brenner he stood with a smile on his face. "Kaiden! Nice to see you I hope you had a good week off." Mr. Hark shook his hand having no emotion in his face. "Good is not what you would call it but I'll make do." Mr. Brenner looked at me and I saw a sparkle in his eye. He reached his hand out to me and I shook it. "Jacob Brenner CEO of Brenner Corp." He introduced himself and I nodded my head once not having any emotion in my face either. I was upset still from me and Kaiden's interaction moments prior.
"Denali Cooper. Mr. Hark's latest receptionist." I said feeling so minor compared to his high position. "Astounding! Well Hark what do you need to talk about." Mr. Hark sat down throwing the small stack of paper I printed at Mr. Brenner. "You're missing 3 million dollars out of your account." He said and Mr. Brenner slowly sat down in his chair looking at the papers. I went to take a seat beside Mr. Hark but he held a hand up to me telling me not to. "We won't be here long just stand." He said looking at me and I glared at him he was being an asshole. I bit my tongue anyways and stood beside Mr. Hark with my hands crossed in front of me.
"I'm sorry Kaiden it looks like my account has filed some of these number wrong." Mr. Brenner said trying to defend himself. That's when Mr. Hark pointed to a transaction. "Does a 2 million dollar yacht ring any bells in your head?" Mr. Hark snapped at Mr. Brenner. Mr. Brenner blushed a bit. "A gift for my wife for her birthday." My eyes widened the thought of simply getting my own yacht because my husband was so rich. "Well not all of us can just buy yachts for our wives now can we Mr. Brenner! That was a poor mistake on your part and this will not be happening again. I'm not going to pour my funds into a company that thinks it's okay to waste 2 million on glorifying their wife." Mr. Hark barked angrily.
"Kaiden please now Sophie-" Mr. Hark stood slamming his hand on the table. "You will not speak her name to me like I don't know! Think of where Sophie is and how dare you pull her into your bullshit like a defense you no good piece of shit!" He yelled and I stood there awkwardly not quite understand where this conversation turned to. "You know exactly what last week was and you still choose to press my buttons you fucking dick!" Mr. Hark stormed out of the room and down the hall in no particular direction. I stood there awkwardly for a moment before M.r Brenner addressed me. "Will you please make me a copy of this Denali?" Mr. Brenner asked me politely and I nodded my head. "Yes sir. I have the email at my desk I'll go make then copy then bring it back." I said and He waved his hand at me gathering his items.
"I'll just come with you I can't imagine Kaiden wants me here any longer. I understand he's had a hard week." He explained and I still didn't quite understand. Mr. Brenner walked with me down the hall to my desk and he spoke the me the entire time. "Where did you go to school?" Mr. Brenner asked. "WU for business I graduated not too long ago." I responded. "You seem like a bright girl for Kaiden he needs someone to keep him in line especially when it comes to his temper and his business." I smiled nicely at him. "I try but even I can't keep him at bay I'm afraid." I said and Mr. Brenner smiled at me before putting his hand on my lower back.
"Oh I'm sure you do keep him at bay in different ways." He said as he slid his hand down to my ass and gave it a squeeze. I stopped in my tracks. "What the fuck!" Is what I was about to say if Kaiden didn't beat me to it. before I knew it Kaiden had Mr. Brenner agains the wall his hand holding his face. "You fucking nasty old man don't you dare touch her like that!" I took a step back from the situation and I hugged myself. Mr. Brenner smiled wickedly at Kaiden. "Oh come on friend you're going to act like her intelligence it what got her this job? She a spitting imagine of Sophie." Kaiden punched Mr. Brenner in the face before holding I'm in place once again.
"You know I used to respect you but at of lately you've really used your power to get ahold of anything and I'm over your behavior. Get the fuck out fo my office and I expect a check for my share by tomorrow morning if not you'll be speaking to my lawyer." Mr. Hark said and that's when security came running to the rescue. They took Mr. Brenner away escorting him out of the building. Once Kaiden watching him leave and Mr. Brenner was out of sight he turned to me. He came to me checking me for a moment to make sure I was okay. "Are you alright?" He asked me and I shrugged at him. "I think you handled the situation just as I wished."
Kaiden pushed his hair back out of his face and he took a deep breath. I knew asking who Sophie was right now would not be a wise idea so I let the subject drop. "Why don't you go to your office I'll bring you some hot tea to calm you down. I said and he shook his head at me. "There's no use my day is ruined completely." He said and I shook my head I placed my hand on his arm in reassurance. "It doesn't have to be a bad day we can turn it around." His shoulders relaxed and he nodded. "Go to your office I'll be right there." Without a word he went to his office and shut the door.
I went to the office kitchen and I quickly made some hot tea for Kaiden. When I approached his office door I knocked don it softly and he hummed letting me in the office. I opened the door and all the lights were off only the natural light from the windows was lighting up his office. He wiped away what looked like tears. I handed him the tea directly and he took a few sips of it. "Thank you Dani." He mumbled under his breath before rubbing his head. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him softly and he shook his head no.
"I've done enough talking for the day." He said I could tell he was distraught. "Is there anything I can do?" I asked him and he shook his head for a moment then let silence fall over us. "Can you just sit and let me be in your presence?" He asked me and I nodded sitting down in front of him and placing my hands in my lap. "I'm sorry Dani I've been so cruel and I just can't contain myself. I am so drawn to you and I have the instinct to protect you." He explained and I just sat there calmly listening. "I haven't been myself please forgive me Dani." I shook my head at him. "Kaiden please it's okay I understand you've had a rough week and you've been stressed. But please don't treat me like this I enjoyed the Kaiden I saw up in that heaven. It was such a special place for me."
Kaiden stared at me for a moment before he spoke. "Can you come here?" He asked me and I nodded slightly confused as to what he was asking me. I stood anyways and I came around his desk and he turned pulling me down onto his lap and he hugged me into him deeply. I felt wet tears on my blouse and I hugged him deeply. I knew that whatever he had been going through this last week was hard for him and he just needed someone to be close to him and comfort him.
When I first started here I didn't ever think that I would ever grow to be so close to my boss but he seems to be a good person who has my back. Despite my lack of knowledge on his own hurts and feelings I know he is aware that I too have his back. I hope that one day he will open up to me about his feelings and this hurt that has been eating away at him and maybe just think I can cure my curiosity about the door at the end of his hallway.