"Rise and shine, Mr Pellegrino. What kind of coffee do you like?"
Vincent groaned as his curtains were yanked open and the sunlight burst into his room, cutting his slumber. He realised that the voice that had just spoken to him was one that he did not recognise. He heard the soft tap of heels on the wooden floor of his bedroom and peeled open one eye. He saw a pair of nude heels and a smooth pair of brown legs. His eyes travelled higher, past the hourglass figure that was hidden in a tight navy pencil skirt and the ample breasts that were covered by a camel coloured chiffon blouse. His gaze lifted and landed on a face he didn't think he would ever see again.
He shot up and narrowed his eyes at her. "You. From the interview a few weeks ago. What are you doing in my room? What are you doing in my house?"
Imani smiled sweetly, shifting the frames on her face. "Oh, your father didn't tell you? I got the job." Vincent's face fell.
"No."
"Oh yes. Now this morning you have a meeting at 9:45am with Neil Johansson-."
Vincent stood and Imani tried to look away but she couldn't help but stare at the ripped abs and chest she saw. He was wearing his pyjama bottoms but his upper body was bare. His chest was smooth except for the hairs on his lower abdomen that led down and disappeared into his bottoms. "That meeting is at 11:30am actually." He grunted, running a hand through his dark locks as he walked out of his bedroom and downstairs towards his spacious front room. Imani followed him. He opened the front door and turned to her. "Look, you are not needed here nor are you wanted. I don't need an assistant." He gestured to the door, a clear sign for her to get out but instead she shut it.
"Clearly you do need an assistant. Mr Johansson's team called and rescheduled to 9:45am. It is now-" she checked the time on her phone. "8:30. You need to go get dressed."
Vincent scoffed. "I'm not taking orders from you."
"I forgot what an asshole you are." She stated, rolling her eyes and retrieving her suit blazer from his coat hooks by the door.
"Understand that I can have you fired if I want to."
Imani smiled and grabbed her bag after putting on her blazer. "Actually, I was hired by Giovanni. Which means only he can fire me." She saw a tick in his jaw as he ground his teeth. She opened the his door and turned to him. "I'm heading over to the office to prepare for the meeting. If you decide to show up, please show up early."
Vincent crossed his arms over his chest. "And if I don't show up at all?"
"I lose nothing. I'm still getting paid but it's you who loses the account." She stated with confidence, watching his face fall. "So will I see you at 9:30?"
He grumbled his reply and slammed the door in her face.
She sighed and walked towards the black car that had shown up outside her home in the morning. The car had dropped off LJ to school and her at Vincent's house with a key for her to enter. She had been surprised when it appeared but after Giovanni called, explaining to her that he wanted her to travel around safely, she wasn't complaining.
"Where to, Miss Forde?"
"Straight to the office please, Benjamin." The driver nodded and smiled at Imani as they drove.
Vincent huffed, angry that Giovanni had gone behind his back and hired her. He had already stated that the woman was not up to scratch. He had already stated that he didn't need an assistant. He had already stated - several times - that he didn't want to take over the company.
How dare Giovanni give her the key to his house?
How dare she storm in and give him orders?
He wanted her fired.
Not one to ever take orders, Vincent decided to take his time getting ready. He wore a suit in his favourite colour with a crisp midnight blue shirt. He felt his phone buzz and it was his cousin Marco so he answered. "What?" he answered in his usual tone.
He checked the time on his watch and saw it was 9:29. Good.
"Calling you really does make me feel all warm inside, Vincent."
He rolled his eyes. "What's up, Marco?"
"Nothing, just wanted to make sure you were up and awake. Uncle Giovanni told me you had an important meeting today." He replied.
"Yes I do. I should be at the office. at 9:30 actually."
There was a pause. "Uh, it's 9:30 now, Vincent."
He frowned when he realised there wasn't a car out front for him. Usually his driver would be waiting outside for him when he had an important meeting to get to. "Did Giovanni mention anything about my driver whilst he was giving you information about me?"
Marco chuckled. "No, not anything I can remember." Vincent cursed, realising he would have to drive himself to work instead. "He did mention something about an assistant though."
"The bastard didn't listen to my wishes. Yet again. I specifically tell him I don't need one and this morning she storms into my room waking me up and giving me orders." He vented, grabbing his keys on his way to the garage. He didn't even know her name. He wasn't interested in it either.
"Oh no wait, he did say something about your driver. He said that since you have a car and your new assistant doesn't actually own one, she needs to be chauffeured more than you do. Something like that." Vincent's fists clenched in anger. She had only been hired for a few hours and she had already started to mess things up. "Is she hot?"
Vincent was thrown off by the question. "What?"
"I said; is she hot? You know what? I don't trust your opinion, I'll have to come in and see for myself."
He hung up the phone, his cousin's voice beginning to irritate him. He sucked his teeth in annoyance. First she stormed into his room making orders and then she took his car.
He checked his watch again and decided to irritate his new assistant in the same way she had irritated him.
Imani looked up and sighed in relief when Vincent walked in at 10:45. Her sigh was a mixture of relief and annoyance. He ambled to his seat beside Imani and took his time sitting down.
"You're late." Imani whispered harshly to him.
He instead ignored her and smiled at the many faces around the table, the icy smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Shall we begin?"
A few hours later, men and women piled out of the board room, mixed emotions on their faces. Some looked horrified, whilst others were annoyed.
Inside the room, Vincent stood and prepared to leave. "You were an hour late." Imani stated, gathering all the pieces of paper in the room.
"Really? I didn't notice." He said sarcastically as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Incase you weren't aware, I run on my own time and I take my own orders." Imani opened her mouth to speak. "I don't care who hired you. Although I've already expressed your inadequacy, it seems I left out your lack of respect." He picked up a file from the table. "Don't ever show up at my house like that and don't take my driver. With that said, I'd like the key you have to my house on my desk at the end of the day and my car back in front of my house tomorrow morning." He gave her the same icy grin he'd given the people in the meeting. "Any misunderstandings?"
Imani counted to ten in her head, trying to reign in her anger. "Actually, yes. You still haven't told me how you like your coffee."
He screwed up his face.
"Your coffee, Mr Pellegrino. To be the best assistant that I can be, I'll need to make sure you're wide awake and ready for the day everyday. So if that means being driven around by Benjamin and dropping off coffee to your house every morning then so be it. Anything for you boss." She remarked, smirking when his face twisted into one of anger. "I guess that means I'm keeping the driver and the key to your house. No misunderstandings."
Vincent took a deep breath, trying to gain composure. "You're not wanted here."
"Perhaps not, but I am definitely needed here. You have to work on a lot of things, Mr Pellegrino. Your timing being one of them-."
"I don't take orders-."
"From anyone, yes, I got it. But you were 2 minutes away from losing a major account."
Vincent rolled his eyes as he left the boardroom, Imani following behind him in her heels, trying to keep up. "I didn't lose it."
"Luckily." He entered his office and turned towards her. "All I'm trying to say is you should be glad your father has such a good relationship with the Johansson's or else that account would've been gone." She snapped her fingers for effect whilst he sat down in his chair after removing his jacket.
Vincent chuckled bitterly. "I see you too have succumbed to my father's charms. Of course."
Imani tilted her head. "Excuse me?."
They both turned towards the knock at the door. The tall curly haired brunette with sun kissed skin and the same thin nose as Vincent moved from the door and walked in. "Hello there." He said charmingly to Imani after devouring her with his eyes.
She shook his hand formally before turning to Vincent. "Amy from fragrance development wants to talk to you at 3pm. Be on time." She rotated on her heel and walked out, her hips swaying and heels clicking.
Marco's eyes bulged. "That's your new assistant?" Vincent nodded, still annoyed at her comments. "Vincent. Vincy. Vince my dear cousin. What's her number?"
"Why would I know that? Why would I want to know her number? She's a rude and disrespectful woman."
"That is hot as hell. I think I may just start taking an interest into this dumb company." Marco laughed at his cousin's hostile reply of throwing a pencil at his head.