The impact of each beat in the music makes my head ache and my heart beat's faster. If it wasn't for Andrew's arms around my body holding me in place, I would have probably been on the floor by now. I try to close and open my eyes to gain some power in me, but it doesn't work.
Somehow, Andrew manages to get us both out of those sweaty bodies on the dance floor and in the booth that we were once there. As I fell into my seat, I clutch my head and curse.
"See, that's why I don't want you to drink," Andrew sighs and lets himself have a seat next to me.
"No, you don't want me to drink because of your stupid contract says so, which means you say so and... I don't know where I'm getting with this, you don't even care," without paying attention to my surroundings I speak freely to him. Frankly, there is no one in our booth or near it, so I doubt if anyone heard me. Besides, I don't think if anyone can hear their own voice over the music.
Andrew growls beside me, but he lets this go, which I don't think of it as a usual act Andrew Martinez would do.
"Laura, why do you defy me?" his husky voice makes my body shiver and awake. I look at him, although in the darkness I can see the light in his eyes, I can feel the hunger in his icy blue eyes that keep staring down at me. His power makes me weak, makes me want to swallow down to under the table and hide.
"I'm not, you're the one who keeps me in the dark just so you can shield me from your secrets," I have never said anything deep like this. I blame alcohol once more for the crazy fuzzy thought that seems like have a good connection to my mouth.
Andrew's eyes wide open as he gapes as me as if I said something close to the core or added salt to his long last wound. I know there's something behind this face. I know that he's keeping secrets. I've tried a lot not to dig into his life knowing that it's not my business, but I can stop thinking that he knows something and that thing is killing him inside out, although he doesn't show it, I can read his thought.
God, what is wrong with me? I should not think of it or him at all. It's not like I should really care for him since I'm only his mistress. But when I see this look on his face, the one that looks like haunted or maybe he's afraid of me knowing his flaws.
"Laura," his voice makes me stay still and look deep through his eyes. He shifts next to me and faces me completely. Placing both of his hands on my face and cupping my cheeks in his large hand, he leans in closer to me that I can feel the hot breath of his on my face, "stay away from me as far as you can, I will burn you,"
"I can't," I shake my head, "I'm already burnt by your flames," I whisper.
All the sound of music that was annoying to my ears eases up and vanishes. I can only hear my heart beating fiercely in my chest. His hands on my face seem no longer alien to me, I can feel them as a part of me as if they are burnt into me as if he's burnt into me. I look in his eyes, they are ruthlessly dark. No life can be seen in them except a light of what seems like to be remorse. Why are you so haunted, Andrew?
"Come on, let's get you home," he stands up all of a sudden, almost startles me. Holding his hand around my waist so I won't fall, he takes me out of the club and that beating sound that was getting my head exploded.
Just outside of the club, I see Scott in his usual uniform of black suit is standing confidentially next the SUV vehicle. At the sight of us, or better say the sight of my drunk self, he opens the door and nods his head toward Andrew and me.
"Penthouse, please," Andrew asks Scott who gets behind the wheel immediately. Helping me to get into the car, Andrew sits in after me.
The minute we get away from the club and into the long latest traffic in LA, I feel my head getting heavier and harder for me to keep my eyes open. So I let my head rest, comfortably on Andrew's shoulder. His cologne is a drug for my poor headache and soon it becomes a mute lullaby and makes me sleep.
I stir lightly in sleep when I hear some sounds near me, more like two people whispering. And then I feel myself getting picked up from wherever I'm sleeping. I'm too heavy to respond, though. When my nose gets the familiar scent of expensive cologne and fresh clothes and slight mint, I turn to the hard and familiar chest and breathe in.
"Go to sleep, baby. It's late," Andrew says when he sees I'm stirring more than usual. He puts me down on the mattress and then kisses my forehead very sweetly. I want to stay awake, I want to see his face and look at him, but I can't. I can sense him, though sitting next to me and staring at me. I can feel his hot gaze upon me. But soon the presence next to me disappears and I feel him leave the room. As he closes the door, I feel myself drifting to sleep with the disappointment of him leaving me.
I wake up with a jolt in my sleep, falling down off the cliff while I hear the voice 'I'll burn you,' I can't help but think about what exactly had happened last night that makes me be here today, sleeping in Andrew's bed, I mean our bed.
I clutch to my head as a headache makes me almost scream. The hangover is indeed a bad thing. Although I have said and said multiple times not to drink, I seem to always find a way to forget what needs to be remembered.
Getting up slowly, I try to lose my unconsciousness due to a tedious headache. My head is getting exploded and my veins are pumping out of my skin. Grabbing both sides of the mattress tight so I won't fall, my toes touch the floor. After all of the hassle and bustle, I stand up.
Only then, I realize my clothes from last night are off of me and it left me with my bra and panties. What happened last night, damn it? Did Andrew do this? Oh, my god, I hope I haven't said anything stupid, since I know when I get drunk I could say the stupidest thing that no one can control me.
I need to find Andrew first thing first. I look around trying to find a T-shirt or at least a piece of clothing, but there is nothing but an empty room. I enter the bathroom and do my work before staring at my reflection in the mirror. Before a girl is standing, half naked, baggy eyes and nasty hair. I look dreadful.
Fortunately, I find a bathrobe. I wear it gladly and tie the knot securely. Having the last look at my reflection in the mirror, I make my way to the downstairs.
"Sir, do you like your coffee now? Or you want it in your office?" the sound of a woman in his early forty can be heard from the kitchen. Turning the corner, I see Andrew, who is sitting on the breakfast stool with a newspaper in his hand while Pamela serves him eggs and bacon. At the sight of me, Pamela beams happily, "oh, hi my dear. Did you sleep well last night?"
Only when she notices me, Andrew turns to me and looks at me up and down, an amusement in his eye from me being almost naked underneath the bathrobe. His ridiculous smirk is bound to be wiped. I narrow my eyes at him before taking my seat next to him.
"I think she has indeed a good sleep, didn't you Laura?" he looks at me with those smoky innocent eyes, while his hand makes its way up to my inner thighs under the bathrobe. Pamela cannot see the commotion under the table as she's busy doing whatever she does. I look over at him and glare before slapping his hand.
"Yes, I think I had," I reply as the same as his playful tone.
"Oh dear, you have no idea how happy I was when I heard from Mr. Martinez you are here." She finally turns toward us and smiles. "Coffee or tea?"
"Coffee, thank you," I reply.
Pamela turns back to making coffee for me, while Andrew pretends to read the newspaper while his hand is torturing me under the table. Although I slap his hand over and over just so I can stop him from reaching upper, he finds a way again to restrain me with his large big hand that seems to be stronger than a stone.
Just as Pamela comes with the cup of coffee in her hand, Andrew gets up and his hand leaves my thighs. Immediately, I miss his hand on me,
"Ok, I'm going now," he confesses and gets his jacket on before leaning and kissing Pamela's cheek,
"Please be careful, my boy." She bids her goodbye before leaving us alone and making her way to the upstairs.
I look at her disappearing upon the stairs. I mentally cry inside for her not to leave, 'NO,'. Although I have my back to Andrew, I can feel his smirk. I sigh before facing the man who is enjoying my behind.
"You know, it's not polite to stare at a woman's butt," I glare at him before getting to my position and stare ahead of me as I drink my coffee and ignore completely. However, that presence of stupid grin is hard to ignore.
"Not when it's your ass, princess," he whispers in my ear. It tickles me all the way through my body.
"Don't ever call me that," I say as I playfully slap his arm. Ok, maybe not playfully, but that teaches him not to mess up with a hangover.
"That's a given," he whispers in my ears once again before kissing my cheek. "Anyway, try to have a good day for your first day at work, although I don't think you can have it," he says before having a glance at his watch.
Before I can say anything, he disappears through the front doors and leaves me in hassle. What did he just say? Having a glance at the clock, I jump off guard. Oh my god, how can he do this to me? How can he not realize I'm freaking late for work. I mean, it's freaking nine in the morning and I'm still here.
Wait! How come he was still here? Does he have anything to do? I mean, he's all CEO and the only one in the whole the building who can have his legs crossed, but still have money in his account but that doesn't go by that all the time.
What am I thinking? I need to get ready and done before I can get fired.
I horridly get upstairs and try desperately to find my clothes. Fortunately, I find it neatly folded on the table. Wearing the dress and the high heels from last night, I make my way to the front door.
"Oh, where are you going dear? Aren't you going to have breakfast first?" Pamela's voice stops me on the track.
"Thanks for the offer, but I think I should better get going," I turn to her offer my smile politely. Opening door, I turned around one last time and say my goodbye before getting into the elevator.
Walking out of a very high-class building with only your last night club clothes which can barely cover your tits, isn't a very good thing to start your day with. By all means, everyone's head turned in my direction when I step out on the pavement.
What really gets me back is that how fast I manage perfectly to get to my apartment on time and change into a proper outfit for the first day of my work. The only thing that is now worrying me is the moment I put my foot in the building, they fire me. And they have all the right to do so if you think about it. It's not like you can have your first day of your new job later, just because you spent the last night in the arm of the CEO of the biggest company in the states.
As much as I would like to be very proper for this day, I cannot. I just get a brief shower and wear my outfit and the next thing I'm waiting for the bus. Knowing I should wait a life for the bus, I decide to let it go and spend much more money on getting a taxi, since I have a job now, therefore I can cover it all and that's if the offer is on, if not for me being late, and get to my work.
It feels like the first day of school all over again. I can't even feel my own two feet as I practically run from the first step into the big lobby I put. I can feel people's eyes on me as I make my way to the lifts. It's like I'm an alien to them and they don't like me being there. The first thing comes to my mind as I see the view before me is that how lonely I am. For a second, I wish I was back at my own work, where I know where I'm going, what I'm doing and there is no worry if I accidentally bump into someone.
The elevators here are busier than my last job. Just good, now I have to be platter against these hulks every day as I take the elevators. Maybe I just go for the stairs.
Not very after that thought the elevator ding and indicates my floor, at least do I have tolerated much in the elevator. After pushing my way out of them, I walk straight to the front desk where a girl is sitting and huffing to her, at least I was more likely to visitors when I was sitting in her position.
"Um, excuse me?" I say softly.
The girl before me shows no reaction as she stares ahead of her at the monitor as if the monitor has more interesting information than an answer to the clients.
"Miss?" I say louder than before, this time, fortunately, she hears me.
"Yeah?" Her voice, by all means, is full of boredom more like someone who's just got out of high school.
"Um, I'm here for Mr. Stanford, Laura Brown," I explain carefully and more little by little so she would understand.
"Yeah, whatever, get in, in five min." She says without even looking at me.
I nod, even though she cannot see me, and take a seat on the designed place. Half of this huge building is dedicated to this company so no wonder why they have such a good design. After all this an interior design company, one of the best in its business.
Five minutes pass along and I get up and head for the door. Opening the door, I make careful steps you show my confidence, even I have left a little for being late already.
Behind the desk is sitting Mr. Stanford with a usual tux. The office is all white with slight shades of gray. This makes it brighter and for someone as busy as him to have a more place.
I learned these kinds of tricks or so you can call them in university. I can remember that time when after each session when I learned a thing I would try to apply it to my own little apartment with just having ten bucks for an hour I was getting paid.
"Ah, Miss Brown. I'm delightful to meet finally. I must say, it was unexpected for you to call, I was told you are stubborn when it comes down to work." Mr. Stanford gets up from behind his deal and comes forward to greet me and shows me to sit before he takes his place. He's still the same, the same model for his hair and the same beard. I thought I would face someone different from time to time, but by telling his way of acting and his gesture, I guess we can get along just well.
Oh, wait! Was it a compliment or teasing he just had? Who the hell says that such a thing? Ok, it's getting really creepy. How the hell am I here anyway? It's not like I have a strong connection or was born in a pool of money.
"Who told you that?" I speak my thoughts.
"Oh, never mind. Let's talk about business shall we." He responds carelessly. So I decide to let it go as well. I mean, why do I care? I'm here finally, right? "Alright, I'm just going to say I'm so happy that you decided to work with us, I'm sure our company is in need of a clever and intelligent person such as you. As you know, we have different parts of our company. There are some people who design interior and exterior and then there is going to be about districts. I'm sure you are aware of other parts of this industry."
"Yes, I might know some things here and there," I confirm.
"Ok, so I was thinking since you are not leaving very far, the LA district would be very good for you. You can have this part of the city while there are some others having these parts," he refers to the tablets before him that are now facing me and is showing a map, "you are going to have your space of work, of course, but you might have to go to the places for having as an aspect of it, does it make sense?"
"Yeah, it's good,"
"Alright, then I think you're off and you can start from now, how is it?" he says excitedly. Putting the table away, he grabs some paper from under his desk and puts them before him.
I look at him, shocked. I expected to have a view of the company but didn't know if I can start now. I mean, now? It's really exciting getting to the work of my dream this instance.
"Yeah," I answer him excitedly. He nods and gets up and signals me to follow him.
Taking the elevator to the lower levels, we exit the doors to the same decoration of the reception where two girls are sitting. They seem more likely to be in work than the last one.
"Hey, girls," Mr. Stanford calls up to them. They both raise their head and meet us up.
Mr. Stanford, although as scary as he seems to be, both in name and position, he's a good man at heart. His usual behavior to other staff, so far I have seen is friendly and yet so professional.
"This is Ms. Brown, the head of your department from now on." He declares.
His sentence shocks everyone in the room, including me. What the hell? I knew I was going to work here as a usual designer and that by god getting me a chance of being lucky I have this opportunity to work in Los Angeles, but that I am the head of the department in Los Angeles is a way to hit it.
I gape at Mr. Stanford as well as the girls who are seemed to have locked in on me and Mr. Stanford. Is he joking? I don't think so.
"I..." I couldn't finish my sentence. I have the lack of words in me. Holy shit! Did I just hear right? How? Why? I mean what?
"Yes, Ms. Brown, welcome to our company, these two girls here is your reception, the ones who are going to manage people's visit to your employees' offices." He tilts his head toward the girls who are still in a great shock. "This department is now under your supervision, you have the ultimate control over them," he then starts to walk toward the foyer which I assume the offices are located. Before the foyer where it is still considered reception there are at least twenty seats on each side where I believe is designed for the visitors and clients.
We walk into the foyer. The long foyer with doors on each side and some other foyers in between are perfectly designed so it's not that boring of an office as it seems to be and not that silly that make it funny, just the normal. Then the foyer ends up with a right turn into another reception. This time, there is a girl sitting behind the desk.
At the sight of us, she stands up and straights her blouse and skirt miserably. Tell me about it, I have it all the time. I silently agreed with her. Even from miles away you can see she's not one of those annoying talkative gossip girls of the office, but a simple and shy and yet very intelligence.
"Hello, Mr. Stanford welcome," she greets us kindly.
"Miss Julia, this is your new boss. Miss Brown," he introduces me to her. "Miss Brown, I should head back, but I'm sure you will be fine. You have a conference today that you have to attend as to inform your employee about your presence, but other than you will be fine, however, if you had anything to ask me, you know where to find me. Welcome to the Future Dream,"
He is about to step away and leave me in a haze when my voice stops him, "How did I get this position?"
"Um, well..." he turns back to me with a small smile on his face. "We've just lost our department head and was in need of one, I contact the university and they suggest you who are one in the country and more importantly in Los Angeles and two who is clever in her work,"
It is somehow believable if you wanted to believe it, but why do I feel like that it's just a lie. Why do I feel like that it's not the only reason of it? But I just shake that off and nod my head as in believing in his words.
"Do not disappoint me, Miss Brown. I know you won't," and with that, he takes his cue to leave.
I'm so lost in my own thought that I didn't realize Julia's presence behind me as she clears her throat. I turn to her and smile.
"Hi, my name is Laura Brown, but I prefer Laura, so don't bother with the casualties," I say immediately to release some of the tension in the air as I can clearly see stress in her eyes, knowing about the entire new boss and those craps.
"Hi, Laura, I'm Julia Davis, but most people call me Julia and even some calls me Jules. I'm ok with both. I just wanted to say, I'm so happy that you're our new boss. Welcome,"
"Thank you," I flip my hair to the back of my ear not feeling really good about this whole being boss thing. I can't take a responsibility of even a person, let alone a group of employees.
"Would you like me to show you your office and the place," she offers me,
"Yeah, sure,"
I follow her up to my new office. As the door opens, I have a view of a big and all white and cream stuff. The furniture is white just the same color as Mr. Stanford's but the only different is the table. This one is less expensive, but all the way expensive at the same time. The steel of the desk is shown as it hasn't been used yet.
Julia shows me around the office, the files, and even the private bathroom I have in the office. She also shows me how I can work with the new laptop and tablet provided by the company and how I can have my schedule updated from her. With some other juicy details, she asks me to follow her to the outside of the office where she could show me other places of this department.
Just on the other side of the building and my office you can find a small café with just a shopkeeper in it who is busy providing coffee for his customer who is shocked at the sight of me.
"Hey, Mark, meet the new boss, Laura, I mean Ms. Brown." He calls out for the shopkeeper of the little café.
He raises his head briefly to have looked at us.
"Just Laura," I confirm it once more, afraid that for the first sight of me they start to think I'm a bad temperature bitch. This whole thing is new to me and I don't know if the next step of mine is correct to do. I haven't had any responsibility before, except some paper works I have done for Ben but now we are talking about people that are getting supervision from me.
"Ah, so you're the new boss girl?" his tone of voice is playfully rather than being annoyed. He has Texas accent which makes him the complete American guy with his blonde hair and mostly tanned skin.
"Yeah, I guess I am," I shrug.
"Come on, we have a lot to look at," Julia tugs me and forces me to move along.
Her way of treating me makes me more comfortable, knowing that they aren't looking at me as a bossy boss. I like them to be happy when they are at work. I want... heck, I want to be one of them, being a boss isn't made for me. I can't do this. Damn, how the hell I got here?
We make it to a conference room that has at least twenty chairs rounded around a table. All the chairs are black while the table is stainless steel.
"Ok, so for the next few minutes we are going to have a conference. You are going to meet your employees and have a conversation with them; I have already made you the papers that I thought would be useful. And here are some documents that you need to go over to your first conference, you can apply your own policy, but mainly it should be based on these terms." She explains to me.
With a deep breath, I look over the papers and try to concentrate on the subjects. There's a lot I don't know about. There are a lot of experiences I haven't yet got it, and I wonder how in the good heaven, I have become the boss of the department. I have surely gotten good marks in the university and I know that my essay has a good review of the profession. But how and why me, when I haven't been to work just yet and I have no experience of it.
A good half hour passes and Julia opens the door for the first people to walk in. They walk in, in complete silence, but they don't miss the glare toward me. I feel embarrassed somehow since they are all older than me and surely with more experience, but somehow they got it that I must be some gold dig with money from her father.
"Hello everyone," Julia speaks up as everyone takes their places. "Since last week, you all know we have been without a boss after the last one got fired." Fired? The hell! "But today we are gathered to welcome our new boss of the LA department. Ms. Brown,"
She gets away from the table and let me have a view of them, some claps with the others just look at each other with suspension faces.
"Hi, um... I'm new to this so if I do anything wrong, please do tell me." I take a deep breath, trying to get away from the glares I'm getting from some of them. "So, since I'm new to this, I want you all to continue with what you were doing before me unless it's not working, and then we are all good. I have no new policy to apply, but I want you to know that I'm going to work as one of you which means if you have any project that you cannot complete it because you are having a problem that has a good excuse for it or that you have too many, I want you to come to me and let me do it. But please make sure you have either of them before you make a move."
I'm hoping with this new policy or better say promotion for them; they would stop sulking at me and be friendlier.
"And for the last thing I may add, please don't think of me as a bad boss who I'm sure you think I am. I'm just trying to be friendly with you. For as long as you do the best service and work as you are asked, we are not going to have a problem."
I swallow down as I take a good look at each of them. Mostly they had 'I hate you, bitch,' face on and I'm sure they are ready to claw me with their nails.
Soon all of them get dismissed and they leave without a word. Julia helps me to get the paper back to my office. Finally, after the hassle, I get settled down on the chair behind the desk. Taking a deep breath, I try to consume all of my surroundings, still not believing as to why and how I did get here. And here we go with the first day.
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