"Did you shave above the knee?"
My head painfully bangs against the bottom of the wooden table I'd been under for a solid three minutes in search for my shoe.
I move my body from underneath the table, running my now hurting scalp as I come eye to eye with my grandmother's scolding look.
"Of course not, Gram," I mumble out, the pain of my newfound injury taking over any sort of embarrassment the question could give me.
"Good. I don't want that new boss of your's to get any ideas with my sweet little granddaughter," she scoffs, making me smile at how protective she'd been my entire life.
I decide to opt out of responding seeing as the only thing that mattered to me in that current moment was finding my other shoe so I didn't have to go to my first job in a pair of converse, although I would prefer those over the classic black heels any day.
Knowing that I would be doing this the second I woke up, I had the smart idea of waking earlier than actually necessary. Two hours earlier really. It seems extreme, but in such a small three bedroom apartment, things cluttered up.
Three bedrooms seemed to be big, but really the sizes of our bedroom were the size of a walk in closet. But it was home nonetheless.
"Sweetie, did you look in your room?"
I frustratingly pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. "Yes, I did Gram. Twice." I groan out, already hating my morning more than anything.
"Well did you look in Thea's room?"
That was an idea that had hardly crossed my mind. And that was undeniably stupid of me. I walk through the living room and knock on her door ferociously, knowing that I'd have to wake her from her drunken sleep.
The door swings open and a disgusted looking Thea stands tall in the doorway with makeup smeared all over her face. She was a natural beauty, and I'd always been jealous of her looks. So it came as a surprise when she starting piling on the makeup just to have it smeared from various guys and drunken affairs.
"Do you have my shoe?" I ask, not in the mood to scold her for her Sunday night partying.
She steps aside, and I carefully walk into the disaster that was her room. Clothes were scattered everywhere, her undergarments out in the open, or what I can assume to be so considering how thin and tiny they were. Don't think I'm judging, but no one wants to walk into their baby sister's room to find such things openly displayed.
"Which ones?" She mumbles, rubbing her hand in her face tiredly before shuffling through her clothes in search for my missing heel.
"The black ones, I just bought them, Thea." I say, lifting up her clothes myself because I didn't have much time left and I still needed to finish getting ready.
She lifts up a shoe, and extends it out to me, "This one?" She asks, her voice deep and groggy.
I sigh in relief, taking the heel from her hand. "I'd kiss you but you smell like expired alcohol and vomit," I scrunch my nose in abhorrence before shaking her finger that I can only hope was at least a little clean.
"Yeah yeah, go to work so I can sleep you bitch," she groans, retracting her hand and tossing her body onto her beds, "That was a bad idea," she immediately says, cuddling up to the stuffed elephant I'd given her for her fifth birthday. I'd spent my entire allowance at the whopping age of eight just so she could have something to cuddle.
I shut the door gently before slipping on my shoe and carefully making my way to the door. "Okay, I'm gonna go. Thea is asleep but don't worry, she'll be at your beck and call, there is leftover Mac and cheese in the fridge, and I think that's all?"
"Lainey," Gram starts, resting her hand on my inner elbow gently, "I don't need you to take care of me. That's my job, okay? Besides, you're going to kick some ass today and bring home to big bucks. I promise you, it's all taken care of here."
I nod, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before grabbing my purse off the coat hanger. "I'll call during my lunch break." I assure her, although I know it is probably the last thing she wants.
"Alright, alright. Can't get rid of all of you I guess. Have a great day, sweetie. Love you bunches," she smiles, making me smile in return.
"Love you too."
•———•
Standing in front of one of the most prestigious skyscrapers in New York was a gift most times. The amazing architecture, the curiosity of how such buildings stood so tall, but these circumstances are hardly for entertainment.
I flatten my pencil skirt and let out a shaken breath before cinematically, or at least in my opinion, walking to the glass door.
"Good morning," the doorman greets, making me nod my thanks as I pass through the doors.
The atmosphere was different than I thought it would be. My interview a couple weeks ago was straight and to the point. I hadn't even met the man I'd be assisting. Although I think it was safer that way. Austin Wood was one of the scariest men I've ever had the privilege to read about.
But I wasn't about to let his panty dropping looks and his demanding tone drive me off a cliff. No. I was here for one thing and one thing only; work my ass off.
This wasn't ideal for a 23 year old, but with my lack of capability to get a job that was in my field of college studies, I was stuck at the foot of some severely attractive billionaire with no idea how the hell I got to this position.
I make my way to the front desk, where the counter reached just below my breasts like it were meant to hold them.
My first appearance here she'd been sat at the exact desk with the exact look of disgust on her snooty features. I wasn't one to judge due to wealth or history, believe me, but I never grasped the idea that New York was filled to the brim with successful men and woman alike. The expensive items, the never wear a clothing twice rule that I highly doubt was truthful, that just never pertained to my small apartment family.
"I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong building," she immediately says once her eyes scan my body freely. Clearly she had nothing to hold back when it came to public speaking.
"Actually, I'm not," I retaliate, "I'm Mr. Wood's new assistant."
Her eyes are laced in doubt as if she was trying to remember who might of hired someone like me. But to be honest, I'm thinking the exact same thing.
"My apologies but you don't look like you suite the part."
I can freely say that I too had the same inner battle this morning when I took my final look in the mirror. But alas, I didn't think to be called out on my hand me down clothing that I'd ironed late last night while watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother.
I was close to an equally witty response, but my words fail me in my time of need as a deep voice calls over to the woman in front of me.
"I don't choose my employees based on appearance, Miss. Danforth," He says, his voice vibrating off my entire body like we were enclosed in a small space, a horrifying thought I might add, "Please call for her identification to be set up preferably during my lunch so it does not conflict with the rest of my day."
I turn on my foot finally after his demands are delivered.
I think I can say I have met a handful of good looking guys in a city this large. But no one compared to Austin Wood. I found myself in awe as I stood before him, and I hated myself entirely for already dipping my toe into the rest of the New York population with their admiration for a man this successful, and equally good looking.
I hardly have enough breath to formulate a sentence, let alone a letter before he glances to his phone and leaves the lobby with not a single word spoken.
I stand dumbfounded, almost as if I were in a trance.
I was never one to be starstruck, but it was safe to say I was pretty damn close in this exact second of time.
"You might want to scurry along little Bennett. Austin doesn't like to be kept," Miss. Davenforth, whose first name is yet to be discovered, spits out.
I hurriedly make my way across the deep grey tiled floors and over to the man as he stands before an elevator waiting for it to descend to the main floor.
I didn't want to disrupt his piece seeing as he was busy in his phone, so I opt for standing awkwardly beside him as we wait.
It feels as though a few minutes pass but I can only assume they were seconds.
I watch from the corner of my eyes as his head perks up to check the elevator's location above the two large doors.
"Miss. Bennett," He says in a deep tone, "A word of advice, don't depend on another man to do your work. There is no time for petty drama and I don't tolerate employees who can't defend themselves. If Miss. Danforth or anyone else causes you grief, you don't crawl to another employee."
I was shocked to say the least. How was I to know he was standing behind me? It's not like the sound of loud applauses could be heard as he stepped through those glass doors.
"But Sir-" I attempt to justify myself but to no avail.
The elevator door opens and he steps inside without a care to my own explanation.
If my morning was any sign of how the rest of my day will be, it's safe to say I'm fucked.
•———•
I know this is shit, but when aren't my first chapters.
It's been a while. Now that Climax King is over, I kind of gave up on writing and started reading which is why the boss thing is probably my next. The professor one is cool too so if ya'll want both, I'll get a schedule worked out because I kinda wanna do both but only if it's of interest.
I'm happy to be back my dudes. Can't wait to keep publishing
•Climax King
•Summer Sex
&
•2,213.3 Miles Away