Ps: The picture is Marcel.
"What are you doing here?" Pamela asked Devlin, a little surprised to see him standing in front of her bed, his expression stony and unreadable. He was looking speechless like he couldn't answer. She stood up and walked towards him, concern in her eyes.
"Are you okay? Do you have something to tell me?"
Devlin gritted his teeth as she moved toward him. He couldn't help but notice how her silk nightgown accentuated her breasts and her lush figure. He was appalled that she was so unaware of how beautiful she looked and how much he wanted to hold her.
He wanted to kiss her too - hell, he wanted to do a lot more than just hold her, but he couldn't - wouldn't say that. She had hurt his pride once. And he had sworn that that was the last time he would beg her into his bed. He never begged any woman. They had been only too pleased to grace his bed. But this one, this particular, stubborn one, he just didn't understand.
Pamela placed her hands on her hips, wondering why Devlin was staring at her intently. It made her uncomfortable if anything. His eyes moved to her breasts and she dropped her hands. She had no idea placing her hands on her hips would tighten her nightgown and would make it accentuate her -
She jumped slightly as Devlin turned on his heels and headed for the door.
"Devlin, wait."
Devlin was mad. No one, no one barked commands at him. He would never obey. But he found himself doing just that. He raised a brow at her in question.
She walked towards him until they were just inches apart.
"Thank you." She whispered taking his hands in hers. "For everything you've done for me, for putting your life out there for me. Thank you."
Oh, how he wanted to kiss her! How he wanted to carry her to the bed and make love to her till all strength left him. How he wanted to light her aflame with passion, stroke her till her legs turned to water. But instead, he yanked his hands from her grasp and scowled darkly at her.
"Don't get too excited. I only did it because of your mother. She fed me once." He said brusquely and walked out of the room.
Pamela stood there in the warm night, hurt welling up in her. She couldn't blame him, how could she? She had been very rude to him and had blamed him for all the bad events that had happened. If she was being honest with herself, she wouldn't expect him to be civilized to her.
She walked up to her bed and curled herself up in a ball under her sheets, trying to keep at bay the hurt she felt welling up in her.
~
The bright morning sun was a sharp contrast to the dull and gloomy mood Pamela felt when she woke up. Even Helen noticed.
"Are you okay?" Helen asked, concerned.
Pamela gave her a ghost of a smile. "Woke up on the wrong side of my bed, I guess. What's for breakfast?"
She dressed in a simple top and Jean trousers. Despite Helen's horrified look, Pamela insisted on being casual. She didn't care for wearing gowns and dressing up for breakfast, it was not as if they were in the 60s. Besides, who, but Devlin was going to be there? And she was disinclined to see him. He had literarily embarrassed her last night and she was mad. Yes, she'd been grateful but her anger had surpassed the gratitude.
When she got to the table, he was not there. And when Helen told her she was going to dine alone, she felt worse than ever. Loneliness gnawed at her insides. She picked at the very delicious food and retired to bed early. Later that day, her mom called.
Dorothea was so worried about Pamela that she asked to come over to be with her but Pamela refused. She told her mother she would be fine. After she hung up, Pamela realized what she wanted to do was go and take over her father's company. She needed something to keep her busy. She just couldn't keep on staying in the mafia's prison and kept being bored out of her mind. She would go to the company to assume her position, as Marcel had suggested.
Oh, Marcel. The poor thing would be worried sick, Pamela thought. She had to leave the safe house, and she would, first thing in the morning. She would go to her father's company.
With that conviction, Pamela was able to sleep. Not that she was able to get much of it; she kept tossing and turning. At first light, she jumped up and had a quick shower. She dressed in a suit and skirt and prepared to leave for her father's company. As she moved towards the parking garage, one of the guards came to obstruct her.
Pamela gave him a questioning look.
"The boss ordered you not to leave."
"Really? Why?"
"He didn't say."
"Get out of my way!" She felt terrible yelling like that but she had to be strict if she was going to have her way.
"I'm sorry I can't let you, my lady."
"I'm not your lady, neither am I your prisoner. Now, out of my way."
"The boss said -"
"The boss this, the boss that, I'm sick and tired of 'the boss' Where is he anyway?"
He gave her a blank stare. "I can't say."
"You know what? I don't want to know. All I know is I'm leaving here whether you like it or not."
He stood in her way unwavering. "Please, ma'am." He said quietly and Pamela started to waver. The emotion in his voice showed that Devlin would punish him for failing at his duty.
Then an idea occurred to her. "What's your name?"
"Bob, ma'am."
"Will Devlin be back before, let's say seven pm?"
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, uncomfortable. "Uh, not really. Why?"
Yes or no?! Pamela wanted to scream at him but she realized he might not want to reveal anything, just as Devlin had commanded. She rolled her eyes.
"Why don't you escort me to where I'm going, and we'll be back early, let's say, 5 pm?"
He looked nervous. "Uh, ma'am I can't -"
"I won't tell." She punched him playfully on the shoulders, which hurt, by the way. "It'll be our little secret, Bob." She pronounced Bob as Bab.
"Uh, the thing is ma'am, it's kind of too late."
"Oh, 4 pm then?"
He looked down at his feet. " I... Uh -"
"2 pm?"
He scratched his nose. "Ma'am I beg of you -"
"12 pm," Pamela said gritting her teeth. "LET'S GO."
Ten minutes later, they were on their way to the company. Halfway there, she phoned Marcel, that she was on her way and he with a burst of delightful laughter, said he was around the company and would meet her there. Pleased, she'd hung up, thankful to have a friend like him.
They pulled into the parking lot of the skyscraper and the valet came to open the door for her. He was all smiles when he saw her and Pamela recognized him.
"Hello, Toby."
He grinned, as if happy she remembered his name. "Welcome, ma'am. We missed seeing your face around here."
Grinning, Pamela walked to the entrance and said. "Hopefully you'll keep seeing my face a lot more often."
As she walked in, she drew in a shaky breath. The reception was bubbling and bursting with activities, people going with files, and drug samples, visitors sitting and waiting patiently for their appointments, and janitors moving with the mop and broom, the hustle and bustle made her feel at home. How she had missed this.
Out of nowhere, Marcel appeared, wearing a clear-cut grey suit and immaculate shirt with a navy blue tie. He looked good in it. She caught her breath when he moved towards her - not just for the fact that he looked good, but because of the words he said;
"Everyone, at attention!" his voice thundered above the chatter and bustle of the reception. Everyone went still.
"Let us welcome to our midst, the new CEO of King Pharmaceuticals, Miss Pamela King."
~
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