The Billionaire's Bitch

Pt. 2 Twenty-Two

One of Adrian's board members was speaking to Adrian, forming a question. Adrian was looking over a stack of spreadsheets and didn't seem to be paying the slightest bit of attention.

I looked from Adrian to Mr. Sykes.

The profit margins were dropping, or something.

"Mr. Kingsley doesn't accept profit losses over 5%! You know this as well as I do, Mr. Sykes." I said confidently. I had no idea what we were talking about, but it sounded right. I'd heard Adrian say that before, I was sure I had.

Mr. Sykes blinked in surprise, then frowned at me. The rest of the esteemed board members did the same. I swear it was a hive mentality.

Adrian finally looked up and he frowned, as well.

"That is correct, Eve." Adrian said quietly, surprising the shit out of me, frankly.

I looked at him, as did everyone else at the table.

"So what do you want from me, Sykes? Do what you have to do to push the product, push the margins up, or pull the plug.

"Come on people! We know the drill, don't we?" Adrian rapped his stack of papers on the table, back in control, then rose from his seat.

Meeting officially adjourned.

###

Adrian touched my arm lightly at 5pm.

I looked up at him hopefully because he hadn't touched me all day.

"Would you like to go home in a separate car? I have some paperwork to catch up on here."

Hope hurt, I discovered.

"No, I'll-I'll stay-if-if you don't mind?" I stuttered.

He cocked his head, considering me. "Suit yourself." He started to turn away and my heart ached.

I missed him. I hated that we were fighting, and that I was quitting...

I followed him forlornly into his office, trying not to feel like a lost little puppy.

"Do you need anything, Boss?"

He sat himself at his desk and glanced up at me quizzically. "Anything?"

Oh my. Was that a hint of flirtation in his voice? In his eyes? He wasn't smiling, so it was hard to tell.

I gulped and nodded. "S-sure!"

"Promise?"

I felt confused, but my stupid heart was fluttering with hope again.

"O-okay." I faltered.

"Don't quit." He said simply, then he turned back to his laptop.

I stared at him, floored.

Had he really just said that? Or had I misheard him?

It was so typical of him, though. He didn't even say please. No 'I love you', 'I need you', no 'I can't live without you, Eve!'

Just, Don't quit.

A command.

"Anything else?" I said coolly.

I wasn't going to reassure him that I wouldn't quit. I couldn't lie; a part of me wanted to run to him and throw myself into his lap and beg him not to be mad at me anymore. To punish me, even, if that's what it took to get past this.

The rest of me wanted to punish him for once.

"Sure, come here. Help me date these stupid sign-offs."