Hold Me

Chapter 9

Owen

I can see her stirring in her sleep. 

Good, she needed the rest. After the shock I gave her, and now her life is going to be turned upside down. 

I tip toe out of the room and close the door. As I stand watch outside her door in my penthouse, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed, I can't help but cringe at what happened just a mere few hours ago when we barged into her apartment.  

I overreacted. I did not think the situation through. I did not look at the problem from every possible angle. In short, I was not prepared. Just like I was not prepared to take over this company. 

I'm sorry grandfather. I have failed you once again. All that you have taught me during my two years with you seem to be going down the drain. 

I turn around to give my head a few good bangs on the wall, but just as my head is about to meet the wall, I hear footsteps coming down the carpeted hall. I quickly recover my previous position and pull out my phone to look at my emails. 

Peeking up, I see that it is just Sean, and I almost sigh in relief before remembering he is the most dangerous one right now. He knows me better than anyone and can see right through me. That is why I hate him, but I need him as my best friend. No one knows me better than him. 

"Watching over her?" he asks me with a tired smirk. 

My initial annoyance at his question disappears as I see the bags under his eyes, so I simply nod. 

They are already overloaded with work at such a young age. I encourage them to go out, meet girls, and relax, but they all follow my lead and work tireless hours into the night. I can't find the courage to tell them that I need something to keep me busy and keep my mind off things unspeakable. 

And then I drag them into my personal mess. 

She was perfectly fine when we arrived there. She had just froze from something I had said on the phone, and was enjoying a cup of coffee with the movers when all nine of us barged into her apartment. Well, Silas beat the rest of us by a good 10 minutes, and was unwilling to put her down. We overwhelmed her with all nine of us surrounding her small figure, so she promptly fainted in Silas's arms. And now we are here. With her in my bed. I guess I could have told Silas to put her in the guest room, but after the last time she stayed here, the bed smelled so much like her and I couldn't get enough. 

I mean I put her here because my mattress is better than the one in the guest bedroom, and since it was my fault she fainted, I wanted her to be as comfortable as she could be. Yes, that's why. 

"You know Owen, the boys are struggling to accept this new Owen Blackbourne with actual feelings," Sean informs me. 

I sigh, "There is nothing different about me."

He just gives me a rue smile, "That's what you think, but this girl is changing you. Hopefully for the better. She'll be good for you, for all of us." 

"She's only my personal assistant, Dr. Green. There is nothing outside professional feelings on my side and hers. I hope that is very clear to you." 

"Oh Owen, for how long are you going to deny you are already in love with this girl? You are going to loose her if you can't accept it. There is a long line of eligible bachelors willing to date her assembled in our living room. And don't forget me. I will be there for her when you mess up, my friend," he says before patting my shoulder and walking away, whistling one of his annoying tunes. 

His little spiel annoys me. The boys are interested in dating her? That can't happen. I need to give them a stern talking to about staying away from Miss Sorenson.