His Office (Boss in Love series #1)

Chapter eleven: Pot, Meet Kettle

The article was right. I woke up this morning, practically skipping to the showers, hurrying so I can wear one of the sets that Harper helped me pick out.

Knowing that I was going to have the sexy undergarments on me somehow made me less grumpy this morning. I woke up wanting to wear something better, sexier over it too. It inspired me to express a new and brighter mood on the surface. This new mood of sultriness and confidence that I have suddenly acquired terrifies me but also excites me.

So after my quick shower, I choose a tight, blue pencil skirt. A skirt I didn't have before meeting Harper.

The skirt didn't actually come by itself, it belonged to a whole "sexy librarian" type of ensemble but Harper saw that I was eyeing it so she promised not to tell her boss that she sold it to me without the rest of the complete set.

She also gave me her phone number and told me she'd love if I could come to her best friend's bachelorette party next week.

It's amazing how the color of my hair used to make me a freak in High School but now I'm making new friends because of it.

I don't wear makeup.

Harper convinced me to buy three mascaras and a red lipstick, advising me to start small. And right now, I am looking at myself in the mirror, painting my pale-pink lips with a little shiny stick, applying the sultry, crimson-colored lipstick.

I almost don't recognize this boldness I have. The girl in the mirror has a new light in her eyes. Her red lips are fierce and her eyes are large and demand to be challenged. She's even cut out a little bang while letting the rest of my red mane fall down to her shoulders.

I've never worn my hair in any other way other than a bun or a low ponytail.

I do feel mildly uncomfortable in my new clothes but not enough to take them off.

Today, at work, it will be like all of the other times, except I'll be having a sexy undergarment underneath the shortest and tightest skirt I've ever worn in my life. My heart is heavy at the thought of walking inside that building later, I feel like a kid at a new school but I'm also excited.

Harper may have called me beautiful yesterday, but it's today that I feel it.

Damien

"I took the liberty of removing all of the alcohol and anything resembling pills in the house and everything else she might get tempted to ingest. I also-"

"Bugger off, will you?" I ask my sister, plastering my palm to my forehead. "Or at least get out of my study. I've already got her to worry about and your being here as well... I can't really concentrate. Especially if you insist on ordering my staff around like you own the place without consulting me."

"Damien, I'm just trying to..."

"I'm done with your passive aggressive bullshit. I know this is your way of telling me how stupid I am for not thinking of removing the alcohol and pills sooner and you're right, I'm glad you've done that. But now you can leave."

Her eyes widen as she starts to protest. "But Mum needs-"

I lift my hand to shut her up. "Julia, stop. I am well aware of what Mum needs; you have no need to be here. I can take care of my own mother."

She narrows her green eyes down at me and crosses her arms as she stands there stubbornly in front of my desk. "You mean your staff can take care of her? Because you haven't even looked at her ever since she arrived."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Damien, you know she's my mother too. So stop, let me stay here for a few days. I just want to help."

"Well, if she wanted your help, she would have collapsed in front of your place of residence, not mine. She hates you, remember?" I remind her, keeping her stare.

She gapes at me for a second then exhales dramatically, shaking her head in frustration. "Fine. I'll leave. Just send me a note when I need to attend her memorial because she will die here. Her son can't even bear to look at her or touch her." She spins on her heels, walking for the front door.

"What? And you can do much better, yeah?" I call after her.

She twirls back around. "Actually, brother, yes, I can."

"Oh, so now that you've married some rich sod, who's older than dirt, you think you're fit now to take care of our addict mother?"

"I-"

"You may have been cleaning your husband's vomit for all of two years now, but caring for an addict takes much more than your greedy, leeching hands can handle."

She scoffs. "And what does that mean?"

"That means that it doesn't matter how much you pretend you love that old bastard, he's not leaving you squat. Because we all know why you married him and he's not so stupid as to leave his twenty-seven-year-old wife his fortune instead of his two younger daughters."

"You wanker! We are planning on having our own children. This isn't..."

I can't help but laugh, interrupting her as I throw my head back. "What? Are you crazy enough to...? Are you hoping to be off the duff soon? Because I can guarantee you, Julia, that poor bastard is shooting blanks."

"Shut up!"

I laugh harder. "Nothing's left, sister."

"You're disgusting, you know that?" She sneers at me, that familiar furry in her eyes.

"Yeah. Pot, meet kettle," I revert.

"Fuck you."

I sigh after the door is slammed, my head laid in my hand.

A minute later, my housekeeper pokes her head in the door and asks, "Is every alright, Mr. Rye? Mrs. Masterson has just told Olivier to fetch her car after she stormed out. Is she leaving already?"

"Yes, Olga. Is she gone?"

"I believe so."

"Good. I only need one troubled woman in my family in this house." I sigh again. "I need a drink. Bring me a whole bourbon, would you?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rye, I'm afraid you sister threw away all the alcohol. On the count of your mother being here, she said."

"Of course she did. Just when I need it."

"Should I go buy..."

"No, Olga. Thank you. Please continue to watch over my mother and come tell me if she so much as stirs weirdly."

"Of course, Mr. Rye. She hasn't vomited once today. She prefers Vance looking after her since he's the one who found passed out her in front of the gates, sir."

"Thank you, Olga."

"It's been a chaotic morning, sir. Are you staying in today?"

"No, get the car ready, I'm going to Rye Headquarters today."

This is for you, my loves. I'm sorry I have not been updating. Some family and medical/personal issues have been happening.

I thank you for being patient with me. I hope you didn't give up on me.

I will always come back to you all. Remember that.