Ex-Husband Turned Boss

Chapter 9

When I walked out of Bryce's office, I did not expect to see Tatiana seated at my desk. From the way she was staring at the table, I could tell that her abrupt dismissal was not settling too well with her.

"You took my position away from me, the man I love and now my job too." She hissed, then finally turned her cyan eyes towards me. They were clouded with pure hatred.

I snorted. The man she loved? I wasn't expecting to hear those words coming out of her mouth. Just what did Bryce and her get up to?

"Am I the one who fired you or it was Bryce? Why are you acting like you don't know that my hiring was completely out of the blue? I had nothing to do with it."

"Liar!" She ground out through gritted teeth. "You seduced him to get that spot! How do you explain why he just hired you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." I said in a sing song voice. I hadn't noticed it before but Tatiana was kind of mentally unstable.

"Would you please allow me to get back to my job?" I said calmly, getting closer to the desk and going through some new contracts that Bryce was yet to sign.

She shot up suddenly, like her ass cheeks were on fire. "Enjoy your triumph whilst it lasts, but soon, mark my words, I will be back. And I will get you back. I will also find out what ties you have with Bryce as well." She threatened relentlessly, then say sauntered angrily to the elevator.

I rolled my eyes at her dumb theatrical scene. Was that supposed to be a threat or a joke? If she had stayed longer, I would have told her my history with Bryce, how I laid eyes on him first.

Woah! Where did those words come from? Bryce made it severely clear that he was over me and that what he had was buried in the past.

Or is it? You know what they say, old flames die hard...

"Stop!" I shrieked to no one in particular, descending on my seat. I have to stop having these wayward thoughts before they eat my brain up.

Deciding to focus on my work, I did some paper work, ran a few copies and scheduled one meeting. Before I knew it, it was 8.15 and Bryce came bustling out of his office.

And damn, everything he did was just so hot. I will never get tired of saying it.

"Let's go. El Fonçi's is quite far from here." He said in that deep, velvety voice of his. Stupid butterflies began to flutter in belly. What is it with me and my hormones today? My period must be around the corner.

"Sure," I said lowly, then grabbed my purse and we both strode to the private elevator.

It was a quiet ride down. When we reached the reception area, he lead me to the underground garage to his beautiful Bugatti Veyron.

Once inside, my derrière was graced by the plush leather seat. I have never ridden, much less seen a Bugatti in my life so being in it was magical.

"You like it?" He asked, his face donning his signature smirk.

I nodded. "I've never been in one. Thanks to you, I've ridden in a Ferrari and now a Bugatti."

He smiled, but I felt like the was more to his facial expression than just plain amusement.

Not wasting another second, he brought the engine to life and elegantly drove into the much-dreaded New York traffic.

A few minutes into the journey, a question just popped into my mind.

"What is Tatiana to you?"

He tensed at my question. Even his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"I don't see how that is any of your concern." He sliced coldly.

My temper began to rise. "It is if she is claiming I stole the man she loves." Even though you were mine first, I bit back.

He huffed angrily. This was one of the reasons we got a divorce, our tempers were too much for each other and he was always so secretive. Some things don't change.

"Tatiana was just a mistake I made a few times. I would get drunk and she was just there. She got her feelings in the way, since she never understood it was nothing but sex."

For some reason, I felt a little bit jealous finding out he had indeed hooked up with her.

"It is highly unprofessional to mess around with your employees and you had no right to use her." I chided, because what he had done was very wrong.

"You know what!" He snapped, stomping hard on the gas pedal, sending the car into ticket worthy speed. "Why don't you keep your damn opinions to yourself. I hate this side of you. You are so fucking judgemental. I didn't use her, she wanted it. I am a man, and I have needs."

I felt like an ice bucket had been dumped all over me. So, he did hate me? Well, a part of me.

"Why did you hire me then?" I found myself asking.

He extended his hand and changed the gear, brushing my knee in the process. When his skin made contact with mine, a delicious chill went up my spine. Even when I was enraged, he still turns me one.

"I hired you because of guilt. I feel like your life wasn’t exactly the greatest." He said earnestly. Now my blood pressure was definitely skyrocketing.

"Is that so?" I asked incredulously. "I was doing just fine before you came back into my life." I fired bitterly. The hell I was.

He snorted. " Come on, you were, and still are, basically broke. Have you seen your apartment block? You were at your wit's end until I came and rescued you."

I chuckled humourlessly. "Now this is the side of you I hate. The side that belittled me all the damn time. The one that didn't want me to do anything for myself. I just hate you!" I spat acidly, then turned my attention to the window.

"Trust me when I say the feeling is mutual." He retorted with equal venom. "But I must help you land back on your feet. I don't want you to blame me for your misfortunes the rest of your life."

I stayed quiet, refusing to spare him a glance. Here we are again, at the exact place we had ended our short lived marriage.

Now I know that us getting back together is just impossible. Oil and water have never mixed, and they will never mix.

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