THE CEO'S PARAMOUR

9.

Peyton.

"Hey babe ready for work today or would you like to postpone for another two days." Murdock exclaimed sitting next to me on the breakfast bar and I scoff.
.

"I wish I couldn't go there, I wish a lot of things when it comes to Xalvic, Murdock, I wish I could just resign and become an independent." I mumbled my reply lowly knowing Murdock wasn't going to like it.

"You can't be serious, working at that company, doing what you do has been your dream, he's just a man Peyton and you can't throw your dreams away because of a man who hurt you and will most likely get over." I sigh knowing he was right.
.

The truth behind my resignation was because I couldn't deal with seeing Kol anymore, he was my boss for goodness sake and obviously, I would see him most of the time and avoiding him was useless.

"Doc I thought it was best for me to just go, how will I deal with seeing him every day after this huh? How? It's all complicated." I banged my head on the marble counter top feeling helpless.

"Peyton you'll be fine, you've already taken your time away, now you just need to man up and walk into that company, do what you do best and that's  creates clothes which are globally appreciated, now come on." I caved to the persuasion and Doc's argument, I couldn't refuse him anyway.

"Fine let me get my phone, I don't know where it is." I had turned off all my gadgets for the better part of my three day non consented leave. "Fine hurry up and wear something that's  not depressing, we ain't going to a caucasian funeral." I groaned looking at my clothes.

"I hate it when you're right about something." I murmured making Murdock laugh out loud. "Serves you right Marls, now get." I roll my eyes walking to the guest bedroom.

I wasn't looking forward to seeing him, hell I didn't want to be anywhere near that building, but because I loved what I did and the fact that I couldn't let my personal life ruin my dream and professional life I had to get it together.

Fashion and Design was my dream and I had achieved my goal for the better part of my career as a recognized designer in the industry, I was proud of myself but my mother wasn't, that was the reason we hadn't spoken in years.

I chose to live for me and be who I was and that didn't go well with the southern way of things. I didn't want to add more depression to my already depressed spirit so I shoved aside the topic of my toxic parentage and focused on my black denim jacket.

"Peyton come quick!!" Murdock yelled from the lounge, I picked up my phone and bag and ran to the lounge. "Look." He points to the tv and I'm shocked. "Mark was shot and killed in Algiers, his wife fled because the truth of the affair she had came out." Murdock explained and I was baffled.

Marko was crazy that much I knew, he dabbled in the mafia, the business world also and I assumed that what got him killed was his many enemies. "Good riddance now I won't have to worry about him." I exclaimed and Murdock nods. "Very true."

"Are you ready?" Doc asked and I showed him my 360 making him laugh. "Great let's go." He asserted and we make our way out of his apartment building to his car, "I still love your car." I spoke up and Murdock smiled. "You're still not driving it, Peyton, stop trying. " I scowled and looked away for a moment.

.
"Bitch please." I laughed with Murdock as he drove toward Xalvic. "I'm still wondering why there wasn't an amber alert for me because of Kol." Murdock snickered making me realize he did something.

"Spill." I demanded. "Fine you bully, I told him to give you time and space, didn't go into the details of why and we never talked about anything else, he's been lighting me up these past few days asking how you were." I scoffed looking outside the car.

He was ashamed of me and didn't even have the decency to use a less derogatory term to explain why he wasn't dating me and why he wasn't gay, there was a better way he could've handled that situation but he did it all wrong.

"Thanks for handling it but I think it's time I just put an end to all this." I didn't see pity on Murdock's face only encouragement. "I'm always with you Peyton." He adds and I reciprocate the smile.

When we get to the company it was a workday, as usual, I knew I had to see him and end all this now before he came to me and I found it hard to walk way. "Youll be fine." I nod to Murdock as he stepped out of the private lift we were both in.

It closed and began going up again to the floor I wanted. When it opened I was trying so hard to keep calm, to stay even, and not freak out. "You can do this Peyton, you can do this." I mumbled to myself hoping my shaking hands wouldn't show how nervous I was or scared.

I walked to his assistant's desk and tried to smile. "Hey, is he available right now?" I asked the lady and she checks something on her screen before turning back to me. "Go right ahead." She replied and I walked toward Kol's office, I knocked twice waiting for my response.

"Lena I to— Peyton." He whispered my name after I stood in front of him. "Kol." He looked dashing with his mocha-colored suit and hair which wasn't gelled back. "Where were you?" He asked harshly. "Getting my shit together Kol." I knew my response would make him angry.

"That's a load of crap, dammit I was worried about you, you just left the restaurant and I couldn't find you anywhere, next day your friend tells me to give you space, what space do you need Peyton, what would you even use that space for, tell me?" He was furious and deep down it stung realizing I had made him do this but I had to be strong.

"Enough Kol!" I yelled back and the next thing I knew I was being pinned to the wall, I winced because of the pain that radiated off my back. "What did you just say?" He demanded holding both shoulders in his tight grip.

"Enough Kol, I heard what you told that man at the restaurant, I heard everything, you're ashamed of me Kol, you told that man you aren't even gay but here you are, I left because I finally saw a side of you I detest, this was doomed from the beginning and I won't do this to myself Kol, you can't even accept yourself how will you be with me?" His grip loosened around me and I slumped back.

"Peyton you have to understand, this is all new to me, I'm still processing all of this okay, I'm sorry I said those things but that's  all I ever knew how to respond when it was brought up by someone since I was a kid." He argued but it still didn't justify what he said or how he acted.

"You're not a kid anymore Kol, you're a thirty-year-old man and you know words in a dictionary, so that doesn't justify what you said, I'm done doing this Kol, I won't love you in the dark and I won't be with someone whose ashamed of me or being with me, I'm sorry but that's not me." I turned to leave but he yanked me back.

His lips tasted so good, to feel his hands wrap around my body. "Don't leave me, Peyton, I don't know what I'll do if you're not there." He whispered in my ear but it wasn't to be. "I'm sorry Kol, but we both know this would never work." His arms loosened and I turned around to leave.

"I won't let you leave me, even if it hurts the both of us, I won't let go." I walked out of his office wiping away my tears. "Peyton." I heard my name and turned to see Mr. Tempest, Kol's father.

"You alright?" I nod to the man, his black hair had started to turn grey and his tan skin had become more healthy looking, retirement was going just fine for him. "I am Mr. Tempest, I have a design to finish, I need to get going, you look good by the way." I exclaimed with a smile already halfway out, the small joint booth for Kol's assistant.

"Alrighty then."

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LMJ