The day was finally here. Rita could not be more antsy or excited. The new clothes helped. She had gone for a semi-formal look, a simple yet classy dress. She had already memorized the schedule for today five times over. With an energy packed breakfast and one more look in the mirror, Rita was out the door, out the driveway in the company car and on the way to Nexion. Starting over. Finally.
During the current week, she had been to the company, a total of three times. She still found the way easily enough. Rita walked into the building and went for the receptionist. He recognized her almost immediately. “Good morning, Miss Anozim.” He greeted with the same pleasant smile as always. Unlike the first time they met, the smile reached his green eyes this time.
“Good morning, Miguel.” She replied with a small smile of her own.
“Here’s your elevator key card.” Miguel handed Rita an azure card with several symbols punched into it. “It has been customized with your name and company position. Please keep it safe. It can be used to access the master elevator. It’s that one in the middle.” He gestured to the elevator in the middle of the three. She loved his manicure. “Thank you. I will.”
“Just slide it over the Panel and you’re in. The CEO’s office is on fifty-sixth floor. Have a good first day.”
“Thanks. I hope I will.” Rita really hoped she would as she made her way to the elevator. The key card worked like a charm and just like Miguel said, she was in. She walked into the elevator, and pressed the floor number. The doors slid shut and the elevator began its ascent. In no time at all, Rita had reached her destination. This elevator was fast and unsurprisingly, comfortable.
Rita stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by the smell of pine, a gray carpet, a view of her own desk with a computer, a green file and no sign of Mrs Lupini. Not much of a reception. Thank goodness she had opted for taking a full tour on Monday. Who knows where she would have been or what would have happened if she had not.
Rita dropped her purse on the desk, went round and took her seat. She switched on the computer and typed in the password she was given on Tuesday. The computer was blank, save for the usual icons that would already be in place. It was virtually devoid of any information, even the planner was empty. Odd. No matter, she had memorized it. It should not be that much of a problem. She found a five inch tablet in the drawer and inserted the same password. It was exactly the same as the computer. Blank. Very odd.
Rita promptly changed the passwords for both devices. Rita left the tablet and her focus now on the green file. A list of new office measures and requirements? This had not discussed this on Tuesday. Or any day, for that matter. Not even over email.
One of the requirements was a complete head to toe medical exam. The office measures looked like something out of a spy movie. Bullet proof glass. Bullet proof vests. What?
The elevator went down with a subtle whoosh, which meant Mrs Lupini was in the building. Ok. Cool. Calm. Collected. Confident. She was about to meet her new boss and really get started. Maybe she could ask why the office seemed to be getting ready for some sort of Men In Black invasion.
Rita heard the elevator getting closer, so she got up with the tablet in hand, ready for some heavy duty walking. She had been warned that Mrs Lupini was a pacer. Apparently, the carpets up here had been changed twice already. In the last month. A horrible sign for her shoes now and those to come.
The elevator signaled its arrival with a soft ding and the doors opened. “Good m–” Rita’s greeting died in her throat. What the hell?! Someone walked out of the elevator alright and it was Not Polina Lupini. Instead of a five foot four Italian woman with grey eyes and dark hair in a pixie cut, standing in front of her was a six foot four African-American male with brown eyes and a low cut, looking like popped straight out of a designer’s impossible fantasy practically spitting layers and layers of power and making the room feel three sizes too small. His cologne screamed wealthy, obnoxious and egotistical. His face was begging for a punch.
Why was the universe trying to fuck up her carefully thought out plans? Remember the four C’s Rita. Cool. Calm. Collected. Confident. This might as well be a test to firmly check her strong suits. The ones she had put in her file. Like checking if pudding was strong enough before being plated and served. Well, that was how she felt like right now, a cup of pudding.
“Good morning, Sir. I’m sorry, Mrs Lupini is not in at the moment but you can leave a message with me and I will make sure she gets it.” Rita gave herself a mental pat on the back for keeping her face devoid of all emotion except politeness, because polite was the last thing she wanted to be with this asshole.
“Good morning, Mrs Anozim. That won’t be necessary Mrs Lupini won’t be coming in.”
Confusion swept across Rita’s face. “I apologize. I was not aware she wouldn’t be in the office today. You see it’s my first day. Pardon me for asking, but how did you know Mrs Lupini would not be in the office today?”
Rita did not like the feeling she was getting. It felt like tiny little pins were trying to full immerse themselves in her right thigh. The feeling was familiar. It was the exact same one she got everytime something was about to go wrong with her plans. She never liked it and she most certainly did not like it now. Especially now, when she was facing him.
“I am well aware of it’s your first day. And I understand your confusion.” There was a smug note in his voice and Rita knew she was not going to like what he said next. The pudding was about to go splat, she could feel it. “I suppose a heads up would have been hard given the timeframe.” Rita went rigid. “I acquired Nexion a short while ago.” She felt the blood rush out of her face. Rita felt like she had been saying this phrase a lot now, and truth be told, it was getting a bit old. ‘This cannot be happening!’
“Which makes me the owner and CEO, until further notice. Till then and for all incentive purposes, you are my Personal Assistant.”
An eternity passed before any of them said a word. In reality it was about eight seconds. There was no way, she was going to stay anywhere near this asshole. Rita had checked everything about Nexion. They were financially stable. They had no need or plans on selling. Least of all to him. It was one of the reasons she applied in the first place. Why in fucking hell did they have to sell now? “I wasn’t aware Nexion was selling.”
“Miss Anozim, anything can be bought at the right price.” Samuel countered. He was a mega billionaire. Everything had a right price. The only reason for this brash and unexpected move was so he could rub everything in her face.
“In that case, I’m going to have to leave the position.” Leaving her with no plans at all. A house and car to return and three grand to pay back.
“You’re not running from me, are you?” Samuel asked, head inclined quizzically, in a way that showed he was obviously he was trying to find a chink in her armor. If it was not the position of his head then, it was the wild calculating look in his eyes. Rita was not running. She was making a tactical retreat. “Mr Princeton, I’m not running.”
“On a more usual note, I would let you leave but I know you are not financially stable enough to pay the contract fine and that is where the problem lies. I’m not that great at handling debts. In human terms, that is.”
Contract fine? What was he–Oh God! No. “You signed, a trial contract for a year and a half. Penalty for resigning now, would be”
A thirty million dollar fine. Fuck.
All her exits were closing. Scratch that. They were closed and sealed with concrete. “So tell me Miss Anozim, can you pay that fine?” He knew the answer.
“In that case, there are two things to keep in mind.” He looked into her eyes for this one. “One, I don’t repeat myself twice. Two, either you keep pace with me or get left behind.”
“Understood.” Her voice just a few notches above a whisper. She had no choice. She was trapped.
“If that is settled, let’s get to work. I’ll have my schedule sent to your computer.” He said, walking into his new office. Rita faltered in her stance and she reached out to grab the desk for support. She needed to sit down. The phone rang and she shakily picked it up, gripping it with as much force as she could muster. Almost as if by some power, she could grab Samuel by the neck and squeeze the ever living life out of him. She put the receiver to her ear.
“And another thing, unless your life depends on it or I give the order. Do not run. Or even sprint. I’ll give chase. Remember that. Rita.” His voice was deeper than it was a minute ago. It travelled through her with a zip Shep detested. Rita scowled. She remembered the sound all too well. The bastard was probably counting on it. It was annoying how much something like his voice still had such an effect on her. The first time they actually talk face to face and she was getting weak knees. That part was easier to blame on the power that nonchalantly rolled off him with his being an Alpha.
Everything was crumbling. Fracturing. Before finally giving way, beaking into little itty bitty pieces on the carpeted floor. Her plans. Her foreseeable goals. The road she had mapped out. All gone. Not even the four C’s could prepare her well enough for this. All because of him. Her new life. Her fresh start was over before it even began and all Samuel Princeton had to do was step one foot into it.
“Funny, seeing as I’m not the one that ran first. Sir.” She lashed into the receiver, emphasizing the ‘Sir’ and hung up. If he thought he was going to get at her and have it so easily, then he was damn well mistaken.