“Then change the fucking policy.” He shrugs, spreading his leg as if he owns the place. Propping his chin on his hand, his elbow braces against the chair’s armrest. “It’s funny how you think I need your permission to date my woman,” he smirks.
This smirk is not playful. It’s challenging, daring them to refute and just give him a chance to annihilate everybody. This smirk is chilling, raising goosebumps on their skin.
My eyes nearly pop out of their socket at his claim. The fear coursing through me gives way to a sense of belonging I never had at his words. How he can manage to make me fall for him even in a situation like this is beyond me.
What the fuck!?
Did I just….Do I? Fucking hell!
Samuel realizes that he won’t change Ezra’smind. With a resigned sigh, Samuel slumps in his seat. “Fine.” My ears perk up. “Do as you please. We can’t afford to lose you in the middle of the fucking season.”
Ezra’s chest ever so slightly puffs out. “It’s not just me you can’t lose. Kaeli is equally important to the team, if not more. All she has done is give to the team and has only ever wanted respect and acknowledgment for the work she does.” My heart soars at his words.
It’s not that I need him to fight my battles, but it feels nice to know that if I fall, I’ll have someone to pick me up.
“Yes, Kaeli has only ever done her best,” Stacy voices, winking at me. I give her a grateful smile.
The others squirm in their seats at being taught something, being reprimanded.
The general manager raises his finger. “The only way this works is if you both do not compromise your jobs even for a single second. I do not want to see you lagging because you can’t concentrate or because you’re having a lover’s quarrel. And we’ll need to sign new contracts with you both, which the HR will soon revise and send over. Am I clear?”
“Glad that you understand,” Ezra says with apointed look. He has to have the last word.
“Yes, sir,” I say for the first time, my voice gravely as if I haven’t spoken in years.
“Good,” the GM nods.
Ezra stands, tugging me with him as he addresses the room. “Now that that’s off the table, we’ll take our leave.” With that, he swivels on his feet and unapologetically saunters out of the room, pulling me with him.
God! He will get me fired one way or the other someday.
Still, a smile that had been blooming inside me doesn’t leave my face, even when we exit the arena.
Forty
Kaeli
Who’d have thought that one day I’d take this man to meet my parents?
Certainly not me. Not until he convincingly stated all the reasons why he should be on this plane with me.
Reasons ranging from‘I’d miss you too much to stay in an entirely different city from you,’ to‘What if the plane crashes? You don’t wanna die alone. At least you’ll have me.’
The last one had me seriously considering our relationship, but then he fucked me silly, and Iforgot all about it. Claimed he was relieving my stress. Who am I to stop him?
The next thing I knew was that we were boarding our early morning flight together. However, the jury’s still out on whether I’m enjoying his smart mouth or not.
“What are you reading there?” he asks, jerking his chin at the magazine I have in my hands.
Snapping my head to look at the book instead of staring at his perfectly symmetrical face, I riffle the pages.
His chortle echoes as he points out, “I knew you were a genius, but didn’t know you could read upside down, too.”
I curse, scrambling to right it. “Fuck you.” He holds his stomach, trying to keep quiet but failing, as my cheeks heat in embarrassment. “Shut up before I kill you,” I grumble before jabbing him with my elbow.
Verdicts out. I’m officially annoyed by his presence.
Huffing, I drop the magazine and rest my head on the airplane window, crossing my hands at my chest.
