“We were getting ready for our presentation tomorrow. What do you want?” I coldly ask.
Andrea is done packing her computer and shoving the rest of her belongings in the bag with it. She grabs her phone on the coffee table and joins us.
“Good night,” she mumbles, eyes on the carpet as she passes us.
I wait for her to be far enough and then turn to the unwelcome intruder. “The fuck do you want, Hugh?” I ask, not even bothering to contain my irritation.
His attention is still on Andrea, walking away at a fast pace. When he looks at me again, there’s something cunning in his eyes. “Working late, were you?”
“That’s none of your business. What do you want?”
“Well, I thought we could catch up. It’sbeen a while.”
“I have nothing to say to you, Hugh. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a long day tomorrow.”
Eager to be done with this, I go to close the door. He stops me with a firm hand on the panel.
“I looked into that new recruit of yours. She doesn’t sound like the coding genius you implied. Her last job was shit. But then again, you’ve always been great at finding rare gems… Maybe I should make her an offer and get her to work with us so I can judge for myself.”
Again, the irrational anger that only seems to come out when Andrea is concerned warms up in my chest. My hand reacts before my mind can stop it, and I fist the fabric of his shirt to pull him closer to me. Fear flashes in his eyes despite trying to keep his composure.
“You stay the fuck away from her, you pathetic weasel.”
“Alexander, there’s no need for—”
“Oh, there’s need. You will stay away from Andrea, or I’ll do what I should have done all those years ago and break your fucking teeth,” I threaten. He blinks, still frightened by my show of strength. “Nod if you understand,” I command.
He complies with haste, so I release him. “Now, again, I have a long day tomorrow. So, if you don’t mind…”
He doesn’t need to be asked again as he turns around to return to whatever hole he crawled out of.
As soon as the door is shut, what I just did dawns on me. Fuck. I should have been more clever about this. As stupid as I believe Hugh to be, he isn’t dumb enough to not figure out why I’m so possessive of Andrea. My fit of anger disclosed feelings that a boss shouldn’t have for an employee.
I’m still not over the idiocy of my impulsive reaction twenty minutes later, lying in bed. My eyes wander to the emptiness at my side, and I can’t help but wonder.
Would Andrea have ended up here with me if Hugh hadn’t interrupted us? Brian and Steven are still in the room next door, but I could have fucked her gently so that the bed wouldn’t bang on the walls. I would have swallowed her whimpers and moans with my mouth and then muffled them with my palm as she climaxed.
It seems I’m not the only one thinking of that because my phone lights up on the nightstand, and I see a text from her.
Andrea Walker
Do you want to meet in the room?
Me
No fruits or vegetables to illustrate?
Andrea Walker
Emojis are my drunk alter ego’s signature. I have way more class.
Me
Looks like both of you want the same thing.
Andrea Walker
We sure do. So?
