Page 3 of Bound to the CEO

Tiffany

I shuffle the papers in front of me, seeing, but not really comprehending the words. Unfortunately, this isn’t anything new. My boss always seems to have this effect on me, and I cannot, for the life of me, understand why.

There should be no attraction there, no pull. And yet… God, when he raises that eyebrow or gives me those gruff, growly demands, I want nothing more than to sink down to my hands and knees and crawl to him. I want to bask in that grumpy dominance, to feel his words rolling over my skin.

It’s not some virginal longing that drives me. Far from it. I’m not a child. I’ve had sex with men—well, beta men—so that can’t be it. There’s just something about him that causes me to ache by simply being in his presence. The only thing I can think of is possibly the fact that he’s an Alpha and I’m an omega.

I try not to have too many dealings with Alphas, seeing as just their mere existence is supposed to be enough to drive an omega into heat. However, in this job, I don’t really have a choice. Mr. Daniels only deals with powerful clients—most of them Alphas.

Still though, to my knowledge, none of them have ever made my stomach clench or slick gather between my thighs. Ugh. It’s so infuriating that the one man that manages to turn me on, with no effort at all, is the one man that I shouldn’t even think about starring in my erotic dreams.

Not only is he my boss, but he was my father’s closest friend. I’m not stupid. I know Mr. Daniels gave me this job in some attempt to honor my father’s wishes regarding my safety. I’m not here because he wants me. I’m here because he’s obligated to have me.

Shaking my head, I force the image of Mr. Daniels, all imposing in his suit, out of my mind. He may have granted me the job as a favor, but it’s up to me to be worthy of the position. I have something to prove, not only to my father, but to my boss as well.

I long to show him I’m worth something. Maybe one day I can even get a seat at the boardroom table—a proxy for my father. That won’t happen if I keep letting him distract me with his Alpha pheromones.

Applying myself to the task of distilling Ralph’s documents into a cohesive summary, I almost miss the email as it pops up on my screen. I ignore the blinking banner, but soon, a soft beep emits from my computer. That only happens when something is urgent.

As I click on it, my heart plummets to my feet. A mate has been chosen for me. Why now? Why me? Couldn’t they have waited until I was a successful career woman?

At this point, with me being just an intern, it would be all too easy for my future spouse to dismiss what I’m trying to do and force me to stay at home like a good little omega. Would I be able to convince him I have far more ambition than just being a breeding machine?

Mind numb, I push away from the desk and walk over to HR. They will have to know. Especially now that I won’t be able to prepare anything for the big conference call this afternoon. The rest of my day is blocked out with dress shopping and preparing for my walk down the aisle.

There’s no way to squeeze in any more work. And just like that, all my ambitions begin to fizzle, sizzling through the air like an egg on hot concrete. Bitterness wraps around my heart, anger infusing its way into my soul. Six months. All I have to do is accommodate this man for six months.

After that, I can leave him and explain to the Governing Body exactly what I need in a man. With a sigh, that perpetual burst of optimism shoots through my brain. Who knows, maybe this stranger will be accommodating and understand my need to rush back to work just after we say, ‘I do’. And just like that, it’s gone again. I doubt any Alpha would understand this drive.

What Alpha would be content with their omega leaving every day, working on building a career that has nothing to do with them? Honestly, this is why I keep myself with betas. Beta men don’t care. They’re just happy to get omega pussy. At least that’s how it seems to me.

Sigh heavy on my lips, I rap my knuckles on Linda’s cubical frame and duck my head in. Her fingers fly over the keyboard as she nods along with whomever she’s talking to on the headset. After a moment or two, she holds a finger up to me before motioning to a chair in front of her desk.

My feet twitch as I listen to her flat intonations of ‘uh-huh, hmmm,’ and ‘I see’. Eventually, she finishes and turns her attention to me, spearing me with an unnerving look. It’s as if she can see straight into my soul, and I don’t like it.

“What brings you in today, Miss Davis?”

“I’ve been summoned by the Governing Body. Seems as if I’m getting married this afternoon.”

She pauses, her fingers hovering over her keyboard. Again, she looks up at me, but I cannot read her expression at all. “Is that so? What time?”

“The email said the ceremony was to take place at three, but they need me to leave early for preparations.”

“Oh.” She leans back, her lips twitching in what looks like the ghost of a smile. But I can’t be seeing that right. Linda never smiles. “And what of the conference call at four?”

Sighing, I drop my head into my hands. “I know. I know. I have a rough outline for Mr. Daniels, but it's not fleshed out yet. I was hoping to do that after lunch.”

This time, there’s no mistaking the grin as it crosses her face. “It’s not a problem. I’ll simply have one of the assistants finish it off. Go enjoy your ceremony. All of us will still be here when it’s done. If you can manage,” she continues, an odd twinkle in her eye, “try to come back afterward. I’d love to hear all about the Alpha that’s compatible with you.”

Nodding, I rise, doing my best not to let my frustration out on her. It’s not Linda’s fault. In truth, she’s kinda like the office mother in several ways… Meddling being the biggest one. It’s not a surprise she’s more excited than I am. She’s not the one being dragged to the altar by a stranger.

If only I were a beta. From what I understand, no one forces them to do anything. True, they rarely amount to greatness, but their lives are their own. What I wouldn’t give to have that.

Stopping back by my desk, I gather up everything I’d been working on and plop it in front of Lindsay. “Getting married. Gotta go.”

She stares after me, mouth agape at my pronouncement. I know I should show the situation more gravitas than this, but honestly, I’m just tired. For once, I’d like to be the one making the decisions about my life instead of having an Alpha doing it for me.

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