Chapter Text
You woke up the next morning feeling much like a person does after they were blackout drunk the night before. Everything that happened from the day before rushed into your mind like a sledgehammer and you couldn't believe you own stupidity. Kissing a guy you just met?! Seriously?!
What was even more concerning was the resemblance between Tom and Michael. They shared the ginger coloring, the piercing blue eyes, the strong jaw and long legs, not to mention C.E.O.'s of worldwide companies. Michael was everything you'd wished Tom was, but that didn't make it right. This was just becoming obsessive.
On the other hand, an attractive billionaire wanted to make sweet love to you… There's not much of a downside to that. And he wasn't married, a little fact you found out after you googled the hell out of him last night. So what could possibly go wrong?
But you also let him kiss you at work… in front of everyone. Oh god… the whole office would be talking about it now…
You reached for the book sitting on your nightstand and began hitting yourself in the forehead with it repeatedly. Now you had to go to work and face everyone, including your boss if he didn't choose to fire you over your unprofessionalism.
When you felt a bruise start to form, you put the book down with a groan. Masturbation was supposed to help this frustration as you so experimented last night, but it clearly only made you more needy and absolutely bonkers. It was like your mind was completely one track since the moment you met Michael Fassbender.
With a few more groans, you managed to pull yourself up and out of bed to begin your day.
The teasing wasn't as bad as you thought it was going to be. In reality, it was barely mentioned. Tom didn't fire you or give you a lecture on professionalism, in fact he didn't seem to look at you every time you were in the same room. You didn't know which was worse, being ignored or being yelled at.
Some of the girls in the break room begged for details on the hot man who kissed you, feeding their need to gossip. No doubt they had once talked about Tom like this, but too many times being spurned or fucked then dropped probably turned them off to the man. There was always drama surrounding Tom Hiddleston's personal life. But this new beauty out to save the world and love a damsel passionately was the stuff of romance novels.
So naturally, you just rolled your eyes and ignored their questions. Your person life was not on display for everyone, whether or not they wanted it to be. Of course that would cause more gossip about you being the office bitch, but there was no helping it at this point.
God, it was like being in public school all over again!
Needless to say, you were rather agitated most of the day. It's hard to enjoy anything with people talking behind your back and your boss ignoring you. But you weren't the type to show the extent of your frustration to anyone who was watching.
About half way through the day, the office phone rang. You answered it with your secretary voice:
"Hello, you've reached the office of Thomas W. Hiddleston. How may I help you?" You said without a single hitch.
There was a pause for a second before the voice on the other end answered. "You know, your voice is even more beautiful over the phone, love."
"Michael?" You asked, shocked and blushing. "Why are you calling here?"
There was a gruff little chuckle on his end. "It appears that I made the mistake of leaving your side without a number to reach you at, so I was left with having to call you where you work to hear your beautiful voice," Michael smoothly pointed out.
"Well," you began, beginning your flirtatious argument, "One might reason that the reason you don't have my phone number is because I don't want you to."
Pause. "That would be incredibly disappointing, love. But I do so love a good chase," he challenged, his tone filled with dark promise.
"And how do you plan on winning my number from me, Sir ?" You quipped, a playfulness rising in you as you made sure no one was around to hear your conversation.
"Hmm.." Michael paused, seemingly in thought. "I may have a few ideas. One of which will be showing up any moment."
A ding from the elevator signaled the arrival of someone and you looked up skeptically as twelve delivery men walked in with hundreds of roses in all different colors and shapes. Each one gave you a smile began setting them all around your office, covering almost every surface in the brightly colored flower. The chaos seemed almost intentional as banquets were separated into individual roses and scattered everywhere.
Shit… there was no hiding this one.
"In what world is hundreds of flowers all over my workplace a good thing, Michael?" You demanded, anxiety coursing through your words.
"It's supposed to be romantic," he answered, completely unfazed by your words.
While the thought was super sweet and you had to admit the amount of money he must have spent for this quality of flower was a huge dollar sign, it was still worrisome. There was no denying the fact that there was still a piece of you blushing and gushing over the idea though. "And what if I lose my job?"
"Then you'll come work for me."
You balked at that. "Don't you think it would be a bad idea for you to be showing such a huge interest in a secretary who works for you?"
"Of course," he conceded. "Which is why I wouldn't hire you as my secretary. But that's something we can talk more about over dinner tonight. Just give me your phone number and the address to pick you up at, and I'll have all these flowers sent there so you can enjoy them in the privacy of your home."
That was oddly close to blackmail… But what would it hurt. Dinner and a job offer from a billionaire? What's the worst that could happen?
You exhaled loudly, making sure your displeasure was known. "I don't like being manhandled, Michael," you protested.
"If my memory serves me correctly, I'd say you genuinely love the occasional… manhandling," he teased with a slight purr of victory.
With another huff, you gave in, giving him both your number and the address to pick you up at, the apartment building, not the room number or floor. You gave those to one of the men who brought in the flowers with a large tip to keep him quiet.
"There, happy?" You growled into the receiver.
"Undoubtedly," he gloated. "Now, I will arrive at your place, around, let's say, 7 tonight? And wear something that will accent those beautiful curves of yours… please?" He paused like he had to force himself to finish it by asking. You knew this man would be demanding and forceful from the beginning. To your benefit, you really don't do being pushed around.
"Let me check my schedule really quick and get back to you," you answered in your best secretary voice and quickly put him on hold before he could respond again. That should thoroughly piss him off.
Tom decided that moment to walk out of his office and ask about what the commotion was out here with all the flowers. He was in a video call with the Japan office where there seemed to be a large problem that needed his attention.
"Nothing, Sir. Just a delivery sent to the wrong floor," you assured with a smile.
He gave you a look that said he didn't quite believe you, but went back to his call anyways. At least he said something to you today.
You waited another five seconds before taking Michael off hold. "Thank you for holding! Now could you repeat your inquiry?" You teased, still in your perfectly trained voice.
There was silence on the other end. Maybe you'd pissed him off too much and he literally just walked away from the phone. Your fears were dashed as you heard a rough hum in the background. If you pushed just a little further, things should be roughly evened out.
"I believe you talked about 7 tonight? It looks like that time slot is not available until 8. Would you like to take that time or do you need to reschedule for another date?"
"Oh love," Michael finally said, a strange lilt coming through into his voice that hadn't been there before, his tone filled with a caution that sent shivers down your spine. "You truly know how to play with fire don't you. I'll give in this time, but trust me when I say you will experience the repercussions."
Oh fuck… You didn't know whether to be horny or afraid. Though you never really had a good sense of self preservation. "Hmmm.. when you say repercussions, you should really elaborate. Should I have body guards standing ready at my door tonight?" you remarked, trying to keep your voice level.
"Let's just say my kind of repercussions will never cause you physical harm beyond what you beg me for. I'm talking of being drove to the brink of insanity as I bring you over the precipice of pleasure over and over again, of losing your ability to speak anything other than my name, about the way I will own every inch of you with barely a whisper," Michael clarified in a low growl that had you worrying you'd have to throw away another pair of underwear.
"Oh…" was all you could manage to say. That's definitely what you'd hoped the repercussions would be, but damn. Just listening to him say it sent you to the brink of gushing. No one should sound that sexy when they talk about such vulgar things.
The laugh returned, a little more hearty this time. "8 tonight, love. I will be waiting outside for you. Don't forget to dress nicely."
And without another word, he hung up, leaving you alone in your newfound frustration and fantasies.
The rest of your day ended up going by much too slowly for your preference. Those promises of punishment and repercussions rang in your ears every time you tried to focus on something important, making you practically useless. After Tom yelled at you for a horrible written email that was supposed to be sent to all the supervisors on the East Coast, he sent you home with a rude comment about getting your head on straight before coming back to work when you could actually be useful to anyone.
Tom was a hard ass, but he was never that bad. You didn't know what you did to truly deserve that kind of talking to. You'd done so many worse things on accident over the 8 years you'd worked together, but he never yelled at you before. Tom just seemed so incredibly angry for reasons you couldn't fathom.
So needless to say, you drove home with a few tears falling, much to your chagrin. Getting yelled at happens, especially by your boss. You shouldn't be taking it so personally. But you couldn't quite help how it hurt like a slap to the face.
You tiredly opened the door to your flat to find your roses beautifully arranged everywhere, much less chaotically than they'd been placed in your office, which confirmed the idea that it was a little blackmail on Michael's part to get the information he wanted. Well, you don't become a billionaire C.E.O. without being very good at getting what you want.
Looking at your phone told you that you had an hour and a half to get super dressed up, so you decided to take a shower and relax for a little bit. The hot water did wonders to your skin and your frustration that just seemed to be getting worse lately. You let the your music play and wash over you as the stress just melted out of your body and you began to move to music.
That is not to say you've ever been a good dancer by any means, but you were alone, getting ready, and in need of a pick-me-up that didn't contain alcohol. So dancing like a fool it is.
In the middle of some Taylor Swift song you were singing along to loudly, you heard your phone ding. In the hopes it might be a sincere heartfelt apology from Tom, you pulled yourself half out of the shower just to read it.
Unknown: So were the flowers too lame or did you actually appreciate them?
You smiled to yourself. There. Finally some vulnerability from the man. You didn't think Michael would be the one to text that kind of thing, but he didn't know enough about your preferences to be so confident.
You: They are beautiful. The only issue was when you used them to manipulate me. Not your smartest decision.
With a little smile you finished up in the shower, got out, and dried yourself off. Dropping the towel to give yourself the freedom to dance around naked while trying to figure out what you were going to wear, you heard another ding from your phone.
Michael: You play hard ball better than most businessmen I know. Understood, no more manipulation.
A soaring sense of victory rushed through you like a tidal wave. It was nice to know that he would never bend to anyone but you. Or at least that was the hope. Before you could respond, you heard another ding.
Michael: What are you doing right now?
Oh, the nonchalant way of changing the subject to ease the burn to his pride. And you were in the mood to play coy.
You: Just got done taking a shower. Just trying to find something to wear.
There was literally like 2 seconds before your phone went off again.
Michael: Nothing is always an acceptable option if you want to stay in ;)
Visions of so much sex overwhelmed your mind immediately and you almost gave in, until you saw the face of the person fucking you still switching between Tom and Michael. Which you shouldn't feel guilty for because the asshole didn't ever seem to want you and it's perfectly ok for you to have sex with someone else as much as you want. But you felt guilty because you didn't want to take advantage of Michael. It should just be you and him in your head.
You: Maybe next time. If you are a good boy tonight :P
Sending that, you threw on a form fitting red dress that fell just below the knee and gave a tasteful view of your cleavage. It made you look absolutely delicious if you are being honest and you only ever wore this one when you really wanted something to work out with a guy. Now off to do your hair and makeup.
Mid preparations your phone dinged again, forcing you to juggle the curling iron and bobby pins in your hands so you could see what the text was.
Michael: Then I shall endeavour to act in a way that is… desirable to your sensibilities.
You: Wow, stuck in a Jane Austen novel there, Mr. Darcy?
It would be a lie to say you didn't enjoy teasing him. He was so put together and self assured that it practically dared you to mess with the image until he snapped and showed his true colors. Which seemed absolutely dominative from the glimpses you've seen.
Michael: You must allow me to tell you how much I admire and love you.. Despite your poor family connections and the fact I ruined your sister's happiness, you are going to marry me because I say so!
Michael: You are comparing me to that man?!
Oh… there went your heart. A man who knows Pride and Prejudice enough to actually freaking quote it?! Finally… You could die happy.
You: Definitely not. I was referring to the Mr. Darcy who looked at a beautiful woman and called her tolerable and not tempting because he didn't want to dance. That seems more you.
Michael: Now I'm wounded, love. I have so much more to me that a distaste for public dancing.
You didn't really have time to respond, trying to finish everything up before he got to your apartment. When you felt like you looked the picture of a sultry, sexy woman, you threw on a pair of black high heels that accented your legs perfectly. Yes, you were going all out for this one.
You: I look forward to being surprised by your secrets, your sister, and your beautiful mansion that ultimately makes me fall in love with you.
It was five minutes to 8, so you decided to pour yourself a little wine just to help you relax before the date started. Not much at all of a simple white wine that tantalized your tastebuds with its soft fragrance. Combined with smell of fresh flowers everywhere in your small apartment, it was entirely wonderful.
Ding, went your phone once more.
Michael: While I do have a sister and many secrets, a mansion is not quite my preferred place to live. I've arrived as well and I'm waiting for you in the lobby.
You placed your wine glass in the sink and found yourself practically skipping to the elevator before hitting the buttons that would take you to the lobby. Halfway down, your phone started to ring insistently, so you picked it up without even checking the caller ID.
"Goodness, Michael, you couldn't wait 2 minutes for me to get downstairs?" You answered the phone teasingly.
"It's Tom," said the voice on the other. "I thought you were coming back to the office tonight. There's work that needs to be done."
Anger surged through you at hearing the stupid British accent of his. "No, you don't get to yell at me like you did, send me home, and then expect me to come back in. I have plans, Tom." There went your good mood.
The elevator doors opened into the lobby and you could see Michael leaning against one of the walls waiting for you. He saw you and was about to greet you before you put up your index finger to tell him to wait and pushed yourself into a corner of the lobby to finish the conversation. You caught a glimpse of his eyebrows pressing together in concern before you turned away.
"With Michael? As in Michael Fassbender? The same guy who came to my office and wanted you to join us for a meeting?" Tom bellowed over the phone. "Are you even thinking right now? Clearly you have no respect for either me or this company as well as yourself. You need to rethink your priorities immediately." He had the gull to say you had no respect for yourself after he himself slept with a new girl every week?! Seriously?!
"What I do in my personal time is my business, Tom," you seethed, absolutely furious. "And you don't get to bully me like this. I don't deserve this treatment and neither does anyone else".
With that, you hung up on him, ignoring the immediate calls back. Tom would feel horrible about it later. He wasn't the type of guy to lash out and then blame it on you, much less lash out in the first place. He was usually so cool headed. When he got mad in the past, he usually just bottled it up and dealt with it on his own. This new side to Tom was scaring you if you had to be honest. You'd never thought of leaving before, but if Michael had a legitimate proposal, it might actually be an option.
When you turned back towards Michael, all you saw in his eyes was concern for you. You painted on your best smile and tried to ignore the angry tears threatening to ruin your perfect makeup.
"Everything alright, love?" He asked, concerned.
You gave him a soft, real smile. "It'll be fine. Let's just move on and not talk about it".
"Sounds like a plan to me," he answered with a smile of his own, holding out his arm to lead you outside. You took it gratefully as you subtly turned your phone off so it wouldn't interrupt anything else.
Michael gave you a once over as you walked out the door together, his jaw tensing and eyes darkening with desire. "You look absolutely breath taking, love. Are you trying to get me to forget our plans and stay in?" He asked a little breathlessly.
"Maybe," you answered a little cheekily before giving him a small smile for the compliment.
Waiting outside was a cherry red ferrari that looked like it belonged on one of those car movies. It was clear that it was Michael's pride and joy and the fact he brought it out just for you meant a bit. He opened the door for you graciously and you relished the feel of the leather seats. He plopped in next to you with a bit of excitement and energy you didn't know could come from him and sped off.
Having the wind in your hair did wonders to clear your emotions and you got to actually look at Michael for a second. He was wearing a fitted leather jacket over a white tee and straight black jeans. He looked absolutely delicious with his ginger scruff and full white smile that glinted over at you as he noticed you checking him out.
You blushed and looked away, only to feel one of his strong hands take yours and bring it to his lips for a quick kiss before holding it as he drove. As much as you enjoyed roller coasters, driving in a sports car in New York traffic with a man who doesn't seem to know what a speed limit is just isn't something you found thrilling. It made you thankful you had his hand to hang on to.
After almost 45 minutes of holding on for your dear life, you finally arrived at what appeared to be some barn right on the outside of the city limits. You were confused, looking at the barn and the lack of anything for miles. It was surrounded by wide open fields and dirt roads on every corner. In fact, it seemed like the road you were on was the only paved road for miles. Suddenly, from the side of the barn came a young man in black.
"May I park your car for you, Sir?" The boy asked.
Michael got out with a grace you found incredibly attractive and opened the door for you before throwing the keys to the boy. The young man looked daunted at the idea of driving the car, but it was clear he would be careful. It didn't escape your notice that he gave you a slack jawed stare when you turned your back. Michael put his hand on the small of your back and the boy immediately turned his eyes away. You raised an eyebrow at Michael's acting. In return, he gave you another one of his knowing smiles before walking toward the barn doors.
"Michael," you said tripping through the grass momentarily, only to be caught be his sure arms. "Where are we? When you said we were going to get dinner, I didn't think we'd actually have to kill it too."
He gave a hearty laugh at that. "Oh love. I promise there will be no cattle for a hundred miles. This is just a little secret of mine I wanted you to see." Awesome.. that didn't sound like some creepy serial killer at all...
The barn doors opened before you both inwards instead of the sliding doors barns normally have. And inside, you found yourself absolutely stunned by everything.
There was absolutely nothing rustic about it except for the wooden frame. There were fairy lights and candles absolutely everywhere as well as exceptionally expensive dishware and glass on every table, winking at you like starlight. Waiters and waitresses bustled here and there to serve their customers, at least a dozen couples who looked very well to do or very influential. Whole feasts were served on some tables to show to variety of their menu as well as the rare options shipped from God knows where.
The Hostess walked up to the both of you with a welcoming smile. "Hello, Mr. Fassbender. Please follow me to your table".
Michael looked down at you, thoroughly enjoying the grin on your face. "Welcome to The Secret Garden," he said with his telltale grin.
"This is absolutely incredible," you beamed. "How did you come across this place?"
The two of you began following the Hostess, you still taking in the expensive finery around you. You worked into a huge, multi billion dollar company and you'd still never seen anything this incredible. A second later, you arrived at your table which was set in a small corner away from the other guests to give you both some privacy. Michael pulled out your seat for you before answering your question.
"Actually, I only found out about this place this year," he began, thoroughly set in telling the story. "I was meeting with the Senator from New York about a bill we were trying to push through the Senate that would give us a foot up in making more companies choose green options. Long story short after a huge victory, he shared the secret of this place with me and it's become a favorite destination of mine now."
A waiter came out of the kitchens and poured you both a glass of chilled champagne before leaving the bottle in ice on the table. You took a tentative sip of yours only to be overwhelmed by the rich and exquisite flavor offered. Michael met your gaze, assured by the awe in your eyes, and spent time learning about you.
Dessert was in front of you when the date finally rounded towards the job opportunity he had mentioned before. You had roasted lamb and some mixture of vegetables you'd never heard of that were absolutely perfect in every way. You didn't even know what good was before compared to what you just experienced. Now with some chocolate dish in front of you that you couldn't pronounce, he brought it up.
"So tell me", Michael began, taking on a business tone. "How serious are you about staying a secretary for Thomas Hiddleston for much longer?"
You shrugged, examining the melting chocolate in front of you with curiosity. "I don't know, Michael. At one time, I so believe in the company that I thought I could be there forever… But now, things have just changed," you explained with a slight wince.
You put your spoon down to give him your total attention. "What exactly are you offering me?"
"To start, I'm not trying to steal you from Hiddleston & Co.," he clarified. "If you find fulfillment in it, my interest is not dependent upon you taking this job."
You smiled at him. "I appreciate that. I can't say I need this fancy of a dinner just to be wooed into a secretary job."
"There's no worry of that. I intend on wooing you for your heart. I don't know if I could handle to pressure of wooing you for a job as well," he teased back. Michael was truly wonderful to be around when you became comfortable with him. Of course there was an air of danger to him, but he also exuded warmth when you got close enough.
"Now to what I'm going to offer you," he started once more. "I wasn't just trying to compliment you when I told you I was impressed with how your mind works. This is a mind that shouldn't be wasted away writing memos and emails and scheduling appointments. I would like to offer you a rather large position in my company with constant ability to grow if you so choose. It would be an apprenticeship under me that would allow for the experience you need to not have to worry about going to school. If you weren't to continue to under my company, you could join any other one or start your own".
You were a bit startled by everything he just said, at the possibilities that swam in front of you. He took your hand in his when he saw your facial expression, drawing intimate figures with the tips of his fingers. He saw worth in you that no one else had even bothered to see. Hell, even Tom took 5 years before you practically begged him to bring you into the business side of things.
"You don't have to make a decision immediately, love." He assured softly. "I just want you to have the opportunities you deserve."
In your moment of shock, you didn't quite realize what you were doing until your lips were pressed against his. You sat next to him because you prefer that to sitting across from someone on a date, and it gave the perfect ability to lean over and kiss him hard. Thank god for the privacy the table offered.
This is what it means to be treasured, to be wanted. For so long, you'd just come to terms with the fact that no man would truly appreciate what you had to offer, and then comes along this crazy, beautiful, ridiculously sexy man who tore apart all of your expectations and made you question everything you believed. If it weren't for your challenging nature, you'd probably have run for the hills instead of pouncing on him.
Michael wrapped his hands in your hair and took control, losing all sense of soft for a furious passion. Your whole body felt like it was on fire, exploding with desire through every pore. You clung to his arms to steady yourself as he devoured your mouth until you had to let go just to breathe.
He was breathing just as hard as you were as you opened your eyes, taking in his blown pupils and the sudden hard set to his jaw that came with the dominance he possessed in hand with his potent sexuality.
"I want you to sit down and finish your dessert, love. And you better do it now before I take you on top of this table right now," He growled into your ear, the lilt to his voice becoming more obvious again.
You suddenly realized what the accent was as your head came back down from the heavens. "You're Irish, right?" You asked, curious.
"Irish and German," was his only response, those intense eyes staring straight at you.
Curiosity really does kill the cat. You couldn't help but keep asking questions. "Why can't I hear it normally?"
His growl got really loud as he literally put your spoon in your hand and stared at you hard. "Finish your dessert. Now."
Your heart stopped as you finally did what you were told and took a spoonful of the chocolate and brought it up to your mouth. Michael was intensely watching everything you did, making sure you were in fact finishing your food. Which was probably for the best. The chocolate did a lot to soothe your nerves.
Until you felt a sturdy hand drifting up your dress.
Michael had scooched a little closer to you so the reach of his arm would be less obvious. His hand smoothly found its way up your thigh to your now ruined favorite thong. He made a sexy little hum in the back of his throat as he felt the wetness already accumulating there. The feel of his fingers sliding across the most intimate part of your body was blissful. You let out a little sigh and almost dropped your spoon.
His hand immediately stopped its exploration of your nether regions. "I will not keep going unless you do," he hissed into your ear, his voice all the more alluring in that Irish accent.
Somehow you found the strength to pick up your spoon and take another bite. Immediately, those fingers started to move again, latching onto your clit and forcing a small squeal out of your mouth. The triumph on his face should have filled you with indignation, but between the feel of his fingers and the chocolate sliding in your mouth, there wasn't much you could complain about.
Then Michael dipped his fingers into your sopping pussy and began slowly finger fucking you in time with the movements of your hand to your mouth. You almost cried out in frustrated about not being able to eat fast enough. He looked almost completely unfazed by what was happening under the table, but it made him absolutely sexy. The way he could maintain complete control in even the most inappropriate of situations allow you to trust that he would keep this moment between the two of you private.
When you finished the last bite, worry struck you that he would stop. He paused for a moment and kissed away a hint of chocolate on the corner of your mouth. His tongue slipped into your mouth to share the flavor together which his fingers immediately began fucking you hard. You squealed and moaned into his mouth, but he caught every sound with his own. And you found yourself falling over the edge of oblivion so quickly you were in a complete daze.
Michael extracted his hand from you after massaging you through the high and licked his fingers clean with a small moan of his own. A waiter came with the bill which Michael paid for in cash and helped you to your feet, telling the hostess you'd simply had too much to drink instead of the fact you'd just had the orgasm of your life.
The car ride back was relatively quick when you weren't able to pay attention to much other than the beautiful man driving. No one had ever made you cum that quickly before or without some other appendages involved.
You arrived at your apartment building with a heavy silence filled with major tension between the two of you. Michael walked you into the Lobby and to the elevator where you mindlessly hit the button to your flat. The elevator doors opened to the strong smell of roses and you realized what was about to happen for the first time in way too long.
You turned around to face him, only to see a war going on in his eyes. He kissed you once more with a gentleness that stole your breath effortlessly. And just as you started to walk backwards to your bedroom, he stopped moving.
The only sound besides the ambient noise of New York City was your heavy breathing as he released your lips. "I'm sorry, love," he apologized, stepping backwards into the elevator. "You mean too much for me to do this tonight. I hoped I was able to help a bit though for the wait," he teased with a soft smile.
You whined a little, trying to pull him back towards you, but he was adamant about leaving.
"Please think about my offer. You deserve the stars, you truly do. And if I can give you the moon, I will."
The elevator doors closed unceremoniously and left you by your lonesome in your flat. There was no escaping the pang of abandonment and sadness that hit you after such a huge high. It took all your self control not to get your phone out and beg him to come back.
Speaking of your phone, you should probably make sure Tom didn't strangle someone while you were unavailable. With a sigh and a plop, you landed on your sofa, sprawled out comfortably. Your phone turned on slowly and was instantly dinging over and over loudly with messages, missed calls, and voicemails. If any of the texts were a sign of how pissed of he was, you had no interest in listening to any of the voicemails.
Maybe a new job would be for the best. You could do things you genuinely enjoy and actually do business instead of managing someone's life. You weren't sure if you could take it anymore. All the drama, the crap you put up with from Tom, his ridiculous co-dependency as a boss… maybe you did deserve better.
So you sent a text message.. It wasn't very long but it was amazing how that one text would change everything.