It can be distracting when your boss is gorgeous and charming. Add a little unpredictability and a dangerous vibe, and you're in my situation.
My boss, Mr. William "Call-Me-Billy" Russo is the CEO of Anvil, and rising in notoriety. It brings lots of female attention his way. Lots. Mine included. Of course, my attention is all looking, no touching, unless you count a few innocent hand grazings while passing files back and forth.
He's a huge flirt. Smiles, winks, makes me blush, but he's never crossed a line. The only time he ever touched me was to guide me out of the boardroom after a meeting. His hand at the small of my back felt like a brand, like I was being marked as his.
But no woman is his. Some want to be, but he always breaks it off when they get too serious. So, it shouldn't be a shock when a woman bursts into his office in the middle of one of our private, late-night, prep sessions. He was bound to piss one of them off one day.
I know this one. Her name is Dinah. They were together for a while recently before he dumped her. She told him she was good with casual, and maybe she was at first, but something changed.
Billy looks annoyed as he stands from his desk and buttons his suit jacket. I don't want to be in the verbal crossfire, so I walk toward the corner behind Billy's desk and flip through a file, or at least pretend to. The shouting isn't what finally makes me nervous. It's the silence.
"Put it down, Dinah."
I turn at that, and gasp so loud that Dinah turns her gun to me.
"Hey, get that off of her. She has nothing to do with this."
"Oh, I know." Dinah says. "Little Miss Desiree helps you keep the girlfriends happy. She's not involved in the split. You do your own dirty work there. I'll give you that much."
I inch closer to Billy, but he holds his hand out and shakes his head. Right. If she shoots at him and misses, I could get hit if I'm too close.
"You knew the condition, Dinah. You broke it and tried to get serious. I don't do serious."
"Yeah, well, how's this for serious?"
The gun goes off and Billy hits the floor. I think I scream. The sound of the gun may drown it out, because it's loud enough for me to cover my ears as I drop to the floor.
I wait for Dinah to come around and take care of the witness… me. But I realize she's gone after a few minutes pass, and I crawl over to Billy.
"Billy, oh my god."
He's clutching his gut, and I pull one hand away just enough to see the damage.
"Don't move. I'll call 9-1-1."
"Don't."
"What? Are you insane?"
"She's gone?"
"Yeah, but you're shot."
"I'll be fine."
I stare at the blood on my hands and the floor. "You'll die!"
"No, I won't. Just… help me up."
"Billy—"
"Help me up."
I help him into his chair and unbutton his shirt.
"Gut shots are the worst," he says.
"Have some experience with them, do you?"
"Yeah, actually. I do."
I pull back once his shirt is open, and I watch the last sign of a wound disappear from his abdomen.
"How…" My eyes practically bug out of my head.
"Desiree—"
"It's gone."
The blood still stains his skin, but the bullet wound is gone.
"What just happened?"
"Maybe you should sit down."
Billy stands and motions to his chair, but I just stare at the spot on his body where a gunshot wound healed before my eyes.
"What. The hell. Just happened."
"Ok. I'll explain. But you should sit. You're really pale."
"I don't want to sit."
Billy sighs. "You won't believe me if I tell you. I'm gonna have to show you, and you'll wanna be sitting down."
"Billy, I swear, if you don't tell me what's going on—"
He puts his hands up and backs away a couple of steps. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, then opens his eyes and his mouth.
Glowing red eyes and sharp fangs are the last thing I remember until I wake up to Billy's face hovering over mine.
"I told you to sit."
"I can't believe you told her."
That's Frank. I'd know his voice anywhere, even half out of it.
"Did I pass out?"
"Yeah."
Billy helps me up into his chair, and I stare at the floor, covered in blood. That's when it all comes rushing back, and my eyes snap up to his.
"You're…"
"I am."
"A vam…" I can't even finish the word.
"A vampire."
"That's impossible."
"That's why I showed you. Even now, you're questioning."
"Yeah, I'm doing some questioning, too," Frank says. "Like, how could you tell her?"
"You knew?" I stare at Frank.
"Yeah, he knows. Frank, why don't you grab her some water?"
Frank mumbles to himself as he leaves the room.
"You ok?" Billy asks.
"Am I ok? No! I watched you get shot! You magically heal, and now you tell me you're a vampire? I am far from ok."
"A 'no' would have worked."
His shirt still hangs open. I stare at the spot where the bullet went in.
"I thought you were dying," I whisper.
"I know."
"I was so scared."
"I know." He stoops down in front of me and takes my hand. "I'm sorry."
"So… obviously Dinah doesn't know."
Billy scoffed. "No. Very few people know."
"Why did you tell me? I mean, I know I saw you heal, but… you must have some kind of cover story."
"I told you for two reasons. First, yeah, you saw what happened. Second, you've been a loyal employee for three years. I know you got an offer to spy on my business."
"You do?"
He nods. "I also know you turned them down, and threatened to expose them if they didn't back off. You didn't just protect yourself, you protected Anvil. I trust you, Desiree."
"But this is… huge. Do any other employees know?"
"Just you." He squeezes my hand before he lets it go and stands up. "But you're more than just an employee. I mean, I spend more time with you than I do with Frank, and he's my best friend."
"Yeah, I'm questioning that, too," Frank says. He hands me a bottle of water and I gulp some down. "Please tell me you don't plan on telling anyone else."
"Frank, you know Desiree. She won't say anything. Besides, I wasn't gonna lie to her."
"Why not?" I ask.
"Why wouldn't I lie?"
"Yeah."
"I already told you. I trust you."
"What about Dinah?" Frank asks. "Does she know it was a gut shot?"
"She ran out too quick to know anything," I say.
"She's right. As far as she knows, she missed. I hit the ground for cover."
"And when you don't turn her over to the cops?" Frank asks.
I raise my head for that. How would he explain not calling the cops when he was shot at?"
Billy just shrugs. "She's not worth the effort."
Frank actually chuckles. "Damn, that's cold, man."
My legs are shaky as I stand. "I have to get home."
"No you don't." Billy grabs me by my arms to hold me steady. "You had a big shock tonight, and I don't want you driving home alone."
"I'll take a cab."
"My apartment is on the top floor. You can stay there tonight."
"Mr. Russo, I—"
"Hey. What's with this 'Mr. Russo' shit?"
"I just… I think I need to…" My head is spinning, and I plop back into the chair. "I'm gonna puke."
"She drank that water too fast," Frank says.
"Frankie, why don't you head home, huh?"
"Because she's a mess, and you lost a lot of blood."
"I have her. You go home."
"Yeah, sure."
Billy squats in front of me again. "Think you can take the elevator ride?"
Just the thought makes my stomach jump, and I cover my mouth.
"Ok," Billy says.
He passes me the trash can, and I hurl. Billy's hand is steady on my back the entire time, and he brushes my hair back when I'm done.
"Better?"
"No." Because now I'm shaking. It never fails. I always get the shakes after I puke.
"Think you can handle the elevator now?"
I risk nodding my head, just to test it out. "Yeah."
"Good. Let's get you upstairs."
