A/N:
Hi folks. Hope you brought an umbrella cause we're going back in the rain, right where we left off…kissing that maddening Lion. Meet you guys down below.
Happymess: My love for you is fifty shades of bright and beautiful color.
*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that loves cake*
You give me fever when you kiss me. Fever when you hold me tight. Fever in the morning…fever all through the night.
-Elvis Presley, Fever
An instant…that was all it took for me to lose control.
He bit down on my lip and my hands were on him. My fingers forged a path straight up to the back of his neck, raking through his wet hair, holding his face to mine.
My rain soaked dress clung so snugly it felt like he was touching my bare skin as his hands traveled down my sides, setting me on fire purely from the heat of his fingertips. With a firm tug of my hips he pulled my body close to his.
I had yet to even taste his tongue and I was already putty. A tiny whimper escaped my lips causing a low growl to leave his mouth.
Edroar had growled at me countless times, but feeling it happen against my lips was a whole new experience. The vibration was intensely erotic. I wanted to make him growl louder, harder, to make him roar….in pleasure, not anger.
Cool rain drops pounded down on us, but it did nothing to extinguish the heat I felt as his tongue invaded my mouth. It was wet and warm and tasted bit salty. He explored, licking me from the inside, savoring me like a favorite meal.
I moaned into his mouth and though it was utterly shameless I gently rubbed myself against him. I couldn't help it. A deeper, more savage growl rumbled in his chest, causing me to tingle all over. His hands clenched on to my hips so tightly there would definitely be a mark…his mark.
Why that thrilled me I had no idea.
The Lion devoured my mouth relentlessly until my lips were nearly numb. He bit down on my bottom lip before releasing it. I couldn't resist the urge to bite him back. Lifting up slightly on my toes I sunk my teeth down hard on his lower lip before letting it go.
"Fuck," he grumbled under his breath. His eyes remained closed, but they rolled beneath his lids.
My heart was racing at the reaction I provoked in him. I licked my lips before bringing my mouth back to his, this time slowly pulling in his top lip and biting down even harder.
Immediately I felt the distinct presence of a part of him I had yet to know. My body reacted on impulse, my eyes closed as my hips gravitated to the solid warmth that had suddenly appeared. I tried fighting the urge to dry hump him in the middle of the street, but resistance wasn't really an option at that point.
The fact that I began grinding myself against his very prominent erection like a cat in heat should have mortified me, but all rational thought was gone.
My eyes slowly fluttered open and found his blazing down at me. Usually his green eyes were cluttered with so many conflicting emotions, but in that moment I only saw one…lust.
The wind whipped through my hair, tossing it around.
Raw need flooded the Lion's darkened gaze. It was so forceful, so primal; I thought he was going rip my dress off and defile me right on the gritty streets of New York City.
But then his eyes clenched shut, the sound of our heavy breathing was all that could be heard.
Our faces were close, lips lightly touching. Once his breathing had calmed he released the vice grip he had on my hips. His eyes opened and I could see he was still struggling to regain control.
He cleared his throat. "Did I hurt you?" His voice was hoarse.
I shook my head, unsure of what he was even talking about. "Hurt me? No, of course not, that was amazing."
My lips were completely numb and my body was tingling in all the right places. To be honest my hips were a little sore, though it was the most pleasurable pain I had ever known. They ached for his touch.
He stepped away from me slowly and ran a hand through his hair. "Ms. Swan…I —"
"Bella," I cut him off. "After what just happened I think we've evolved to a first name basis," I laughed at his stiff disposition.
"Bella," he whispered my name as though it were a secret. "That was not supposed to happen. I don't…I can't." His fingers slid down the side of his face. "I am not capable of what you require," he stated firmly, backing away from me.
"All I require is honesty." I hated seeing him in such turmoil. "Just tell me how you feel."
He thought over my words. "You deserve far more than I could give you." His tone was fiercely honest. He meant every word he said.
"Okay. I understand." The words fell out of my mouth without hesitation.
"You do?" His brow furrowed.
I nodded at his confused face. "Yes. I would never expect you to give more than you're comfortable with. Neither of us deserves that."
Honestly, I didn't even know what I was comfortable with. A few hours before I wanted us to be Oprah and Gayle. I was just as blindsided as he was and certainly not looking to push him into anything.
My rain soaked body quickly felt the full effect of the cool evening breeze as it whirled around us. Since he was no longer keeping me warm I started to shiver. Edroar noticed and pulled out his phone, calling his driver.
Within minutes we were sitting in a warm, dry limo. The Lion looked so distracted sitting there dripping water on the plush leather seats. I wanted to know what he was thinking. An uncomfortable silence surrounded us. It was driving me insane.
"Can I ask you a question?" I side eyed the Tyrant. Green eyes flickered to mine as he nodded.
"Did you mean it when you said you didn't want me to quit?"
Edroar leaned back into his seat. "I did."
"Do you still mean it?" I asked, unsure of the answer.
He sighed deeply. "I do."
"That's good," I smiled. "Because I honestly don't know what you would do without me." A slight pain twinged my sides as I laughed teasingly, trying to ease the awkwardness.
But he wasn't laughing. In fact he looked quite serious. "You're going to continue working for me?" He was stunned.
"Yes, even though you're incredibly frustrating I think we work well together." I held up two fingers, "but I have two non-negotiable conditions."
"Go on." He waited my response.
"I won't be your whipping post." All traces of humor left my voice. "I promise to do my best to respect your authority, but if you roar at me I am going to roar back."
A smirk lifted the corners of his lips. "You are going to respect my authority?" He seemed highly skeptical.
"I am very respectful to those who deserve it," I noted truthfully.
"Tell me your other condition," he commanded. The Tyrant never stayed away long.
"No awkwardness between us. We're both adults. If I make you uncomfortable in any way just tell me and I'll do the same with you." I shrugged at how obvious that should be.
I was always an extremely straightforward person. I had no idea why we just nearly had sex on the streets of Manhattan in the pouring rain, but there was no way I could continue working for him if I had to walk on egg shells because of it.
"Agreed," he said smoothly, "But I have two non negotiable conditions of my own."
My legs crossed as I slid back into my seat. "Go on," I ordered.
His face moved closer to mine. "You will never," he grabbed my eyes with force, "under any circumstances compare me to Oprah Winfrey again." He was completely serious.
Holding back a laugh, I scoffed. "Fine, but I'll have you know most people would consider that to be a compliment."
"Most people are morons," he snorted arrogantly.
I shook my head at his snobbery. "Tell me your other condition."
Edroar's face flashed several emotions before landing on annoyance.
"When someone is approaching you on a dark, deserted street you do not just stand there like senseless prey," he spat out angrily.
"I was planning to protect myself," I argued calmly.
"Really, exactly how were you going to do that?" His jaw tightened as he stared me down.
"I was going to punch you in the face." My smooth demeanor was in direct contrast to his.
"That is absurd." His face reddened. "As if you could take down an assailant with those fists." He glared at my manicured fingers with disgust. "What if I had a weapon?"
I shrugged him off. "I can't live my life on what ifs." Worrying wasn't really my thing, though that moment did make me realize just how defenseless I actually was. "If it makes you feel any better as soon as I find the time I promise to become a ninja."
Suddenly I noticed my shoes; well Angela's shoes, were filled with wet leaves and Lord knew what else. They were totally ruined. I lifted my leg to fully assess the damage.
"Look at me!" Edroar demanded impatiently.
My eyes turned up to his. Jesus, he was so angry. I frowned at his scowling face. Would I ever understand the man?
"Your lack of self protection is unacceptable," he paused before adding, "in so many ways."
I lowered my foot to the floor. "That's odd because I find your abundance of self protection to be unacceptable," I paused before adding, "in so many ways."
He let out a low growl causing my body to tingle at the memory of how it felt against my lips.
"You need a massage," I stated the obvious. The man looked like he was about to snap at any second.
He glanced at his watch. "It's late."
"It will help you to sleep." I knew he needed a good night's rest. "Let me do my job," I persisted, smiling warmly at him.
He hesitated a few moments before nodding his approval.
"We'll need to shower first," I said as the car came to a stop. "Separately," I added, just to make things worse. "You know since we're so wet," I had to laugh at my own ridiculous babbling.
He laughed too. Good Lord, it was boyish. Who would ever guess his laughter would be so sweet and melodic. That fact that I made him laugh had me grinning like a fool.
There was good in him, I was sure of it.
After a lightning fast shower I threw on the Powerpuff Girls t-shirt Emmett gave me for my birthday and a pair of black leggings.
I pulled my hair up in a loose ponytail before heading out the door. Of course I had no clue where I was going. Not wanting to disturb poor Jenks so late at night I asked Edroar for directions. The penthouse map he quickly sketched for me was extremely impressive.
The massage room wasn't very different from the one in Seattle.
However, the view of Manhattan in the moonlight took my breath away. I went right to work prepping for my boss's arrival, just as I had finished I felt his distinct presence behind me.
With a welcoming smile on my face I spun around.
There he stood, towering over me in dark gray sweatpants and a tight white shirt, freshly showered, hair a beautiful bronze mess. Damn it. I wanted to kiss him. Frantically I pushed that thought from my mind.
Like a flash I was at the door. "Get undressed. I'll come for you in a minute."
Why did that sound so dirty? I said those words to countless clients. I needed to get a grip or this was not going to work.
Before he could even respond I slammed the door shut and threw myself against it. No awkwardness. It was one of my conditions. I honestly didn't' think it would be so hard. I took calm centering breaths and tried pulling myself together.
After a scathingly brutal self pep talk I re-entered the room somewhat reluctantly. The Lion was lying on the table as expected. I quickly made my way over to him now wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. His eyes opened when I reached his side. He looked me over silently and smirked.
"What?" I questioned defensively.
"Is there a particular reason bug eyed children are on your clothing?" he asked calmly.
I looked down at my shirt. "They're superheroes," I explained straight faced.
"Of course they are." He shook his head before closing his eyes.
"It was a birthday present." I adjusted the sheet around him.
His eyes opened. "From Jazz?"
My head tilted. "No." How did he know Jasper? "Emmett gave it to me," I laughed. "For some crazy reason I remind him of Buttercup." I pointed to the freaky dark haired little girl on my shirt.
He nodded as though that made perfect sense to him and closed his eyes.
"It's a silly comparison, obviously," I stated as I dimmed the lights.
He lay there smirking with his eyes closed.
"When is your birthday?" I asked while reaching for the massage lotion.
His body stiffened. "I don't…have one."
"Of course you have one." I poured the lotion into my hands and rubbed them together. "You don't celebrate it?"
The moment the words left my lips I wanted to choke myself. The man had no friends. Who the hell would he celebrate it with?
"No. Definitely not," he stated bitterly.
And just like that the mood shifted from jovial to tense. I decided to lighten it as best I could. My goal was to relax him not push him over the edge.
"Pfft…birthdays are for wussies," I scoffed, as my hands touched down on his cool skin. "People like Oprah Winfrey celebrate them, who of course is nothing like you," I added sweetly, holding back a laugh.
The Lion's lips twitched as he fought off a grin. Such a stubborn man. I let out a small sigh of relief as his muscles loosened beneath the warmth of my fingertips. Within minutes I was in a zone. Unfortunately it wasn't the artistic trance I usually drifted into.
I wandered into an unknown place.
Technically all of my movements were exactly the same, yet somehow everything felt different. My fingers weren't just touching his body they seemed to be caressing it and though I wasn't doing anything remotely unprofessional I couldn't deny the feel of his skin was a pleasurable sensation for me.
Perhaps it was my imagination.
I comforted myself with that thought for quite a while, until I realized Edroar hadn't fallen asleep. Normally he would have been snoring loudly within seconds. Not only was he awake, but his body was highly responsive to my touch, that was new.
The vibe became more and more intense. I wish I could say it felt wrong. It probably should have felt wrong…but it didn't.
There were no graphic images, no obscene thoughts flashing through my mind, just an undeniable sensual current that was impossible to ignore.
It was so strong.
Actually, it was the first time I ever felt a reciprocal energy from him during a massage. Each client had a unique vibe. That was one of the aspects I enjoyed most about my work. But Edroar always fell asleep, closing off that connection between us.
Now I was in uncharted territory.
I found myself mesmerized by the rhythm of his uneven breathing, the way he swallowed more forcefully when I touched the back of his thighs or how his lips parted slightly as I kneaded the knots in his shoulders.
I spent extra time catering to him. He was incredibly tense. When the session was over it was definitely a plus that I didn't have to scream my head off to wake him up.
Softly I whispered. "Mr. Cullen, our session is complete."
His eyes opened and found mine. "I thought we evolved to a first name basis."
"Oh, right," I smiled at his words. "Edward, our session is complete."
The Tyrant looked exhausted, though I could see he was more relaxed. I felt a pang of accomplishment for that.
"Do you still want your morning session?" I asked as I began cleaning up. He certainly didn't look in any rush to get off the table and it was nice to see him at ease.
"Absolutely." He rolled onto his back and stretched his arms above his head. "That was exquisite. The best I've ever had. Obviously you have been holding out on me." His sleepy grin was crooked, yet still managed to be charming.
"Definitely not, though I bet being conscious during the session may have made a difference." I noted while turning on the light.
His eyes watched me as I continued to straighten up. "Perhaps," he agreed. "Stop cleaning. I'll have Carmen take care of it. We need to get to bed."
"Separately," I pointed out with a laugh.
"Of course." Mischief lit up his eyes.
Good Lord he was in a playful mood. A goofy smile was plastered on my face. "I don't mind cleaning up. It's part of my job."
"Is there any command I can give you that you will obey?" he wondered aloud.
I coughed on air. "Obey?" My eyes grew wide. "What am I a dog?"
He rose up, resting his upper weight on his elbows. "Don't be ridiculous. Obedience is not exclusive to animals."
I wiped down the supply cabinet before placing the massage lotion in it. Then I turned to face the Lion, who was watching me intently.
"I just don't understand your fixation with bossing people around." I stalked over to the table. "I mean I get that you like to be in charge and relish being a leader, but do you seriously want people to just obey your every command without question?"
"Yes," he answered instantly. "What type of leader would want to command people who don't follow orders?"
"An open minded leader," I replied truthfully, "one that understands his minions might need a bit of free will. Perhaps they are even capable of forming constructive ideas."
Fire flickered between our eyes as he took in my words. I expected him to shoot venom my way, but instead he pulled his intense gaze from mine.
"Do you know how to get back to your room?" He asked calmly, not looking at me.
"Yes, I have the map you gave me." I glanced over at the counter where I placed it.
"Good." Tired green eyes returned to mine. "We're finished here. Report back to this room at eight sharp."
"Yes Sir." I bowed at him like a peasant before her king.
After a few seconds of silence he said. "I don't bring minions to my favorite restaurant or chase after them in the pouring rain to apologize for being a heartless bastard."
The honesty in his tone was clear as glass.
I couldn't help but frown at his torment filled face. His eyes were weary and bloodshot. Walking to the counter I picked up my map before making my way over to the door. I turned back to face him after opening it.
"I don't dry hump heartless bastards in the middle of the street." A smirk touched my lips. "Arrogant Fat Cats yes, heartless bastards never."
As I closed the door I caught a glimpse of his sly grin. Why I was flirting with my boss was beyond me. At that moment I was too tired to scold myself for such inappropriate behavior.
Damn that rain soaked kiss!
It replayed in my mind continuously as I tossed and turned in bed. No matter how many times I pushed it away it reappeared. I was not a slut, but I had a few kisses in my life, some sweet, some passionate. None of them were remotely comparable to what that man unleashed on me.
As he made clear, it wasn't supposed to happen…for so many reasons. Good reasons, logical reasons. The few hours I managed to drift off to sleep were filled with dreams of our infuriatingly unforgettable kiss.
Before I knew it my alarm was going off.
While showering I concluded it was just the thrill of the moment that made it so amazing. If we ever kissed again it would be awful. It was definitely a onetime fluke. Nothing that incredible could ever happen more than once.
As I ran the soapy loofah across my stomach I noticed the bright pink imprint of my boss's fingers on my hips, my eyes flickered up to the still visible bite mark on my breast. I was a branded woman. Why that made me smile really should have worried me.
There was no doubt I needed deep therapy.
Running just on time, I threw on the first thing I saw and headed out the door, penthouse map in hand. It was my last day in New York and I had yet to do any actual sightseeing. We were leaving early the next morning.
Walking to the massage room I decided to power through my list of must see places right after the session was over. While prepping for the massage I considered inviting my boss to come along with me, but quickly tossed the idea aside.
There was no doubt he was busy with work and despite what happened the night before I still got the impression he had no intention of being my friend, though he did correct me when I called him Mr. Cullen.
His mood swings and mixed signals were way out of control. I glanced at the time. He was ten minutes late. That was odd. After waiting another ten minutes I started to worry.
If something had come up he would have had Jenks notify me.
He didn't look good the night before. Maybe he overslept. I hoped that was the case, but just to be sure I decided to ask Jenks. I went to the nearest wall panel and buzzed him.
Expecting his elegant English accent to come through the speaker, I jumped when instead it came from behind me.
"Ms. Bella, how can I be of assistance?" he asked, walking towards me.
"How did you…?" I looked back and forth between him and the panel. "Never mind," I laughed at his magical powers. "Have you heard from Mr. Cullen this morning? He hasn't shown up for his session."
"No. I am afraid I have not," he paused. "Though, Carmen did mention he wasn't at breakfast. Perhaps he had urgent business to tend to."
"No," I shook my head. "He would have cancelled our appointment. "I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket. There was no message from him. I called his number and got voice mail. "Can you show me to his room?" I asked politely.
"Yes, of course." He bowed before leading the way.
Once we reached the door I knocked…and knocked and knocked. No Lion. Where the hell was he? Jenks now seem concerned as well.
He contacted the security guard who informed us that Mr. Cullen hadn't left the penthouse nor had he gone for his morning workout, which they both found highly unusual. I kept knocking on his door and listening with my ear against it.
I asked the guard if he had a key to open it. He nodded looking apprehensive.
"If he's hurt it's your responsibility to protect him, open the door." I said impatiently.
Just the idea of Edroar being hurt panicked me far more than it rationally should have, but in that moment all I wanted was to see my boss.
"Open the door." I repeated firmly.
Reluctantly he did as I asked. Once the door was open I barreled past him. He wasn't in his office. I headed towards his bedroom. As I reached for the doorknob the guard halted me.
"I'll take care of this," he said dismissively. His arm blocked my way. He opened the door to the bedroom leaving me in the small hall between the two rooms with Jenks.
I waited for what felt like three hours before I couldn't take it anymore. I tried not to run as I made my way into the room. My heart was racing out of my chest, my mind flooded with worse case scenarios.
It took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark room. The guard was on bended knee huddled over my boss who was lying on the floor near the bathroom.
There was no thought process. I was by his side instantaneously.
"OH, MY GOD!" I yelled as tears welled in my eyes.
The guard didn't respond. He was checking his vitals. "He's breathing," he said calmly.
I exhaled a deep breath and moved in closer. I wanted to see his face. He looked so pale and clammy. My fingers brushed the messy bronze hairs off his forehead. His skin was scorching hot.
"HE'S BURNING UP!" I was still yelling. I didn't panic often, but when I did screaming every word I said was the norm.
"I need help getting him to his bed. Go get Jenks," the guard ordered militantly.
"JENKS!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I didn't want to leave Edward's side.
The guard glared at me. My boss stirred. Jenks was beside me in a flash. The man was seriously supernatural.
After a bit of a struggle they managed to get him into bed. He was dead weight.
"I'll call the doctor," Jenks announced before disappearing.
I fluffed the pillows beneath Edward's head and settled him beneath the blanket. Then I hopped up on the bed so that I was sitting beside him. A light sheen of sparkling sweat covered his skin. I reached out my hand and placed my palm against his cheek. It was on fire.
He started murmuring lightly, his eyes still closed. I couldn't understand a word he was saying.
"Edward, rest," I whispered, brushing my fingers along the side of his face.
But he wasn't resting. His body stirred in agitation. "Sorry," he mumbled over and over again.
"Shhh…it's alright," I hushed soothingly, but he only got more aggravated.
I hadn't even realized the guard was still in the room until he cleared his throat behind me.
"I'll be back," he said as though I cared. I just nodded my head without taking my eyes off Edward.
I wanted to cool his burning skin, but I couldn't bring myself to leave his side. So I found the panel beside his bed and pressed the name Carmen. She answered immediately. After I explained the situation she offered to come right away.
Not much later a middle aged woman with a kind round face hurriedly entered the room with a rolling a cart of supplies. After thanking her profusely I took his temperature. It was frighteningly high. Somehow I managed to get him to swallow two Tylenol.
Carmen helped me prepare cold compresses and politely excused herself only after I promised to 'summon' her if I needed anything further.
Once she left. I looked down at my boss.
Edroar.
The Tyrant.
The Lion.
The Fat Cat.
As he laid there he looked like none of those things to me. His angelic face was so very deceiving. I knew he had a wicked temper. Not to mention a festering wound deep within his soul. There was definitely something dangerous about him.
But there was good too, I knew there was, no matter how much he persisted otherwise.
I wrung out the ice cold hand towel over the basin of water and gently placed it against his forehead. Then I wrung out another and began cooling off his body. As I ran the towel down the length of his arm his eyes fluttered open.
He struggled to focus on me, his long lashes blinking rapidly. I smiled down at him, so relieved to see those green eyes of his opening.
"Bella," he said my name as though it was his favorite word. He was definitely delirious with fever.
"You scared me," I scolded softly, still cooling his skin with the compress. "I knew you weren't feeling well last night. You work too hard and don't get enough rest."
His eyes were half glazed over and staring intently at my lips as I spoke.
"I kissed you last night," he said still staring at my mouth.
I shook my head. "No, I kissed you." More like assaulted him, but no need to be technical.
His eyes flickered up to mine. "Why must you be so beautiful?" The sincerity in his voice took me by surprise.
"Why must you be so delirious?" I chuckled as I lifted the towel from his forehead and gently wiped it along the sides of his face down to his neck.
His glassy eyes closed a few moments and then opened again finding mine. "I don't want to be your friend," he managed to say quite firmly.
"Right, I know. You've made that clear." I can't say his words didn't hurt. They did. But I did my best not to let it show.
"Ms. Bella, the doctor is on his way." Jenks materialized beside me, scaring me half to death.
"Oh good," I whispered softly in response. My boss had fallen back to sleep. He looked so much more peaceful than before.
I couldn't keep myself from fussing over him, fixing his blanket, feeling his forehead, adjusting the compresses. Jenks quietly excused himself from the room to refill the basin of ice water.
Needless to say there was no sightseeing for me that day. I barely moved from my spot beside Edward. By the time the doctor arrived his fever was completely gone.
After examining him he sighed deeply as he removed his thick rimmed eyeglasses. According to the doctor the high temperature was brought on by several factors, stress and exhaustion being the most dominant. He seemed well aware of the fact that Edward worked long hours, had trouble sleeping and often skipped meals.
When I questioned why he didn't just prescribe him a sleep aid he politely explained he wasn't at liberty to discuss the issue with me. He gave me his card and advised me to call him should his fever return or any other symptoms occur.
Before leaving he told me to do my best to ensure that he got plenty of rest and relaxation. Apparently the doctor knew the stubborn disposition of his patient because he didn't seem very optimistic that I would succeed.
The entire afternoon I stayed in his room watching him sleep.
Carmen came by around noon to bring lunch, such a sweet woman. I could see she had been well trained to take orders. She didn't bow like Jenks, though I had to literally command her to stop cleaning up my mess.
Sometime around nightfall my boss's eyes fluttered open. His sleepy gaze swept the room before landing on me.
"What are you doing here?" He asked in confusion.
"I…uh…was just making sure your fever didn't return." Suddenly I felt like a bit of a stalker.
"Why would you do that?" He was genuinely baffled.
"Because I was worried about you." The look on his face was making me feel like even more of a freak.
His brow furrowed slightly at this information.
"How are you feeling?" I fought the urge to check his forehead again.
"I'm fine," he cleared his throat. "What time is it?"
I looked at my watch. "It's just about six o'clock."
His eyes widened. "You can't be serious." He sat up and reached for the control panel beside the bed. He pressed the name Ms. Mallory.
"Sir." A feminine voice came across the speaker.
"Where are you?" The Lion seethed.
"I'm in the hall outside your office. I've been waiting to hear from you," was the response.
"Is the door locked?" He asked impatiently.
We heard a click. "No, it's open."
"Then go inside and wait for me," he ordered harshly.
"Yes, Sir." Her nervous reply was barely audible.
Edroar faltered slightly as he went to stand. He was still in a weakened condition and didn't like it one bit. I rolled the cart aside now feeling intrusive standing there in his personal space.
My boss stormed across the room without so much as glancing my way.
The Tyrant swung open his bedroom door with a loud bang. His dominating frame filled the doorway. All I wanted was to get the hell out of the room, but he was blocking me in. My eyes focused on the tall slender woman standing before him, she was looking down at her feet.
"Is that the contract?" he growled.
She slowly nodded her head.
"Give it to me." His control was slipping. I could see his back muscles tensing.
With shaky hands she handed him a folder, her gaze remained firmly on the floor.
He scanned page after page silently, though the tension that filled the room was so loud it was deafening.
"Unacceptable." I knew his eyes were shooting fire.
The woman had yet to look up. "I tried..."
"You tried what?" He threw the folder on the floor causing her to flinch.
"I tr...tried telling them that you wouldn't like it," she squeaked out meekly.
"Obviously you didn't try hard enough." He was livid.
"I'm sorry Sir. I…" her voice broke as she held back a sob.
"Where was Alec?" He cut her off coolly.
"He was stuck in traffic. I was the only one there. I tried calling you several times, but you didn't answer." Her eyes lifted, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Then you should have cancelled the meeting." The anger in his voice was palpable. "What made you think you could ever take my place?"
She just stood there frozen, eyes looking directly at his with horror.
"Answer me," he spat out venomously.
"They told me there was a deadline," she was crying like a child. "They said they didn't need you there."
He lowered his face closer to hers. As she looked up at him, her eyes widened dramatically. I could only imagine the murderous glare he was unleashing on her.
"Who are…they?" He asked with a soft eeriness.
"Umm…it was mostly the guy with the uh…white hair that has the Italian accent," she was so petrified she could barely speak. She wiped her runny nose with the back of her hand and sniffled.
"Get out," his arm extended, his finger pointing to the door.
She stood there, frozen in place, with the same petrified look on her face.
"GO!" He roared so loudly even I flinched.
She made a small screeching noise before scurrying away.
He stormed over to his office door and slammed it shut so hard I was surprised it didn't fall off its hinges. Then he stalked over to his desk.
Planning to leave him to his ridiculous tantrum I made my way to the door. Before I even grabbed the handle I heard his voice from behind me.
"Stop," he commanded in his bossy tone.
I rolled my eyes and turned to face him. "Yes?"
"Come here," he ordered.
"Why?" I was in no mood to argue with him if that's what he wanted.
"I want to talk to you before you go." He was trying not to snap at me, I could tell.
Slowly I made my way over to him. His face was reddened and his eyes were burning with rage, but he was actually fighting to control it. That was new.
"Why must you get so angry all the time?" I was genuinely curious.
He let out a deep sigh. "I have no tolerance for imbeciles."
"You think everyone is an imbecile," I laughed at his words.
He shook his head. "Not everyone," his eyes grabbed mine. "Thank you for watching out for me," he said with sincerity.
"You don't have to thank me. It's what…people do," I almost said friends, but caught myself at the last second.
"Not any of the people I know," he noted truthfully, still looking exhausted even after sleeping all day. He hadn't eaten and I wanted to check his temperature.
"You look tired and hungry," I stepped in closer to him.
"I am tired and hungry," he agreed with a slight grin.
"Go rest and I'll make you something to eat." There was no way I was going to bother Carmen. The poor woman couldn't work all day and night.
"I'll be fine. I have business to settle." A sinister look crossed his features.
"Yes. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. If you didn't sign the contract I seriously doubt it could have any validity." I glanced over at the pile of papers littered all over his floor.
"That is not the point," he grumbled.
"Uh yeah, I think it is." I nodded. "You threw a tantrum and scared the piss out of that poor woman over nothing."
"It's hardly nothing," he scoffed. "She should have known there was a problem when I didn't attend the meeting and cancel it at once."
"How was she supposed to know there was a problem if she couldn't find you?"
His brow arched. "You found me. Did you not?"
"Well yes, but that's just because I knew you would have cancelled our session, so it was obvious there was a problem."
"My point exactly," he turned to face his computer. "That woman is an imbecile and it has reflected poorly on me. It's unacceptable." He was typing furiously on the keyboard as he spoke.
"Even if that were the case, did you really need to make her cry like that?" The girl had snot running down her face for Christ's sake.
"What would you suggest I do, give her a puppy?" He asked with disgust. "Her pathetic sobbing solidified her incompetent business skills. It was intolerable."
He was so completely serious I had to smile at him. The man was angry with her for crying. The thought made me laugh out loud.
"Do I amuse you?" He stopped typing and side eyed me.
"Very much," I kept laughing and watched as a slight smile crept across his face. "I'm going to the kitchen to make you something to eat. Finish whatever evil thing you're doing and get back in bed." It was a direct command.
I fully expected him to fight me on it, but he just looked up with confusion in his eyes.
"You don't have to do that," he explained as though I were a moron.
"I know I don't have to," my eyes rolled. "I want to," I chuckled at his baffled expression as I turned to walk out the door.
Time was limited and I had no idea how to use the high tech appliances I was confronted with in his kitchen. So I went with the basics, grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup and a tall glass of ice water, quick and easy. I found a serving tray and headed back to his room.
Not surprisingly he wasn't in bed resting.
He was on his phone spewing venom. After firing whoever it was on the other end he disconnected the call and growled at the phone. I cleared my throat to capture his attention.
"You cooked for me?" He was shocked.
"Don't look so impressed. It's just soup and a sandwich," I laughed. "Now get in bed or there will be no dinner for you," I scolded, eyes narrowed.
He ran a hand through his hair and glared at his phone one last time before standing. "I can eat while I work." He reached for the tray.
I shook my head as I pulled it away from him. "Not a chance. No more working. You need rest. Get in bed." I pointed to his room.
He laughed at my serious face. "You're going to serve me dinner in bed?"
I nodded. "Yes, I'm a multi-functioning minion."
"I would hardly call you a minion." His smirk was devilish.
"You can call me whatever the hell you want as long as you get in bed." I headed for his room hoping he would follow…and to my surprise he did.
A/N:
Not gonna lie I seriously plotted the Lion's death several times while writing this chapter. My plan was to get them back home to Seattle. Apparently Edroar had other plans. You can see who prevailed in the end. He truly is a Tyrant.
Next up, Bella feeds the Fat Cat…in bed.
He wanted it and damn him he got it. I may have tried convincing her to poison his sandwich, but that crazy girl wasn't having it. She actually likes him. Go figure. They WILL return home next chapter. I swear it.
Warm Hugs to: The pilot of the plane that's taking my spastic butt to Florida for vacation tomorrow. I'm not a fan of flying and have prepared for certain death.
That's all for now folks. Let me know what you think…it gives me fever.