I wake up with Katy in my arms and enjoy the indulgent feeling of being in her bed.

She sleeps softly in my arms, and for a moment, I just gaze as the mid-morning light hits her pale skin.

Mid-morning...fuck.

I realize I’m late for a meeting―a very big meeting.

I wake up Katy, who’s still naked under the sheets. It takes every inch of willpower I have not to spread her wide and to fuck her right here.

She’s addicting.

I know I have to go, so I summon my willpower and whisper in her ear, “Baby, I’m sorry to leave, but I have to go. Talk soon.”

She rolls over, and I take in the sight of her gorgeous, thin body. It will fuel my fantasies for the rest of the day.

I kiss her, and she pulls me close―but I have to pull away. It’s times like these that I wish we were in my penthouse, where I could keep her locked away as my little sex slave. I feel possessive of Katy―is that wrong, considering I know that she’s about to betray me?

I get dressed in a hurry and quietly leave. Let her sleep. Let her dream of me and all that went on last night.

I get in my car and race to my building. This is the first time I’ve ever been late for a meeting in my entire illustrious career. But I don’t feel cranky or mad about it.

I’m late because I woke up in someone else’s bed, a bed that was not my own. This is a thing that never happens to me.

Usually, I wine and dine a woman for one night. They come home to my penthouse, we sleep together, and that’s it. They’re out the door before the sun comes up.

Katy’s different. I actually want to be around her.

Even though her apartment is very simple, and there’s nothing luxurious about it, I found myself feeling good there. Because I was with her. I just feel at ease every time I’m around her.

And so I’m in a good mood the whole time I’m driving to work. And throughout the whole duration of the meeting that I was late for.

It’s such a change from my usual stressed-out demeanor that even the executives seem at a loss as to why I’m smiling and not being rude to them.

I’m actually paying attention to the details of this meeting for once. They plan on building a huge complex or something. A new investment of some sort.

But as they talk, I realize something harrowing…

The place that I went to with Katie for the outreach program is also the land that my bank bought about three years ago.

My bank is responsible for what I witnessed yesterday. I forced those families living there into poverty. As the CEO, I’m essentially responsible for all of it.

I’m at a loss for words, and I can’t believe that it was my bank that did this to those people. Shouldn’t we have a department or something that makes sure people don’t get hurt and put out on the street? Why have I overlooked this sort of thing?

For the first time in my life, I feel as if maybe I’m doing the wrong thing. Katy taught me to see people for who they really are and not just what they have. I’m sorta sickened by the fact that it was my company that did this to so many families, especially those kids.

“Wait.”

The junior executive reporting on the complex’s bathroom finishes looks terrified. So do my other executives. I have never interrupted a meeting before.

“Put it on hold for now,” I tell them.

“Oh, uh…okay…I-I…guess we won’t install a fountain the second-floor bathroom, and―”

“No, not that. The whole project.” I’m met with stunned silence. “I’ll let you know when to start it up again. This will go through, but it may look different than we have envisioned it for now,” I tell everyone in the meeting.

They look at me in surprise, but I don’t care. This is my company, and I’ll run it however I want to. I realize there’s a part of myself that’s gotten soft

But I can’t help but think how Katy will be disappointed in knowing what my company did.

And yet I also have to keep telling myself that it’s essential for me to get Katy’s full trust in order for me to know her plans. She’s going to attack my bank, and I have to know the details. The fact that she’s out to get me is an inescapable truth.

The executives in the meeting want to know why I’ve halted the project. I don’t owe an explanation to anyone.

“What should we do in the meantime?” one of them says.

“You know this thing has a time limit,” another exec opposes.

“What I know,” I say, “is that this is my company, and I intend to steer it in the right direction. As of now, I’m not sure about this project. We’re gonna put a halt to it until I say so. I’m sure you can find plenty of work to keep you busy.”

I leave the meeting, and I’m absolutely disgusted at how my executives are so concerned with making money and with their bonus structure that they’ve totally overlooked the people who’ve been misplaced.

It’s my fault, too. I know this, but it’s a hard pill to swallow.

But still, my executives haven’t seen what I’ve seen. They haven’t seen the poor and the people who’ve been wronged. Maybe if they had, they wouldn’t be questioning me about moving forward with this project.

It’s evidence of the way Katie’s changed me. I don’t change for anyone―and yet I find I’m a different person now that I’ve met her.

Fuck, what’s going on? She’s shaken my routine existence, and I find that I’m becoming hooked to the feeling.

I use the next couple days to research the project a little bit more. I want to know why my bank chose that land to take over. I want to know how these poor people fell through the cracks with no support.

I also research the outreach program that Katie had me volunteer for. They’re very legitimate, doing good work across the city. I think how they probably need money, and that I should donate to them.

Just as this thought crosses my mind, Katy calls.

“Marcus,” she says in a panic. “Can you please meet with me? It’s important. Please hurry. Please say you’ll come.”

“Of course, baby, I’ll be right there.” I oblige because I’m worried.

I’ve never heard Katy lose her cool before or even admit to needing help. This alarms me.

I drive like hell through the city until I arrive at her apartment. Once I get there, Katie seems very scared.

A sense of protectiveness overcomes me. I need to make sure she’s okay no matter what and at all costs.

“What’s wrong? Tell me what happened.”