CHAPTER
“Mr. Cavil’s office, how may I assist?” I answer the phone and sat heavily onto my chair. Time to get back into work mode.
“Hey Joyce, it’s Sandra,” the receptionist at front desk responds.
“Hey Sandra, you’re not calling that you’re going into labor, are you?” I ask jokingly.
“Don’t I wish,” she replies. “Not this time. Some mail just arrived for Mr. Cavil. Can you be a dear and get them for me please. I’d ask Jack but he’s on lunch.”
“No problem. I’ll be there in a bit.”
“Thanks, Joyce. You’re an angel.”
After hanging up, I power on my computer, giving it some time to warm up while I get the mails from Joyce. I am waiting at the elevator when Mr. Ash and Mr. Cavil walk out of the office.
“Oh crap,” I mutter and hit the button over and over again as though that would make the elevator appear faster. I would not ride the elevator with that man!
Ding! Yes, now to get in and hit the button for the first floor before…
“Joyce, hold the elevator for Mr. Ash, will you?”
For a second I contemplate acting as though I didn’t hear him but I make the mistake of looking up at them. No way out of this one. I press the hold button and watch both men shake hands.
Mr. Ash steps confidently towards the elevator and I shuffle to the back in one corner as far away from him as possible. My heart thump wildly in my chest and although I try to avoid looking at him, my eyes keep flickering to him, drawn to him by some inexplicable reason. It couldn’t be that I am attracted to the man. Men like him scare me. I always envision myself in the future with a gentle, kind man. Not someone who makes me feel intimidated as this man does.
Without warning, he presses the emergency stop button on the elevator. What the hell? Doesn’t he know that would alert emergency response?
“What are you—?” my question ended in a gasp when his long strides bring him over to me and he is close. Way too close. I am running out of oxygen which causes my breathing to turn shallow. Bup! Bup! Bup! Good God was that my heart beating?
“I can’t wait to see if you’re the saint Cavil makes you out to be,” he says gruffly, raising a hand to my cheek.
I flinch at first believing he is about to strike me but he only strokes my cheek with the back of his hand gently.
“You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?” he asks softly but I know better than to ignore the steel in his tone.
“I- I’m not,” I croak out, hating myself for the way my voice trembles.
The gentle caress of his hand turns rough as he grips my jaw. I want to say his grip hurt but it doesn’t at all. He holds me firmly enough for me to know I wouldn’t be getting out of his hold if he doesn’t wish it. Still, I could feel the power and strength in him.
“You should be afraid,” he cautions. “Be very afraid. I expect nothing but the best from you. Thanks to your boss who extolls your finer attributed greatly, I expect the same quality work and if you can’t deliver… well, you get my drift.”
A voice comes over the intercom. “Is anyone there? We’ve a report the elevator isn’t moving.”
Mr. Cavil lets go of my jaw and move over to the buttons to respond. “The elevator is fine,” he announces and release the button for the elevator to continue its short descent.
I breathe a sigh of relief when the doors open but huddle in my corner, waiting for him to step out first. I could still feel the impression of his hand on my cheek, my nostrils plugged with his natural musky scent mingled with his cologne.
“I expect to see you at six tomorrow Joyce.”
“Six?” I echo. Work didn’t begin until seven.
“Yes, at six.” He turns slightly to the left so he could look back at me. “One more thing, you’ll find I’m not so easily please as Cavil obviously is.”
He gives my body a once over and smirks before stepping out of the elevator. Confused, I rush towards through the doors before the elevator could close with me inside. What is wrong with that man? Am I going to have to work with a lunatic? Why had he grabbed my chin like that? Doesn’t he know anything about personal space because he’d invaded mine and without my permission. Is this what I will have to deal with working for him? Because this isn’t what I’d signed up for when I decided to work at Cavil.
“Are you okay?” Sandra asks in concern when I got to her desk. “Word has it you were stuck in the elevator.”
“I- I’m fine,” I respond which is a complete lie.
“Although who wouldn’t want to be stuck in an elevator with a man like that?” she gushes. “Talk about yum. Even at thirty-eight weeks pregnant, I can appreciate a man like that.”
“You know him?” I fish for information, taking the letters and package she hands over to me.
“I’m surprised you don’t,” she replied. “But then, you’re not originally from Michigan, are you?”
“No, I’m not. And Mr. Ash?” I press.
“Only the most sought after bachelor in Michigan. Did I mention he is a billionaire? You should see the women he usually goes out with. If you open any society page, I’m telling you, there’s a photo of Axel Ash.”
The society pages? No wonder I don’t know him. I don’t usually read that trash. I want to pry and find out as much as I can about the ma Axel Ash but I don’t dare to bring it up more and raise Sandra’s suspicion. Not that there is anything to be suspicious about.
“I wonder what he was doing here,” Sandra muses aloud. “Do you know?” Then she gasps. “He’s not taking over Cavil’s, is he? Because he’s famous for that you know? Taking over small companies and upscaling it and its profits. They say he has the golden touch and I’m inclined to agree.”
The dreamy look on her face leaves little to the imagination as to what she means by Mr. Ash’s golden touch. Someone must be spreading rumors because his grip of my jaw in the elevator, that had been no golden touch. It was the very opposite.
“I’m sure Mr. Cavil will announce if such a thing is happening,” I hedge. “Gotta run.”
I start to head for the elevator then take a detour to the stairs, walking the three flights. After almost being assaulted by that man and for no reason at all, I am not ready to face the elevator so soon.
After opening the mails, I bring them in a pile to Mr. Cavil’s office for him to tend to them.
“I suppose this is the last time I’ll be getting my mails here,” he announces with a sad smile. “I’ll leave a forward address with you Joyce and if it’s not too much trouble, could you forward any personal mails to me?”
“Sure will Mr. Cavil.”
I am almost at the door leaving when his voice stops me in my tracks.
“Joyce,” he said almost hesitantly.
“Yes sir?”
“You may find Mr. Ash to be different in his approach from me,” he states plainly. “He is a most unorthodox man but he has a record for turning profits. You’ll be working for a very big publishing house soon. If anyone can turn this place around, he can.”
Hmm, why do I have a feeling there is much more he wants to say that he isn’t?
“Okay.”
“And, he’s asked about you.”
So that is it. “Me? Why?”
He retreats looking almost regretful that he has said anything. “Ah it’s nothing I suppose. Just a man ensuring he knows his new staff.”
“Mr. Cavil,” I respond in concern. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
He shakes his head in denial. “Everything is fine, Joyce. Mr. Ash will take care of everything.”
Including me? I shiver remembering how he invaded my space, remembering his breath hot on my cheek with him standing so close to me. For the rest of the day, I work quietly, my mind occupied with some serious thoughts. Thoughts of handing in my resignation. But should I allow the actions of one man to force me out of a job? But Axel Ash isn’t your average man and I’d rather have peace of mind than being in a job and miserable.
Mr. Cavil calls a meeting at four and informs the staff it is his last day. I knew when he did there would be waterworks. He is an amazing boss, the type who remembers everyone’s birthday and buys them presents. After the meeting, everyone files out in a somber mood, kind of the way I feel.
At five, I give Mr. Cavil a final goodbye and leave work, happy to go home but nervous about returning tomorrow. By the time I get home in my little Subaru, I had convinced myself that I am going to quit. I am bad with controlling men and Mr. Ash showed me today he has no qualms with walking over people. I would find another job.
“Jess, you’ll never believe this!” I announce, walking into the apartment I share with my best friend Jessica. I stop short to find Jessica doing— no, make that trying to do yoga but I could have told her there was no way she is going to get her leg in the same position of the woman on the television.
Jessica has been my best friend and roommate since college. It had been natural for us to continue the living arrangements when we both graduated. Splitting rent and utility bills are way easier than struggling with the bills all alone.
Now Jessica could make a Miss World contestant. She is stunning with long platinum gold hair and bright blue eyes. Her skin is flawless and her dimples leave a string of men in her wake. She is quite tall for a woman and svelte with D-cups where I still am stuck at a B. Her profession as a teacher is a bit challenging since she works at a high school and has to deal with horny teenage boys crushing on her.
“You’re never going to believe about my day at work,” I tell her.
“Shhh,” she silences me, her tongue peeking out from the corner of her lips as she try again to get one leg in an awkward position in the air. Impatiently, I walk over and with a tiny push pitches her over in a heap on the floor
“I almost had it!” she cries out in irritation. “You made me lose my balance.”
“The only thing you almost did was to break your neck,” I tell her. “Now, will you listen to me. You know by next week yoga will be a thing of the past anyway.”
She knows I am right. Except for her passion for teaching, Jessica has no drive to settle for one thing. Including boyfriends. Last week she had taken up jogging. This week it is yoga. No telling what next week will be.
“Maye you’re right,” she concedes and turns off the TV. “What was so exciting about work that you came in here bellowing? Nothing exciting ever happens at work. Don’t tell me Sandra went into labor at work.”
“How I wish that was it!” I exclaim, flopping down on the couch beside her, lying with my head in her lap. We are very close friends and very little get us uncomfortable around each other. “I no longer work for Mr. Cavil.”
“You got fired!” she exclaims in surprise.
“Of course not but he sold the company.”
“That means new boss, huh?” she predicts. “Who knows? Maybe this time you’ll end up with a sexy, millionaire boss who falls madly in love with his new assistant and makes a woman out of her.”
I scowl up at her grin. “Someone’s been watching Young and Hungry again,” I state. “This is not fictional Gabi and Josh. This is real life and I’m not going to end up sleeping with my boss the day we meet.”
“No kidding. You’re not that slutty.”
“Also because we’ve already met,” I inform her. “And I’m not sure I want a job at Cavil’s— excuse I mean at Ash’s tomorrow. The man is horrendous.”
“Uh oh. What did he do? You get along with everybody. I’m the one with the bitch fit.”
I bring her up to speed about running into him while texting my grandmother and at that point she stops me.
“Hold up, you’re grandma is like a hundred. What do you mean text her?”
“I taught her how to send a text the last time I was with her,” I explained. “She sent me a text first. Anyway we are straying from the point here. The man acted as if I am not allowed to use my phone in the lunch break. And guess what he did next?”
“You know I can’t guess so why don’t you tell me?”
“We were riding the elevator and he pressed the emergency stop button, trapping us inside.”
“Then he had his wicked way with you?”
I remove my head from her lap and sit up, frowning at her. “Will you be serious for one minute? The man gripped my jaw and basically threaten my job ‘if I don’t perform up to his standards’.” I add air quotes with my hands.
“What? He threatened you?”
“I take it as a threat,” I reply. “And I don’t take kindly to him doing that. Next thing, he’ll think he can boss me around. I’m taking up for myself and I’m quitting.”
“Whoa sweetheart, isn’t that a little bit extreme?”
I shake my head vehemently. “Nope, not at all. Don’t worry about the rent. You know I hardly spend. I’ve enough to keep up my end of the payments until I get a new job. Didn’t you say the school you work at wants an Arts teacher?”
“It’s already filled,” Jessica answers fretfully. “Maybe he had a bad day and working for him won’t be as bad as today.”
“I know that sort of man and I’m not going to sit around and wait for him to fire me. I’d rather quit first.”
And I mean it too. I better get started at job hunting.