Chapter Two
Anthony
It’s not even lunch time yet and already I’m bored to death. Different day, same story.
My whole fucking life.
I sit behind my desk pushing papers around, trying to muster up the desire to do something. Anything. Anything that will get my father off my back and make him believe I won’t have a negative impact on his wonderful political campaign. I wish it were as easy as looking good—never a problem for me—and showing up at the office. It isn’t. Why would it be? When has he ever given me a break?
I know, I know, listen to the poor little rich boy. When in my twenty-eight years has my life ever been difficult?
I stand up and go out to the empty desk that will soon seat my assistant. I roll my eyes just thinking about the charity case Dad’s saddling me with. An intern, technically, since he isn’t sure yet that I won’t completely fuck things up. It’s all just another part of the image he wants me to fulfill. Successful businessman, in love with the family business, nose up his father’s ass. The perfect son. Totally rehabilitated from his bad boy, whoring ways.
It’s all such a joke, but nobody’s laughing. Least of all me.
It’s not just the job that needs to change, either. No more late nights out on the town. No more clubbing. No more photos of me shit faced in the newspapers or tabloids, which is usually where I end up. My dad even hired me a driver, just in case I have a small drink and wanted to get behind the wheel. Anything that could affect his chances of getting elected. Forget about wanting me to be safe. I’m what I’ve always been to him. A means to an end.
He might as well take my balls while he’s at it. I can’t remember all the times I’ve told him to get himself a new son if I’m not good enough. Going all the way back to when I was a kid, I could never understand why he always found something wrong with me.
I notice the nods and smiles from the various female employees as I walk past their desks and open office doors and it just pisses me off even more. Another one of my father’s new rules: lay off the women, or at least have the decency be discreet. And absolutely nothing inside the company. Like I would ever do that? I’ve never had any issues with the women working here. Not once.
I swear, the old man comes up with new rules every day. It’s like he sits up all night pondering on how to ruin my life the fastest way.
Naomi gives me one of her “come hither” smiles as I approach the reception desk. I tell myself to ignore it, along with the way she’s wearing her sweater dress. Not worth the headache, no matter how nice her tits are.
“Have you seen my father walk past yet this morning?”
She nods. “Oh, of course. He went straight to his office.”
Of course.
I can’t look at her anymore without giving in to the urge to ask her out for a drink just to spite my father, so I turn away in time for the elevator doors to open on an interesting sight: a girl with coffee soaking the front of her shirt. She’s a stranger, too, and staring at me with a horrified expression, which tells me she’s probably my new assistant. Only I would get that lucky.
I shake my head at her. I have no words. Then I go straight to my father’s office, determined to tell him that faking my way through a job I hate is one thing, but saddling me with the mousey little thing in the elevator is something else.
Marta sees me coming and holds up a hand to stop me at her desk, just in front of the tall double doors leading to the inner sanctum. “He’s in a meeting,” she says with a shrug.
“Good thing, since I really came here to talk with you.” I place both hands on the edge of the desk and lean in. “When are you going to stop this game you’re play with me? You know we belong together.”
She fans herself while rolling her eyes. “Stop. You’re too much.”
“I want to marry you and take you away from all this, Marta. Don’t you know I’ve been saving myself for you all these years you’ve been working for Dad?” I give her my best sultry smile.
“Oh, now I know you’re pulling my leg.” She draws back with a smirk and pats her silver-streaked hair. “You haven’t saved yourself for a minute.”
I put my hands over my heart. “Those women didn’t mean anything to me. I had to console myself during those long, lonely nights without you.”
She shakes her head, and I decide to drop the banter. The truth is, even though we have our little jokes and I swear she’s the only one for me, she’s the closest thing I’ve had to a mother since my own died when I was two. Dad’s the disciplinarian, while Marta doles out advice and gently lets me know when I’m being an idiot. She’s the only person who can get away with it.
“Isn’t your new assistant starting today?” she asks in a knowing tone of voice.
“Yeah. Let’s not talk about her, okay?” Marta knows how I feel. She ought to, anyway, since Dad and I weren’t quiet when we argued about it. “What time is his meeting scheduled to end?”
She scrolls through a schedule on her laptop. “There’s no scheduled end time. Conference call with the CFO and his team. Who knows how long it’ll take?”
“Great.” Not like I have anything better to do, but I’d rather eat my own face than go back to my office and deal with coffee girl. Not the sort of mood I’m in.
My phone’s in my back pocket, and I pull it out when it buzzes. It’s my best friend, Tyler Gaines, and he’s been needier than usual lately after breaking up with his girlfriend. He pretends he doesn’t care and he’s only texting because he’s bored, but I know it’s either text me or text the ex. I’d rather be the one, if only so he’ll save face. Besides, she’s a real bitch.
It’s five o’clock somewhere. Let’s blow off work and go out.
I shoot him a quick text back. It’s still morning. Are you serious?
He replies immediately. Hell yes. I’ll go either way. Thought you’d be up for some fun.
Am I up for some fun? Of course, especially since Dad’s had me on a short leash. I’m sick of pretending to be a good guy. I’m even sicker of pretending to follow his rules when it never means getting his approval.
What will he think? I glance at his office doors and imagine how he’ll flip the hell out when he finds out I left, and to go out with Tyler on top of that. He needs to remember that I’m not some underling he can order around. And I’m not a child anymore, no matter how much he tries to treat me like one.
“You know what, beautiful? Forget about it. I’ll catch him later.” I drop Marta a wink and a smile before turning around and heading straight for the elevator. Screw Dad and his rules and his election. I’m my own man, and it’s time he realizes that.