He shuts the door on me. That asshole!

I shouldn’t have lied to him about a roach, but it was the only thing I could think of to trick him to come into my room. Stupid Hunter and his stupid fucking promises. Why do men always have to try to act so noble and honorable?

I look at the stupid vibrator on my bed, grab it, and shove it into a drawer. I bought it just to make Hunter feel bad. I don’t even want to use it. I want him buried inside me, not some battery-powered piece of plastic.

He makes me so mad, especially when he’s right. Hunter is the most exciting thing in my life right now, but I can’t pretend I don’t care about my classes or my internship. If Mom found out about us...what would happen?

I’ve avoided thinking of it too seriously up until now, mostly out of the naive assumption that we simply would never be caught, no matter how often and indiscreetly we fucked each other. If he had taken my bait, I’d one hundred percent let him fuck me over the conference table. Looking back, that was incredibly stupid and reckless, but I wanted him so badly anyway.

If Mom found out about us, I’d definitely lose the internship. She might even fire and divorce Hunter. That’s bad enough, but I force myself to consider things further. She’d probably kick me out of her apartment, too, so I’d still be able to go to classes, but I wouldn’t be able to afford to live in the city.

Hunter is older and wiser than me, and he’s really thought this through. He’s protecting me, I realize. He wants me just as badly as I want him, but he knows how much our relationship could ruin my life.

I told him he was worried about his own reputation, but King Midas would recover easily from something like this. He’d still be rich, he’d still be amazing at what he does, and he’d still be able to do whatever he wanted in life. It’s me who would be ruined if we got caught, not him.

I’ve been acting like a spoiled brat. An awful, terrible person.

My lip begins to tremble, and I bite it to hold back the tears. They come anyway, sliding warm and wet down my cheeks. I press my face into my pillow and sob for several minutes. I suddenly fucking hate myself, and I hate how selfish I’ve been. If I really want to be with an older man—really be with him, not just fuck him--I need to grow up and stop acting like such a child.

When I’ve stopped crying, the pit in my stomach and hole in my heart is still raw, so I clutch the pillow and lay on the bed for what feels like forever, hoping I’ll fall asleep. But I don’t fall asleep, I just lay there and feel more and more guilty.

I find myself getting up and walking out into the hallway. I stop outside Hunter’s door. I consider turning back and just feeling miserable alone, but I force myself to knock on his door once again.

Nothing happens after a full minute, so I knock again, this time slightly louder.

The door opens, and Hunter scowls at me. His strong jaw and deep frown can’t offset the compassion in his eyes. “What? Don’t tell me there’s a roach again.”

I nearly break into tears again. My face scrunches up and my lip quivers, but I compose myself before I start crying again. “Hunter, can I please talk to you? Just talk. I just want to say something. You can just listen…I promise I won’t do anything bad.”

“Get out of the hallway,” he whispers, gesturing me into his room with his head.

I step inside. He’s wearing just boxers now, no shirt or jeans. I look at his body for a brief moment, but then I meet his eyes.

“Hunter,” I say. “I’m so sorry for how I’ve been acting. I...I realize you’re doing this for me--for us.”

“Doing what?”

“The promise you made,” I say. “You’re looking out for me. Protecting me.”

“I know how the world works, Elise. You’re figuring things out fast, but I don’t expect you to be perfect--to not make any mistakes.”

“I just wanted to tell you that I understand now, and I will stop being such a bitch. Okay?”

“You weren’t being a bitch,” he says, the expression on his face softening.

“I know it’s hard for both of us,” I say. “I realize it now, though. That if we both do our part, it will be easier on both ends. If we both fight the temptation. I was making you do the work for both of us. If I keep tempting you like I was trying to do, I’m putting it all on you to be the adult, to be the smart one.”

“Alright,” he says, smiling. “I appreciate it...now get the hell out of here.”

I grab him, without thinking. I feel his hard body press against me through my thin t-shirt. My breasts press into his body, and my hands grasp his muscular back.

“God!” I whisper. “I’m sorry!” I pull away and turn my back.

I feel his hard, protective hand on my shoulder, and I freeze.

He turns me back toward him, then he leans down toward me. I feel my whole body light aflame--he’s going to kiss me? After everything we just said--

He plants a kiss on my forehead, then pulls away, letting go of my shoulders. “Thank you, Elise. Good night.”

“Good night,” I say.

I go back to my room and sleep like a baby.

* * *

In the morning, I have coffee with Mom and Hunter. Hunter is dressed for work and looks amazing, but I try really hard to not see him like that.

Mom is wearing her usual iron maiden CEO garb--a grey pantsuit--and she’s chugging coffee, as usual.

“What are our chances, Hunter?” she says out of the blue.

“Chances for what?” he asks.

“To save Sencorp?”

“My success rate is--”

“One hundred percent, I know,” she says. “But you’ve only done this three times. What if--?”

“What if I’ve just been lucky? Or what if Sencorp is beyond saving?”

“Yes. To both.”

I grab a piece of bread and spread some butter on it. “Can I have the jam?”

Hunter hands me the jar of strawberry jam, and I spread some over the buttered bread.

Hunter crosses his arms. “I’m doing everything I can, Nadine. And you are, too. That’s the best we can hope for. If you get tired or need a boost of motivation, just think of how fucking boned those assholes who set you up like this will be when you turn the place around.”

“I was thinking of that,” Nadine says, “and as good as that will feel, what will they do if that happens? They’ll retaliate, and I need to set up defenses for that in advance.”

“I’ve already started working on it,” Hunter says. “Sacking most of the offenders just before we turn things around will ensure that they can’t counterattack you.”

“You think they’ll just let you fire them?” I ask.

“It won’t be free,” Hunter says. “You don’t fire these assholes, you hand them golden parachutes. It will cost us a lot up front, but getting rid of them and their fat salaries will pay off long-term.”

“Celia,” Mom says. “Do you want a ride to work?”

“No,” I say, standing up with the half-eaten bread in my hand. “I want to take the train. I need to form alliances, and I don’t want the other interns thinking I’m getting special treatment.”

I grab my coat and head out the door.

When I get to work, I see Hugo is already there, hunched over his laptop.

“Hey, Hugo,” I say.

“Hey,” he says, not looking up.

He has dark skin and buzzed hair. He’s tall with wide shoulders, and he’s totally obsessed with work.

“Hugo,” I say. “How badly do you want to get a job here?”

He laughs. “I’ve been here since six o’clock this morning, what do you think?”

“Most semesters they take five or six interns,” I say.

“But most semesters,” Hugo says, “Hunter Thorn isn’t pitting the interns against each other, and the company isn’t about to go under.”

“This isn’t a last man standing competition, though,” I say. “They can keep as many of us as they want--they’ll keep all the best ones.”

“Well,” Hugo says, “you’ve got nothing to worry about, Elise.”

I plop down in the chair next to him, wheel it toward him, and kick his shin with my heel.

“What the hell?” he says, looking up from his screen.

“I wanted you to look away from the screen for a second,” I say.

“Fine,” he says. “I’m looking. What do you want?”

“I know you think I can’t be eliminated, Hugo, but I can. My mom is insane, and she didn’t even raise me. Maybe being her daughter got my foot in the door, but Hunter Thorn isn’t going to go easy on me. One slip-up and I’m gone, just like everyone else.”

Hugo rolls his eyes. “I’m sure it makes you feel better to tell yourself that, Elise, but it’s crazy to think you really are in as much danger as--”

“You’ve seen my work?” I say, interrupting him.

He shrugs.

“Come on,” I snap. “You have, and you’re telling me that I’m only here because of nepotism?”

“It’s good,” Hugo says.

“The two of us should work together,” I say. “Form an alliance.”

“Why’s that?”

“Think about it,” I say, pointing out toward the offices and cubicles. “The people who actually work here, do they just bury themselves in one-man projects, all on their own? No, it’s a company, which means everyone is supposed to work together to achieve things that one person can’t. But us interns? Thorn pitted us all against each other, and we’ve taken that to heart. None of us are working together like real employees. Don’t you think he’d be impressed if we worked on something together? It would show him that we are team players and care more about the company than saving our own skin.”

He furrows his brows at me and strokes his chin. “Alright, fine. We’ll work together then. Show me what you’re working on.”

“Your laptop is already out; you show me yours first.”