Authors: Evan Kelsey
We leave
the condo and drive to the business building arriving at 8:45 a.m.
I never asked what time I was supposed to start, I hope 9:00 a.m is
okay with Xavier. We walk in with minimal resistance. There are
only two photographers, thank God its getting better.
When the
doors open to Xavier's floor I kiss Ruxin's cheek and leave the
elevator. He smirks at me knowing I'm still mad about him waking me
up so early. Plus, I only had time for one cup of coffee because he
made me change. He's lucky he even got a peck on the
cheek.
I walk to
the hall that has Xavier's office and see his secretary, I forgot
her name. I really wish he would have introduced me. "Hi." I say
and she smiles at me as I pass. I knock on his office and wait for
him to open the door. I don't get a response, so I crack the door
and peek it. I see him asleep at his desk on top of
papers.
I shut
the door and turn around. I go to the break room and make two cups
of coffee and carry them back to the office. I use my elbow and
open the door, going in quietly. Just as I look up from getting
through the door. I hear, "Boo!" right in my ear. I scream and
spill the coffee over the rim of the mugs.
"You
jackass! You scared the shit out of me."
"I
thought I smelled something." He smirks. I roll my eyes and shove
the cup at him.
"Here's
your coffee."
"Thank
you. Although, I've already had about three cups today. Why are you
so late?"
"What
time am I supposed to be here?" I ask.
"7:00
a.m."
"Really?
Because I'll quite if you're serious. I'm not a morning person and
Ruxin got my up at seven this morning. It wasn't pretty when I
found out."
"Why
didn't you just go back to bed? Then you wouldn't be so cranky." He
asks.
"I- I-
did?"
He
laughs, then gets serious like he solved a puzzle. "Ah, he wanted a
piece and told you it was time to get up. When you were done it was
eight o'clock, meaning he woke you up at seven." He states,
knowingly.
"Good
job, Sherlock Holmes." I reply, sarcastically. I gulp the rest of
my coffee and take his since he hadn't even taken a drink
yet.
"Wow,
Ruxin has my respect now. You're not pleasant in the morning. That
took balls on his part."
"Can we
please not talk about it?" I respond, walking to the couch. "What
do you need me to do today?"
"Is he
any good?" He asks, nonchalantly like he's asking about the
weather.
"I'm not
telling you that." I reply, sitting on the couch.
"Is he
the best you've ever had?" he asks, again. Sitting across from me
on the chair.
"I'm not
saying anything."
"That
means he's horrible. I knew it." He gloats.
"He is
not horrible!"
"But he's
not the best." He replies, clarifying.
"He is
the best."
"The best
you've had?"
"Errr..He's the only one I've had. Now, not another word." I
warn.
I don't
think I needed to say that, Xavier looks speechless.
"Why?"
"Not
every girl walks around with their legs spread. Now, leave it
alone. I beg you." I say, pleading.
"Did he
say anything when you left yesterday?"
"He
wanted me to quit." I reply, honestly.
He
laughs. "Yet, here you are."
I shrug.
"I told him I'm not quitting."
"Like it
matters to him. How are you here?" He asks.
"I told
him I'd tell on you, if you hit on me."
"Hit on
you? Well, your hot and all, but the fact that your with Ruxin
kills it for me."
I laugh.
"Thanks so much. I'll let Ruxin know as I cry myself to sleep
tonight."
"I didn't
mean to break your heart, sweetheart."
"I know.
Your just so lovable."
"Its a
gift and a curse." I can't keep a straight face, I laugh until I
cry. There's a knock on the door and Xavier leaves me to my belly
laughing. "What do you want?"
"I need
the report overview for the takeover of Tucker Global."
I wipe my
eyes and stand up to look at least a little professional and see
Xavier's twin standing in front of me. They look so much a like
except Xavier is probably two years younger.
"Were you
crying?" He asks, when he looks at me.
"Oh,
yeah. I was laughing too hard." He looks at Xavier and he
smiles.
"I told
her my lovable nature was a gift and a curse." He
explains.
"Is this
the girl dad was talking about? The one that called you an idiot
and you accused of cheating at Tic Tac Toe?"
"How does
anyone cheat at Tic Tac Toe. That makes no sense." I mutter under
my breath.
"I don't
know how you did, but you cheated." Xavier points at me.
"I'm
Pasqual." He says, holding out his hand.
"Nice to
meet you. I'm-"
"Eva
Thorpe. Ruxin Novak's girlfriend." Xavier, interrupts me and hands
Pasqual a file.
"I heard
he was dating someone." He replies, looking me up and
down.
I nod.
"Yeah."
"You can
go now." Xavier says, shooing him out.
Pasqual
glares at Xavier and leaves. "Stay away from him. He'll try to get
in your pants as soon as your alone."
"I don't
think you need to worry about that."
"Trust me
he's dirty. He'll get your were he wants you, anyway he has to." He
says, disgustedly.
"He's
your brother?" I ask.
"Yeah,
older by two years. He and my dad aren't on the best of terms. So
when he stepped down as CEO, dad named me as his successor. Pasqual
was not happy about that."
"Why did
your dad step down?" I ask. Not really wanting to pry into why they
don't get along.
"Mom
wanted him to spend more time at home. Now, lets get to work." He
says, walking to the door.
"Where
are we going?"
"We have
another meeting."
I groan.
The meeting lasted forever! With Xavier tossing things in my hair
and the all so embarrassing moment when he kicked me under that
table and I grunted. He then asked me if I had gas, right in the
middle of the meeting.
Stepping
out of the conference room, I push him and he runs away. So, being
the mature adult I am, I chase after him. Yelling, "I'm going to
kill you!" We just pass the elevators when I see Ruxin coming
towards us. "Hey, babe. Give me a second. I need to kill Xavier." I
explain as I run past. Just as I expected Xavier gets to the office
and tries to shut the door. I stick my toe in before he can close
it and pry it open. I get it open and he runs behind the desk. I
take my shoes off and throw them at him, but all hear is his
laughing.
There's a
knock and Ruxin comes in. "Explain to me why the secretary I talked
to said you share an office."
Oh, shit.
Busted. "What does it matter? Where never in here
anyway."
He's mad.
I can see it he's not even controlling it.
"What's
the problem?" Xavier asks. "I'll get her an office, this is only
temporary."
"See
temporary." I repeat.
"You
didn't tell me." He states, his voice dangerously low. Another
knock on the door interrupts us and Pasqual comes in.
"Novak."
He says, in greeting and Ruxin just nods his way.
"What do
you need Pasqual?"
"What the
hell were you two doing running down the halls?"
"Settling
a dispute." He replies, handing me back my shoes. I use Ruxin's arm
to steady myself as I put them on.
"Dad
wants to talk to you." Pasqual tells Xavier.
"Great!
You got me grounded." Xavier mutters, trying not to
smile.
"I'll
talk to him. I bet I can get it down to no desert after dinner." I
reply, giggling.
"No,
we're leaving. I'm taking you to lunch." Ruxin orders, grabbing my
arm.
"Hold on.
I need to go with him, he'll blame it all on me." I say, pulling
back on my arm.
"By all
means go to lunch." Xavier smiles and walks off.
"You
better not say, it was all my fault!" I warn, as we walk to the
elevator.
Once the
elevator doors close I look at a very annoyed Ruxin. "You're done.
You're not working there anymore."
"Ruxin,
not this crap again." I respond, knowing we're going to fight about
it.
"I don't
want you around Pasqual. He's a disease of the worst kind. He's not
even supposed to be here. He runs the London
businesses."
"I'm not
sure why he's here. I know, Xavier already warned me about him.
I'll stay away form him, but I am keeping my job."
"Will you
ever listen?" He asks, sighing.
"When I
agree with what your saying, sure."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We go to
lunch at some upscale restaurant. Ruxin is still quiet, I can tell
he's irritated and frustrated. "Are you going to talk to me?" I
ask, feeling bad for some reason.
"Why?
Obviously, it doesn't matter what I say." He retorts, his eyes cold
on mine.
"Why
don't you want me to work there? Honestly." I question. Seeing him
this upset, I know there has to be more to it.
He gives
me a level look and I get a glimpse of just how angry he is. "I
don't want you working so close to, Xavier. I will not have you in
the same building as, Pasqual."
"Okay, I
hear your argument. Yet you still haven't told me why."
"I don't
think Xavier sees you as a sister and Pasqual is a attempted
rapist."
"A what!"
I ask, horrified.
"My
family and I were at Pasqual and Xavier's grandmother's home,
celebrating her seventy fifth birthday. Pasqual was with my
sister's friend Vanessa, you met her at my parents house." I nod
and he continues. "He took her to the gardens and I was with my
mother and sister walking them though it as well. We heard a
scuffle. I went to check it out, Pasqual tried to get her to go
further then she wanted. I intervened and stopped him. Told his
father what I had seen and Vanessa corroborated everything and
Charles sent him to London. I think he's back to land a contract
I'm bidding on against him."
"Well
that argument is more compelling then the first. I told Xavier
about your concern. You know what he did? He laughed and said he
wouldn't want anything you touched." I giggle
remembering.
"And you
believe him?"
"Yes, I
do. It really is like we're related. You saw us earlier. Have you
ever seen a man act like that to someone he wanted to sleep
with?"
"Even if
he doesn't want to sleep with you, what about the fact that Pasqual
is there and the fact they're my competitor?"
"You said
yourself Pasqual isn't supposed to be here. He's probably leaving
soon."
"God
dammit!" He yells, making me jump. Can you just not work there
because I asked, because I don't like it? Stop giving me excuses
about why you should."
Seeing
his calm cool exterior disappear and a raging Ruxin materialize.
I'm too shocked to speak. It was this bothering him this
much?
"Okay,
I'll quit." I say, quietly.
I watch
as he pulls himself back under control. "Thank you."
"I wish I
would have known it bothered you this badly." She replies,
regrettably.
***********************
Ruxin
Novak
I look at
Eva, I can't tell her how much it bothers me without explaining my
feelings for her. I feel protective of her. Even with Dave there
looking after her, I worry. It's not that I think I'm in love with
her. I just want her. I want her safe, I want her happy and I want
near me at all times. The thought of her getting close to Xavier,
even friendly pisses me off. I like teasing her and joking around.
I don't want her to smile and laugh with another man, even if she
thinks of him as a brother. I will be the only reason she smiles
and laughs. I want to give her everything she needs and I won't
have it any other way. I feel my jealously rise thinking about it.
I've never been so jealous in my life. These past two days have
been torture. I feel like it's been choking me.
The fact
Pasqual is here just intensifies my need to get her out of that
office. He's a low life, his own father is embarrassed of him. What
I didn't tell Eva is that the incident with Vanessa wasn't his
first. There's been rumors about him forcing himself on maids, wait
staff and even the nanny of his sister Serena's five year-old
child. It was after Vanessa, a friend of the family confirmed his
behavior that Charles took action sending him out of the country
and taking away his future title as CEO.