The Alpha Mercenary

Boredom

Jane:

A sense of completion and disdain came over me. My work day was close to being over. I sat in silence and drummed my fingers on the desk in a stale office room waiting for my Father. There isn’t anything I disliked more than balancing the books for my fathers company. I was good at it sure but only because I had been working with and around numbers my whole life. The numbers are boring, the room smells like men’s cologne and whiskey, both of which repel me. It was nauseating. I could hear the nonsensical chatter and scramble of everyone outside the door. Our young naive Secretary, Sarah, was still flirting with Dan even though he was married with three kids. Tom was always trying to be promoted by brown nosing. No one was happy and everyone wanted more. The office was a wretched soul sucker.

These people were mindless creatures with no real goals other than money. They were greedy brutes that could do so much more in the world if they would just open their eyes. I didn’t want to get stuck on this hamster wheel with them. They were trying to run after something that they can never catch.I hated the life my father had chosen for me, it was filled with lust crazed men that smelled even worse than the strong cologne and whiskey. Life needed love and purpose and I felt neither of those things would be attainable if I stayed here.

Scott Laurenter was a conglomerate company that should cease to exist even if it was owned by my father. The company managed fashion labels and spirits. It made my dad one of the wealthiest men on earth. It had costed most people their happiness even though they may not realize it. My mother had left him because he couldn’t love her and the company too.

Money wasn’t enough for her and it is not for me either. There was more to the story but no one would talk about it. Whenever I asked about why she left or the day she left Father would change the subject. I could sense he was hiding something. My senses were almost always on spot with detecting lies or fear in people. It’s science really, just read their body language and it tells the truth.

The door to the office opened and in walks my father looking confident and slightly cheerful. I was not that happy. I wanted to set the tone for this conversation so I quickly started talking.

“The books are done for now but you will need to find someone else to do them soon. Maybe Ian and Jonas could do them and you could raise their salary. You could hire someone else. I will help train them but I can not do this. It is mundane and meaningless.” I knew I sounded bratty to him but I needed him to know how serious I was. I had no intention on working here for the rest of my life.

His jaw line hardened and his eyes narrowed into piercing lasers. He was a kind man but I was stepping on his buttons too much. He was coming to talk to me as his daughter and that was not the welcome he wanted to hear. “ I do not want to do this forever” I warned him. He shook his head in complete disbelief. I could tell he had a lot he wanted to say but he was restraining himself. He did love me. He did want me to be happy. But he also demanded I take over the company one day.

“Most people would kill for an opportunity that you are willing to just throw away.” There it was, he was throwing my ungratefulness in my face like he always did. Even if he was right I still needed more out of my life.

My dad was a striking man. He was in his 50’s but still in good shape. He was 6 foot tall with gray hair and steel blue eyes. He could easily have a special someone in his life if he wasn’t so busy on the hamster wheel of life. But he was not looking for love the least little bit. Sometimes I can see it on his face when he is thinking of how lonely he is. His countenance drops and he stares distantly for a few moments. I can’t feel sorry for him, not with the way he lives his life and the way he wants me to live mine.

I sighed, gave Dad a peck on the cheek and walked to grab my purse to leave. The yoga studio was just around the corner and I was dying to balance my chi. I had heard his spill on why I was lucky to be a part of this company so many times and I was not sticking around to hear it again. All I ever wanted was a real family. I was just about to exit the door when he said…

“ Jane, Stop. I am not getting any younger and I have to have someone to run the company. Half of the world depends on this corporation in some way. If that does not satisfy your philanthropist desires I do not know what will. You can choose any charity you want to support. You could choose multiple for that matter. All of that good while supporting this company, your family company. Why can’t that be enough for you? What more do you want? You would be quite capable, brilliant even, at running this company. You are fair, bright, well rounded and charismatic when you want to be.” I could tell he was giving it all he had.

I wanted to roll my eyes but I remained calm and in control of my emotions. “I want a life that isn’t surrounded by lust, greed and destroying other companies! Managing fashion labels and spirits is not how I want to spend my life no matter how much money is involved. Your company, your people are missing out on the real world, real memories, real love and all for something that is fake.” I took a deep breath trying to find my center and with that I left the room not even glancing at him as I shut the door.

I did feel a little heartless but I did not want to give him any hope or he would be even more likely to keep pushing me.

He couldn’t possibly think that after watching what this company had done to him, Jonas, Ian, and everyone else involved that I would ever want to be a part of it. Especially after what it had done to Mom. Or at least what I think it had done to her. This company had costed me my mother.

NO! NO! NO!

I was no stranger to loneliness but desperation was not an option for me. I knew there was a real man out there somewhere waiting for me. One that wanted me for more than money, fame, or s*x. It would be to find a man who did not care that I had money. How would I manage that? I would have to find someone from a different planet for them to not know who I am. s*x was essential though. The thought of a well-muscled, man who could pleasure me well into the night was on the list of things I looked for in my soul mate. That coupled with a brain and protective qualities was the traits I could thoroughly approve of.

My life could be one unending luxury after another if that is what I chose by selling out to a miserable life sucking corporate job. My father may be financially the richest man in the world but he is truly poor. I am all he has.

I was just pushing the button to get onto the elevator when I glanced over into Ian’s office. The door was wide open and the windows unshuttered, Jonas was with him and they were frustrated about something. “Just change it!” I heard Jonas tell Ian pointing to the paper.

“It does not make sense to list it that way.” Ian retaliated swiping his hand off the page but keeping his composure despite Ian’s behavior.

Jonas looked up and locked eyes with me and his eyes widened. He walked over and mumbled, “Good Day, Jane.” Then he shut the door before I could respond. That was odd and rude. They may be miserable men but that was uncharacteristic considering they were great friends. I could not imagine what would have caused him to yell like that.

Oh well! Point in hand, that kind of stress is not worth any amount of money. Stress is all in that building. Honestly I did not care what they had to fight about. I was going to balance my chi away from Laurenter, money, and pungent men.