Chapter 25
1892 Words
"f**k you, Johnny! f**k your d**k! This b***h’s name is Sabrina, you f**k!"
My shoulders shot up in surprise at the yell, and the folder I was holding flew in some random direction.
A woman in a red dress stormed out of his office. One strap of her dress was hanging off her shoulder, her lipstick was smeared around her mouth, and her hair looked like it had went through a tornado.
She slammed the door shut and marched toward me like I was the one who ruined her life.
"You!" she screamed, jabbing a finger with acrylic nails so long I thought they’d stab my eyeballs. "Go inside and tell your boss to f**k himself!"
I pointed at myself, confirming if I was the one she's talking to.
"He’s a f*****g dickhead!" she yelled again.
My shoulders rose, eyes shut tight as her voice shattered my eardrums.
Then she strutted down the hallway. And well, if she thought she was "that" b***h, karma didn’t wait to remind her who the real one was.
I had to watch her stumble, fall straight to her knees, and scream in pure frustration. She yelled at everyone staring at her as she limped toward the elevator like a soap opera villain in a bad audition.
I hummed, dismissively, and started picking the folders off the floor.
Just another typical Johnny girl. I knew she’d be back one day—crawling, begging for another taste like nothing ever happened.
And speaking of that jerk, ever since that little incident at the grocery store, he hadn't been acting like himself.
Actually, he was halfway out of character.
The man had been switching women every five seconds since this morning. And the one who just left? I think she lasted maybe a full millisecond.
"Manwhore," I muttered, cursing Johnny Miles under my breath.
I just couldn’t get him. He was acting like a total jerk. What made him think he could just barricade me in his life just because we enjoyed a few... "wonderfully sinful" nights together? He was out of his darn mind.
Still, if he was that desperate to find the Lady Masquerade... I might as well own the title. Because, well—she was me.
I’ll admit, there was this weird little sting in my chest when he swore at me. The brutal side of him. It got to me. But I’m Cassidy North. I'll just bounce back.
Think plus, not minus.
“He’s just a fart with a big d**k,” I snorted, carelessly piling things on my desk.
“Who?”
“Gah!” I yelped, falling back into my chair, feet in the air.
Johnny was standing at his office door, looking like a slut. Hair tousled, eyes drowsy like Freddy Krueger had just paid him a visit in his sleep.
He was wiping his lips, staring at me like I was a full-course meal. And I think I was the specialty he couldn’t quit.
His shirt was barely hanging on him, half the buttons gone, belt unbuckled. He looked like he’d been mauled by hyenas.
“Do you need a doctor, sir?” I asked, clearing my throat and putting on my best professional act.
“Bring me another woman.”
“Eh…” I glanced at my watch. “It’s literally five minutes before I clock out. Half the floor’s already gone and the lights are dimmed.”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said?” he snapped.
Mouth of a bastard.
“Of course,” I forced a smile, sending a voicemail to some random number in his contact log. Then he groaned—like his boner was in pain.
I discreetly glanced at his pants.
The monster was asleep.
Hah. I’m the only one who can wake that thing.
“Is there something wrong, sir?”
He glared at me like he was ready to burn me alive. “How slow are you, Cassidy?”
Oof. He said my full name.
He was pissed. Flaming.
Good.
“Slow like a sloth, sir? Or slow like… just slow?” I teased, trying to annoy him more.
I liked this side of him. Serious. Bossy. Like ois Berluti loafers could step on a cockroach and still look hot.
I should bother him more often.
“Don’t worry, sir. Your women are always on standby. I’ll just go fishing in your aquarium.” I gave him a mock-sincere smile. “By the way, I’m clocking out. I think I’m about to have explosive diarrhea in the next five minutes. So, gotta leave early. My job here is done, and, uh…”
I grabbed another pile of folders for him to stack them on top of his already dusty, untouched workload.
“…these are for you. A fresh addition to your century-old paperwork.”
He took them, surprisingly.
“Anything else before I leave?”
He tossed the papers aside like it's dirt. “Yeah. Take off your clothes and bend over my f*****g desk.”
He said it casually.
Gravely, even.
I blinked.
Did he really just—
“Oh… right. I forgot. You’ve got an architect now to fill your needs,” he chuckled darkly. “If you can’t do what I’m asking, then get lost.”
He slammed the door in my face.
I scoffed.
“Fudge your tantrums, Johnny Miles,” I muttered, flipping two middle fingers at the door. But then, it burst open—and my dirty fingers were right in his face.
“Are those for me?” he asked, frowning.
“Oh...” I said, quickly switching gears. “I thought there was nonsense in the air. Just trying to fan it off my face. 'Sir',” I added with a fake smile.
“Yeah?” he said, grinning sarcastically. “Fudge your excuses too, Cassidy North.”
He raised his two long, delicious middle fingers right back at me.
Is he for real?
“Bring me my woman and get the f**k out of my sight. Why don’t you take a sick leave for a week? Call it a Christmas gift from your 'hot boss with a big d**k'. And when you come back—make sure your ass is ready to be f****d, because I’m going to make damn sure you forget about that ugly f*****g giant.”
Then slammed the door close.
Again.
I stood there, processing everything. Then the door opened once more.
“Aren’t you going to say something to me?” he barked.
“I do,” I said sweetly. “First, I’m not sick, so I won’t bite your little ‘sick leave’ trap. Christmas is in seven months. And sorry, but my asshole is for shitting, not for your... your d**k. And if by ‘ugly giant’ you mean Stefano—then you’re wrong. He’s a giant, yes. But he’s handsome. Unlike you—a bull.”
From the look on his face, he wasn’t expecting that.
Serves him right.
One: he can’t fire me. Two: he needs me.
Three: this company won’t survive without me, in a way. And four: I’m the only one who can flick his d**k—I mean his ear—and get away with it.
“A bull?” he echoed. “Well, Cassidy, this bull knows how to f**k you right. Remember that, 'Squirtie'?”
Ugh. That nickname!
I was about to go off on him when the elevator dinged. Footsteps. Then the screeching sound of a crow—wait, no. A woman.
“Johnny!” she squealed, running to him.
She shoved me aside, jumped on him like a gecko, and started kissing him like he was her last meal.
“I know you’ll never forget Mariana James. Remember how my mouth works, baby? I can swallow you whole and drink your c*m,” she purred.
Johnny held her—but his eyes were still locked on me. Like he was daring me to regret not bending over that darn desk.
Instead of giving him the satisfaction, I turned, grabbed my purse, and walked off.
“Asshole,” I muttered.
They could have all the time in the world. Good luck getting that d**k hard for her.
“Yep. Good luck,” I mumbled, heading to the lobby.
I clocked out, waved to the snobbish receptionist and the security guard who always looked at me like I was a stray cat in heat.
I was still mentally roasting the receptionist and the security guard when I stepped out. The wind soothed me like it was calming me from a stressful day. And when I say stress, it means Johnny Miles.
Then I saw him.
Stefano was crouched by the front tire of his car, sleeves rolled up, his brows slightly furrowed in concentration, but still looking like the calmest lake in the world.
"Hey, architect!" I called.
He looked up, and when he saw me, his entire face lit up like I was the sun and he was solar-powered.
"Hey!" he said, standing up quickly.
I started jogging toward him—a big mistake. My heel snagged a crack on the pavement, and gravity reminded me it still existed.
"Whoa—careful!" Stefano caught me by the arm just in time, his touch firm and steady. His hand lingered a second longer than necessary, his thumb brushing over my skin. "You okay?" he asked.
"Happens all the time," I muttered, straightening up, brushing off the embarrassment and whatever the hell that moment was. "Going home?"
“Actually, I’m heading out to visit my sister. Out in Ulster County. It’s a bit of a drive.” He gestured toward his car. “Wanna come with ne? I mean—it’s safe. No serial killer vibes. We can grab some snacks, good music, detour a little. Push forward that Tuesday night out tonight.”
I thought about what’s waiting for me tonight—aside from the lie I gave Johnny about my pending diarrhea... and yeah, I’ve got nothing.
Besides, I need a huge distraction. Johnny’s been living rent-free in my head, and he’s the reason I’ve got dark circles and bags under my eyes.
Pouting my lower lip, I shrugged. Nothing bad’s gonna happen, for sure. It’s my life anyway, and I trust Stefano.
"I’m not busy," I said softly.
Stefano simply opened the passenger door like a rare gentleman of this city. I slid in, comforted by the quiet cleanliness of his car, the scent of mint and pine.
"Seatbelt?" he asked as he got in, casting me a side glance.
"Already strapped in," I replied, watching him as he started the car.
The engine hummed to life. I'm ready to live a life for while. But just before we pulled away, I caught sight of someone standing at the building’s entrance.
Not that bald head security guard, but Johnny.
Why is he there? Shouldn't he be with his Mariana "f*****g" James?
His hair was still messy, his jaw tight, and even from this distance, I could see the fire in his eyes.
But this time, he wasn’t storming toward me.
He was watching.
Still.
When I didn’t look back, he turned and disappeared into the building again.
Now I have to spend another sleepless nights thinking about what he's going to do next.
"What a jerk."
- Writer
