Their Submissive Assistant

What's it going to be?

LEILANI

My heart stopped as I recognised the man in front of me.

There was no f*****g way. I remained in my spot, stifled in disbelief.

“Leilani Roberts.” My breath seized at the sound of his voice.

It was the same. Deep, husky, annoying.

“This was a mistake,” I said, turning around to leave.

“You came here for employment, Leila,” he said before I could do a full 360. “Don’t be childish and take a f*****g seat.”

I suddenly felt like this was a huge mistake. Of course, he couldn’t go two seconds without insulting me. How the hell did I get into this? How didn’t I figure this out sooner?

“I don’t need anything from you, Landon,” I gritted, losing my patience. “This was a mistake. I don’t need a job, not from you.”

I made to leave but he took two steps and held me by the arm.

“You’re such a bad liar,” he said behind me, and I felt my blood boil. “Let’s not be stupid now, Leila.”

“Take a seat.”

I pulled my arm away from him, turning to him with seething eyes. “I bet you are having a good f*****g laugh, Landon,” I said, trying to keep myself contained.

“But guess what, this isn’t f*****g high school, so you don’t get to bully me into doing any f*****g thing.”

Landon’s lips tilted to a smirk that looked just like I remembered, just that this time, it was a lot more annoying.

“Feisty,” Landon said with a devilish glint in his eyes. “Nothing like I remembered.” He took a detour back to his desk. “I can’t say I hate it though.”

“Who knew that Easy-Lei would finally grow a spine?”

My brows creased at the sound of that goddamn nickname. “Don’t-” I warned, and he smiled.

“What?” he said in a humorous tone.

“Don’t call me that,” I seethed, and he chuckled.

“I’m sorry, Leila,” he mused. “Old habits die hard.”

“I’m outta here,” I murmured under my breath, deciding that this was not worth my time.

“Oh come on, Feisty,” he mused. “We both know you need this job.”

“No, I don’t,” I said, stopping on my tracks. “Have a horrible day, Landon.”

“Ten thousand dollars,” he said, as soon as I took a step further. “I am willing to pay you ten thousand dollars.” My eyes went wide at his offer. “Turn around and take a seat, Leila.”

His tone was a perfect mix of serious and teasing. “You know you want to.”

My heart thrummed in my chest, every part of me shaking as my mind calculated just how much that would do for me, for my mother, and the crushing debt that seemed to grow by the day.

“Too small?” he mused, and I kept walking, knowing I was bound to cry myself to sleep by the time I got home, but he wasn’t done.

“Fifteen,” he threw when I was midway to the door.

I halted in my steps, my heart wavering as I swallowed breaths, trying to convince myself of the reason why working for my childhood bully and arch-nemesis was not a good idea.

“Twenty,” he said when I continued walking.

My feet grew heavy, and my resolve weak. For a miniscule second, I considered it. What it will be like working for Landon the bully.

If my high school was anything to go by, only one word came to mind. Hell. Working for him was going to be hell. And for what? A ridiculous amount of money that I very well needed.

“Still small?” he mused, noticing my dissolving resolve. “Thirty thousand,” he said, and at that moment, I knew. I knew I had to take it.

“That’s it,” he said, “my last offer.” The air was taut with tension and the weight of my decision hung heavily in the air. “Thirty thousand dollars is twenty-five thousand more than you’d get with no experience in the media world, Leila.”

I stiffened at his words. He knew. Of course, he ran through my file. What was I expecting? I bit my lower lip. The hard truth that he was right stared me right in the face.

“Take my offer, Leila,” he said. “We both know it’s the best you can get. Turn around, and sit down.”

I remained rooted to my spot, a searing feeling in my heart as I swallowed my pride and turned around, meeting his vibrant blue eyes.

“Thirty-five,” I pushed in a no-nonsense tone. “Make it thirty-five and we have a deal.”

“This is daylight robbery,” Landon said with a smirk, and I nearly damn turned around, thinking I jinxed it. Nothing prepared me for his next statement. “But for old time’s sake, it’s a deal.”

My heart rammed in my chest as I felt an unreal amount of elation overcome me. Thirty-five thousand dollars? How in the world - just how much money does he make here?

“But there’s a catch,” he said, and I knew it was too good to be true. I watched Landon go through my file with raised brows. “You applied for the position of a copywriter but I’m afraid that won’t do.”

I blinked, still as a f*****g dead body. “I have a more suitable position that I believe would benefit you,” his smile was blinding. “I happen to need an assistant, Feisty,” he said, closing my file.

“And you’re just the right fit.”

I shook my head immediately, unable to bear the thought of working side by side with him. “I have a degree in media, Landon,” I said, trying and failing to hide my grit. “You don’t expect me to clean up after you as a first-class-”

He tutted, cutting me off. “Almost first-class,” he said, tapping my file. “It’s a 3.9, Lei.”

“That’s beside the point,” I said. “I need to-”

“I think you are getting it all wrong, Leila,” he said, shutting me off. “This is my company, and while we have history, I am still the boss.”

“Which means, what I say goes.” He looked me dead in the eyes. “And this is my offer. Become my assistant, or you can walk out of here and continue your job hunt.” He chuckles. “What’s it going to be?”