Fated attraction

CHAPTER THREE—ANYA

“Are you ready?” Charity asked me the next day. We were standing outside Justin’s office, waiting for his assistant to inform him of our presence. Charity was not happy about this change. She had queried me endlessly yesterday after the meeting with Justin, wondering if I had some connection to Justin. But I didn’t have any connection to him. I hadn’t even met him until yesterday. A chance encounter in the elevator on my first day of work changed my life. Just my luck. This could only have happened to me. I was the only one in the world who would have the misfortune of running into the boss on my first day at work and making a fool of myself. How did I not recognize him? Sure, Justin Green was very reclusive, but I should have done my research. I should have known. Now I risk working with co-workers who would resent me for being the boss’s ‘favorite’ when it’s obvious I don’t want to any special favors from him.

“You can go in now,” Bill said when he came out. We entered, Charity and I, tentatively into the lion’s den. Justin was standing near his open, floor-to-ceiling window, playing miniature golf.

“Anya, come in. I’m sorry, who are you again?” Justin asked Charity who stared open-mouthed at him.

“I’m Charity, head of marketing. I did the presentation yesterday!” Charity said out of frustration.

“Right. You are gonna have to head back to your office. I’m taking this meeting alone with Anya,” Justin said, walking over to us. Charity looked stunned, almost as stunned as I was.

“Sir,” Charity began to protest but Justin had already instructed the assistant to escort Charity out. Once we were alone, Justin clapped his hands together.

“Now! Where we were?” he asked. I held the marketing plan I had stayed up all night to work on last night.

“Um, I have the new marketing plan with me,” I started to say. Justin angled his head to the side, fixing a chilling gaze on me. Every time he stared at me like that, I could almost feel myself shriveling. His eyes were so cold, so desirous, it made me want to fall on my knees before him and present myself. He had a masterly aura. He loomed above me. I had to peer up to meet his eyes. He was intimidating.

“So, tell me, Anya. What do you have for me?” he asked, walking over to the small private bar in the office. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and returned to sit on the white couch, man-spreading. I didn’t know what to do or how to start. Being so close to him, I felt utterly helpless and speechless. I couldn’t even move my feet. I swallowed hard and tried multiple times to start while he just sat there, sipping his alcohol and staring at me dangerously.

“Are you afraid of me, Anya?” he asked, a small smile on his lips. I couldn’t reply but I nodded unconsciously. He smiled at that.

“Why?” he asked. He was treating me like a pet, throwing me a bone and snatching it away at the last minute. He was trying to get to know the best way to make me uncomfortable. Why else would he assign me a major marketing campaign on my very first day?

“I’m afraid you’d fire me if I mess this up. It’s a huge assignment. I’m not sure why you chose me,” I replied, finding strength out of nowhere.

“Because you were the first person who spoke up at the meeting. You didn’t strike me as the kind of person to get easily afraid. Am I mistaken, Anya? Are you a scary little cat?” he asked, leaning forward.

“Are you going to fire me?” I asked. I really need this job. If I lost it, I would have to return to my small town to live with my parents and the last thing I need right now is to live with my mother. I came out to the big city to change my life. I couldn’t continue living in my hometown, it would drive me nuts. Since my ex-boyfriend broke up with me to move to Los Angeles to become an actor, I’ve pretty much sworn off men. I don’t know what it is about Justin that has captivated me so. It was scary.

“Not if you impress me,” Justin said. I swallowed hard again.

“Would you like some whiskey? I find that I’m unusually bold after a glass or two,” he said, standing up again. I took a step back. I didn’t want to be close to him. It discombobulated my mind. He was poison. I could see how he would seep into every part of my life and blacken my life. It would be exciting but terrifying.

“What? Are you so afraid of me that you can’t be close to me?” Justin asked, stepping toward me. He was teasing me. It was there in his eyes, the curl of his lips, the snark on his face.

“Please, sir. This is a violation of my…” I paused, unable to finish the words. Justin did back away, almost as if he recalled we were at work.

“I apologize for making you uncomfortable,” he said, swirling his glass. With a safe distance between us, I was able to breathe again. My chest rose and fell as my breath steadied. If I didn’t have any other choice, I should have probably marched to HR and submit my quit notice. If I continued working here…Lord knows, something dangerous would happen between us and my life was already dramatic as it was. I didn’t want to add on the stress of becoming infatuated with a billionaire on that. But the truth is that…I was drawn to Justin. I found him irresistible. He was undeniably handsome, so seductive, his very existence drove me out of my mind. I was drawn to the way he talked, the way his eyes sparkled with desire, the intensity in the room when we were close to each other. It was obvious…we couldn’t deny our feelings for each other. It had been instantaneous from the moment I found myself in that elevator.

“I must apologize, Anya. Somehow, I thought you were a brave girl. My bad,” he said, walking back to the couch to settle in. For some reason, his disappointment crushed me. I wanted to scream: No, I want you too but I can’t…. except, I didn’t. I wanted to respect boundaries for now.

His assistant, Bill, came into the office unannounced. He barely looked at me as he informed Justin about a guest. The guest, a pretty blonde woman, came barging into the room excitedly. She threw her hands around Justin’s neck, kissing him fervently. My jaws nearly dropped to the floor. What the hell ---

I caught Justin’s eyes as I was escorted out of the room by Bill.

Who the hell is she? I wo

ndered on my way out.