In the Billionaire's Lair

Chapter Four

ANNA

I rushed to his table as soon as the manager slipped to his office.

“Will you please stop staring at me? Are you some kind of a p*****t? Stop coming here! Please go somewhere else for coffee you let get cold anyway! “

I did not realize my voice had gone up until I noticed how quiet the coffee shop had become again. I turned, and of course everyone was staring at me again.

The wooden legs of his chair scraped against the floor as Alanzo Dumas stood up. I turned back to him and stifled a gasp as I adjusted my eyes to his height. He was taller than I expected. Never once had I been near him while he was standing or walking away. I thought he was lean but being this close to him revealed the real width of his shoulders to my eyes, how muscular his chest truly was. I stood frozen. My situation now would get worse after I insulted him. I shouldn’t even have gone to him. I should find another place to work.

But he beat me to it. He spoke before I could get away. “I am terribly sorry, Anna. I never meant to make you nervous. On the contrary—”

“W-Who told you I was nervous? I don’t even know you. I just want you to stop watching me.” He knew my name.

“Mr. Alanzo Dumas!”

I jumped at the manager’s voice. I stepped to the side as he suddenly appeared between me and Mr. Dumas.

“What an honor for us to have you in our coffee shop!” he said.

I stared. So he knew about Mr. Dumas. Am I the only one who doesn’t know anything here?

“A thousand apologies that my employee spoke to you so rudely. She will suffer the consequences of her actions.” He threw me a glare. “And immediately. I assure you that this type of behavior is not acceptable here, especially towards a fine member of society as yourself.”

I gulped. That’s it. I’d be out tomorrow applying to other jobs that I could find. By the end of the month, I would be evicted off my small house. I would be living in the streets during winter time.

As I pondered dramatic thoughts, Alanzo had turned towards the owner. His smile turned cold in that same instant. “Anna hasn’t  done anything wrong. That floor wasn’t dry in the first place. I saw someone dropped mayonnaise from a sandwich.”

I stared at the billionaire, talking about something as mundane as mayonnaise on the floor.

The smile on Mr. Peping’s face disappeared. “But… but—”

“And she is justified to call me out. I’ve been clumsy in my efforts to know her, which is something that doesn’t normally happen but…” His eyes turned towards me, catching the smile that I couldn’t hide soon enough, and that look again going soft. “I would never, under any circumstances, want to cause her trouble. She is working hard, and it would be extremely unfair, don’t you think?”

My boss looked confused. He wasn’t the only one. I was, too. My co-workers were watching. The customers were watching. Toni gave me a thumbs up sign from his perch at the bar.

“Well... yes, of course... since you put it that way... if you really think so. Obviously, it would—”

“Excellent. Now that that’s settled, can you please give Anna a moment so I can clear things up with her?”

My head shot up. “Me?” But before I could protest, my boss was at it again.

“Take as long as you wish!”

“Someone can take her place for a moment. If that is okay.”

“I will serve the tables if necessary.”

I blinked. “But—”

I caught his threatening look of displeasure. I changed my mind. I followed Alanzo out of the coffee shop and into the chilly outdoor air. I might still be able to save this job, after all.

We went a little farther away from the curious eyes behind the windows of the shop. I promised myself I would just suffer what he was going to say, then I would tell him there was no reason for him to come here, or to talk with me again. With that in mind, I resolutely looked up at his tall frame when we were facing each other.

Then he smiled.

I forgot what I was supposed to do or say.

And he beat me to it. “I’m sorry I caused you trouble. That wasn’t my intention at all, Anna. My name is Alanzo Dumas. I am a known businessman and I promise you, I am neither a freak nor a psycho. I am just happy I found you.”

I was still staring at his face. He was already handsome, but that smile just… The better to eat you, my dear...

No.

I wasn’t a helpless child in the forest with a basket of food for an old woman who lived in a cottage, I reminded myself. I felt sure I could tell the difference between a grandmother and a hairy, snarling beast whose only interest lay in placing its fangs deep into my flesh.

But you let him f**k you almost every night in your dreams.

Shut up!

“But ever since I saw you at the coffee shop, I can’t get you out of my mind. That’s why I’ve been coming here every day. I should have asked you for what I wanted from the first day, but you’ve been… suspicious of me since then and I can’t imagine why.” He sighed. “I should have stopped. But I wanted to talk to you. Look how this turned out.”

I stared at him. I also couldn’t imagine why I was suspicious. He was only… staring. He didn’t do anything that was really… untoward or scary. It wasn’t like no man had ever stared at me at work. Or in school. When I could still afford to stay in school. “What did you want to talk to me about?” I asked.

“I want to ask you to go out with me, Anna.”

My alert button went red again. “A date? For what effing reason?”