6. THE EXECUTIVE FLOOR
1970 Words
“I’m getting dizzy with all your pacing,” Flynn said, clearly irritated. “If you keep this up, you are going to scare her away.”
“And why are we even here so early?” he added.
“I’m always early!” Alaric shot back, offended by Flynn’s insinuation.
Pushing himself off the wall, Flynn walks down to the other side of the room, settling himself comfortably into Alaric’s executive chair.
Reaching for the paper bag he had kept on the table earlier when they walked in, he pulls out a croissant and takes a large bite out of it. Moving his cup of coffee, which had probably gone cold, closer to him, he took a sip, slurping loudly in an attempt to further irritate Alaric.
“You’re getting crumps all over my table,” Alaric said, face scrunched up in disgust as he sized Flynn from up to down.
“That’s the whole point,” Flynn said, his mouth filled with food.
“Get up!”
“How about NO,” Flynn replied, grinning from ear to ear.
“You know you could just sit at the coffee table, right?” Alaric said, gesturing towards the coffee table placed quietly at a corner of the office, right next to the sofa. “Or better still, the sofa.”
“Well, if I do that, I’d miss the whole show. From here I can see you pacing up and down in distress, and I can also see anyone who walks in through that door. It’s a win-win, I guess,” Flynn shrugged.
“Maybe I should even record this,” Flynn smirked. “You know, for future purposes. It’s fun to see the great Alaric Blackwood lose his composure over a human girl.”
“I am not.”
“Yeah, right. Whatever helps you sleep at night,” Flynn scoffed.
Silence took over in the office. Only the sound of the busy roads of LA and Flynn’s loud chewing and slurping could be heard.
Alaric’ stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the busy road with a distant look in his eyes.
A loud thud echoed from the hallway outside the office, followed by the faint string of words that sounded like curses.
Alaric’s head snapped toward the door.
Without a second thought, he charged towards the door and pulled it open.
The executive receptionist stood a few feet away, helping a courier gather the stack of files he’d accidentally dropped across the polished floor.
“We’re so sorry, sir,” she said hurriedly. “We’ll have this cleared up immediately.”
Alaric’s gaze swept past them, peering into the hallway.
Empty.
His shoulders tensed almost imperceptibly before he gave a curt nod to the receptionist and slammed the door shut.
The moment it clicked shut, Flynn burst into laughter.
“I’m definitely going to regret not recording any of this.”
Alaric shot him a flat look. “What?”
“You practically sprinted to the door.”
“I was making sure there wasn’t a disturbance on my floor.”
“Sure.” Flynn nodded with exaggerated seriousness. “A disturbance with long dark hair and a Marketing Department ID?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” Flynn leaned back in his chair, taking another bite of his croissant. “Because from where I was sitting, it looked suspiciously like you were hoping your new assistant had arrived.”
Alaric folded his arms. “Finish your breakfast before I have security escort you out.”
Flynn grinned, completely unbothered.
“What will you even say when she gets here?” Flynn asked.
Before Alaric could muster a reply, a soft knock sounded at the door.
Selene stood behind the door to Alaric’s office. Wiping her sweaty hands on her black pencil skirt, she awaited a reply from her boss, her legs bouncing in both anticipation and a bit of apprehension.
The trip from the ground floor to the executive floor had seemed much longer than it actually was for Selene.
Stepping in through the double doors of the company, even the air seemed different to Selene.
As she made her way to her old desk, the stares and whispers did not go by unnoticed.
“From marketing to personal assistant? Of the CEO! Something definitely smells fishy.”
“Maybe she was recommended by Mr. Harris.”
“Leapfrogging over Regina? Yeah, right!”
Okay, how about I go over there and give them a piece of my mind. Nyx angry voice resounded in Selene’s head.
Let them talk. There’s nothing we could do about it anyway. Selene muttered internally.
“Hey girl,” Chloe said with enthusiasm just as Selene reached her desk. “I didn’t think you’d stop by here.”
“Well, I had to come say hi before I left, officially,” Selene said.
“We’re going to miss having you here.”
“I won’t,” Regina butted in with a snarky attitude.
Choosing to ignore her, Selene proceeded to pick up her box of items which she had kept just beside her chair.
After receiving a hug from Chloe, more eye rolls and whispers, she proceeded towards the public elevator.
Inside the elevator, Selene is finally able to take a breather, although not for long. The whispers and stares start replaying in her mind. All the questions asked and the conclusions drawn, everyone was wondering how and why she was suddenly promoted… or demoted as the case may be, and quite frankly, she was wondering too.
What if it wasn't meant for me? She thought to herself
Or maybe the CEO asked for you because he likes you. Nyx teased.
Now is not the time. Selene replied, her eyes rolling to the back of her head.
The elevator came to a stop on the middle floor. A man dressed in an expensive-looking suit strode in.
“I’m guessing you’re the new P.A.” He immediately recognizes her.
She nods awkwardly.
“Good luck!” he says in an ominous tone.
Selene immediately felt shivers run down her spine as she watched the man leave the elevator.
It’s just a job. She consoles herself internally. Can’t be that bad.
Straightening her back, she smoothed out invisible wrinkles, made sure her shirt was properly tucked in and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.
Ding.
Holding her box closer to her chest, Selene stepped out of the elevator onto the executive floor that revealed the pristine modern hallway leading to the office of the CEO.
The executive floor was suffocatingly quiet compared to the constant noise, phone ringing and shoes clanking of the other floors.
The air here was also quite different, a mixture of parchment, cedar wood and winter air that aroused goosebumps in Selene’s arms.
The whole place smelled expensive, making Selene increasingly aware of how out of place she looked with her hair currently fighting for its life, heels sounding a little too loud, and her box of items which looked cheap compared to her environment.
The whole floor didn’t seem like an office, it felt like she’d entered a territory she could not survive in.
“Come in.”
The words had barely left Alaric’s mouth before he straightened his posture, smoothing an invisible wrinkle from the sleeve of his suit.
Flynn watched the entire thing with poorly concealed amusement.
The door slowly opened.
Selene took a step forward, clutching the small cardboard box that held the remains of her life in the Marketing Department. Pens, a tiny potted cactus Chloe had insisted she keep alive, framed sticky notes, and a coffee mug with World’s Okayest Employee printed across the front.
She hesitated just as she was about to step in.
The office was… enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city, allowing sunlight to spill across polished marble floors. A massive black desk dominated the room, accompanied by a sitting area furnished with a leather sofa and a coffee table that looked more expensive than her annual rent.
Everything screamed luxury.
Everything screamed wealth.
Everything screamed don’t touch anything.
For one terrifying second, Selene considered backing out and pretending she’d gotten the wrong office.
Nyx whistled.
See? I told you this place would look expensive. Even the air feels like it pays taxes.
Swallowing her nerves, Selene stepped forward.
“Good morning, Mr. Blackwood.”
Alaric looked at her. Thoroughly.
She was really standing right in front of him.
His mate.
He caught her scent that he had smelt when he had first seen her. It was much stronger now, sweet, comforting, like a warm blanket wrapped around him.
His wolf stirred restlessly beneath his skin.
Mine.
It took every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep his expression neutral.
“…Morning.”
Flynn blinked. Once. Then twice.
That was it? After all the pacing, rehearsals, that was it? Just morning?
Selene waited patiently. Her hand making continuous circles on the box in her hand in order to ease her nerves.
The silence continued, long enough for it to become uncomfortable.
“Well, it seems like I’d have to take it from here,” Flynn finally cleared his throat.
“I can do it,” Alaric stared deadpanned.
“You’ve been staring at the poor lady for close to a minute.”
Selene’s cheeks warmed up.
Did she do something wrong?
Was there something on her face?
“I’m sorry,” she said carefully. “Is there something wrong?”
“No,” Alaric said hurriedly.
“I sincerely apologize for the lack of effective use of words. He’s not always like this.”
Flynn hopped off the desk and extended a hand toward her.
“Flynn Donovan.”
A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of Selene’s lips.
The COO certainly wasn’t what she’d expected.
She had imagined someone just as intimidating as the CEO. Instead, he looked entirely too entertained.
“Selene Hart” She carefully shifted the box into one arm before shaking his hand.
“Welcome to the Executive Floor dreaded by many.”
Despite herself, Selene laughed softly.
The sound caught Alaric completely off guard. His gaze instinctively shifted toward her.
She had laughed.
It wasn’t loud. Just a small, genuine laugh.
But somehow…it made his heart beat a little faster.
Flynn noticed the soft smile that creeped up on Alaric’s face. His grin slowly widened. He had known Alaric for many years, and he could count the amount of times he had seen him smile.
This was interesting. Very interesting.
“Well,” Flynn said, clapping his hands together. “Now that we’re done with the formalities, why don’t we give Miss. Hart a rundown of what she has to do.”
Alaric silently cursed him.
Then, forcing himself to focus, he walked around the desk until he stood directly in front of Selene.
She instinctively straightened.
“I understand this transfer came as a surprise.”
“A little,” she admitted.
“If at any point the workload becomes overwhelming, you’re expected to tell me.”
Selene blinked.
Was this how all CEOs behaved? Because it certainly didn’t feel like it.
“Yes sir.”
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Flynn ruined it.
“Great. Now that everyone’s feelings are out in the open, can we finally show the poor woman where she’s actually supposed to work before she starts thinking we spend all day staring at each other?”
Alaric exhaled slowly.
Glaring hard at him, Alaric finally leads Selene outside to her desk.
Selene bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing again.
Maybe… Just maybe…
Working on the executive floor wasn’t going to be as bad as she had imagined.
- Writer
