Renleigh Kensington

The charity ball was in process and I couldn't wait to send out the invitations. It was always nice to do something good, something that benefited me and others. I mean yeah, my presence was enough but some people preferred my money more than my face. Which I didn't have a problem with – I was the same way. I preferred money more than people in general.

Speaking of which – money, of course – I knew one of my employees was going to get a pay rise soon enough. Danielle Jones, to be exact. I thought a lot about her position ever since I hired a new PA. Liam was new and fresh, he had a lot to learn but he was also a quick learner and someone who was eager to progress. I felt like Danielle was held back as an EA and I needed her to put her time, effort and energy into something that would challenge her more and do more good for the company. Not that her being an EA was a bad role for her but I knew she could handle much more.

So, in my head, I decided to make Liam my EA and give Danielle a COO position. I knew that was a big responsibility and I did have my doubts of her accepting the role. She was always modest and liked to stay back and do her work quietly. However, I knew if I planted the idea in her head, she would be on board pretty quickly. As for Liam, I knew he would adjust smoothly, he was doing amazing for someone who never worked as a PA before and being an EA only included a few more tasks which I knew he would be fine with.

I set up a meeting for that once I thought everything out because I wanted to get things sorted as soon as it was possible. It excited me that I could do something good for my employees and make them love working for me. That was the only way I wanted them to come to work. To be excited and interested and entertained.

I had a lunch coming on the way which I was really excited for. It was a Wagamama's chicken katsu curry and although I knew it would stink up my office, I didn't care. It tasted too good for that to be a problem. And just as my thoughts travelled over to my lovely lunch, my personal delivery boy arrived with it.

"Yay! You made it back on record time!" I laughed as I stood up from my desk and walked over to Mason to grab one of the bags. Yes. Mason Styles was my personal delivery boy. "Did you get the chicken gyozas, too?"

"Of course," he nodded. "And the coconut and fig cheesecake, too."

"Ah, wonderful," I sighed as we sat down around the coffee table near the couch. "You know, this is not really business stuff. What even will you tell your teachers?"

"Well, you do show me more than anyone else would show so I will be fine," he shrugged. The whole point of him being here was to gain some work experience. He had a week to work somewhere so he didn't need to attend college for that time. When he came to find me that afternoon, he came to ask me if I could interview him and pretty much give him a spot on my team somewhere so he could work. When I asked him why didn't he go to his brother for work or his parents, he simply said he didn't want to owe them anything and he knew people in college would comment on it which he didn't want.

So, me being the amazing and wonderful person that I am, I gave him a time and date for an interview. He came in and answered everything as best as he could – he was only sixteen, I didn't expect as much as I would have from someone around my age with past experience – and I decided to give him the position regardless. I did give him feedback on his performance, rather truthfully, and he seemed really pleased with it. He mentioned that I gave constructive criticism as opposed to just biting his head off and he agreed on the points I made. So far, that had to have been the most professional I have ever spoken to him. Today was his second day and it was rather lazy compared to yesterday.

I didn't have a lot of work to do so I just showed him around and told him things I probably shouldn't have. It was very not CEO of me to spill out stuff about my company and there was the possibility of it all coming back and biting me in the arse but I felt like I could trust Mason. He trusted me, too. We actually got along nicely. We spoke the same language and I think that was what attracted him to me. And by that, I mean I treated him like I would have treated someone my age. I was very straight forward with him, I gave him the respect he deserved and that wasn't because of his name or his family, it was because it was only right. He had pure intentions and it seemed like the world gave him enough shit to deal with therefore I didn't want to add to that pile.

I had been in his shoes. Not that I knew anything about what went on in his life. It was just the way he spoke and reacted to things. I related to that a lot and it caused me to let my guards down a little. He seemed to notice that and that was how we connected.

It happened right off the bat. Literally from the minute we met, we just clicked. I felt like he was my little brother but, in a way, that I never felt about my own. I always thought Brandon was very much like me, he didn't need me as much as Mason seemed to need me. B was very independent in every sense whereas Mason seemed to be easily influenced. He had a good head on his shoulders but I knew how his parents and brother could make him feel pressured to be a certain way.

"What are we doing today?" he asked as we were in the middle of eating. Everything was so fucking nice and I craved food more than usual. It just felt so good to eat.

"Well, I have a meeting scheduled with my assistants then about two meetings – one telephone and one in person. You can sit in the latter one if you wish," I told him. I didn't exactly give him a rota. He wasn't trained because there was no time for him to get the proper training required. Although, he did have some basic understanding from the things he learnt at school and college.

"Okay, cool," he nodded. I did the same and we sat in quiet for a while. Then he hummed and called my name, his voice filled with only curiosity. "Renleigh?"

"Hm?"

"It's none of my business-,"

"Let's move on then," I interrupted him with a smirk and he laughed.

"It really isn't but I'm nosy and I want to know," he said.

"Fair enough," I shrugged. "Go on."

"Are you and Harry back together?" I had to laugh. Like, I stifled a laugh as I looked at Mason. His face, though... he was serious. The question was something he truly wanted an answer for and it seemed like it meant a lot to him. "Because I saw photos... of you two. Leaving that party together? But he arrived with someone else... did he do that to make you jealous and get you back? Surely not because you are not that easy- I mean, I don't mean to offend you," he said quickly. "It's just-,"

"Hey, it's OK," I chuckled. "I'm not back with him."

"You're not?" he asked and sounded kind of shocked.

"We did leave together but he just dropped me off," I explained. "I was a bit too wasted to be doing anything on my own so..."

That wasn't exactly a lie. I did get hammered and so did Styles. And we did leave together. But he didn't drop me off at home. We, well, we decided to spend the night at a hotel. And we did some... talking. Body talking. It seemed as though our body language was better than our speaking language. We... we understood each other better that way. We didn't argue as much.

"Why are you asking?" I spoke up again when he hummed.

"Well, I just liked you with my brother," he admitted. "He seemed happy with you," I pursed my lips as I found myself at loss for words. I pushed around the rice on my plate with the fork in my hand and chuckled to myself as I let his words run through my head. "When you came to my cousin's birthday, I could tell it meant a lot to him. He was almost proud to show you off."

"Almost?" I teased.

"OK-OK, he was proud. Better?" he laughed. "But I'm serious about this. He was different in a good way. And we do have a good relationship so we talk a lot. You come up a lot between us, which gets boring – no offence. It's just- it's always the same, you know? How pretty you are and how amazing you are. Hearing the same expressions every time we talk, well, it gets boring."

"He talks about me?" I asked but it sounded more like a statement. I had no idea why it surprised me. I guess I never had anyone tell me that they talk about me in a way that's positive and relatively... loving. Caring would perhaps be a better word to use.

"You sound surprised," Mason laughed. I caught myself smiling a bit as I leaned back on the couch and twisted my ring around my index finger. "Wait, don't tell me you have no idea my brother fancies you..."

"I had a feeling he had the hots for me but... I don't know. I never really... I never really let it get to me, I guess. I didn't think about it too much," I said honestly. I did try to push it as far away as I could because getting hurt was not in my plans. It still happened but the impact was not as strong as it could have been if I let him any closer.

"Tell me how the hell you went out with him for about a month and did not realise he is in love with you because I'm about to laugh my arse off."

"You see, we never really went out," I spilled the beans. That contract was something else.

"What do you mean you never really went out? You met our parents and he met yours. I reckon that's a pretty massive deal, innit?"

"Well, I guess. But that's because we trust each other," I replied.

We trust each other.

Fuck. I trusted him. I trusted him with everything. I trusted him more than I trusted anyone else.

We clicked in a way I haven't clicked with anyone in my whole life. Yes, I said that knowing we fought over everything. But that was why we clicked. Because we never agreed on anything. Comparing current people to exes was never a clever idea, but with Wolf, I agreed on everything. Well, he agreed with me. But with Styles, it's like... it's like he turned things around on purpose so we would fight and it was kind of toxic but it made everything much more fun.

Challenging.

I looked forward to seeing him because I knew one of us would find something to comment on. I looked forward to seeing him because he understood me, sometimes even without me having to say a word. I looked forward to seeing him because I never knew what would happen each time.

Will he ask me on a date? Will he ask to talk about something personal? Will we fight the minute he walks through the door? Will I need to talk to him?

There was never one time we met that was the same. He told me I kept him on his toes but he kept me on mine. I knew how to put him in his place and he knew how to put me in mine. He wasn't afraid of my big mouth – on the contrary, he probably loved it if we are talking sexually – but at the same time, he was careful. Well, when we weren't fighting. He could be a dick when he threw things, I told him back in my face and that was something we had to discuss but even with that happening, I was stupidly fine with the way our... connection worked.

"Wait, are you now realising you love him back or something?" Mason interrupted my thought process and I had to laugh.

Love him back?

Please.

"I mean, your brother it hot but he is a dick. And he hurt me. So, before I drop the L bomb, he will have to clear his name in my books," I scoffed as I reached for my water.

"Is that why he went to Spain for a few days?" he asked. "Because you two broke up then?"

"I guess. Before Christmas?" I asked and he nodded. "Yeah. I guess we did break things up."

"Just get back together with him."

"Easier said than done."

"He loves you and you seem to love him but not until he clears his name in your books," he repeated back my words which made me roll my eyes. "Talk to him about how you feel and he'll tell you how he feels and then you can get back together and save me the pain of having to see both of you cry over each other."

"You are cute," I smiled at him. Only if he knew it wasn't that easy. I was fucking scared of loving a man like Harry Styles. He was perfect and I was a complete mess. He had expectations which I knew I couldn't meet. In a way, he was too good for me. He would just waste his time on trying to get me to be who he wants me to be. And frankly, I would never be someone who I wasn't. "So. I have some papers I need to get printed so you can nip down to HR and get them from there when you are done with your lunch."

"Sure," he sighed. "You really do cut conversations when you get uncomfortable."

"Styles told you that?" I whipped my head back around to look at him as the surprised question fell from my lips. The fucking bitch.

"He told me a few things, yeah."

"That little bitch," I mumbled. "Whatever. You can take all that down to the bins."

"Why do I have to pay for his betrayal?" he asked as he acted offended.

"You are his brother," I shrugged. "Chop-chop. I'm not paying you out of my pocket for nothing."

"I told you I didn't need your money," he said which was true. He would have been here for free.

"But I'm not a bitch and I know deep down you wanted to get paid so shut up and do your job," I ordered but in a way that was not completely serious. As I sat back down in my chair, I saw him salute in the middle of gathering the rubbish.

It was fun, taking the piss out of Mason. He was easy-going and he understood my sense of humour. It was like we had been friends forever when we only really got to know each other recently. Plus, he was a teenager and I was in my late twenties. How weird was that? I didn't even wanna think about it.

After I was on my own in the office, I was ready to dive back into my work but I got interrupted. The buzz at the office door made me sigh and because I was too busy finding a document, I just opened the doors without looking. I heard heels clicking on the floor and something grey came towards me – a pair of nice thighs caught my attention first.

Then the rest of the body which belonged to Harry fucking Styles.

Of bloody course.

"I haven't gotten you a new shirt yet so if that's why you are here, be prepared to be disappointed," I spoke up first. I may or may not have ripped his shirt open once we got to the hotel and I may or may not have been a bit too forceful which caused the buttons to fly off. It was truly a movie moment.

"That's unfortunate," he rasped. I bit down on the inside of my lip as I let my eyes run up and down his body. He looked good in grey with his black shirt unbuttoned and the scruff he had going on. I hated myself for giving Danielle and Mason access to my office. If I hadn't, I would have ruined the black shirt Styles wore as well. "Perhaps you could make up for the time it'll take by letting me ruin yours."

He smirked at me as he leaned against my desk. He stood close to me. His right thigh was next to my right arm and his body warmth was felt through my blazer on my arm.

"Well, that would be difficult," I said with a dramatic sigh. Styles raised his eyebrows at me as he kept his smug smile on his face. He was deadly. He looked so good. I wanted him to destroy me. Like, literally make me unable to walk the next day.

"Oh yeah?" he asked with a coy voice. "Why is that?"

"I'm not exactly wearing a shirt, you see," I told him as I leaned back in my chair. I couldn't help myself when I dragged my index finger down his thigh, from the top to his knee then placed my hand back on his upper thigh. Slowly, I lifted my head up to look him straight in the eyes and I was glad to notice he kept his gaze on me, his head tilted a little.

"You enjoy playing with fire, don't you, darling?"

"Mhm," I hummed in response. "I guess I do."

"Gosh, the things I wanna do to you," he mumbled with fire burning behind his eyes. They were the lustful eyes. The ones he gave me when he was too deep in his thoughts to separate them from reality, not that he wanted to.

"Tell me about them," I asked and licked my lips as I watched him inhale deeply.

"I would much rather show you," he leaned closer until he was able to place his index finger under my chin. He lifted my head up enough to be able to kiss my lips. It was soft at first. Just a peck. His top lip between mine as his wrapped around my bottom one. He pulled back soon after and tilted his head in the other direction so he could kiss me better.

It felt like he put some kind of magic on me and I fell under his spell. His lips parted from mine as they travelled down to my jawline meanwhile his fingers were quick to untie my scarf and he pulled the material off of me. His hot lips were on my neck and soon enough on my chest. Like I told him, I had nothing on under my blazer so his curious kisses had the opportunity to visit places that were not exactly appropriate for the situation we were in.

"Isn't this much better?" he mumbled in my ear. I leaned my head back on my chair and my eyes were closed as he worked his magic on me. Like I said, he put me under his spell. In ways I never would have allowed anyone to do so.

"Stop," I sighed in pleasure. It was very much that movie moment when my mouth said one thing but my body reacted completely differently. Styles chuckled in my ear before he pressed a final kiss on my cheek.

I bit down on my bottom lip as I opened my eyes to look at him. I felt a shiver run down my spine from all that happened so suddenly, my nipples still hard from the closeness of his kisses to my sisters. He looked right at me with a soft, content smile on his face as he leaned back on my desk with his bottom and placed his hands on the edge of the furniture.

I picked up my scarf and threw it around his neck before I got out of my chair to walk past him. I was only going to show him to the door so he could leave because I had work to do, but he seemed to be interested in other things. Like me. Which actually, I didn't mind. A repeat of what had happened between us the other night would have been so fine with me.

"Are you chucking me out already?" he asked as he took a hold of my wrist. He chuckled as he pulled me back to him and made me stand between his legs. I raised my eyebrows at him when he sat on top of my desk although I couldn't deny the fact that I found it hot. Especially when my eyes glanced down at his thighs, the pair looked extremely nice today in the grey trousers.

"It's one of my favourite things to do so yes," I grinned at him and he chuckled. "I'm not sure if you are aware of the current situation but I have just launched a new line which took the world by surprise. A nice one, at that. So, I have a lot to do."

"Is that so?" one of his eyebrows lifted up as he acted confused. His voice was teasing and he seemed to enjoy this mindless game. "That's interesting. Did you, by the way, know that this Harry Styles dude... green eyes and lots of tattoos... maybe you've seen him around?" he carried on playing.

"Not sure," I replied. "But what about him?"

"Well, I have heard from a very reliable source that he's got something big coming."

"What would that be?" I chuckled as I tilted my head to the side a little. "His ego, perhaps? Because I'm uncertain there's a place wide enough for something so... huge."

"Ha-ha," he rolled his eyes. "No, I'm serious. He does have something planned and it will be quite interesting. You should look out for him."

"Since when do competitors go to each other and spill out their next moves?" I asked him with a smirk. Styles shrugged his shoulders before he said anything.

"I guess since they also kiss their competitors," just as he finished, his lips attached to mine as his hands were on my neck. It was a casual little peck but it still made me feel... things on the inside. "Actually. There was a reason why I came over here."

"You best get to it because I need you out of my office as soon as possible."

"That is so rude to say to someone as special as me," he huffed. "Anyway. I was wondering if you-,"

"Shit, sorry," I whipped my head towards the door which I didn't even hear open and I caught a glimpse of the younger Styles. I screwed my eyes shut and exhaled through my nose as I turned my head back to Harry once Mason left.

"Was that my... my brother?" he asked. I pressed my lips together as I nodded. I had no idea why I was so bothered what he would think of that. I mean, he had no right to lash out on me for doing something good for his brother. "Why exactly is he at your office?"

"He's on a placement... with me."

"A placement?" he repeated. "Since when do you offer placements at your headquarters?"

"Since never," I sighed. "Listen. He needed my help and I offered it to him. That's all."

"He came to you for help?" he asked like he couldn't believe his ears. I took a few steps back from him and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Why is that so fucking hard to believe?" I suddenly turned defensive because I felt like he attacked me with that assumption. Whatever assumption it may have been. It sounded like he couldn't believe I was capable of helping others out and that left me baffled because I have helped him before as well.

"It's not. It's just... why would Mason go to you for help? Out of everyone?"

"Wow, thanks, arsehole," I rolled my eyes as I snatched my scarf back from around his neck.

"Wait, that's not how I meant it," he said quickly and jumped off of my desk. "I just-,"

"You just what?" as I wrapped the scarf back around my neck the way it was, I turned around to face him. "Go on. Say it. I prefer honesty over bullshitting, you know that."

"It's just fucking weird that my brother goes to someone else for help... like. I'm literally right here. I'm always there for him. What more could I do to get him to trust me and come to me with something like that?" he asked me and he sounded frustrated. More so at the fact that his brother didn't go to him for help than at me for helping him.

"Well. For one, I don't think this is about trust. Also, I did chat to him at your cousin's birthday and he was pretty open with me," I told him as I sat down in my chair. "This is really none of my business and I promised him I would never tell anyone. But what I will tell you is that you should treat him as your equal. You shouldn't show any favouritism when it comes to your siblings, either."

"I don't show favouritism when I'm with my siblings, what the fuck?" he snapped at me and I tutted. He laughed at me in disbelief and it caused me to sigh. "Where did you even get this from? You know what, don't even tell me. Fuck. I just- I'm gonna go. I need to just- just go."

"Hey," I called after him. "Calm down, OK?" I said. "Talk to me instead of running off. We both know Mason is out there and I know you enough to know you'd use it to your benefit and be a dick to him about his choice of... help and also this new information you learned. Which, essentially, would just prove my point."

"You want to help me by pissing me off further?" he asked. "I'm not sure if you are aware but that is only making me angrier."

"Why are you so angry, though?" I chuckled as I leaned on my desk with my elbows. "I mean, you said you don't show favouritism when it comes to your siblings but you seem pretty dang worked up about it."

"I don't do that."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" I asked. "You can lie to me all you want, I'm used to people lying. Out of he two of us, it will eat you alive, not me," I shrugged. That only seemed to piss him off further and I evilly enjoyed every second of it.

"You know, you really are shit at helping people calm down."

"Ouch," I acted hurt. "What about the time I slapped you? It did bring you back to the real world and helped avoid a potential panic attack."

"That is besides the point-,"

"Is it?" I scrunched up my nose as I questioned him. "Look, I'm not out to get you. Well, I am, but not with this," he gave me a look and I didn't know what he truly wanted from me with this. "All's I'm saying is that you should change your ways a bit when it comes to your siblings."

"You would know all about it, wouldn't you? You are Renleigh Kensington after all, right?"

"Hold on," pause. "Are you using my own words against me? You sly fucker!"

He chuckled under his breath as an evil smile tugged on his lips. I wanted to throw my stapler at him for being such a dick.

"Whatever. Go talk to your brother," I said eventually. "But not right now. He's working and I don't appreciate my employees getting distracted and talking to the competitor."

"I'm back to competitor now, aren't I?"

"Yep," I nodded.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Will I get to see you later?"

"If you are planning on taking a nap, sure. I might pop up in your dreams."

"That's not fair," he groaned. "Will you come over? I'll cook you tea."

"Dinner."

"Food," he said to stop us from bickering. See, if that would have been up to me, I would have carried on for as long as we were both alive. "Dax misses you."

"Sucks to be him."

"You are so rude!" he gasped. "Please say yes."

"I thought we decided to stick to being fuck buddies and nothing more?"

"Technically, we never made an agreement therefore no. Plus, who the hell needs labels? Not us."

"Styles..."

"You know I always have a bottle of your favourite," he tried to bribe me. I hated him for it. I did love wine, perhaps a bit too much for my own good and he used it to his benefit. I sighed and shook my head. "Yes!" he shouted in a whisper when he realised I gave in. "Come by mine whenever you're ready."

"So, that could be tomorrow or, let's see, never, right?" I messed with him.

"You are so funny!" he said sarcastically. "Be at mine for six. Half six the latest."

Again, I rolled my eyes before I replied. "Alright. Now get lost before I call security."

• • •

a.n.

they're so cute okay and i love that they finally have some kind of relationship that exists because they both want it and not because they're in an agreement or whatever else

also yous best get ready for chapters that are this lengthy cos there's more like this coming lmao sometimes i just can't shut up and before i realise i'm almost at 5k words lol

one more thing, i had to change the title of the chapters cos i've been told some of you couldn't see it and it was just an empty space. this may have resulted in a ton of notifications from me but i'm just letting you know that other than the font of the writing, nothing else has changed! by this i mean the story has not been touched so there's no need to reread it unless you're bored and just want to do it lmao

but ye that's all lads don't forget to vote and comment and all that shebang bye xoxo