[05]

Madison slept over and we talked through the night. I forgot how nice it felt to just chat with her. There were no boundaries with us. We talked about everything under the stars, and for once, I felt like a teenager all over again.

It wasn't that I was old - God no. It was more like my profession forced me to grow up and mature, so I missed much of the college experience; the partying, the clubbing, the drinking.

Sure, I could do it now, but it didn't have the college feel.

I was surrounded by adults. Full-grown adults who lived, breathed and shit weapons. There was no way partying with them would be like partying with college kids.

Being one of the youngest in the firm, I'd gotten used to the fact that I would never have the chance to properly enjoy my youth. And I was fine with that, honestly.

It was only sometimes when Madison would come over to my house, drunk and giggling that I felt a twinge of envy. I couldn't stop myself from wondering what it would have been like for me.

When my alarm rang in the morning, I hastened to switch it off so that I wouldn't wake Madison.

Tiptoeing to the toilet, I quickly got ready for my meeting with Harvey Black. Today was the day I would be meeting my new employer. Putting on my skirt suit, I hoped to exude a professional and competent aura.

Then, I left a note on the table telling Madison where I was and slipped out of the house quietly.

The doorman immediately called a cab for me the moment he saw me and I smiled at him in gratitude.

As I got into the cab, I felt my stomach suddenly erupt with butterflies. When I repeated the address to the driver, I couldn't stop my voice from trembling.

Oh god. I was going to meet Harvey Black. In the flesh.

I was so nervous that I didn't pay attention to how the cabbie was driving. Normally, I would've been scared out of my wits because New York cabbies were atrocious at driving. They cut through lanes like how I go through ice-cream - in the blink of an eye.

It came as no surprise that I reached my destination in less than half an hour. Thanking the driver, I got out after paying the cab fare.

Yet the moment I did, I stumbled on my feet. I was not prepared for the sight in front of me.

The building that was Black Publishing was towering over me, and it seemed to stretch on forever into the sky. Majestic was the only word to describe it.

Skyscrapers in New York were no big deal but this was different. I found myself awestruck at the sheer beauty of this architecture.

I shook myself out of the trance I was in and entered the building, feeling as if my heart was in my throat.

As I was walking halfway through the large lobby, I saw that the lift doors had just opened. My legs quickened and the sound of my heels clicking against the ground seemed to echo as I rushed to catch the lift.

When you see someone else rushing towards the lift you're in, you naturally, as a decent human being, would keep the lift doors open and wait for them, wouldn't you?

Your mother raised you right, didn't she?

Well, not this motherfucker in the lift.

I could see the person inside jabbing at a button and it certainly didn't seem like the "open" button since the doors were closing.

I ran the last few steps and put my hand between the doors of the lift to stop them from closing just in time.

The person in the lift jerked at the sudden movement and moved backwards.

My brows rose as I entered the lift calmly. Take that, you son of a bitch.

As I pressed my floor and caught my breath, I looked up to glare at the man in the lift. He was scowling at me instead of apologising, as if I was the one who tried to close the door on him.

Those green eyes were staring daggers into mine, and for a fleeting moment, a familiar scene flashed through my mind.

We were at the police station, behind bars, and the tension was unmistakable. Those green eyes glaring at me were filled with anger. Two familiar voices filled my head. We were shouting, shooting insults, pushing the blame.

I stumbled back on my heels as realisation dawned on me. My heartbeat slowed and quickened all at once. In that moment, I felt as if we were back behind bars again, and it was just the two of us.

I think both of us came to the realisation at the same time. It seemed like slow motion as I saw the recognition register on his face and the widening of his eyes.

He was the man who asked me to teach him how to draw. He was the man who was drowning. He was the man who landed me in jail.

How small could the world be? Out of over eight million people in this goddamn city, it had to be him.

Feeling a sudden surge of childish anger resurfacing, I blindly pressed all the buttons on the panel, making the lift stop at every level. Clearly, I still hadn't let go of my resentment, both from being in jail and from the whole lift incident.

He stared at me incredulously. "What the actual fuck?"

Charming.

I kept silent and didn't look his way, pretending all was well in the world and that the lift was not stopping at every single level.

The air between us was highly charged, just like how it was at the police station. I started kicking myself inwardly for my stupidity. This wasn't doing either of us any favours. Well done, Jade.

The door opened again, as if mocking me. I shuffled on my feet, feeling my face heat up. I could feel the man's gaze on me, and I knew he was waiting for me to say something. An apology, an excuse, something.

But in that moment, all I could manage was a half-hearted shrug. "You started it," I mumbled.

Choked laughter came out from the man's mouth. "I started it?"

My head lifted and I stared right into his eyes, which were, coincidentally, the color of my name. "Well, if you hadn't tried to close the doors on me, I wouldn't have had to resort to such childish and petty means to get back at you."

The feeling of deja vu then was so real, with the both of us arguing over whose fault it was.

"So you agree that you were being childish and petty?"

I walked right into that one. My mouth shut and I turned away from him, frustrated with myself.

Silence enveloped us and I felt my frustration seep into anger at the man. What was his problem?

Finally, after for what felt like an eternity, the man got off. His floor was one floor below mine.

Before he left, he made sure to give me a look. I threw an equally dirty one back at him.

The moment the doors closed, I sagged into the side of the lift, savouring the few seconds of solidarity as I gathered myself together.

Harvey Black. One of the most influential businessmen in New York. His company, Black Publishing, made it to the Fortune 500 list just last month.

That kind of publicity came with risks, and I was assuming his current security team was not able to deal with the sudden increase in workload. Which was why I was stepping in. I would be taking over as the head of his son's security team.

Let's hope this would be worth my time.

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The man who stood in front of me was a handsome man in his forties'. Distinguished with an air of confidence and privilege, he exuded power.

"Miss Otterson, I presume?" he spoke, his voice steady and even.

I found myself unable to speak for a second, so I merely nodded.

"I assume you have been briefed by James about your job scope." There wasn't a question in there but I answered anyway.

"Yes sir."

He nodded curtly. "My son is coming up in 3 minutes. I'll introduce the both of you then. You don't mind waiting, do you?"

"No sir, I don't mind."

"Excellent. You can have a seat while you wait." His hands gestured towards a couch by the window.

I moved toward it right away, still slightly awestruck by his compelling presence.

As I sat, my mind sifted through what I knew about Ethan Black. Nothing was particularly impressive about him - no outstanding achievements or anything.

My eyes peeked up to look at Harvey Black. Ethan really did pale in comparison to his father, who went to Harvard and was already running his own business by the time he was 21.

However, this profession had taught me not to judge a book by its cover. Even though Ethan Black's background check wasn't satisfactory, he may prove me wrong when I meet him.

Harvey Black's office phone buzzed with an intercom from his secretary. "Mr Black, your son is here for you."

He extended those long fingers and pressed a button. "Send him in."

The door opened only seconds later and the man in question sauntered in, his hands in his pockets.

My mouth opened so wide I was worried it stay in that position permanently. Shock coursed through my veins as my heart skipped a beat.

This is impossible, I thought in disbelief. Since when was the world so small?

Because the man standing in front of me, Ethan Black, the son of Harvey Black, was the guy in the elevator. Which means he was the one who got me arrested that time. And he was my new boss.

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping this was a terrible nightmare or an illusion. But when I opened them again, everyone was still standing where they had been before. I suppressed a sigh. Of all the guys it could have been...

As he stood there, I realised belatedly why his picture looked so familiar. It was only then that I started to reconcile his photograph with his real being.

I wanted to smack myself in the face. How could I have not realised it the first time? Or in the lift? Kaden would've been disappointed in me.

"You wanted to see me, Dad?" Ethan asked, his tone casual.

"Yes, please meet your new bodyguard."

He turned, his eyes locking onto mine instantly. I held his gaze as I stood up, extending my hand out of courtesy. "Mr Black."

Ethan jerked back. "You!" he accused.

I forced my lips to curve upward. "Yes. Me."

"Do you two know each other?" Ethan's father asked, staring at the both of us warily.

"No!" Both Ethan and I exclaimed at the same time.

Harvey Black's eyebrows rose. "If you say so," he conceded, clearly not convinced.

Ethan spoke up. "Dad, please tell me this is a joke."

"What? Why?"

I couldn't see Ethan's face but I heard his scoff. "I mean, bodyguard? Are you for real?"

My lips tightened to stop myself from saying something I'd regret.

"I mean," he continued, unaware of my increasing desire to stab him, "I'm all for equality and shit but this is pushing it a little. We're talking about my life here. I don't want to end up having to protect her instead."

It was all I could do to stand there and keep quiet, even as every part of me was screaming for me to list my qualities and maybe even have a practical session with him.

Harvey Black waited a beat before responding, and when he did, his tone was cutting. "I thought I raised you better than this."

Ethan sucked in a breath at the veiled criticism.

Harvey Black braced his hands on the table. "Have you forgotten what your mother did? You should know better than anyone how deceptive appearances can be, especially for the opposite gender."

His mother? My curiosity piqued.

I heard Ethan's sharp inhale at the mention of his mother. Now, I really wanted to know what went down. His retort to his father was sharp, his voice hard and unforgiving. "If anything happens to me, it's on you, not this woman."

I shifted on my seat, uncomfortable. I was unsure whether or not I should be present for such a private discussion.

A sigh left Harvey, his face crumpling, and it was as if he'd instantly aged. I could see the wrinkles and lines on his face. "I'll be an asshole to you either way. Makes no difference."

Ethan remained obstinately silent, neither confirming nor denying what his father said. In that moment, I felt a fleeting stab of sympathy for Harvey Black. It was hard knowing that your only child hated you.

The CEO in him seemed to resurfaced as he straightened his back. "Right," he said, all business-like once again. "Ethan isn't in a very risky position, at least, not yet, but you never know. I'm not one to take unnecessary risks."

I nodded, understanding his concerns.

"Ethan already has a security team, but I let go of the previous head for... certain reasons. I want you-" His expectant gaze fell on me and I tried to meet his glance, "-to take over as the head."

"I understand," I said quickly. All of this information was in the file that James gave me. It included my job scope and the risks associated with it.

"There are four people in the team, including you. You will meet all three of them soon. There's Mckennie, Croix and Sharpe. All highly-skilled and personally vetted by my wife. She takes the safety and security of my son very seriously, so don't worry about them," Harvey Black told me.

It took everything in me not to raise my eyebrows and tell him what I really thought. I think I will be judge of whether or not they're trustworthy, thank you very much.

But outwardly, I merely smiled and nodded, maintaining a professional image.

"I'll make an appointment for you to meet them soon. The sooner you get acquainted, the faster you can start."

Abruptly, Ethan stood up, smoothing down his jeans. "I won't be waiting up." And then he left.

The CEO of Black Publishing looked unfazed at his son's sudden departure. His fingers came up to at his temples as he sighed wearily.

A weighted silence fell between us before Harvey Black finally spoke. "I'm sorry about my son. He can be... stubborn sometimes."

I nodded, averting my gaze so as to give him some privacy. "Of course, no worries."

"Are you free tomorrow? At about 1.30 in the afternoon? You and Ethan have things to talk about before you join the team."

It surprised me slightly that Harvey Black was planning for me to meet his son as if I was meeting him. Couldn't Ethan arrange a meeting with me himself? Why was his father managing his schedule?

It was only then that I felt Harvey Black's expectant gaze on me. I hastened to reply him. "Yes, I'm free. I'll see him then."

"Thank you."

I nodded again before leaving, shutting the door softly behind me.

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thank you for reading thus far. and i'm really excited because the wattys are starting tmr and even though it may be a long shot, i'm entering this book! so i'd really appreciate your support by voting and commenting <3

until next time,
fleur xoxo