"There is a fine line between being confident and being cocky. Having confidence can bring you many things; while, cockiness can cause you to lose many things." -Unknown

✨ P R O L O G U E ✨

I had just gathered up my things and was on my way out of the office to head home when I get stopped by one of my coworkers, Tamela Neely. I sigh in frustration as she calls out to me.

I turn around hesitantly and glare at her in bewilderment as she begins to run towards me at the exit. My reaction is mostly due to the fact that we've never uttered more than ten words to each other ever since I started working here about six months ago. I'm truly perplexed as to what it might be that she wants from me tonight.

"Thank you for stopping, Natalia," Tamela says in a breathless tone once she finally reaches me. I can't help but pity the older woman. Maybe I should have at least met her halfway or something. "Wow, you're a fast walker. I didn't think I'd catch up to you in time."

"What can I do for you, Tamela?" I force myself to smile while trying to ignore how annoyed I am because what I want to do is walk out of here and go home, but instead I'm still standing in the lobby of this damned place, talking to a coworker that's practically a stranger to me. "You were running over here like the building was on fire. Something wrong?"

"No. And it's not me that needs you; rather, it's Mr. Knight," Tamela replies, causing my heart rate to accelerate after hearing his name. Not even his first name, but his last name. Christ, how much more pathetic can I get when it comes to this man? "He stopped me as I was getting ready to leave and he asked me if you were still around. I told him that you had just left for the night, but I figured I could catch up to you, so I told him to hold on while I tried. Anyway, long story short, he wants to see you in his office."

"Now?" I ask her, feeling anxious.

"Right now." She nods.

Damn it!

I don't have time for his shit tonight. I'm in a rush to get home; I want to sleep this headache, plus it's starting to get even darker outside and I hate driving at night. I really don't have time to waste being stuck here any longer than what I need to be, and especially if I'm not getting paid for it. And even more so if I have to be stuck here alone...with him.

God help me if you're listening.

"If it's any consolation, he sounded pretty calm while he was speaking to me," Tamela says, but I'm too busy being distracted with impure thoughts of my boss to pay her any more attention. "Whatever he wants to talk to you about, I don't think it's anything bad."

"Let's hope that it's not," I mutter while I speedily try to weigh my options: I can leave right now and tell him some bullshit lie tomorrow morning about why I didn't go back to speak with him. Or, I can lie and tell him that I never ran into Tamela, so when he pulls me aside tomorrow to ask me what happened - which I know he will - I can say that I never got her message that he wanted to talk to me... then again, I know what type of man he is, so I know that he'll more than likely never fall for any of that shit.

He'll see right through my lies, so who am I really kidding here?

Roman Knight is the epitome of relentless. He'll get to me, or he'll get me to come to him in one way or another. There's no hiding, ducking, dodging, or running away from that man. I know this because I've tried all options many, many times before in the past. He's like a boomerang; no matter how far you throw him, he'll come flying right back, and I swear I've never come across a man that was so damn committed to the cause as much as he is.

"The longer that you stand here and think about what you want to do, the more time you waste in getting to go going home." Tamela then says her goodbye and I watch as she walks past me and exits the building.

I desperately want to follow after her but my feet won't allow it. Instead, I find myself walking back down the hallway and getting inside the elevator that I'd just gotten off of not too long ago.

No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to rid myself of Roman Knight. Hell, he is my boss after all, so there's that. Still, things shouldn't be this damn complicated between us. And things... so many things, they shouldn't have gotten to the point of where they are now. I shouldn't be calling my boss by his first name when we're alone together and he shouldn't be calling me into his office after my shift is over to talk to me about - what I already know will be - stuff that's not work-related.

Things are so messed up right now and I haven't a clue for how I can make it better.

"God, please give me the strength to not step out of line and physically attack this man." I focus on my breathing, inhaling and exhaling as I press the button to make my way up to the top floor - his floor.

After I reach my destination, I reluctantly step out of the elevator and head towards his office. The tall mahogany colored door has his name on it in a large bold font that lets everyone know just whose office it is. He's so over the top. I knock twice and my pulse gets a little faster each time. I'm nervous as hell, irritated, sleepy, as well as a little hot and bothered because I know that I'll be in his presence shortly. I loathe myself for the twisted feelings that I have for him; liking him one minute, wanting to slap him to hell the next.

"Damn it, Roman, what are you doing in there?" I whisper when I feel the seconds turn into minutes. I knock on the door for a third time, applying more force to hopefully show how bothered I am.

The effect that this man has on me, on women in general and probably some men too, is simply out of this world. For as long as I've been working here I should be used to him and his wicked ways, his overall enchanting look, enticing aura, the whole nine, but I'm not. A simple girl like me that's from a small dull town where nothing exciting ever happens will never get used to being around a man like Roman Knight.

I stay in swoon city whenever he's near, and that's why I have to work harder than I normally do to keep my guard up when I'm inside this place because if I don't, I'll end up another one of his victims; another one of the many women that he managed to seduce, fuck, and dump.

"Get it together, girl." I try to boost myself up. "This isn't the first time that you've been up here."

And I know it definitely won't be my last.

While I continue to stand outside his door, waiting for him to respond, I shake my head in displeasure as a handful of thoughts, all negative, begin to fill my head... how many girls before me have been in the position that I'm in right now? How many women in this building have been taken down by the enthralling man that is Roman Knight? How many have succumbed to him and ended up broken because of it?

I shudder to think of what the answers might be, but at least I can say that I've yet to cross any lines with my ridiculously hot boss.

I knew of Roman's reputation before I took this job, so I made sure to steer clear of him after I got hired, however, that never stopped him from trying to come on to me time and time again. I've managed to resist him, though. It hasn't been easy, but I've resisted him. And I honestly think that's why he's so hell-bent on trying to win me over because I very well may be the first woman to have ever rejected him.

"You can come in now, Ms. Roberts," he eventually calls out to me.

His voice sends chills down my spine and I want to smack myself because of it. I put on my best poker face after I set my briefcase down on the floor, smooth out my dress, give myself one last mental push and then finally turn the doorknob to step inside his office. It's humongous, spacious, and decked out in the finest décor. It begs to be complimented on, but I'll do no such thing. Roman's ego is big enough as it is.

"I don't have all night to play with you, Roman." I shut the door behind me and walk over to sit in the chair that's positioned in front of his desk; a desk that's long and wide enough to fit two bodies comfortably on top of it... "Let's cut the bullshit and get this over with. What do you want from me? Aside from the obvious."

I try to keep my guard up once his electric blue eyes meet mine but it's difficult. His smile, a devilish one, nearly kills me right here on the spot, and when he gets up from his seat to come and walk over to me, I freeze in my chair. He stops just in front of me, looking down at me and I know exactly what he's trying to do - be intimidating.

"You already know what I want from you, Natalia." Roman leans back against the front of his desk and crosses his arms over the front of his fancy name brand suit which looks undeniably flattering on him, but that's beside the point. "The real question is why do you continue to act so damn stubborn with me? Why won't you just let me in already? How much longer do we have to play this game of cat and mouse?"

"Listen, Roman, I don't know how many times we have to go through this," I roll my eyes and continue to hold my own, somewhat. "But for the umpteenth time, let me repeat myself by saying that we will never, ever get together. Like, never. Nor will I ever lie down and open my legs for you because you want me to. I don't care who you are or how much money you have. I don't want you in that way and I refuse to be another one of your sloppy quickies." I take a breath. His expression is impassive and it does nothing but piss me off, especially after he runs a hand through his thick brown hair, as if he's completely bored with me right now. "When will you get it through your thick skull that I'm just not into you?"

"Oh, Natalia." Roman laughs as if everything that I just said had been some of the funniest shit in the world. And this is what I hate about him the most. He never takes me seriously when I need him to and he knows exactly how much that annoys me. "You really need to loosen up a little, darling. You use more muscles in your face when you frown versus when you smile, did you know that?"

Smirking, he steps forward and bends down in front of me. His body is mere inches away from mine as I stay glued to my seat, but I almost lose it and break character when he runs his tongue across his bottom lip, being a tease.

I can tell from the smug look on his handsome face that he knows - somewhere deep down inside of me - a part of me secretly wants him, badly. He knows it. I definitely know it. We both can fucking sense it.

We're at the point with one another where we can almost read each other like an open book. And right now, as he is eye level with me, the sexual tension building between us is currently tickling the moon, it's so damn high.

"Have I ever told you how much I adore that smart little mouth of yours?" He smiles, appearing to have completely ignored my diss from earlier. "It usually irritates me when other's talk back, but with you... I don't know why it's such a turn on."

"Jesus Christ, this is all just one big game to you, isn't it? Have you not learned from your past flings around the office that mixing business with pleasure is by far the worst thing that you could ever do as a businessman?" I snap. Even though I have the urge to throw myself at him, I remain in control, for the most part, and keep composed. "Surely there are some models out there that you can go and get your dick wet with. Why mingle with your employees, Roman? Why are you targeting me?"

"For the record, I'll have you know that I haven't mingled with any of my employees for the last two years now. And none since then have made me act up or step out of line, not like this, not until you came around and sparked something within me that I hadn't even known was there," Roman now spoke in a serious tone, effectively shutting me up. "I get that my reputation has turned you off and I can completely understand why, but I'm a changed man now, Natalia. You should at least give me a chance and get to know me, the real me, before writing me off; you should at least follow your heart and try to do what it tells you."

I inhale sharply when he reaches for my hand. I'm slowly crumbling underneath his intense gaze, and when I open my mouth to speak, my voice comes out in a weak ass whisper. "How do you know what my heart wants? Because it isn't you."

Who am I lying to now? Him or myself?

"Oh, really? Your mouth is saying one thing, but that beautiful body of yours says something else, Natalia." His voice is low and as soft as cotton, if I can even make that comparison. "I can see it in the way that you move when you're around me; you want me just as much as I want you, so stop denying it because I pick up on every little sign that you drop. You're so damn easy to read. I mean, look at you right now... you're biting your lip. You're nervous. Anxious..." His eyes fall to my lap for a brief second, and when they come back up to meet mine, a moan almost escapes me because the look on his face is one that has sin written all over it. "If you press your thighs together any harder they'll mold into one."

"A-Alright, that's enough!" I break out in a panic and snatch my hand out of his because he's getting to me. "You're my boss, Roman! I'm not crossing that line with you, any lines with you. I just can't. We are never going to happen, so I wish that you'd give up on me. I wish that you'd move on because you won't win this battle. I won't let you."

I push away from him and stand up to leave. Being in his presence for too long makes me weak and being weak in front of a man like him is something that I can't allow.

"Natalia," Roman calls out to me in a stern tone just as I reach the door. I don't turn around to look back at him when I grip the doorknob. I can't look back because if I do... I might not leave this office at all tonight. "I will win, darling. And I must warn you in advance that I don't play fair."

I scoff. His persistence and vain overconfidence are so infuriating. He really is the kind of person that refuses to take no for an answer. As many times that I've turned him down, he's yet to give up on me. And yeah, maybe I should feel flattered because of that, but I don't. I'm not the first woman that he's had to chase after, I'm assuming. So why should I feel special that I might be the only one on his radar for now? Who's to say that won't change next week or next month? Anything's possible with Roman Knight.

And that's precisely why I can't give in to him.

However, I also can't lie and say that he's not wearing me down because he truly is. I don't know how much longer I can keep up this act like I don't have feelings for him because I do. I just wish that he'd see where I'm coming from and I wish that he'd comprehend why I can't and won't cross that line with him. He may not give two shits about his reputation but I cherish mine.

And if we were to ever become a thing one day, I'd be just another story for everyone to read and gossip about in the tabloids. I'd be just another woman that slept with Roman Knight and I refuse to go down that path. I refuse to have something like that tied to my name. I won't humiliate myself like that. I won't succumb to him.

I won't.

"I don't play fair either, Mr. Knight. So game on." I get the last word in and then leave his office in a hurry before I stuck around and did something with my boss that I know I'd come to regret the next day.

To be continued.

. . .

Author's Note: You can finish reading on Ream or Inkítt.

✨ the link is in my Wattpad bio. just click on the Social Media link to view all my author pages.✨

Before anyone asks, I'm not unpublishing this book completely because it shows the original date of publication. This helps when needing to submit takedown notices to pirate websites that have stolen my book—something that's happened more than once.

Thanks for your understanding and I apologize for the inconvenience.

—Amy 💕