“Yes?”

“For the record, per your email with the subject heading, ‘I Wonder If He Eats Pussy’...” He looked me up and down. “I do eat pussy, and if I ever was going to eat your pussy...If that thought had ever been filthy enough to cross my mind and certain circumstances between us were different, you wouldn’t be able to walk for days after I was done with you...”

THE BOSS

Michael

Manhattan, New York

I’d read every single email I pulled from the intel department. Every. Single. One.

They were easy to track since apparently she and her friend labeled all the ones in regards to me as “Ass-holery Report,” “My Boss,” or “This Man Today...”

It was quite apparent that she “hated” me and I almost regretted taking out my sexual frustration on her by demanding so much. Almost.

Her mind was damn near as naughty as mine when it came to sex, and it was slightly gratifying to know that the attraction wasn’t one sided, even if there was little I could do about it.

I’d never mixed business with pleasure before, and I wasn’t going to start now. I just needed to get through all eight of our meetings today without thinking about what I’d seen in her emails, without thinking about the fact that maybe it wasn’t mixing business with pleasure if she was so hell bent on leaving soon.

If I was ‘letting’ her leave soon, that is.

Fuck...

THE ASSISTANT

Mya

Manhattan, New York

Subject: What I Need In Two Hours

The Lexington files. Transfer papers on the acquisition of Lerner and Taylor. Your front-list report. The notes from this afternoon’s meeting.

Michael Leighton

CEO, Leighton Publishing

I closed his email and sighed. I was starting to wish that he’d simply fired me. Ever since that meeting in his office two days ago, he’d been twice as domineering. Twice as unbearable.

It’d taken everything out of me not to walk out on the all-staff meeting when he purposely put me on the spot and asked me several questions about a book he knew I hadn’t had the chance to read yet. Then again when he chastised me in front of everyone for submitting incomplete reports that weren’t even due for another four weeks.

There was no way I was going to complete every objective in his most recent email within two hours, so I wasn’t even going to try. I grabbed the work I’d already finished and headed up to his office, sending Amy an email on the ride up.

I didn’t care if he caught this message on the company server or not.

Subject: Horrible Boss+ Typical A*hole Behavior + Long Day = Wine. Stat!

I’m leaving work early today. Can I come over and drink wine at your place for the night?

Your bestie,

Mya

Her response came through in seconds.

Subject: Re: Horrible Boss+ Typical A*hole Behavior + Long Day = Wine. Stat!

Of course.

I’ll head out now and buy your favorite.

Your bestie,

Amy

The second the elevator doors opened, I headed straight for his office and I didn’t bother knocking.

I opened the door and saw him reading a book at his desk.

“May I help you with something, Miss London?” He looked up at me.

“Here is my front-list report.” I slammed a huge binder of paperwork on his desk. “The Lexington report, what I managed to finish for it anyway, should be in your inbox within minutes.”

“You didn’t need to come up here to say that. You should’ve just sent me an email...” His gaze went to my lips, but then he narrowed his eyes at me. “You know I hate when people come into my office without permission.”

“You hate a lot of things.” I shrugged. “Maybe you should just learn how to deal with them like everyone else. I’ll be bringing my notes from this afternoon’s meeting up here when I finish—without knocking, since I’ll probably have to bring you a late lunch, and then I’m officially done for the day.”

“No.” He flipped a page in his book. “You’ll just think you’re done for the day. I need you to stay until eight o’clock today.”

“I can’t,” I said firmly. “I have plans.”

“I know,” he said, putting down his novel. “Your plans involve staying here until eight o’clock.”

“Mr. Leighton...” I looked him right in the eyes. “With all due respect, which you deserve none of after the way you’ve treated me this week, I’m not staying today. I don’t have time. And actually, you know something else?” I knocked the folder I’d just set on his desk onto the floor, sending hundreds of loose report sheets to the floor. “I’m not going to pick that up, and I’m not going to do anything else today. I’m going home. Now.”

“Miss London...” He gritted his teeth. “Don’t make me—”

“What? Fire me? Please do.” I turned away from him and rushed out of his office with my blood boiling and my frustration at an all-time high.

Seething, I took the steps down to my office and slammed the door shut. I logged into my scheduling portal and sent email cancellations for the remainder of my meetings. I also sent Human Resources a message that confirmed I was leaving early for “personal reasons” and that I may need to request additional time off in the coming days.

I made sure all the emails went through, and then I shut down my computer and closed all of the binders on my desk.