CHARLOTTA
My ride came to a stop a few minutes later, and alighting, I smiled at the driver, before handing him his payment. He nodded and smiled back before zooming off. I couldn't get an uber because my app was pretty glitchy, so I had to use a taxi considering the bus stop was just a stone throw away from my street.
I reached into my purse and took out my phone to turn on the music app. With the headphones on the first song started playing, the music seemed to drown out all the chaos earlier today and my complicated feelings towards Bruce. The fact that I will be working for that son-of-a-bitch means that I could be seeing him every-fucking-day. I couldn't help but feel powerless when I'm around him.
When I finally got to my apartment building, I was feeling anxious. Someone has been in here. I could sense it, though nothing seemed out of place. Pulling my keys out of my purse and opening the door I walked into the living room, and there was no sign of anybody anywhere. Then I headed to my bedroom before stepping in, I flicked on the lights, and right on my bed, someone was sitting comfortably with their backs turned towards me.
"Who are you? And what do you want?" I yell afterward.
"Surprise!”
"Jesus Christ! Bella?" I screamed, frowning in confusion, “You are going to give me a heart attack.”
Anabella Russo, 22, is my best friend and partner in crime. She has been in the game longer than I was and that made it easier for me because I got to learn all the tactics from her. She's tall, dark-haired with olive skin and sultry eyes. She's an Italian with a slight accent that made her sound sweet and sassy. The kind of woman who knew how to use her looks to get whatever she wanted.
She laughed, standing up from the bed and wrapping her arms around me as she pulled me in for a long hug. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly before a smile formed on my lips, my heart swelling at her sight. “How long have you been in town?"
"I hadn't been here for long; I arrived a few hours ago and thought I should pay you a nice visit. It's been ages since we last saw each other," she said.
"You're such a sweetheart," I said, clapping my hands together in excitement. "I thought I'd never see you again!"
"Oh, come on now gurlll," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "I promise I'll always be here for you."
"Does Diego know you're back?" I asked, a twinge of concern in my voice.
"I figured it wouldn't be a good idea, since I left the gang and went for the Russian billionaire plus the last thing I wanted was to have him probing me for wanting to leave." She walked to the kitchen and unlocked the refrigerator. "You got anything in your refrigerator?" she asked as she began rummaging inside.
"Ummm, no but give me a few minutes, and after freshening up, I can make us some Italian bolognese," I suggested and she nodded, smiling at me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around my best friend again, hugging her tightly.
Quickly entering the bathroom, I stripped off my clothes and began to wash my body, allowing myself to somewhat relax after everything that happened today. I'm so glad Bella is back. I turned off the shower and dried my body before stepping into the room to get dressed. I opened my closet and got myself comfortable in a pair of dark-wash skinny bunshorts, and a loose off-the-shoulder top.
***
After dinner, I wrapped myself in the sheets, but the fabric felt stiff and scratchy against my tired body. Beside me, I heard the sound of the bed creaking as Bella climbed into the other side.
"So how long are you stuck with this Bruce of a guy?" She asked, she was already turned toward me, propped up on an elbow with her head resting on her palm.
“It depends on how long it takes before I can get the code from him, probably a few months I guess," I sighed, turning to face Bella's direction.
"At least he's the CEO of LOTEX Group and I'm sure he must be nice to look at," she shrugged, twirling a strand of her hair.
"I don't give a damn what he looks like," I said, taking a deep breath. "Bruce Moore is an arrogant prick, and it's hard to see past that." I chuckled, shaking my head.
Bella laughed. "Is he that tough?" She asked, tilting her head sympathetic.
"You have no idea," I said, a smirk forming on my lips.
"I think the tough guy thing totally works for you," she teased. "Let's hope you and your bad attitude don't mess things up," she said, a smirk still on her lips.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I do hope so too." I rolled over onto my side, staring at the blank walls for a long time. "Thanks for being such a good friend." I wasn't sure if she heard me, but after a few moments, I was sure she had fallen asleep due to her long trip back to LA. I closed my eyes and willed myself to relax, but sleep wouldn't come.
I stared at the ceiling for a long time, replaying the day's events in my head over and over again. I went from being regretful, to sad, to mad. I wondered if Bruce Moore finds me attractive. Even if it was not the case, why did he offer me the job? What was he really trying to do?
I looked at the time and it was 12:37AM, and I needed to get some sleep, but I couldn't stop thinking about everything, about him, about the fact that I'm growing romantic feelings for fucking Bruce Moore.
I let my thoughts focus on Bella instead. Last month she left the gang and got involved in a mission that nearly blew her cover. I'm happy she's finally back and safe, even though I don't know the reason for her showing up just like this.
BRUCEAt exactly 8:00 AM I stepped into my office and sank into my fancy chair. The room smelled of rose and the air-conditioner hummed gently in the background. Everything was in its place, too neat and too perfect. I took a deep breath and tried to settle my nerves. I loosened my tie and tossed it on the desk, where it landed with a soft thud. I stood up and walked over to the window, looking out over the city below. The world seemed so small, so fragile."Good morning," the sound of a female voice catched my ear and I turned to see her, Charlotta standing in the doorway, holding the door open. For a few moments I stared at her, without finding anything to say to her.Today she was wearing a form-fitting pencil skirt, a silky pink blouse, and a pair of black stilettos. Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun, and her makeup was natural. Despite her good looks, she's twice as aggravating as she is attractive. She's not loyal, not by a long shot. I'd thought she'd be soft, but instea
CHARLOTTABruce Moore is a charming devil. How could someone so handsome be so difficult to work with? It must be because he knew he was attractive and used it to his advantage. On one hand, he wanted my loyalty, but on the other hand, I am my own person, and I wouldn't let him walk all over me.I glared at Bruce as he asked me out of his office upon his friend's arrival. Slamming the door shut, I needed to escape before I unleashed my frustration on the nearest object, maybe a vase over that guy's head. Damn him for ruining such a sweet moment for me.Walking out of the elevator, I spotted a few unfamiliar faces in the lobby - three ladies and two men. They glanced at each other and then at me, the men eyeing me up and down before one of the ladies, a blondie, spoke up. “Hey bitch, mind telling me who you are and what your business is here?" she asked, looking at me disdainfully."I'm the new CEO's secretary, and if you've got a problem with that, you can take it up with him," I repl
BRUCE Mateo has noticed that something's off about me, and he's not buying my excuses. I keep telling him I'm fine, but he can tell I'm not being completely honest with him. He's probably worried about me, and I hate making him feel that way. I don't know how to fucking tell him that I'm having a crush on my secretary."Come on, let's grab a drink and unwind," Matt said, standing in the doorway of my office, one hand resting on the frame. His body language was relaxed, but his tone was insistent.The company was throwing a welcome party for all the new employees. Usually, most of them took this opportunity to go out and celebrate, since it was their first chance to get out and let loose after the stress of getting a new job. I wonder if Charlotta would attend."I don't know, man," I said, digging through my desk drawers and pulling out a stack of papers and a pen. "I've got too much to do than to go out and party." I sighed, dropping the supplies on the table and turning to face Matt
CHARLOTTA "So you want me to come to this party with you?" Bella glanced down at the oversized t-shirt and bun shorts that she was wearing and sighed. "Ugh, I don't even have anything to wear."“You wear something of mine," I offered. I was a foot taller than Anabella. I went over to the closet and rummaged through the clothes, pulling out a black dress. "This one might fit you," I said, handing it to her. "It's a little tight on me though, but it might work for you." I watched her take the dress from me, immediately holding it up against her body to check the fit. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, dropping the dress onto the bed. With a swift motion, she pulled her t-shirt off over her head, revealing her perky breasts and then proceeded to remove her shorts before sliding into the dress."How do I look?" Bella did a little 360 spin in front of the mirror. She looked amazing in the strapless, body-hugging dress that accentuated her curves. "You look gorgeous!" I exclaimed, not able to hol
BRUCE It was good to be out with the guys, away from the stresses of work and duty. Mateo along with Harley, and Harvey, the Kramer twins. Harvey and Harley Kramer were identical twins. Physically, the twins were tall and lean, with dark hair and green eyes. And like most twins, their personalities were no different. They were outgoing and always the life of the party. You know what they say - if the Kramers are around, it's gonna be a blast!Their dad was a major shareholder, so they had an inside track of the company. Harvey is in charge of runnin' the show in the finance department. Harley’s the one who signs off the big deals. They've got the whole thing on lockdown, and they know their stuff darn well.We'd been coming to this hotel for years. The VIP table was our usual spot and it would be hard not to see anything or anyone from here. The atmosphere was vibrant and energetic, as the lights flashed and glowed in a dizzying array of colors. Maybe a song ‘can't stop the feeling’
CHARLOTTAI'd been lost in thought when I crashed into a man who was shutting off my path. I looked up and saw him standing there, fucking dick, Bruce, positioned beside the door in a black button top tucked neatly dipped down below his dior belt and a tan trousers. Looking like an American model. Fuck! My jaws were hanging open. I snapped it shut, then halted right in front of him."I find it hard to believe that you're not aware of the company's policy on employees attending social events without prior approval from their boss.” He said arrogantly, cocking his head.I rolled my eyes. “And I also find it hard to believe that you wouldn't have mentioned this to me beforehand." I frowned. I looked away, decided not to give this mother fucker another wink of my attention."I see," he said, his tone icy. "Well, I'll make sure you get a copy of the company's rules and regulations, so this doesn't happen again." He paused, his gaze boring into me. "And in the future, I expect you to follow
CHARLOTTA"So, I've gotta ask again," Jenna said as we walked out of the restroom. "What's going on between you and the boss?”I rolled my eyes, "I don't know what you're driving at.” I replied.Jenna grabbed my hands and spun me around to face her, “Oh c'mon don't play dumb. I ran into him on the way to the female bathroom and you happened to be the only person there.” Jenna narrowed her eyes. “I know something's going on between you two.”She must have suspected something was off between us but I don't want to give her the slightest impression that I have a thing going on with the boss. Yes I've kinda developed feelings for Bruce Moore but I have to keep it a secret even though it meant pretending to it.“I'm not sure why you're getting so worked up over nothing.” I uttered, forcing a smile.But come to think of it, it's really getting to me - I mean, I never really had feelings for him, and suddenly he's all seductive and in the next minute he's all bossy.Jenna stepped closer to m
BRUCE Mateo and the twins had left to play a game of pool at the bar. They were all competitive, and I knew they would be trash-talking each other and drinking beer while they played. I had been invited to join them, but I had declined, preferring to stay alone with my thoughts.I took another sip of my drink, as I felt the burn in my throat. It's been a rough day, and the alcohol was the only thing that seemed to numb the pain and keep my mind off Charlotta.“What's up, party boy?" I turned to look at the speaker, she was a hot brunette, she had red painted lips with a seductive voice and sultry eyes. She was wearing a figure-hugging dress made from sheer black silk that revealed every curve of her body and a tantalizing view of her boobs."Hi," was the only thing I could say to her.“Mind if I share a table with you?" She bit her bottom lips. I cursed slowly, staving off my gaze immediately and my thoughts started going erratic. She was directly in my line of vision and my gaze lin