Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Dawson and I both get dressed and immediately rush down to the entrance of the building to climb into our limo. He’s stressed out for the duration of the drive, worried about being late to work, even though he’s the CEO of the company. Certainly, he’s allowed to be late every now and then. But I wouldn’t dare say that to Dawson.
We arrive at our office building only ten minutes late. That might as well be a full workday to Dawson, by the way he’s acting.
Lenora, the receptionist, stops me as I pass her desk with a wide smile on her face. “You have a surprise waiting for you in your office.”
“A surprise?” I shake my head, not understanding what it could be. I don’t have any friends, and by the way Dawson’s been acting this morning, he’s definitely not sending me any surprises. My mom sure as hell wouldn’t.
“Maybe you have a secret admirer,” Lenora says in a teasing voice before rushing around her desk to answer a call.
At the very least, Dawson seems intrigued by the information as he storms into my office before I have a chance to open the door myself. I follow him inside to see an oversized, beautiful floral arrangement sitting right in the center of my desk. Bright pink flowers mixed with violets and deep reds, all symbolic of deep love and passion.
My heart beats a little faster, and at first, I think this must be a mistake. The only guy who would potentially send me this is Dawson, and by the look on his face, it’s not from him. I don’t really have any other suitors.
“There’s a note,” Dawson says, grabbing it from the center of the arrangement and handing it to me. I take a tentative step forward and grab it from him, hesitating before opening the small envelope and seeing who it’s from.
My heart drops when I see the name, and I feel like the air has been siphoned from the room, and I’m going to suffocate. My throat is dry, and everything around me is fuzzy. This is probably the last person I wanted something like this from.
“Who the hell is this from?” Dawson asks, his tone more demanding.
I pause for a moment, folding the envelope and looking at Dawson with a heavy weight in my eyes. “It’s from Malik.”
I don’t know why he would send me a bouquet like this. I barely spoke to him yesterday, and I think I was clearly uncomfortable. Something like this is entirely unwarranted. Plus, Dawson swept me away from him quickly enough that he has almost no information about me.
I don’t know much about Malik, but if everything Dawson told me about him is true, he’s not the type of person I want knowing where I work. I spend eight to twelve hours a day here, depending on Dawson’s moods, and I don’t want to be easily found by creepy old men. This entire situation makes me incredibly uncomfortable.
Why did my mom have to choose Henry of all people to marry this time? None of this would have been happening if it weren’t for that. She sure doesn’t know how to pick them.
Dawson’s breathing is shallow as he looks at the vase. I see his eyes narrow as he picks it up and holds it in his hands. It’s a beautiful bouquet, aside from the fact that it’s from Malik, I might be interested in keeping it.
I don’t even have a chance to consider what to do before he throws it against the wall and shatters the vase all over my office.
I jump back from the sudden start of it all and hold my hand over my mouth. I knew he didn’t like Malik, but I never expected him to make such a public display of his rage. People outside of the office hear what’s going on, and they all stop what they’re doing to pay attention, careful not to be too nosy because of Dawson’s temper.
Why the hell does Dawson care so much about this? Is this about the stuff that he said last night?
Dawson thinks he has some sort of possession over me, and I don’t understand it. I’ve barely known him a week. Despite what he likes to think, he doesn’t actually own me. If someone wants to send me flowers, they’re well within their right to do so.
This is my problem. He told me to stay away from Malik, and I didn’t have a chance to because of his father’s interference. Dawson didn’t actually have a say in any of that conversation, which was frustrating enough to him.
But despite my problems with Dawson, I can see how distressed he is now, and I want to take it away. This reaction, my relationship with Malik, these could have repercussions on his business, and if I’m going to be working here for a year, I need to make sure everything is okay. This is, after all, my entire job.