Can't Touch: A Boss Romance

This is why I avoided relationships for so long. Nothing was getting in the way of my career. I was on the right track. Everything was great.

What feels like five minutes after being with Kris and my career is over. I can’t bring myself to regret what we’ve done, but what’s going to happen now is an entirely different question.

12

Kris

Days pass. I try to catch Chianna in the hallways, but she’s slippery and does an excellent job of avoiding me. And because I’m a fucking idiot, I still don’t have her number.

It doesn’t matter. What needs to be said between us can’t be said over the phone or text. I need to talk to her. Tell her that all the things that her uncle said aren’t true and make sure that she’s okay. That’s all I want.

That’s a lie. I want all of her. I want her in my arms and in my bed and in my entire life. It feels impossible. The way that she’s turned me upside down so quickly, but I don’t care. I’m falling for Chianna Brack, and I don’t care who knows at this point.

She knows that her uncle is an ass. Chianna as much as admitted it. But she’s scared of him and what he’ll do to her career. If my gut is right—and most of the time it is—that’s what’s stopping her from coming and seeing me. She doesn’t want to make things worse.

That’s fine. I’ll make them worse. Because they have to get worse if they’re going to get better.

Meynard is in his office, and when I push in, he scrambles to cover the papers on his desk. “Oh, for God’s sake, Meynard I’m not here to steal your proposal. Mine has been done for two weeks I don’t need yours.”

The man sits back in his chair, trying to pretend he’s not angry or trying to stop himself from leaping out of the chair and hitting me. “What do you want?”

“I want you to back the fuck off, and let Chianna be happy.”

“And happy means being with you?”

I roll my eyes. “Being happy means being happy. Christ. You’ve terrified her into thinking that you’re going to destroy her career if she doesn’t toe the line with you. And that’s revolting.”

“Did she tell you that?”

“No.” I shake my head. “She’s been avoiding me. Another thing that I’m sure is your fault.”

Meynard leans forward on his desk and folds his hands together. “We’re equals right now, Kris. But we won’t be for long. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from her.”

I stare at the man. Something doesn’t add up here. He may hate me, but what he’s doing to Chianna doesn’t directly affect me. At least not when it comes to her work. There’s something else at play. “Why do you want to make her miserable?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You make her work harder than any of the other interns. You demand all of her time, even outside of work hours. That’s more responsibility than anyone should be given, especially for the rate that we pay them.”

Meynard’s face flashes, and he glances up at me and then away. Why? Now he seems to be avoiding my gaze. “What did you do?”

“Just go mind your own business, Canterbar. Soon enough we’ll be out of each other’s lives for good.”

There’s an inkling forming in my gut, and I turn on my heel so I can go straight back to the office. My level in the company is high enough to see salary records. And he looked strange after I mentioned Chianna’s.

My stomach drops when I see it. He’s not paying her a dime. All of her hours are added to his paycheck, and they’re deposited into his account. Meynard is using her to make cash while working her to the bone. I’ve seen the way she’s been frantically running around the last few days. He’s been using it like free overtime. The bastard.

Core Tech always pays our interns a living wage. Always. But if he was the one to reach out with the opportunity, then she might not have known. The bastard. That’s even lower than I expected of him, and it’s not going to stand.

The intern bullpen is crowded. I’m rarely down here on this side of the office—I rarely need to be. But Chianna needs to know this. Even if she never wants to see me again, she needs to know exactly the kind of man that is holding her back.

“Chianna.”

She looks up from her desk and then back down, stiff as a board. “I can’t talk to you.”

“I don’t give a shit what your uncle does to me for talking to you, there are things that you need to know.”

Her face snaps back up. “You think I’m concerned about what he’s going to do to you? He’ll fire me, Kris. Just for talking to you. Please go.”