Page 13 of Big Bad Wolf: B.B.W
Sherrie and I gawked at him to determine his seriousness. Orion was dead ass serious. After another few beats, Sherrie pulled my office door open hard and stormed out of the office. Orion stepped out behind her, so I went to my closet to get the broom and dustpan for the broken frame. By the time that I finished the cleanup, Orion was back in the office.
“Orion, did that really just happen?” I put the broom and dustpan away before I spoke again. “Was she really embezzling or you just said that?”
His head bucked back. “Don’t insult me, Ellie. You should know me well enough by now to know that I don’t pop fiction. Yes, she was, but not on a large scale. As you know, there is fifteen hundred dollars for the company-sponsored lunch budget line. When was the last time y’all had a sponsored lunch?”
I lifted my shoulders to my ears. “I wasn’t trying to insult you, and I know your dick, but yeah. Um, we had one when you got here. Before that it was a very long time.”
“The monthly lunches weren’t happening, but the money was still being spent on caterers and stuff. After a little research, it was discovered that she used the money to have her own monthly gatherings with her friends. The caterer that she paid was a friend, who charged her on the bill for the fifteen but gave Sherrie a kickback.” It wasn’t clear if Orion was mad or annoyed. “As far as only knowing my dick, that will be changed.”
My head tilted. My curiosity was piqued. “How are you going to change that?”
He gave me that sexy smirk then looked at his wristwatch that cost more than my damn vehicle.
“We can discuss that later. Right now, I need you to pack your shit and move into Sherrie’s office. Have a salary number in mind for your promotion meeting tomorrow for your new branch manager position. Also, decide whether you want to pull one of the other managers up to the marketing manager position or source outside of the company. I have a meeting in ten minutes that I need to prepare for.”
He said all of that, walked over to me, pecked my lips with his, then left my office. My head spun. I sat down in my chair. I knew that I said I wanted a bigger office, I just didn’t think that it would come with a promotion.
A Short Time Later . . .
When Orion said that he would change the fact that I only knew his dick, he meant it. The next day, he formally asked me out on a date. Naturally, I accepted. When I asked him for the details of the date, he told me that I would have them all soon. When herandomly texted me about whether I had a passport, I was even more intrigued.
Well, Mr. Leventis was a man that did it big. I knew that from how he handled his business, and now, I knew from how he handled his personal life. We didn’t go on our date, if it could even be called that, until the next weekend. He told me to pack a bag for the weekend, and a car would pick me up on Friday morning. That confused me because I had to work, but he informed me that I had the day off that was customary when transitioning to a new role in the company. It was the company policy that when an associate was promoted to a new role, the last day in their previous role was given to them as a paid transitional day off. It allowed the associates to get their mind prepared for their new space within the firm.
When Orion said that a car would pick me up on Friday morning, I didn’t think he meant at damn midnight on Friday morning. I didn’t like that, but my mouth was sealed when we pulled up to a private airport. The car pulled right up to the plane like I was a celebrity or something.Yes! Make me feel like royalty!Orion stood at the bottom of the stairs with his hands in his pockets. It wasn’t until we were in the air that he told me we were going to Greece.
On that almost eleven-hour flight, we ate, talked, watched a movie, fucked, and slept. I officially became a member of the mile-high club. On our way to Greece, I prayed that whatever this was between us lasted forever because he ruined it for any man after him.Greece as a first date!
Our first date was the best date that I’d ever been on. I got to meet his father and other family members. We went to Rio Beach, which was gorgeous. He scheduled for me to have a photoshoot in that flowy dress that the women on social media always posted. I had the time of my life during the photoshoot,and it turned up a little when he joined the shoot. We vibed so well that the photographer asked if we were married.
That weekend was the official beginning of me and Orion’s romantic, exclusive relationship. On the last night that we were there, he put it all on the table. He let me know that he wanted to be in an official relationship with me. I suggested that we get to know each other better. He clarified that we could get to know each other within the confines of our relationship.It’s backward to be so willing to give me your pussy but not your time to be mine.Welp, that was that, and now, I was in a relationship.
My promotion to branch manager had already been announced, and everyone was excited. I chose to promote from within when it came to the marketing manager. Our digital manager was promoted to marketing manager, and she would backfill her position. After the position was backfilled, with Orion’s approval, I had a weekend manager’s retreat in Charlotte so that we could level set and strategize to bring the branch to new heights. Yes, I was fucking the boss, but I was also a boss.
“Baby, where are we going?” I asked from the passenger seat of Orion’s luxury SUV.
One thing that I learned while being in a relationship with him was that he loved surprising me. I never knew I liked surprises until this relationship.
He was not my first relationship. I couldn’t say that I was heartbroken from a previous relationship either. There was never a time where I fully invested myself into a man like I was with Orion. Since I was a teenager, I knew that I wanted to spend my twenties having fun and focusing on my career. I’d use my thirties for love and children.
He lifted my hand that was clasped in his on top of the armrest and kissed the back of it.
“Baby, I’m going to tell you because I don’t want you to panic. When we got into this relationship, I told you that we would getto know each other within the relationship. Well, when we’re in Raleigh, we spend time at your townhouse or my condo. Well, that is not my permanent home.”
I leaned away from him and pulled my hand back. “Nigga, if you tell me that your ass is married or some shit, it’s about to be a blood bath in this bitch. You talking about that isn’t your permanent home. So you’ve been taking me to your ho pad?”
He side eyed me before he erupted into laughter. “What, Ellie? No. That’s not it at all. My house is in Lumberton. I live on the Lumbee Indian Reservation.”
Now it was my turn to side eye him.
“Wait. I’m lost. You’re Greek, Black, and Indian?”
He shook his head. “Nah, my Aunt Alexi married a member of the Lumbee tribe. She and her family moved to Washington State decades ago, but her family still owned their homes on the reservation. The tribe’s chief gave me permission to move on the reservation.”
I heard what he said, but confusion still filled me. “Why would he do that? Most reservations are not that friendly to outsiders. I mean, I get that your aunt has a connection, but that’s not you. For the chief to give you permission is surprising.”
“What do you know about what a chief would do?” he asked with a titter. “I get what you’re saying though. I don’t know. I guess I’m a loveable guy.”
I giggled at his arrogance. “Yeah, okay. Is that where we’re going now?”
