Page 19 of Risque
Jasmine holds up a hand. “Woah, woah,woah.Mate? Jax.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything until Mila is ready but we knew it the first moment he walked into my office.”
Nolan cuts in again. “I thought Mom was your mate.”
“No, not exactly. We fell in love. Mila, however, is biologically my mate. I don’t understand it and I know there’s going to be quite the obstacles going forward but if he’ll have me…”
Nolan pushes out of his chair, swiping his plate of pasta across the table. Noodles and chicken spray across the floor, anger settling in his expression. “No! He’s mine! How many times do I have to fucking tell you—”
I shoot out of my chair and reach across the table to grab him by the scruff of his neck. “Youcheatedon that sweet little Omega, Nolan. You broke his fucking heart when all he wanted to do was give you his. Get it through your thick skull that he does not want a man who can not own up to his mistakes. When we finally had a meal together, I wanted to tell you that your mother left you more provisions than you originally thought, thatlegallyyou are my son and owed it.” I push him backward and dip into the drawer beside my chair. “However, I no longer feel like having a civil conversation with you. So, here. Yourprovisionsshe left you. Don’t squander it all in the same place.”
Nolan is just staring at the folder, bond letters and the outline of a trust fund inside. Each and every page needed my signatureas well as a notary when Nolan signed. I wanted to explain everything to him when he was 30, a promise I made with his mother but it’s not worth it now. She had envisioned him working his way up here and that by the time I handed him that folder, I would also be handing him some part of the company.
Fat chance.
I turn to Jasmine, the Alpha standing up and bowing her head. “I think it’s best that Mr. Grey returns to the café downstairs or finds work elsewhere. It is inappropriate that you are in a relationship with your assistant—”
“I’m going to stop you there. You were insinuating that I be with you, the head of HR, which seems even more inappropriate. So, here’s what we’re going to do.” I grab the phone from my desk and dial one of the executives down the hall to send Mila here immediately. I only have to wait five minutes before the doe-eyed Omega is peeking inside, fear running through his expression. “Come here, sweetheart.”
He does as he’s asked, scurrying over to my side, his gaze racing between Jasmine and Nolan. “What… um… what’s going on?” He looks over at the mess of noodles on the ground and then at me, tears glazing in his eyes.
“Mila, it seems that both Nolan and Jasmine have had concerns about our relationship here so I wanted to set the record straight before I made any decisions.” He nods, one of his hands curling into my sleeve for support. He smells distressed but he’s keeping that smile on his face for me. “Did you break up with Nolan?” Mila nods. “And you’re no longer together in any capacity, correct?” Another nod. “Jasmine says that you working as my assistant and my boyfriend can’t happen onEpicureapayroll so I’m going to have to let you return to the café downstairs.” Another nod, slower this time.
We spoke about this last night while Mila was wrapped around me, my knot swollen inside of him. I had told him that Jasminewas probably searching for something to break us apart or at least remove Mila from my side. I told him that I might have to let him gopubliclybut that didn’t mean I couldn’t hire him as a personal assistant with my own funds.
When he asked, ‘like a sugar daddy’, I only laughed and tried to fuck him again.
Mila steps back, twisting his hands together, his bottom lip trembling as a tear escapes. “I… understand.”
It takes me a moment to realize that he’s not acting, that this situation is overwhelming and he’s having a hard time. “Mila, I’d like to speak to you privately how this is going to affect you going forward, okay?”
Jasmine looks like she’s over the moon and Nolan looks like someone kicked his dog. It’s too bad he didn’t know how to cherish what he had. I wave them both out of my office before dragging Mila into my chest, the Omega burying his head in my shirt.
“Sweetheart, fuck, I’m not actually firing you, okay?”
“I know. It’s just Jasmine was so mean this morning and then I saw Nolan and I… what… I’m going back to the café at least, right?” He pulls away from me to search my face and I can see the hope that he’s still going to be working atEpicurea.
My thumbs swipe across his cheeks. “If that’s what you want. But I really did want to hire you as my assistant.”
“Because I can taste things for you?”
“Because I like you.Reallylike you and I want you at my side at all times. Hell, I don’t even like dropping you off at your apartment.”
His nose scrunches up. “But it’s only been a few days.”
“Tell me you don’t feel it too, Mila. Everything in me is telling me to claim you but we need time and I know that. I’m just hoping that during all of that time, I can hold you too.”
His face lights up and he nods, leaning forward for a kiss. I happily oblige him, tasting him softly as he melts against me. These are moments I cherish above all else, moments when he’s pliant in my hands and we need nothing other than each other.
“Jasmine won’t be happy,” he murmurs against my lips before placing his head just beneath my chin.
“I don’t really care. We’ve been friends for a very long time but her goals aren’t mine and if that means I have to let her go…”
“You’d fire her?”
“No. She wouldn’t have a choice but to leave because at the end of the day, I’m the last vote. It’s my company and I think in some part she forgot that. Now, I really don’t want to talk about that. What’s for lunch?”
“I’m guessing not Italian.”
