Hired (Forbidden Lovers: Rosie Anders)

1 - Have it Your Way

"Can I have everyone's attention please?"

I look at the clock before I settle my gaze on Matthew, our boss, as he calls out across the room. Five past two, just after our staggered lunch breaks have finished - standard time for announcing a promotion. It's happened a lot over the last few months; he seems to be giving out promotions all over the place and it grates me to the bone. Mainly because half of the women, yes women (it's only ever women), are not ready for the responsibility he is giving them. They are usually stuck-up snobs with perfectly slim figures strutting around in their tight little dresses, boobs half hanging out, who cannot possibly know the ins and outs of all our magazines after only being here for a few weeks.

Every time he announces a new member of our team in the head office, it makes me wonder what position they had to get into for him to agree to put them higher up on the team. Here I am busting my arse off every day, near on twelve hours a day, five days a week just to make sure that the layout of every single page of our weekly magazines have been formatted correctly, as well as ironing out any typos and grammar mistakes, only for someone with vastly less experience to go and get a job that I deserve more. Not that I'm jealous, and I'm certainly not desperate enough to do whatever the next blonde bimbo has done to get that promotion. I dread to think how many people Matthew has gotten off with recently.

His life ambition must be to do every single girl on the below floors so he can have a department full of beauties to look at every day, ready to answer his every beck and call.

I secured my job when his dad was in charge, during my first year of university so he couldn't change the ranks of current employees when he had to take over after his dad retired a year later, but he's definitely had a lot of fun hiring new employees and promoting them to make room for other potential lays. The cycle goes on. Maybe it was having to take on the business at a young age that didn't help him get the professionalism right at the beginning. I doubt his dad even realises that he's letting people shag their way to the top. I mean I guess it's easy access to sex whenever he wants with a lot of willing volunteers, but I do wonder what their interviews are like to get into the company to start with. That is something I would love to be privy to. Maybe.

"Please welcome the newest member of the editorial team, Millie." Matthew's voice brings me out of my daydream, and he gestures to the skinny blonde beside him who is fully made up and smiling sheepishly at everyone, seemingly really shy and nervous from all the attention.

I'm not surprised he picked her. Probably saw an easy target and thought he could up her confidence with some deep meaningful, one on one time. Poor Millie. Hope she realises now what she has gotten herself into and who he really is. He is incapable of loving anyone - all he wants is power and money. Annoyingly, he already has both and he sure as hell knows it. Prick!

"I know she's only been here a few weeks, but she has shown real promise and determination to help make this magazine the very best it can be." He grips her shoulders lightly and she seems to blush a little as she gives him a smile.

"Yeah, promise that she will get undressed when he deems it necessary!" Chloe and Kacey, my two best friends and colleagues, snigger beside me.

I do my best to ignore them even though I want to laugh right along with them. I mean, they do have a point there.

"Hey Rosie?"

I finally glance at them, both of them stifling a smile. "Yes?" I ask, pretty sure I know what they are going to say. It's always the same when someone new gets brought up to our team.

"When are you going to ask about a promotion?" Chloe asks, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm not." I shake my head and give them another glance as Matthew and Millie talk to a few people probably giving their congratulations. "What's the point?" I turn back to them, now both smiling slightly. "I am not stooping that low just for a promotion. Anyway, I dread to think how far I'd have to go to become the lead editor of the entire company."