crave | 16+

VII

JOSIE

I LOOK AROUND THE new floor I've been promoted to. The entire thing feels like a fever dream. I'm simply waiting for someone to come and pinch me, for me to wake up, for something real to happen. But everyone working seem real. Kristen tailing Elijah seems real. The guy at the front desk seems real. Everything seems real.

The sound of the phone placed on my desk ringing breaks me out of my trance and I arch my brows as I reach for the landline phone.

"Josie Moore speaking," I say into the phone.

"My office in 5."

The phone hangs up. My mouth falls open a bit. I place it back to its place and look around. Thankfully, everyone is still working. Then I spend the remaining 2 minutes panicking and think over everything I've worked on. I may have run a bit over the budget with the Vin Diesel idea, but if Elijah approves I'll promise him it'll be a big hit.

On my way toward his office I feel my annoyance radiate a bit off me. I don't like being summoned, but he didn't sound like someone who had extra time for attitude and snarky comments. Perhaps it's about me just walking into his office the other day – if that's the case, I already pre-wrote an apology and memorised it. When I turn right down the long hallway where his office is, I see Kristen already making her way into Elijah's office.

This can't be good.

This time, when I stand in front of his doors, I knock first. When I get no reply, I sigh and pray a quick prayer before carefully opening the door, peeking inside. What I see makes my goddamned jaw drop. Kristen is standing before him, on her tiptoes, both her hands on his shoulders. When I enter the office, I see their mouths on each other. It isn't a cute kiss. It's a wet disgusting french kiss, that makes it look like they're vacuuming each other's souls out. Or attempting.

Almost on cue with me entering the office, Elijah grabs Kristen's hands and pushes her off of him. She makes a huffing noise, and when she turns around and sees me her eyes go a bit wide but the twitch on the side of her lip doesn't go unnoticed. I look past her directly over to Elijah who looks like he's seen a ghost.

"Mr. Christ," I say in a monotone that gives Kristen a look of satisfaction. He nods his head, pointing to the chair. The same one I sat in 4 years ago when he and his brothers decided to interrogate me. The same Kristen probably sat in. Despite my rage, I walk toward it, taking a seat. I look forward, directly out into the view New York city holds from Christ Enterprises.

The sound of a pair of heels clicking against the marble floors make it known to me that Kristen is getting out of the office. A few moments later the door closes and I see from the corner of my eye Elijah walking toward his seat across from me. He sits down. For a moment all there's in the room with us, is agonising silence. Then he breaks the ice.

"How are you getting along with people here?"

"Okay," I reply in the same monotone. He nods his head and leans back in his chair. The silence isn't comfortable, it's the strict opposite. It's making me want to rip my eyeballs out, so I'm free of having to keep staring at him because my stubbornness won't let him have this moment.

"Is it allowed for the workers to have intimate relationships with their co-workers?" I ask in rage, not allowing my mind to scan the question before I utter it. Elijah raises a brow and suddenly looks amused.

"Who is having an intimate relationship at the firm with their co-worker?" he asks me back. Does he think I'm an idiot. Two can play his fucking game.