His Personal Assistant

15. | A Raise

I walk into the kitchen to grab a drink of water when there's a knock on my door. Confused, I walk to the door, opening it.

"Adam? What are you doing here?" I ask, staring at my landlord standing on my porch.

"Hey, do you mind if I come in? There's something I need to talk to you about." He looks unsure. I nod slowly, stepping out of the way to let him inside.

I close the door, walking past him into the kitchen. "If this is about rent, I'll pay you back when I get my next paycheck. I have most of it, but this next check will cover it." I get into the fridge as I talk.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk about." I lean back, looking at him from behind the fridge door. "I've come to the conclusion that you aren't able to keep up with the bills, and I've added up how many times you've been late or haven't paid me back. And not just you, but your father."

I shut the fridge door, stalking toward him with a water bottle in hand. "What about it?"

"I want five-thousand dollars." He blurts out.

I stumble, unsure I heard him right. "Five grand?"

He nods. "In two weeks."

"Two weeks?! Do you know how crazy you sound?!" I exclaim.

"Would you rather pay the twenty-thousand you owe?" He raises his brow.

"I've lived here my entire life! And now you're saying I have two weeks to pay back five grand or I'm out?" I step toward him as I speak.

"Precisely." He nods. "Look, I get that you've lived here your entire life. But no one in your family has been able to pay it off. And as generous as I've been, it's starting to damage my company."

"Damage your company? How the hell is one house damaging your company?!" I glare at him, the water bottle crinkling under my grip.

"Believe me, Naomi. It is. And I'm sorry, but I can't keep being generous. You have two weeks to get me the money." He steps backward. "Send my condolences to your father. Hope he gets better." He gives me a sympathetic smile before walking out the door.

He just told me I have two weeks to get him five thousand dollars or I'm evicted, and he's telling me to send his condolences? What a prick!

***

"I need a raise." I blurt as I lean on Rhys's desk, him behind it.

He looks up at me, his brows furrowed. "Why? I thought I was paying enough for your bills."

"Uh— I— You were— Are. I just— I need the money." I stammar.

"I can't give you a raise without a good reason." He turns back to his desk, going through paperwork.

"Then give me overtime."

"Can't give you overtime." He shakes his head.

"Then give me overtime at the bakery!" He's really getting on my nerves.

"You don't work at the bakery."

I rear back. "Yes, I do." I give him a weird look.

He looks up at me, a muscle in his jaw clenching. "When was the last time you went to the bakery?"

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I growl, frustrated. "I don't have time to go searching for another job."

"Why do you suddenly want a raise?"

"Because I...have to pay Maya's student loans." Sorry, Maya.

He narrows his eyes. "Why can't she pay them?"

"Because..." I fumble over what to say. "I...told her I'd pay them for her. Since she's done so much for me."

He nods slowly. "Okay... Still can't give you a raise." I huff, pushing off his desk and storming off to the door. It's the bakery all over again.

***

I walk to the break room, grabbing a cup of very much needed coffee. I sigh, sipping on it as one of my coworkers walks into the room. "You're Naomi, right?" She asks, stopping in front of me.

I nod unsurely. "Yeah. Why do you ask?"

Her eyes snag on the cup in my hand. "You got me a coffee? Awe, you shouldn't have." I open my mouth to speak, but she takes the cup from me, sipping on it. "Mm. Delicious." She holds it out to me. "Want a drink?"

"I want my cup back." I tell.

"Here you go." She pulls off the lid, splashing the coffee on my shirt. I gasp in shock, pulling my shirt off my skin at the burning sensation. "Enjoy your coffee, Naomi." She says my name with malice as she sets my cup on a table.

She walks away and I huff. How do I always end up in this situation?

I grab paper towels and begin to clean myself as I walk to the nearest bathroom.

I grimace, wiping at the coffee stain on my white blouse. I work with a bunch of bitches. I stride to the bathroom, but a hand grabs onto me, pulling me. I yelp as I'm pulled into the board room. I stumble but catch myself and spin around, crossing my arms.

"Okay, you've been ignoring me a— What happened to your shirt?" He looks at the stain. I move my hands and do the same.

I shrug. "Like I said, the girls hate me."

"Who did it?" He steps toward me, a threatening note in his voice.

"Why would it matter? There's nothing to do about it now." I sigh, shrugging.

"You forget, I'm the CEO. I can easily fire them." He crosses his arms.

I scoff. "Yeah, and give the girls an even bigger reason to hate me. We don't need another Kylie." I turn away from him.

He sighs, dropping it. "You're ignoring me."

"I'm standing here, talking to you, aren't I?" I quirk a brow.

"You know what I mean. You've been dodging me ever since you asked for a raise. And not even just then! You've been avoiding me for days."

"What, would you rather I talk about movies, gossip to the big ole boss, Rhys, about my latest troubles?" I fake-pout. "I'm here strictly because I need the money for rent. Nothing else. So you can't ask for anything else, either."

"I'm not asking for anything." He seems to think about it. "Okay, that's a lie. I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go to dinner with me? This Saturday?"

Saturday.

"I can't. I'll be busy."

His brows furrow. "With what?"

"Personal matters." I retort.

"Okay...then, do you need a ride there?"

"No. I can take the L." I cross my arms.

His eyes narrow. "The L?"

I huff a laugh. "I forget. Rich people never had to deal with finding transportation. The L is a train."

"You'd rather take a train filled with perverted men, than take one of my cars where I know you'll be safe?"

I inhale deeply. "There are perverted men everywhere. This is nothing different." I state. "I'll go on a date with you Sunday. I'll be free." Then I leave.