better off with you | book two |

17

"you take your lunch?" owen asks coming into my office standing at the door.
"i did, you?"
"i don't typically take my lunch, i have dinner when im done at the office."
"that's not good mr smith, you need to eat."
"yeah yeah, come into my office and we can talk."
i get up from my chair and follow him through the door and sit across from him.

"we have a history. that can't be a problem here. do you understand what i am talking about."
"we can't sleep together? fine by me, wasn't all that great"
"alana" he sighs
"when we're at work there is no flirting or banter, whatever it is you want to call it. i got it." i tell him
"also our real past, from highschool. if that gets leaked to the media we are both screwed. and i mean it, there will be a lot of speculation on how you got this job and it will be a lot of backlash on the two of us."
"hey boss man, i got it. if you can keep it in your pants so can i"
he nods and leans back in his chair

"have i mentioned how good you look black" my eyes scan over his tight black button down that grip his biceps.
"oh you want to do this?" he smirks
"i just thought i would let you know."
he then looks over my outfit, the square neck detailing of this shirt made me look good, i won't lie, so i can't blame him for looking.
"why don't you take that blazer off, seems like someone's hot and bothered."
"i'm perfectly fine, i promise."

"you're a beautiful girl alana, i don't tell you that enough"
"thank you Mr. smith and you're right, you don't tell me that enough."
"i'll be sure to do it more often."
"anything else we need to discuss?"
"i emailed you a few catalogs. i'd like you to look over them, see what sticks out to you and let me know. we need the best pieces in our next show."
"got it."

"this building, it's for every company you own. how many is that?"
"six different types of corporations. the clothing line. night clubs, seven of them. my hotels, three hundred and six across the world. my oil company which i don't pay as close attention to. there is a whole department in the left wing that keeps everything straight there. I fund fifteen doctors offices in new york and i have a very private compound in italy that i do work for every day, but that stays between us. okay?"

"how did you do this, i mean you're twenty two and probably one of the wealthiest people i know."
"inheritance. there's a long line of wealthy men in the smith family. the oil company and business in italy was passed down. the rest was my own doing, i have learned from a young age how to budget correctly and spend money where it is necessary."
"when you went to italy senior year, was that for the buisness"
"yes"
"how did you graduate, you missed almost five months of school."
"i did work online that got my senior credits up. i then went to NYU and learned business management for two years while taking weekend and summer courses so i was able to graduate early. the oil company was given to me when my dad didn't want to run it, we work together in italy for that buisness and living in new york where fashion is so popular i figured coming out with a clothing line was in my best interest. opening clubs was a pastime, i had the money for it and thought why not. funding doctors offices was always something i wanted to do, if i can give back in some way i would want it to be that. and finally, the hotels. it's very easy to create chain hotels when i have so many connections around the world and money to do it."

you know in highschool i thought he was an immature kid who wouldn't go anywhere in life. i know he had gotten into ivys for college but last i heard he didn't need it and he could succeed without it.
i went to FIT for two years while taking online business management courses at brown. before getting signed by an agency and then that was that i had done shows since my second month at FIT.

"owen, what's the business in italy" i ask him
"strictly family. it's not on the contract you signed for our partnership. you have access to everything but my ties with italy and it will stay that way. i'm sorry."
i nod and lean back in my chair.

"there's a lot of safety precautions you take here, i mean at PWW we had protocol obviously but nothing like this, nothing so serious." i try to change the subject
"i make a lot of people unhappy alana. this creates lots of enemies. i have to be sure that everyone here has full protection. especially you"
"i don't need people making sure that i get home. it's a short drive. i can do it."
"it's out of question. you really should have read that whole contract like you said you did." he laughs

"hey alana since we were talking about our past. i have to ask you something and this has been driving me crazy for weeks now." he says
"oh god, what did i do?"
"that night we all went to the club one of your first nights working with us. there was a man there who seemed to make you pretty uncomfortable. an ex boyfriend..."
i sigh, i was hoping he had forgotten about this and it wouldn't be something we would ever need to discuss.

"sean was my first boyfriend, my first love really. we were together from freshman to halfway through junior year. he cheated on me more time than i can count nevermind the physical, mental and verbal abuse from him. when i le-"
"he put his hands on you?" he interrupts me
"it was years ago" i assure him
"he put his hands on you." it was no longer a question but a statement. his voice was agitated and i could hear his breathing.
"yes. but we broke up, and i haven't been back to texas since them. seeing him a few weeks ago was a coincidence."
he narrows his eyes at me.

"he is no one. he just likes to get under my skin."
"i had my security team run through footage for the past two months. he never once went to my club until the night you were there."
"why would you do that?" i snap
"because i didn't like how he made you feel."
i sigh. sean used to scare for the last few months of our relationship i was terrified of him. but that was over five years ago when he was a kid. and im sure he has grown into a better person, he comes from a good family.

"it is not your concern." i tell him
"if he a potential threat to you then it is my concern."
i roll my eyes and scoff at him.
"my personal business has nothing to do with you, please leave it alone. he is no one to be worried about."
"what are the odds that he shows up at the club the same time that you. after not being seen there for two months. he said he lives in the city and this club is one of the most popular. everyone goes. i don't think it was a coincidence"

"what so he's stalking me?" i laugh "yeah right. he is a twenty three year old man, he has better things to do."
"i can't drop it alana, im sorry. it's not sitting right with me."
i shrug, there was no point in arguing with him, he says im the stubborn one?
"i'm not paying any attention to it, if you want to then fine by me."
he nods and opens his computer.

"brunch will be tomorrow at eleven, we're going to big pardon my french, have you been?"
"yeah, lexi and i used to go a few times a month."
"alright, i can meet you there, pick you up or arrange a ride. whatever you want to do."
"i'll text you tonight, okay?"
"sounds good, now get to work" he nods his head towards my office and i give him a small smile.

it was now four thirty and my eyes were hurting. i had been looking over the clothing line catalog for hours circling my top picks from each page. none of these items had been released, everything was set to be shown on the runway before releasing in stores.

as i yawn the conjoining door opens.
"go home, you did good today" owen says
"are you leaving?"
"no, i still have some work to do."
i sigh and look at him.
"if i want to feel equal to you then i need to stay until you go home."
"alana, every day varies. some days im here until noon and others its midnight. you going through the catalog saved me two hours tonight. go home"
i close my eyes and nod. it's my first day. things will change. i grab my blazer and purse and stand up from my desk.

"okay, i'll see you tomorrow for brunch. goodnight mr smith."
"goodnight mrs wright."
he flashes me a small smile before i close my office door and walk out of the building.