Riding with Desire

Chapter 7

Sophia 

"I am—you can think about the offer. It's a pretty easy job, but there are some rules," he says as he opens the fridge and takes out a bottle of mango juice. Rules? What rules? I mean, I'm sure he won't be a jerk like my previous boss, but can I trust him? I'm too afraid to look for another job. What if I get transported to another country by human traffickers? I don't have the experience or skills to get a secure, high-paying job.

"Want some?" he asks, offering me the bottle. I shake my head. "I don't like mango juice." He raises an eyebrow as if saying, "How can anyone not like mango juice?" But I don't, so I just don't. "What do you like then?" he asks, putting the juice back in the fridge.

"Kiwi juice," I reply. He leans on the fridge door, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. My eyes can't help but wander to his arms. "I see."

"What rules?" I ask again.

"Nothing much, just a few things. Be on time, don't question me. You're not allowed to interact with anyone besides me. If someone talks to you, pretend you don't hear them. You're just here to help me with my tasks—do you get it?" His tone is possessive, which feels odd for a secretary position. Don't secretaries have to interact with others to book meetings and stuff? I think for a moment before speaking again.

"What if someone calls and asks for you? What if—"

"Do not answer any calls!" he interrupts, enunciating each word slowly. It almost sounds like a threat, but his eyes are calm and steady. "Um, okay. And what about the salary?" I ask, feeling embarrassed. My cheeks burn, maybe because I have a fever? It's cold, my hair is wet, and I'm just wearing his shirt.

"We can discuss that based on your performance," he says.

"I see. When do I start working? And where?"

"You can start right now! I have tons of files to sort out. Besides, I'm pretty sure you're not going home in those clothes at this hour of the night." I look at the clock; it's almost 11 PM. How did time fly by so quickly? Where's my phone? I need to call my mom.

"Where's my phone? I didn't tell my mom I am going for a job."

"Great—if something happened to you, no one would know where you were or with whom. So smart of you, little angel.", he scoffs and I ignore him.

"Come on, how many times do I have to tell you that I didn't know—gosh, spare me now," I say, walking towards the couch where my purse is, my voice tinged with annoyance. "And stop calling me little angel. I'm not little, for God's sake." I open my purse and take out my phone. There are a few text messages from Mia about an upcoming assignment, some from a life and health insurance company, and one from my mom.

"Sophia, your father and I are going out of town tonight. Uncle Jasper is in the hospital; we think he had a heart attack. We need to be there soon. I'm sorry, it's urgent. We could have stayed and taken you too, but I hope you understand. Lock the doors before sleeping."

"What's wrong?" he asks, probably reading my worried expression. Uncle Jasper lives in our previous town, and when we moved here, he wasn't happy at all. I hope he's okay."Family emergency. They're out of town," I say, refreshing my messages, and hoping for more updates on Uncle Jasper's health.