Mr Hood

Chapter 1

YOUR POV

Standing outside this big, tall building was making me nervous all over again.

Starting in a new place was always scary, but when the boss of this new place was known around, it wasn't a good sign.

Mr Hood, the well know business man, was a hard man to please.

Most people said he had a heart made out of stone.

Literally.

Rumours had flew about his past, and of course his present.

Basically he was a massive asshole.

Great!

The huge building was intimidating and I knew the man inside would be just as intimidating.

I stepped inside, a box of my belongings clutched in my hands.

Once inside the big foyer, I glanced around searching for a desk.

There was none.

No welcome desk.

No receptionist.

Nothing.

I stepped further inside and noticed the elevators.

Maybe that's where I needed to go.

I stepped into an empty elevator and immediately began panicking.

Where was everyone?

I wasn't late.

Was I?

I couldn't be late on my first day!

As the elevator came to a sudden stop, I stumbled.

Dropping my box with a loud thud as the doors opened, I cursed.

I could already tell today wasn't going to be a good day.

As I moved to start collecting my things, a large pair of tan hands handed me my box.

Everything was inside, neatly packed just as I'd done it this morning.

I looked up, craning my neck to meet the big brown eyes of the tall stranger before me.

"Are you Miss West?" he asked, his deep husky voice sending shivers down my spine.

I nodded, clutching tighter to the box in my hands.

"You are 5 minutes late Miss West. Make sure this does not happen again. A meeting is being held as we speak. Please come down to meeting room 1 once you have put your belongings in your cubicle," he grumbled.

He turned on his heel and sauntered off, leaving me bewildered with my mouth agape.

Who was that?

I moved through the office finding my cubicle almost straight away.

With my name written in bold on a sheet of plain white paper, it was almost unmissable.

I left my box on the seat, and raced off to find the meeting room.

I couldn't believe I'd been late on my first day.

--

CALUMS POV

I entered the meeting room and immediately the chatting stopped.

Good, at least they knew who was in charge.

"This will be quick," I told my employees. "Clark, what is the latest on your report?"

I turned my attention to my most trustworthy employee and he stood from his seat.

"Almost finished sir. I should have the finalised report on your desk by lunch," he assured me.

I nodded and waved for him to sit again.

"Ashton," I called.

He stood to attention, his bright smile filling up his face and his dimples poking through.

I did not understand his demeanour.

What was he always so happy?

What did he have to be happy about?

"Yes sir?" he asked.

"We have a new employee. A Miss West. I want you to show her around. Keep an eye on her. She should be with us shortly," I told him.

Ashton was another of my most trusted employees.

But my trust in him lay in a different field to Clark.

Clark was the guy I looked to to sort out my reports, files and messages.

He kept ahead of everything and kept me informed of changes.

Ashton, on the other hand, kept me up to date on my employees.

He watched their every move and made sure I knew if any of them was out of line.

And then there was my good friend Luke.

He looked out for my business and was my second hand man.

I trusted him with my life.

He was the only friend I had, and the only one I needed.

I did not do friends.

I did not need them.

But Luke had got to me in a way no other person had.

And he had stuck by me for years now.

"Yes sir," Ashton informed me.

I clapped my hands together.

"Alright that is all. Clark I want that report by lunch. Anyone else with reports, get the drafted copies on my desk by the end of the day. I want them all finalised by tomorrow though, ready to send off," I informed them.

The grunted replies were all I needed to know that they understood.

I quickly dismissed them, ready to get away from all this social interaction.

"Michael. Can you stay one second," I called out to him.

He stepped back in the room and closed the door.

The way his jaw tensed and his chest puffed out, I knew he already figured what this was about.

"You can't tell me not to speak to her," he challenged.

"I can and I will. This is my place of work. So stay away from Miss West," I ordered.

"I have to at least say hello to her. That would be rude if I didn't," he mocked.

He was purposely trying to rile me up.

My teeth clenched together tightly.

"I mean it Clifford. Stay. Away," I said through tight lips.

He just smirked, as he left the room and I knew he would not listen.

Fuck!

I had to make sure he stayed away from her.

I did not know what it was about that brief encounter, but something told me she needed protecting.

And that I had to be the one to do it.

I huffed as I left the room and made my way to the gym on the top floor.

I had too much pent up anger that I needed to get rid of.

I knew one way I wanted to rid myself of the anger.

But that was not professional.

So the gym it was.

--