Autumn - In Love With My Boss (An Office Romance)| Completed

Chapter 20 - Autumn

No sooner have I crossed the street in front of the store than I see him, running towards me.

"Autumn," he yells. "Wait!"

I panic. My steps become faster until I'm practically sprinting, away from him, back towards the safety of my office building.

"Babe, wait! We should talk!"

Crap, he is chasing me. I curse my lazy ass; that same ass that rather stays at home, comfy and warm, than to go work out. This is what I get for not making use of my gym membership. I have never been a good runner and now, that I haven't even been on the ice in years, I'm so out of shape that I can't even escape him in the few blocks that lie between the store and work. In fairness, though, I'm also wearing heels; a fact that doesn't really contribute well to my ability to throw him off.

Mike catches up with me right in front of the building.

"Go away," I hiss, totally out of breath.

"But Babe," he insists, totally not out of breath. "I do need to talk to you."

"I don't want to hear it."

I turn my back to him and want to go inside but he grabs my arm to keep me in place.

"We talk," he growls. "Now."

I try to brush his hand off me, but he only tightens the grip.

"You're hurting me," I cry out.

"Not as much as you hurt me, Sweetie."

He's joking, right?

"Let go of me," I yell, still trying to fight him off.

"You listen to me now. You have been ignoring my texts, my calls, you fucking listen now. I just want to apologize and come back to you."

What the hell?

"Do you live in another universe? Maybe there it is okay to cheat on your girlfriend but here, in this reality, it is not. I'm not going to forgive you and I sure as hell don't take you back. So, let go of me already!"

Now he also grabs my other arm, shaking me.

"What is wrong with you, Autumn? I love you and you love me, we both know it. So where's the problem? I'm coming back. Period."

He shakes me so hard I start to feel a bit dizzy. But I have to tell him that there is no way I'm taking him back, I have to get rid of him.

"I don't love you, Mike, not anymore. Just, please, stop. Let me go."

"You're mine," he grumbles so threateningly I begin to feel true, naked fear taking hold of me.

"She's not, asshole."

Mike is obviously startled by the fact that someone intervenes. Well, I sure am, too. We both look up and there he is. My boss marches straight towards Mike, anger written all over his face.

"If that isn't Mr. Knight-in-shining-armor himself," Mike scoffs arrogantly. "This is none of your business, so get lost."

"It damn well is." Mr. Marlow towers over Mike, animosity clouding his eyes. "You go after my assistant, it is my fucking business. Let her go."

He doesn't, instead, he tries to pull me away with him.

"Come on, Autumn, move it!"

I do my best to refuse, I lean all my weight away from him, hoping to free myself from his painful grip but he is so much stronger.

"Don't make me take off my coat." The tone of Mr. Marlow's voice makes me shudder, I have never heard it like that before. Without a doubt, he is very, very angry.