Ruthless Love

Chapter 10 - Sydney

Flint slams a document in my hand. I can see the word 'contract' written clearly on it. It takes me less than a second to realise that this is possibly the contract to the personal assistant job.

"Your choice," he says. "Accept the job or help Alaina find a new job."

My jaw twitches. He knows exactly how to hurt me. I didn't think he would go that far but Alaina was right. I guess she does know him better. "That's just low."

"You want to talk about low," he says. "When you're not in denial, then come talk to me."

I take a step back. "I'm not accepting the job."

He smirks again. The kind that says 'I win' and I don't like it. "Fair enough."

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and taps on it. I watch him scroll through his contact list until he stops at Alaina's name. My heart beats fast, he really isn't joking.

"Fine!" I shout. "I'll do it."

I watch him grin before shoving his phone back in his pocket. Flint points at the contract in my hand suggesting to read it. I skim read it because I am not in the mood right now. The obvious thing stands out. If I am successful in this job for three months, I can then do as I choose and Alaina will keep her job.

I take a deep breath. Three months. Three months is all it takes for Alaina to have her job. I have to work successfully for three months and then I'm free. How hard could a personal assistant job be?

I grab the pen from his outstretched hand and sign the contract before slamming it back in his hands.

I turn and leave as Flint says,"You start on Monday at nine sharp."

------

Alaina leaves a voice message in concern to make sure I was okay. When I ring her back, I convince her I'm okay and lie to her by telling her that all Flint wanted was to offer me a job. I leave out the part where it was in order to keep Alaina's job safe.

Alaina would do the same for me, it's only fair that I'd do the same back.

I grab the Burgundy dress off my shelf and try it on. It'll have to do. I watch the clock, Eight twenty. I'd have to leave now if I was to get the Flint's office in time. If I fail this, I'm sure Alaina will lose her job, the job she worked so hard for.

My car's engine roars before it purrs and then splutters. I get out and kick the tyre. Now is not the time to stop working. Other than the scratched up paint job and rust, the car's a babe. He drives smoothly. It's no Lamborghini but it's still an important part of my life.

I try a second time, looking at the time. Eight thirty. I can almost hear Flint's voice warning me not to be late. The third time the car doesn't even turn on. My heart sinks.

I rest my hand against the window of the driver's seat. I take a deep breath and then duck my head as I get back in the car. "Final try," I say to myself.

This time the car starts. I drive in a rush in hopes that the car won't turn off mid drive but my babe doesn't. He gets me to work, of course he gets me to work five minutes late but at least he got me here.

When I get to the front door of 'Everwood Business Co' Flint is standing by the automatic doors in anger. "Meet me in my office immediately," is all he says before he turns and walks to the elevators. I keep quiet but follow behind him.

When I walk into his office, he turns to face me. "You're late."

I nod. "I know, but I really did try to get here faster."

He leans closer to me, once again forcing me against the door. "I don't tolerate lateness in my office, Miss Jackson."

I swallow. "It won't happen again."

Flint smirks. "It better not or else you'll know exactly what happens," he says in a stern voice. "Oh and most people call me Sir here."

I roll my eyes making sure he sees it. "Yes, sir."

Flint Everwood doesn't say a word but I know he sees it, instead he shows me to my office which is fifteen stairs down where his office is but it hovers above the other levels like his office does.

"There's a list of things you need to do when you turn the computer on," Flint says before he leaves me on my own.

I place my bag on the floor and turn the computer on. Someone knocks on my door and then walks in. "I have an appointment with Flint Everwood."

I stop. Dammit! What am I supposed to do? I instruct him to sit as I walk up the fifteen stairs to Flint's office. I knock on the door twice and then walk in.

"Someone is here to see you."

Flint watches me. "Does that someone have a name, Miss Jackson?"

I stare at my feet. I didn't ask for a name. "Sure," I reply.

"Care to share it then," he says watching my body language.

I freeze, and we both know that I don't know the name. I never asked. Flint gets up from his chair and walks to the front door where I'm standing. "How about you ask him his name and what he's here for?"

His hand skims mine as he opens the door. I don't know if he did that intentionally or not but a shiver runs down my spine.

The second time up I've got the details for everything. "His name is Robert Waters and he's here to discuss the Evergreen 2.0 program you are working on. He has stats required to enhance the programmability," I say with confident this time.

Flint smiles like he's impressed. I won't let him win, this is the guy who threatened to fire my friend. He's a scum.

Flint instructs me to send him in, so I do so. When I get to my computer, he has a list of things for me to do. I scan to the bottom. Number two hundred. Call Allan's Photography and call him for pre-decision choices.

I frown. Two hundred things. He's trying to kill me and he knows it. I scroll back up to the beginning of the list. Number one. Level four, hallway three, help the team run the photo-shoot for the magazine cover.

When I get there, I have to avert my eyes. There's a naked guy on the bed on his knees with a girl holding him. There's silk bed sheets wrapped around them or else they'd be on display.

"Finally," the lady next to me says pushing me further into the room. "We can get started, Miss Jackson."

I cringe. The guy holds the bed sheet around his waist as the girl twists in front of him, her back to the camera as she presses her body against him. He has the silk bed sheets wrapped around his waist and hers but she's naked from the top up. You can't really see because her chest is pressed against his and her bare back is facing the camera.

I blink and then turn my head so I'm not facing them. I've never been that intimate with a human let alone for a damn photo-shoot.

The lady pulls my hand and hands me a document instructing the two on the bed how to pose as the camera man takes their photos. "Get in there," she says. "Tell them what to do and feel free to go up to them and move their hands and bodies so they are posed according to these documents. We must get every photo perfectly."

I feel like shouting for help but I just turn to the guy and tell him to lay on his side and hold the woman in front of him. I cringe as I pull the bed sheets over them, my eyes closed hoping I don't see anything else.