Beauty and the Boss

Home

"You won't have the balls," the creepy guy scoffs and violently brushes his fingers against my bare arm.

"I won't hesitate to do that if you don't keep your hands off her in one..."

Mr. Lockwood reaches into his pocket, and I hear the sound of clicking gun.

"Two..."

Before Mr. Lockwood manages to raise the gun and point it at the unknown man, the man smiles awkwardly at him and says, "I'm just kidding, alright? Is she your girlfriend? You're a lucky man, dude."

Mr. Lockwood rolls his eyes and pulls my hand, leading me away from the crowd.

"What were you thinking?"

"I, um, I was just joining my friend," I say casually, trying not to show how terrified I am.

"In the middle of the night? In a shady nightclub? With this kind of clothes?"

"Actually..."

Before I manage to interrupt further, Mr. Lockwood raises his eyebrow and says, "And let me guess, your parents don't have any idea about this."

I only grin awkwardly, and Mr. Lockwood rolls his eyes. He looks frustrated, and I hate to tell myself that he looks adorable with that kind of look. It makes him a bit more... human.

"Let me take you home," he says, now without expression.

"But how about Lindsey?"

"I'll drive her home too.

Mr. Lockwood walks into the middle of the crowd, discreetly covering his face with a baseball cap to avoid getting seen. Then, we find Lindsey, still as drunk as she has been for the last few minutes.

"Where we goin'?" asks Lindsey as she stands weakly with several hiccups in between her words.

"Home," says Mr. Lockwood before he takes her hand and leads us outside.

"Aweeeeesome," slurs Lindsey. "I hot, you hot. You know what's next."

I cringe in disgust and a bit of jealousy as Lindsey pushes herself towards Mr. Lockwood, desperately trying to flirt with him.

"Lindsey, stop!" I yell.

"What? You jello?" asks Lindsey followed with a disturbing drunken laugh.

"You're drunk. You're..."

"I don't find anything wrong with your friend, Miss Reed. She's just trying to be friendly with me," says Mr. Lockwood.

After walking for a few seconds, we finally reach a black Lexus car. I look at him in confusion, as I know from the online news that Mr. Lockwood's favorite car is a red Ferrari Sergio, an invite-only vehicle that he loves to show off to the public.

"I need something more humble to go to places like this," explains Mr. Lockwood as if he just read my mind.

My jaw drops when Mr. Lockwood calls what people see as a luxury car as "humble". But before I can challenge his statement, he opens the door for me and let me take the front seat beside him. Then, he proceeds to open the door for Lindsey, who clings to him as if they're both attached to a kind of glue.

I sigh in pure happiness when Mr. Lockwood closes the door on my back because it means that Lindsey is no longer placing her hands all over him.

"Let me know where her house is," says Mr. Lockwood as soon as he sits behind the wheel.

"Okay."

After he puts on his own seatbelt, Mr. Lockwood points at my side and speaks coldly, "Seatbelt. I don't want to get charged with manslaughter if an accident happens."

I put on my seatbelt awkwardly, wondering how a person could be so mean and cold and annoying. Most importantly, I wonder why that person could attract me in a way that even I can't even explain.

"What's your name, honey?" asks Lindsey from the backseat, while her hands are seductively caressing Mr. Lockwood's neck.

"Hunter Lockwood," says Mr. Lockwood without expression regardless of how disturbed I have been seeing Lindsey's suggestive and aggressive behavior.

"I like you, Daddy Lockwood."

For the first time in his cold period, Mr. Lockwood laughs. He seems to be amused, and I don't find it amusing at all. I am now hoping, praying, and begging with all of my heart and soul that we will arrive at Lindsey's house as soon as possible, so she can take some rest and get well soon.

Just kidding. I want her to get into her house and keep her hands as far away from Mr. Lockwood as possible. If anyone thinks I'm being territorial, I am not. I just believe that she should have a chance to make a decision with a clear mind rather than under the influence.

After fifteen minutes of real pain, we finally arrive at Lindsey's house. Mr. Lockwood leads her to the front door of his house, while I wait in the car. I can see how she offers him to get inside her house, and I am beyond grateful that he politely declines.

But before I can sigh in relief, I see how Lindsey tiptoes to reach Mr. Lockwood's cheek. She pulls his casual black shirt down and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

Honk!

I push on the horn of the car to prevent further incidents from happening.

Finally, Lindsey's door closes behind her, and Mr. Lockwood walks back into the car.

He pulls off his car from its parking spot, and then he starts to drive on the long, empty road, right at the side of a national park.

"What happened?" he finally asks.

"You took so long," I say while crossing my arms and maintaining my straight face. "I almost thought you forgot that I was still in the car, and this thing is still emitting gasses that might be harmful to other people, and probably, the whole planet."

"What can I say? Your friend is... interesting."

I only nod once and look away at the window as I realize how annoying I've been as someone who has just been saved from a harasser by her boss.

"Were you jealous?" asks Mr. Lockwood as he slows down his car.

I fake a laugh and say, "Why would I? I have a boyfriend."

"So, having a boyfriend is the only reason why you're not jealous, correct?"

"Yes, Sir!" I say with fake enthusiasm that mimics a little kid.

Suddenly, Mr. Lockwood turns the car to the side of the road and stops it.

"Did I say something wrong?" I ask.

"No, but I want to play a little game with you."

***

A Message from Noah:

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