The Hunted: Escaping The Alpha

Chapter 2

"You can't fucking sack me! You know how much I need this job," Joss slammed her clenched fists down onto the table, causing the coffee mugs to judder and spill.

"I'm sorry Joss, but you know the rules," I deadpanned. I'd employed the girl because she was a drama queen and the clients love that sort of thing, but at this moment I was about ready to throttle her if she carried on making a scene.

She was pouting, her perfect jet-black waves had fallen to half cover her face as she started to fake-cry, the sort of crying where the persons shoulders shake and face scrunches up but no actual tears appear. A well-rehearsed routine, I assumed.

Finally she looked up and huffed, "I've worked my arse for you, this isn't fair!"

That did it. You could call me a lot of things – bitch, heartless, ruthless, cunt – but I was more than fair to my staff, and I wasn't prepared to waste any more time with this brat. I could feel that familiar old prickling sensation in my arms, the first sign I was about to lose to my shit. I needed to end this meeting before I did something stupid.

I fixed my eyes onto Joss's and stood up slamming both hands down on the table, leaning over until I was just inches from her face. "Your done!" I snarled through clenched teeth. It's all I could manage to say whilst trying to control the rage bubbling inside, but it was enough – the sheer look of terror in her eyes and her silent nod told me she had received the message loud and clear.

Drawing myself up to my full height I grabbed my handbag and made a swift exit from the café. Instead of grabbing a taxi I decided to walk – it would help me cool off.

In my opinion my staff had the best damn job in the world. I ran a platonic escort agency where my clients paid for companionship. A network of high-calibre, lonely clients meant my guys got paid very well for going out and enjoying themselves, and they got to choose their hours and who they went out with. I also made sure they were safe at all times. Most my clients were either wealthy businessmen, young heirs who weren't ready to come out of the closet to their parents or middle-aged, divorced women who were sick of men and just wanted someone to go out with.

I couldn't stress the non-sexual element of the company enough to my staff and clients. Not sleeping with clients was my number one rule – a rule which Joss had been breaking. The business was completely legal, but a few simple mistakes could have me landing on the wrong side of the law, and the last thing I wanted was anyone sniffing around looking into the company, or more worryingly, me.

The company was small enough to stay under the radar, whilst earning enough to pay myself a half decent salary without having to step foot in an office – and I intended to keep things that way.

Things with Mark had been bad enough, I really didn't want to go the police or draw any attention to myself but after we hooked up that night he kept turning up my flat, begging for me to give him another chance.

It was seriously weird. When I stopped opening the door to him he'd just sit outside watching the place. The final straw was when he broke in to leave me flowers, balloons and a sorry card in my kitchen. That's when I had to take out an injunction against him. The old Rio wouldn't have thought twice about just killing him and being done with it, but that was then.

I hadn't heard from him in a few days so I figured it had done the trick.

After almost an hour of walking I finally arrived at my front door. It was slightly ajar.

For fuck sake, not this again Mark.

As I stepped inside my body froze. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as my senses kicked in. A familiar scent was in the air and it was strong.