THE CEO'S PARAMOUR

7.

Peyton.

Silently I followed Kol to the private elevator, my nerves and emotions were all a jumbled up mess. "Kol what's wrong?" He pinched the bridge of his nose but did not say anything.

It made me even more anxious as he led me to his office, when we arrived on the top floor. The anger across his face was still evident as the person I assumed was his secretary scurried off.

"Now will you tell me?" I argued and he sighs sitting down. "I couldn't get the deal with Sterling, I fucked it over and the stakeholders are threatening to take action if I don't step up, I'm so angry for failing, for not doing enough and at those pompous idiots who think it's easy doing this job." I sighed walking over to him.

"Kol this is business, you need to keep a level head, if you burst out because of anger you'll lose, now I'm sure there is a solution to get the deal with Sterling, set up another meeting and try again." He groans looking outside.

"No one said being CEO of this company was a cakewalk, only you can make it better by rising to the occasion, now take off your blazer let me help." He did as told and I crouched down removed his shoes as well.

"Stress is a bad thing." I spoke massaging his feet. He smiled in contentment as I worked on the knots in his muscles, I work my way to his back and shoulders. "That feels so good." He moaned as I popped his shoulder.

"You're too stiff, it's bad for you." He chuckles lightly. "I know, thanks Peyton." I respond with a smile. "I best get to work and you work on that meeting with Sterling." He yanks me back and I try not to fall as I stumble back into his hold.

"Don't forget we're still on for lunch which is in an hour and also have dinner with me, I already made the reservation." I had already made plans with Doc, I contemplated how I was going to tell him.

"I–Tonight I planned to have a sleepover with Doc, we haven't had one in a while." I tried to speak with as much control and confidence I could muster up. "Cancel then, you can always do it on another day." That wasn't fair to me though.

"But Kol." I argued and his hold around me tightened. "I said cancel them, I don't like repeating myself Peyton and you know better than to disagree, you wouldn't want me angry with you." His fingers caressed my cheek.

As much as I wanted to feel repulsed by the action I wasn't, I welcomed the gesture and it terrified me. "No I wouldn't, then I will cancel and get ready for dinner with you." He smiled as if he hadn't made me choose him over my friend.

My stomach was an uneven balance of flutter and sadness, those so-called butterflies were confused. This relationship with Kol was definitely making me lose my mind, if even I could call it that.

"Kol what are we, I mean what exactly is this if not an affair." I mumbled lowly hoping I wasn't forced to look at him. "We are whatever the term we decide and personally I'd consider the two of us in our dating stages, soon everything will fall in place." I wondered what he meant by that. What it meant for me.

"Peyton, a man came to your apartment last night before I did, I know who he is and I don't want to see him anywhere near you." He asserts and my mind couldn't grasp how he knew that.

"How did y—?" I tried to ask. "Doesn't matter, just do as I say." I nodded not knowing what else to do. "I was already planning to get a restraining order against him, so you don't have to worry." I assured Kol but I knew that wasn't enough.

"Good, I will file it for you." I didn't want to anger Kol he was already unstable and also the fact that he knew who came to my place without me telling him meant someone was reporting to him about any and every detail of my day, which was scary and creepy.

"I have to go." I murmured and his arms untangled themselves from my body, before I let go he placed a kiss on my forehead. A knock on the door alerts us both of the person at the door.

Kol took his seat and I began to walk toward the door but the boss I was having an affair with told me to stay put with a single look. A woman with platinum blonde hair which was turning a darker shade at the roots walked in.

Her eyes met mine, she scrutinized every inch of me, her judgment laid out to be visible, I knew that in her head she was cursing me. "Kol darling, I came to see your new office, didn't expect to see this in with you thought." I had appreciated her ignorance but her statement made my skin crawl.

"Mother, Peyton is the best designer we have on the fashion department, you wore something he designed three days ago." Kol argued making me feel better.

"I don't seem to recall." She replied Kol who shrugs. "Peyton this is my mother Meredith Tempest, mother, Peyton Lake." I wasn't surprised he knew my name, he had probably looked through human resources for it.

"Pleasure is mine." She replied looking at me as if I was the scum of tbs earth and I hated it. "Mr. Tempest I will be going." Confidently I spoke making my way toward the door.

"Peyton stay." Kol argued and I sigh. "Why does he have to stay those chemical infused curls are making me feel awful and honey your desk wasn't supposed to be black, you can never really trust it." I was ready to give her a piece of my mind, fight her if she wanted to.

"I have work to get to." I mumbled and with success, I made it out the door for a much needed breath. Kol's mother was a bitch and I wanted nothing other than wringing her neck or hugging her to death.

I wondered how I was turning into some robotic person or a person with a life planned by another because he had issues with possession. I didn't want to stay on Kol's floor along with the rich snobs who worked here, so to avoid any more racist comments from Kol's mother, I hurriedly got into the lift tapping my foot impatiently.

With the need for fresh air, I walked out of XALVIC and stood outside breathing in the air clearing my mind. I had dealt with one issue hopefully now I wondered if I could deal with Kol.

Shawn and Hilda walked out of the company together. "Hey Peyton, what are you doing all alone here?" Hilda asked to which I replied with a small smile. "Just needed air." She nods toward me.

"So what did the boss want?" She asked calmly waiting for my answer. "I had sent him the wrong file for the expo." Shawn laughs as does Hilda. "You sure you didn't do it on purpose?" I roll my eyes as they continued laughing.

I couldn't tell them the real reason why Kol had called me up there to talk to him, and also his racist of a mother who I still wanted to murder. "I didn't do it on purpose, why would I? You know how I hate the upper floors." It was true for me and my friends, we hated being around snobby pompous men and women.

"Heard he's doing as good as the old CEO." Shawn exclaimed and I couldn't deny, Kol was trying his best to fill in the shoes of his father, but it was taking its toll. I looked at my watch and realized it was lunchtime meaning Kol would be hunting for me.

"Sorry I've got to go, just found out I have a design and prototype needed." Both my friends laugh as I sped walk into the building.

+++

LMJ