Owned: An Alpha Anthology (34 page)

He stared at me intensely as I looked over the rest of his paperwork. I could feel his eyes on me and, while it didn't make me nervous, exactly, it made me feel . . . something. Intimidation?

"Everything looks great, Mr. Williams. I'll just add my signature to the bottom, then I’ll bring these to Human Resources and they will finish processing everything today. Would you like to look at your office now?"

He tilted his head, smiled, then looked down at his crotch, and back at me. That moment seemed to last forever. "I don't think that's necessary, Ms. VanBuren. I'd actually like to get out of these wet clothes."

"Oh, sure. Of course. As I see you out, we will pass it. But no need to linger." I forced a smile, stood, and scooted my chair under the table. I reached my hand out and gave him a firm handshake.

"I really am sorry about that," I said again, wanting him to accept my apology.

"I know," he said, then I turned on my heels and led the way.
What a rude response.
As we walked the main hall, I could see different women making eye contact with him, and he smiled, but kept walking. On the way to the elevator, we passed Jane, and she grinned widely. "See you tomorrow,
Parker
." His name lingered on her lips.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, then winked. If I didn't know better, by the way he treated Jane, I would say he was a cougar hunter. I smiled at the thought. When we stepped inside the elevator, he looked over at me, and I was grinning like a big idiot.

"What is it?" he said.

"I'm sorry?" I looked at him while wiping the smile from my face.

"You were smiling like I did something amusing. What is it?"

I narrowed my eyes at him as the elevator doors opened on the bottom floor. "Have a good day, Mr. Williams," I said as he exited the elevator.

He turned and looked at me, really looked at me, as I leaned against the wall of the elevator with my arms crossed. The only thing that stopped our gaze was the elevator doors closing. On the ride up, I realized that he was very in-tune with the small details, just like my father. Not only was he overconfident at times, he was quite observant, too. I mentally made a Parker list and started placing personality traits that were his. He seemed to be an enigma, of sorts, but I was determined to crack his shell. My father, Pops, and Jane, might really like him, but I wasn't sold yet. There was something about him, though, that I couldn't quite place. I would figure that out as well.

Two hours later, Dad invited me to lunch.

"Chello's." He peeked his head into my office, then closed the door. Everyone knew that I couldn't deny an invite to Chello's. That place had everything from salads to pastries to coffee. Since it was only a couple blocks from the office, I walked. No need to wrestle someone for a parking spot downtown.

My mind couldn't stop thinking about Parker's wet crotch, the way he looked at me in the elevator, and how he walked away without responding. What bothered me the most was why I even cared. I think it was because of how much I put into first impressions. The first and second weren't looking good in my favor, and the same rang true for him.

I arrived early, which was great, because I got to choose where we sat. When the weather was beautiful, I always headed to the patio. I sat, ordered water, and waited. Ten minutes later, a familiar face trailed down the sidewalk in blue jeans and a polo.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I whispered, then exhaled as Parker requested a table, on the patio, and walked right past me. Instantly, I pulled out my phone for a distraction, then glanced at the menu.

A chair scooted beside me, and when I looked over, I was greeted with blue eyes and a smile. "Ms. VanBuren, good afternoon."

Before I could even open my mouth to reply, I saw Jake storming up to the table, angry, another reason we could never be together. He was too jealous. "Rox, who is this?"

"Jake. You need to watch your tone, and it's none of your damn business," I said.

"Who the hell is this? Another guy that you met online? Is this why you wouldn't—"

"Go back to work. Leave. I don't have time for this right now. I really don't," I said, more pissed than embarrassed.

Parker stood and crossed his arms, while Jake stared him down. "You heard the lady. She said to leave." He didn't raise his voice, but he was firm with his direction.

Jake stood, staring up at Parker, trying to intimidate him, and then hustled off. When Parker sat, I couldn't make eye contact with him. My heart thumped in my chest, so hard that I thought it might explode. The tone and protectiveness he displayed shocked me. Why wouldn't he have just sat there and let Jake be a complete ass? My body tensed. Embarrassed, with no words, I looked over at him, and he laughed. He laughed so hard that it threw me off guard.

"What's so funny?" I asked, relaxing.

"You are something else," he said. "Each time we've been together, something has happened. It's like the universe is telling me to run away from you or something. I hate to break it to you, Ms. VanBuren"—his voice dropped to a low whisper—"but I'm not going anywhere."

At first I didn't know how to react to the intensity of his gaze. "It does seem like that, doesn't it?" I sucked in a deep breath. "Sorry, it's been a really shitty day," I said.

"If you feel a certain way, you're entitled to it. No need to hide your feelings or wear a mask, because most people can see through them,
Roxane
. He had no right to cause a scene like that," he muttered. And shock and recognition flooded through me the more I listened to him talk.

But.

But it couldn't be.

The eyes. The hair. The pouty lips. The smile. The whisper. The laugh.

I picked up my phone and scrolled through my contacts with shaky hands.

Please don’t be him. Please don't be him.
I pressed Bartender in my contacts, and watched his phone light up and blink my number. I looked down at it, and my mouth dropped open. My heart raced faster now, more violent, and if it weren't for my father pulling up a chair, I quite possibly could have had a heart attack right there.

"What's wrong, pumpkin? You look like you've seen a ghost," he said.

"It's nothing," I said, then looked at Parker, who was fucking grinning.

"As I was saying, Ms. VanBuren, I'm not going anywhere
anytime soon
."

SINGLE: VOLUME 1 BY LYRA PARISH

11

I couldn’t remember what we discussed at lunch. After I realized Parker was the man who danced with me, and who stole my breath and the beats of my heart at the house party, I couldn't think of anything else. I had many rules in life, many rules when it came to dating, and somehow the only rule that really mattered had been broken.

Never mix business with pleasure.

I wanted to be angry at Stacey for making me go, because if I wouldn't have, well, I wouldn't be in this situation. Parker would be an asshole employee who was cocky, and that was it. This changed things drastically. No one at work knew about my one-night stands, Internet dating, or even that I had attended a few lifestyle parties. Parker couldn't say anything to anyone, not even hint at it, and if he told my father, the disappointment alone would kill him. I walked back to the office in a complete daze, not able to think about anything else. My entire day had been placed inside of a blender and shredded into little pieces. My thoughts wandered so much that my father told me to go home because there was obviously something wrong with me. My to-do list grew, but I only completed one task. When the clock ticked six o' clock, I finally left. As soon as I got inside the car, I called Stacey.

"How's your day been?" I asked, trying to start the conversation with resolve.

"I've had better. My agent called and explained to me the importance of wearing sponsored clothing in public, because I'm seen as a trendsetter. Said that the scandal actually boosted my public image. I had to explain that I don't want to wear some of the clothes they send me because they are horrible, and if people copied me, the fashion police would come and arrest me for being the creator of terrible fashion. I wouldn't be caught dead in them. I swear, if I die and you let them bury me in unstylish clothes, I will come back to haunt you for eternity."

"Speaking of haunting, you're never going to believe what I'm about to tell you."

"Intriguing," she said and waited.

"You're brother saw me at Chello's and flipped his shit on me today at lunch," I said.

"What? What the hell? See, that's the problem with working downtown. Everyone eventually runs into their crazy ex. And I'm texting him as soon as I get off this damn phone. See, I told you. I knew this was going to happen. I knew one of you would be irrational," she said.

"We haven't run into each other in a long while. Oh, and just wait, this story gets so much better. Remember the guy at the private party? The bartender at the club?"

"Oh, Mr. Blue-Eyed bartender?"

It took everything in my power not to flip out. "Well, I just fucking hired him. I can't believe I didn't recognize him sooner. His cockiness threw me off completely, and he is different in a business setting, which I understand. I feel like a damn idiot!"

"What? That's ridiculous. He's a
bartender
," she said.

"He is a fucking lawyer, who was doing his brother a favor. Who my father, grandfather, and I, just fucking hired. What if he says something to them? Or spreads rumors? He could fucking
ruin me
."

She laughed at me. "You're so paranoid. That would be defamation of character. Surely, he isn't that stupid. Plus, he would have to explain himself. I doubt he wants people to know he was there, too."

I buckled up and cranked the car, but I didn't pull out of my parking spot. "What am I supposed to do?"

Her words were simple, but held so much power behind them. "Own it." Then she hung up.

Maybe I will.

My night was full of restlessness again. When I woke up, I actually felt exhausted and made coffee at home, which was something that rarely happened. I sat at the bar in my pajamas, sipping the liquid energy, and wishing it would work quicker. I opened my phone and checked my calendar. At eight, I would be sitting in a meeting with the law team, and he would be there, but I couldn't worry about it any longer.

After I arrived at work, I checked my email, and had another cup of coffee before it was time for the meeting. Today, I wore a pencil-dress suit, my hair bobby pinned back, and red high heels. I was fierce, and I wouldn't let some lawyer walk all over me, threaten me, or even intimidate me.

By the time I walked in, the room was half full. Several men and women greeted me, asked the same old questions, and then it was time to start. Parker entered and sat right across from me. His grey suit jacket was unbuttoned, and I could see the vest of his three-piece suit.

"Before we get started, I would like to introduce our new attorney, Mr. Parker Williams. He will officially start on Monday, but Mr. VanBuren thought it would be beneficial to have him in this meeting so he could familiarize himself with the New York expansion, especially since his internship was in the state. Feel free to ask him any questions afterward," I said. I glanced around the room, until my eyes fell on Parker. The moment only lasted a few seconds, but in my mind, time stood still.

Parker's voice interrupted my thoughts and the discussion continued. Carl, a senior attorney, seemed very pleased with the results of the meeting and how we had progressed with the project. "I'll have my team draw up some paperwork by the end of next week, Ms. VanBuren," he said.

"Thanks, Carl." I gave him a firm handshake. "I really appreciate your hard work with this expansion. Dad is really excited to open a firm in New York."

"Are you?" he asked. The man had known me since I was a pre-teen, many people here had. The older crowd could see right through my thoughts and feelings.

"I'm looking forward to it," I said, not lying. I knew it meant more traveling, but New York was beautiful, and the city seemed to draw me to it. Construction was going on in downtown New York as we spoke; a full renovation of an old building, but with that meant lots of paperwork. Before I left the meeting, I interrupted a group of associate attorneys, who were chatting away about law school and bar exams with Parker.

"Mr. Williams, I'd like to see you in my office once you've finished, please."

When I walked away, I could hear the group of them go, "Ooooh. What did you do?"

I never heard his response.

As soon as I walked into my office and sat at my desk, Parker entered. Before he could even fully enter from the doorway, I spoke. "I think we should start over. We got off to a bad start, and it has been continuous," I said, firmly.

Parker leaned against my door with a shit-eating grin. His blue eyes sparkled with intent, and his closed lips held unspoken words. I waited for him to say something, to even mention the night when we got lost in a kiss, acknowledge it in some way, so I would know that it was as real for him as it was for me. I intertwined my fingers and waited for him to speak, but he never did. His silence was worse than any words. This was becoming all too complicated.

Parker knew my secrets. He knew them all, and he would somehow use them to his advantage.

"So much for starting over," I mumbled after he exited.

Fucking lawyers.

Fucking men.

After a few minutes, my phone buzzed, and I picked it up to read the text message.

Bartender: I'd still like that coffee.

I didn't reply, and promptly changed his name from Bartender to Don't Reply.