The Boss’s Unconventional Assistant

It was time for Croix’s last meeting of the day, and the one that Lyner was very uneasy about. She was always uneasy when a lone woman demands a meeting with Croix. Unfortunately, this woman was the daughter of a CEO and heiress of a high-end furniture empire.

What does a furniture store have to do with mining? Very little, but she did say all the right things.

No doubt she’ll have a deal of a life-time. There was a chance that her business offer was legitimate, but thanks to numerous experiences Lyner and Croix had been through already, the chances weren’t in their favour.

Normally, when Croix attended a meeting with a man or a group of business people, he would go alone. But whenever he was to deal with a lone businesswoman, Lyner would go with him. For his sake entirely.

It wasn’t just him, though. Unfortunately, one of the company's many rules was that the male employees were to never be alone with a woman, especially an unknown one. If a woman stepped into the lift and the man was the only one inside, he was to step out. If a woman stepped into a room with him the only one inside, he was to either immediately leave or keep the door open and keep a large distance between them. If he must be in the same room as another woman, it was to be a room in a high traffic area and open windows; preferably a room with a camera.

Absolutely ridiculous rules, but they were necessary. Mostly for the men as they have had a few female (past) employees pull knives or used pepper spray on a male colleague just because he was a guy and, in their minds men were always calculating ways to harass and assault women. While there had been a few cases of male employees getting the sack for acting unprofessionally, the events were far and few between.

Unlike what some of those in the social media like to think, sexual misconduct wasn’t rife in all businesses.

“Ready to go, Lyner?”

Scooping her computer tablet, Lyner stood up from her chair and nodded her head as Croix stood before her desk. She gave him a reassuring smile and he tried to return it, but it came out as an apprehensive upturn of his lips. He was dressed professional, his suit and tie creaseless and sharp. He always did look handsome in a suit, which was probably one of the key reasons why he was always targeted by MFOSs. That and the fact that he was a young billionaire.

Perfect husband material.

“Let’s see how this goes,” Croix murmured as they made their way to the arranged meeting room that was a few floors down.

Reaching the room, they found a woman about their age the sole occupant, so their gazes were immediately drawn to her. She had long strawberry blonde hair with natural platinum blonde highlights that was both bouncy and curly, reaching well past her shoulder blades and effortlessly framing her lovely heart shaped face.

She was wearing a light blue blazer with a white button up shirt underneath and a very short and tight black mini-skirt. She was sitting in a seat that was closest to the door and pushed a little away from the table so that whoever walked in would immediately see her long, sexy legs that were a golden tan in colour, a pair of shiny black sky-high heels on her feet.

Slowly, she turned to glance in the door way, her piercing stormy grey eyes seemingly brightening when her powerful gaze fell upon Croix. Her bright red lips curled into a flirtatious smile as she uncrossed her legs and stood up. She was quite tall, probably thanks to the heels, with long legs, sexy thighs, small waist and large bust. A black leather handbag was slung over her shoulder which seemed to be filled with very few items needed for a business meeting.

“I’ve been waiting,” she stated as she sashayed straight up to Croix, her hips swaying seductively.

She didn’t even see Lyner standing in the background. Hardly a surprise. Croix was her target, after all.

“Croix Bartel,” Croix introduced himself as he held out his hand to shake hers, which he did to everyone he met. It was courteous and professional, after all.

“Katerina Valchek,” the woman introduced herself with a silk-like voice as she shook his hand, her long slender fingers (with red nail polish) purposely lingering. A subtle scowl appeared on her face a second later when Croix tugged back his hand and made his way over to the large oval table set in the middle of the room. He took a seat at one end of the table which held two chairs.

A smirk appeared on Katerina’s lips as she made the attempt to follow, but paused when Lyner abruptly came into her line of view. Her frown turned into a full on glare when Lyner stepped into the room right behind Croix and attempted to move to take the seat next to him.

“Croix,” Katerina called out as she hastily tried to block Lyner from actually reaching Croix. “Who is she?”

Leaning back in his seat, Croix signalled to Lyner to introduce herself.

“Lyner Barsett,” Lyner stated as she turned to look at Katerina, holding out her hand in order to also shake hers in greeting. “I am Mr Bartel’s Personal Assistant.”

Katerina made no attempt to shake Lyner’s hand, leaving her hanging there. Instead she narrowed her eyes at her, trying to intimidate her before turning her attention back to Croix. “Why are we not discussing this private matter in your office?” she asked him.

“Because it's against company policy for business to be conducted in my office,” Croix replied quickly as he beckoned Lyner over to take the seat next to him.

“Why is she here?” Katerina practically hissed as Lyner slipped into her seat.

“I am Mr Bartel’s Personal Assistant,” Lyner repeated. “I always accompany him to these types of meetings.”

Katerina did not look at all pleased to hear that. “I wish to speak with Croix alone,” she stated seemingly through gritted teeth. She then turned to flutter her eyes at Croix, probably anticipating that he would take on look at her and immediately agree, leading her there himself.

Instead Croix simply waved his hand dismissively. “Whatever you say, my Personal Assistant, Miss Barsett, will know. That is her job, after all.”

Katerina frowned as she folded her arms under her bust, looking determined and firm. “I will not discuss private matters with this woman here,” she stated with little room for argument.

Croix shrugged as he stood up from his seat. “Then we will discuss nothing at all,” he said, surprising Katerina greatly as he moved to leave the room, once again Lyner moving to follow. “Good day.”

“You’re actually going to walk out on me?” Katerina spluttered loudly, looking appalled by the notion.

“Well, you did say that you would not discuss matters with my Personal Assistant present,” Croix said, not even remotely intrigued or bemused by her actions. “And I do not hold meetings on private matters. Unless you have a business proposal for me, then this meeting is over.”

Katerina gaped silently at him for a moment, truly bewildered that Croix was not following along with her plans. He was, after all, supposed to be trying to charm her with a deliciously wicked glint in his eyes while planning on how he was going to get her into his arms and into his bed.

“I have a deal you won’t be able to refuse,” Katerina hastily stated as she sat at the table, taking the seat that Lyner had been sitting in previously.

“Is that so?” Croix murmured as he moved to the seat next to Katerina. However, instead of sitting down like she expected him to do, he grasped the back of it and pulled it to the other side of the table. He then pulled it out for Lyner to sit down first before he sat down in the other seat.

The entire time, Katerina watched him with an expression that was of both bewilderment and sheer irritation. She really, really couldn’t understand why Croix wasn’t trying to get to get as close to her as possible.

Silently seething, Katerina picked up her handbag and began to rifle through it, looking for something. Maybe she had a Plan B hidden in there somewhere. After few moments of searching, she finally pulled out a professional looking wad of papers.

“I promise that this will be a deal of a lifetime,” Katerina said as she placed the obvious contract onto the table, keeping her hand firmly on top.

Croix glanced at the contract before turning to Lyner, indicating for her to take it. “Lyner.”

Lyner nodded her head and she stood up slightly from her seat to reach forward to pick up the contract. But before she could, Katerina snatched the contract away and sent her a very fearsome glare.

“You’re not the one who needs to read it,” she hissed.

Lyner tried not to roll her eyes as Croix arched an eyebrow at her. Wordlessly, Croix was the one to reach over the table to retrieve the contract, which Katerina allowed to take with a slight smirk of her lips. However, her face flushed with anger and indignation when Croix slid the contract over to Lyner.

Lyner picked up the so-called deal of a lifetime and quickly scanned her eyes over it. It took a couple of seconds to finally register what she was reading. A part of her could scarcely believe what she was reading, while the other part wasn’t even remotely surprised. Her ‘deal’ as she called it was…outrageous at best.

And had to be illegal.

“What does it say?” Croix asked as he turned his attention to her.

“Apparently, her father is wishing to merge his business with yours,” Lyner stated as she sat back in her seat and flipped idly through the contract. “And he supposedly is willing to do whatever it takes, including using his own daughter as a bargaining chip.”

Croix rested his elbows on the table and folded his hands under his chin. “Marriage?” he asked.

“Of course,” Lyner quipped as she placed her computer tablet onto the table and began to type a message to Randolf at security. “Since she is so, and I quote ‘lovely’ and ‘desirable’, he apparently wants a suitable husband for his daughter.”

“Uh huh,” Croix muttered plainly as he glanced over to Katerina, who seemed to be silently seething in her seat, her eyes hard and wide, her lips pressed together in a thin line and her perfectly portioned figured was shaking with barely suppressed rage. “Let me guess; a counter offer?”

“Counter offer probably isn’t the right,” Lyner stated as she glanced at the contract again. “She’s willing to go along with her father’s deal and become your public wife, but she’ll hand over her shares to you as long as you grant her most desired wish.”

Croix glanced back over to her, a sense of trepidation in his gaze. “Which is?” he asked cautiously.

Lyner gave Croix a forced smile. “To have a baby. More specifically, your baby, the natural way.”

Croix sat up straight in his seat, an expression of disbelief and outrage on his face. He didn’t seem shocked, though. Disgusted and surprised, but not shocked. He quickly turned back to Katerina and narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you serious?” he practically spluttered.

With her face twisted into a fearsome (and embarrassed) glare, Katerina abruptly leapt to her feet. “Are you mocking me?” she shrilled.

A look of resignation appeared on Croix’s face as he leaned back into his chair and roughly ran a hand over his face. “You ARE serious,” he murmured darkly, seemingly speechless as the realisation of what was happening finally sunk in. “What the hell?”

Katerina immediately launched into a rambling lecture about how perfect she would be for Croix, and how terrible her life under her father’s control was. And something about how no one could possibly understand her the way Croix could as they were kindred spirits, both with hurt and pain in their eyes.

Lyner lost interest in Katerina quickly and simply sent off a message to security about the contents of the contract and asking to get someone down here immediately before setting her tablet aside to muse about the ‘realities’ of Katerina’s deal.

It was truly ridiculous. And, to be honest, Lyner was feeling somewhat sceptical. Was it really possible? Did Katerina actually think that her 'business deal' was actually the bargain of a lifetime? What was more unfathomable was the fact that Katerina thought Croix would immediately agree.

Surely, Katerina must think that all guys, especially rich and single guys, were playboys looking for the next challenge to seduce, take to bed and then discard. She was probably hoping that the very sight of her was enough to send his pulse racing (or something) and relish in the thought of taking this ‘courageous’ and ‘alluring’ beauty to bed on their wedding night where he would be so enthralled with her that he’d try to do whatever was necessary to make her his ‘forever’ wife.

And having his baby as a part of the business deal? Completely outrageous! What kind of life would that poor child have? One as a bargaining chip, no doubt. Having Croix’s baby meant that she had a constant and direct link to Croix – and his money and his life.

Was Katerina really that stupid? Or ruthlessly conniving?

Either way, it didn’t matter much. Her deal was completely brainless, so immediately rejected.

“…Lyner,” Croix sighed as he massaged his temples. “How many laws did this contract break?”

Picking up her tablet, Lyner retrieved a message from Randolf. “According to security…a shit-load.”

Croix snorted humourlessly. “Figured as much.”

“Are you even listening to me?!” Katerina demanded.

“Yeah, yeah,” Croix said dismissively as he pushed back his chair and stood up, not bothering to grace Katerina with one last glance. “Let’s go, Lyner. I need a coffee…Maybe a stiff drink.”

Grabbing her tablet as well as the contract, Lyner immediately moved to follow Croix, ensuring that she was situated between him and Katerina who was now starting to really lose her temper, unreasonably outraged that Croix wasn’t fawning over her.

Thankfully, as she and Croix hurried from the room to head to the safety of his office, a group of security guards raced in and set about restraining Katerina. She continued to rage, wailing out incoherent nonsense as she was dragged away.

Lyner sighed and shook her head. MFOSs never did anything quietly.

The very second they stepped into Croix’s office, the door shut and locked itself behind them and Croix staggered over to his seat, slumped into it before leaning forward and practically slammed his head against the desk, looking lifeless. “A deal I can’t refuse…” he muttered bitterly. “My ass.”

Lyner didn’t have to ask whether or not Croix was all right. She could see that he was feeling incredibly bitter and fatigued. Dealing with MFOSs was always very draining. While Lyner dealt with them the most, it was worst for Croix. He was the one they were after, the one they were willing to do whatever it took to get their claws into – and they actually believed that he would immediately succumb to their so-called charms.

It was disheartening to anyone to have such unreasonable (and low) expectations brought upon them by others.

Wordlessly, Lyner made her way over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders, giving him a light massage. Croix groaned lowly under her touch and immediately reached out to her. He then sat up and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Lyner wrapped her own arms around his neck, allowing him to practically cling to her.

She ran her fingers through his hair as he muttered something about brainless idiots and why him. The answer to his last question was fairly obvious.

Lyner was a little worried about tomorrow. She wasn’t working tomorrow – not at the Blue Zircon Enterprise at least. She’ll be doing a few errands and taking care of her and Croix’s current living space, a beautiful two story villa in a supposedly secure gated complex. But it was only secure at night.

The day was an entirely different matter.

She always fretted when she wasn’t working with Croix. Thankfully, he never had any appointments or meetings with those outside his own working environment. And if he did, Lyner always made sure that they were with those who she knew was legitimate and that security was on high alert. If no meetings were scheduled, he would spend the majority of the day locked in his office, dealing with others through emails.

He wasn’t an anti-social person. Not in the slightest. It was just…better safe than sorry. Besides, if anything got too out of hand Croix would just throw a fit, declare that he wasn’t working anymore and come home. And Lyner was always encouraged (by other employees who didn’t know how to deal with MFOSs like she did) to come visit him at work, which she often did, bringing him coffee or something to eat…or grab a MFOS by her perfect hair and throw her into a dumpster on her way out.

Anyway, right now would be a good time for a coffee break. They both deserve it.

“Why kind of coffee would you like?” Lyner asked.

“Make it as black as the night itself.”

Lyner couldn’t help but chuckle softly.